The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Visit Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park for a different kind of Park experience. See details below. NPS photo

A BILL TO REQUIRE PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL AUDITS OF HAWAIʻI AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORP. goes to Gov. David Ige's desk, after passing the state House of Representatives on Friday. Introduced by west Kaʻū Rep. Richard Creagan, the bill would fund the ADC through June 2021, but in turn require a third-party accounting financial audit and a performance audit.
The ADC, a quasi government agency to support agriculture, was involved with the effort to restore old water tunnels from sugar plantation days to be used for ranching and farming in Kaʻū. However, the effort stalled in the last few years after 12 years of work by the local agriculture community.

Creagan said the audit "will provide for a lot more transparency about what ADC does and going forward what their future relationship with the Agriculture Department should be."

Read the bill and testimony, here.

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Sen. Mazie Hirono.
Photo from Hirono's Twitter

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO called Pres. Donald Trump "amoral," in an email to constituents today. She said he "should not get away with his xenophobic agenda," and that "President Trump's latest actions and behavior regarding immigration continues to give me major concerns. Two things are clear: He doesn't see immigrants as human beings, but as political pawns, and he thinks he does not have to follow the law when it comes to their treatment.

"It was reported last week that the president promised his acting Homeland Security Secretary a pardon if he were to follow Trump's orders and break the law (by turning away refugees seeking asylum, saying the country is full, and ignoring the rulings of immigration judges.) This valueless, heartless behavior towards immigrants is sadly not unexpected from this amoral president."

She asks the public to sign a petition to "oppose Trump's attacks on immigrants."

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HAWAIʻI RANKS 19TH IN THE GREENEST STATE ANALYSIS by WalletHub. It ranks 12th in climate change contributions, 13th in eco-friendly behavior, and 27th in environmental quality. The Aloha state ranks as the second lowest consumer of gasoline per capita, after New York, and the third lowest energy-consuming state.

However, Hawaiʻi rates poorly in having to deal with the most Total Municipal Solid Waste per Capita.

The greenest states are Vermont, New York, Oregon, Connecticut, Minnesota, Massachusetts, California, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and New Hampshire. These states tend to recycle more, have less solid waste, use less gas and electricity, use more renewable energy sources, and make sure their air, water, and soil are healthier than states that ranked lower.

WalletHub reports that eco-friendliness and personal finance are related: "Our environmental and financial needs are the same in many areas: providing ourselves with sustainable, clean drinking water and food, for example. We also spend money through our own consumption and taxes in support of environmental security.

"Experts attribute the high number of hurricanes to unusually warm Atlantic waters, so it's possible that living more sustainably and using greener energy sources could prevent us from having quite as bad hurricane seasons in the future. We should all try to do our part to save the world for future generations."

In order to determine the greenest states, WalletHub compared the 50 states using 27 metrics. Environmental Quality is evaluated by weighing Total Municipal Solid Waste per Capita, Air Quality – which measures the average exposure of the general public to particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less in size – Water Quality, Soil Quality – which measures the difference between the median soil pH level and the optimal soil pH level – and Energy-Efficiency.

Eco-Friendly Behaviors are evaluated from the number of Green Buildings per Capita, Total Capacity of Solar Photovoltaic Systems Installed per Household, Share of Renewable Energy Consumption, Energy Consumption per Capita, Gasoline Consumption per Capita, Daily Water Consumption per Capita, Share of "Smart" Electricity Meters – energy meters with two-way communication technology to provide information to energy providers and consumers about prices, usage patterns, and inefficiencies – Alternative-Fuel Vehicles per Capita, Alternative-Fuel Stations per Capita, Green Transportation – which measures the percentage of the population who walk, bike, carpool, take public transportation, or work from home – Average Commute Time by Car, Share of Recycled Municipal Solid Waste, Certified Organic Farms per Capita, Corporate Clean Energy Procurement Index Score – which factors in how/if companies purchase and use renewable energy utilities – State Renewable Portfolio Standards, States with Electronic Waste Recycling Programs, States with Multifamily Recycling Policies, and Water Efficiency and Conservation & Climate Points.

Climate-Change Contributions are evaluated by scoring Carbon-Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous-Oxide, and Fluorinated Greenhouse-Gas Emissions per Capita.

See the report at wallethub.com/edu/greenest-states/11987/.

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HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK continues its tradition of sharing Hawaiian culture, After Dark in the Park talks, and stewardship programs during May 2019. Visitors are encouraged to check the Park's online calendar of events, and look for program flyers posted daily after 9:30 a.m. on the bulletin board at Kīlauea Visitor Center. Park programs are free, but entrance fees apply. Some programs are co-sponsored by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association. Mark your calendar for these upcoming events:

Stewardship of Kīpukapuaulu. Help remove troublesome plants at Kīpukapuaulu, home to diverse native forest and understory plants. Meet every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in May: 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30; at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11 in the Park. Bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat, and water. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothing that you don’t mind getting permanently stained from morning glory sap. Be prepared for cool and wet or hot and sunny weather. New volunteer? Contact Marilyn Nicholson for more info, nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

Stewardship at the Summit. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park, a World Heritage Site. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at 8:45 a.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center on Thursday, May 9; Friday, May 4, 17, and 31; or Saturday, May 25. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, raingear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Visit the park website for additional planning details, nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

Actor-director Dick Hershberger leads tours as Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar,
founder of Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory. NPS photo

A Walk into the Past with Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar. Walk back to 1912, and meet the founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, at the edge of Kīlauea Volcano. Dressed in period costume, Ka‘ū actor-director Dick Hershberger brings the renowned geologist to life. Dr. Jaggar leads a tour of his tiny lab located below the Volcano House, showing original seismograph equipment and other early instruments. Learn what motivated Dr. Jaggar to dedicate his life to the study of Hawaiian volcanoes, and how his work helps save lives today. Space is limited; pick up free ticket at Kīlauea Visitor Center's front desk the day of the program. Program includes climbing stairs and entering a confined space. Supported by the Kīlauea Drama Entertainment Network. Meet at Kīlauea Visitor CenterTuesdays in May: 7, 14, 21, and 28, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. Each performance is about an hour.

Explore Kahuku. Kahuku Unit is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free. Take a self-guided hike, or join rangers on Sundays in April for a two-hour guided trek at 9:30 a.m.; the trail will vary depending on visitor interest. Enter the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on the mauka (inland) side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5. Kahuku is located in Ka‘ū, and is about a 50-minute drive south of the park's main entrance. Sturdy footwear, water, raingear, sun protection and a snack are recommended for all hikes.

Examples of kākau, Hawaiian tattoos. Photo from honolulumuseum.org

Kākau Discussion. Author and ethnographer P.F. "Ski" Kwiatoswki will speak about Hawaiian kākau, tattoos, their origins, and counterparts in other aspects of Hawaiian crafts. He will display a collection of tattoo needles and materials that are used in creating the needles, the ink, and the tattoos themselves. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes'‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops. KīlaueaVisitorCenter lānai, Wednesday, May 8, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The Road to Recovery: One Year Later. The epic Kīlauea eruption and caldera collapse of 2018 forever changed Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and resulted in most of the park closing for 134 days last year due to unsafe, unpredictable and unprecedented eruptive activity at the volcano's summit. Although a hurricane, two tropical storms, and a wildfire added to the intensity of an unforgettable year, park rangers continued to serve the public at locations outside the park, and the Kahuku Unit expanded its hours of operation. Most of the park is now open, but some areas remain closed. Park managers will present a community update about the challenges and successes of 2018, and how staff is working hard to open more areas. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series. KīlaueaVisitorCenter Auditorium, Thursday, May 9 at 7 p.m.

Nā Wai Choir director Dr. Jace Saplan.
Photo from nawaichamberchoir.com

Nā Wai Chamber Choir in Concert. Join a musical journey that honors the music of both historic and modern-day mana wahine. Based in Honolulu, Nā Wai Chamber Choir is a professional vocal ensemble that preserves, propagates, and innovates the legacy of Hawaiian choral music. Hilonative, Dr. Jace Kaholokula Saplan, will lead the ensemble on their annual kau wela tour. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series. KīlaueaVisitorCenterAuditorium, Tuesday, May 14 at 7 p.m.

Kōkō Demonstration. Hawaiians used kōkō (carrying nets) for hanging calabashes and usually made them from sennit. Kokō pu‘alu, a style reserved for the common classes utilized the basic umi‘i, or fisherman’s know. Bring your water bottle or pick one up at the Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association store and make your very own customized kōkō. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes'‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops. Wednesday, May 22 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Centerlānai.

Kahuku Coffee Talk at Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station on Friday, May 31 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes is one of five national park units on the island of Hawai‘i. Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park charges and entrance fee. Pu‘ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, and the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail do not charge entrance fees.

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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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Fri., April 19, BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 20, BIIF Semi-Finals

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Fri., April 19, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 20, BIIF Finals

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Wed., April 17, 6 p.m., Kamehameha

Fri., April 19, 6 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Mon. April 22, BIIF First Round

Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Sat., April 20, 9 a.m., @Kamehameha

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

BOTTLE OF BLUE performs at Tiki Mama's on Saturday, April 20. Gates open at 4:20 p.m. Suggested donation: $15 plus one can of food.

MAYOR'S BREAKFAST FELOWSHIP, open to the community, happens Thursday, May 2, 6:30 a.m. at the ‘Imiloa Sky Garden Restaurant in Hilo. Host The Exchange Club of Hilo invites community members to celebrate the National Day of Prayer by attending the 26th annual event, which dates back to 1993. Then-Mayor Stephen Yamashiro, together with the Reverend Richard Uejo, worked with local religious leaders to organize an interfaith prayer breakfast for the community.

This year's event provides a prayer by Pastor Sheldon Lacsina of New Hope Hilo. Mayor Harry Kim will be the featured guest speaker. The program will also include a history talk by Romy Saquing, musical prayers by Brian Tina and Melissa Isidro, and musical entertainment by Larry Dupio.

This year's theme, "We Support our Troops, Local Governments, and Our First Responders," reflects event chairman Frank Lafita's comment that, "There is no greater good than serving your fellow man. The Exchange Club recognizes those who serve and protect our communities and our country." The Club is built upon Americanism, community activities, youth activities, and the prevention of child abuse. The national organization's goal is to spark the spirit of community service throughout the nation.

Donations for the event are $20. Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pastries, rice, muffins, fruit juice, coffee, and tea. For tickets or further information, contact Frank Lafita at 987-9382. Tickets will also be available at the door.

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UPCOMING

TUESDAY, APRIL 16
Walk for Fitness, Tuesday, April 16-June 25, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. 18+. Registration ongoing. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts and Crafts Activity: Spring Collage, Tuesday, April 16, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 8-12. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Hula Hoop Challenge, Tuesday, April 16, 2:45 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 8-12. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Tuesday, April 16, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

Walk & Fit, Tuesday and Thursday, April 16-May 23, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. 18+. Register April 3-15. Shoes required. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

After Dark in the Park: The Amazing, Almost Unbelievable, Story of the Coconut Palm, Tuesday, April 16, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. John Stallman of the Friends Institute of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, guides attendees on the epic journey of the modern palm, what has been called, "the most useful tree on Earth." Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
Early Head Start, Wednesday, April 17, 10 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Easter Craft Day, Wednesday, April 17, 11 a.m. – pau, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. Free; all ages. 939-2442

Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, April 17, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Arts and Crafts Activity: Spring Basket, Wednesday, April 17, 3:30-5p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki grades K-6 April 8-16. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, APRIL 18
Family Reading Night, Thursday, April 18, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Slide Show Presentation: On Sacred Ground, Thursday, April 18, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Dino Morrow, documentary and portrait photographer, shares an intimate collection of hula images. Free; $5 donations accepted. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

FRIDAY, APRIL 19
Keiki Jiggle Bums, Friday, April 19, 3rd Friday monthly, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 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

SATURDAY, APRIL 20
Fee-Free Day at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Saturday, April 20. Park entrance fees waived in celebration of National Park week. nps.gov/HAVO

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Earth Day Community Cleanup, Saturday, April 20. Free; donations appreciated. BYO-4WD welcome. RSVP: kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest Application Deadline, Saturday, April 20. sales@kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Annual Wellness Fair and Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym. Easter Egg Hunt begins at 10 a.m. Educators encouraged to participate. Volunteers welcome. Free.

Junior Ranger Day at Kahuku, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Program debut. Keiki who complete the junior ranger handbook (illustrated by Hawai‘i artists) earn a wooden junior ranger badge, junior ranger certificate, and will be sworn in by a National Park Service ranger. Free. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 21
Easter Brunch, Sunday, April 21, 7 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café. Menu includes Honey Glazed Ham, Beef Pot Roast with Gravy, Omelet Station, Waffle Bar with Sauce and Toppings, and more. No reservations required. $17.95/adult, $10.95/ages 6-11. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday, April 21, 9 a.m. in the ‘Ōhi‘a Room, Kīlauea Military Camp. Open to keiki 10 years and under; bring Easter basket. Register: 967-8352 before 8:45 a.m. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

ONGOING

Kaʻū Coffee Fest invites non-profits, clubs, cooperatives, and businesses to sign up for booths at the 11th annual Kaʻū Coffee Fest Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday, May 4 at Pāhala Community Center. The all-day event comes with music, hula, coffee tasting, and meeting the famous Kaʻū Coffee farmers. See

KauCoffeeFestival.com.

Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. No campaign and other political displays. Fifty percent discounts for non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each and a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses,

P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777

; or call 808-731-5409.

Exhibit: On Sacred Ground by Dino Morrow is open daily through Sunday, May 5 at Volcano Art Center Gallery. The public is invited to see documentary and protrait photography of Hula Arts at the Kīlauea Program. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more information.

Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade happens Saturday, June 29 at 11 a.m. The parade route begins at the Nāʻālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nāʻālehu Hongwanji Mission. To participate, call Debra McIntosh, 929-9872.

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Soto No Michi Aikido classes at Pāhala Hongwanji are free and open to the public. See story below.
Photo by Julia Neal

IF GOV. DAVID IGE SIGNS FOUR KUPUNA CARE BILLS, over $20 million would go to elder services statewide, over the next two years. The bills passed the Hawaiʻi Legislature today, dedicating $18 million to expand and strengthens the Kupuna Caregivers Program, support healthy aging, and coordinate and improve Alzheimer's disease and related dementia services. All four bills are on their way to the governor to sign or veto.
Co-sponsored by east Kaʻū Sen. Russell Ruderman, Chair of the Committee on Health and Human Services, SB1025 SD1 HD2 expands funding for the Kupuna Caregivers Program to $1.5 million for fiscal year 2019-20. It requires the Executive Office on Aging to develop and implement a plan to maximize the number of caregivers served by the program, adds care coordination and case management to the services available to caregivers, and changes the maximum funds that can be awarded to a qualified caregiver from $70 per day to $210 per week, subject to funding availability.

Image result for kupuna caregivers program

Kupuna Caregivers Program received more support from the
Hawaiʻi Legislature this session. Photo from Hawaiʻi Public Radio

Co-sponsored by west Kaʻū Rep. Richard Creagan, HB465 HD1 SD2 appropriates $8,291,390 over two years to fund the Kupuna Care Program – in addition to approximately $9.7 million already appropriated in House Bill 2 – for a total of $18 million for fiscal years 2019-20 & 2020-21, $9 million each year.
Also co-sponsored by Creagen, HB468 HD1 SD2 appropriates $550,000 to continue the Hawaiʻi Healthy Aging Partnership, which funds two programs – Better Choices Better Health (Ke Ola Pono) and EnhanceFitness – to improve the health and well-being of Hawaiʻi's kupuna.
Hilo Sen. Kai Kahele co-sponsored SB366 SD2 HD2, which provides funding for the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Services Coordinator – $59,616 per year for two fiscal years – in the Executive Office on Aging.
Rep. Gregg Takayama, Co-Chair of the Kupuna Caucus, said that by 2020, a quarter of Hawaiʻi's residents will be 60 or older. "It is more important than ever to protect and maintain the ability of kupuna to be healthy, live independently, and remain engaged with their communities. Every dollar that we spend on them, every person that we are able to keep out of a nursing home, saves money for all of us as taxpayers and improves their quality of life."
Hawaiʻi State Director of the American Association of Retired Persons Barbara Kim Stanton said, "Our senior community, our kupuna, really thank the House and Senate for their leadership and their compassion. We have 154,000 family caregivers and the majority of them are still in the workforce. It is complex and stressful. I think this package of bills you passed shows that you really do understand the caregivers plight and you are going to make it so that kupuna are able to stay in their homes as long as possible. We are very grateful."

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Will Okabe from Hawaiʻi County Mayor Harry Kim's office, Gov. David

Ige, and Sen. Russell Ruderman at the signing of Act 009, relief

for Hawaiʻi County from the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.

Photo from Ruderman's Facebook

SIXTY MILLION FOR HAWAIʻI COUNTY DISASTER RELIEF was appropriated today when Gov. David Ige signed HB1180 Act 009. Act 009 immediately provides funding for Hawaiʻi County's disaster relief, recovery, mitigation, and remediation activities in the wake of the Kīlauea volcanic eruption.

Sen. Russell Ruderman, who represents east Kaʻū into Puna, said, "This was my biggest priority for the political year, and it's great to get it across the finish line."
For fiscal year 2018-2019, $20 million is provided by the state as a subsidy to Hawaiʻi County to be used for disaster relief activities. The county will be required to report monthly expenditures to the state Department of Budget and Finance.

An additional $40 million in general funds for fiscal year 2018-2019 is a loan to enable Hawaiʻi County to obtain non-state funds, such as federal funds, for disaster relief. The loan terms will be negotiated by the state Director of Finance.

In addition, federal partners will cover approximately 75 percent of the costs to replace lost infrastructure, such as water lines and roads.

Last year's eruption had an enormous impact on Hawai'i County, with the cost of public and private economic disruption estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars. More than 700 structures were destroyed, more than 3,000 residents displaced.

Said Ige, "This was an unprecedented four-month disaster. We know the recovery will take years, but the effort is supported by the state Legislature and my administration, which will help with local cost share and economic revitalization. At the same time, Hawaiʻi's congressional delegation is pursuing additional federal resources to support the recovery."

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The old Japanese schoolhouse at Pāhala Hongwanji serves as the place for aikido. Photo by Julia Neal

SOTO NO MICHI AIKIDO STUDENTS graduated last week under the mentorship of chief instructor Alan Morse and instructor Gabriel Cuevas at Pāhala Hongwanji.

Alan Moores and Gabriel Cuevas discuss student progress at

Aikido on Mondays and Wednesdays at Pāhala Hongwanji.

Photo by Julia Neal

Soto No Michi Aikido translates to "The Outside Path of Aikido." Adults

meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Children 8 to 12 meet on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. All classes are free at Pāhala Hongwanji, with Morse and Cuevas teaching. A liability waiver is required.

At the April ceremonies, Ron Ebert, Douglas Castro, Enrique Zepeda, and Glenn Okamoto earned promotions to Green Belt. Shem Doi earned a Blue Belt, Cuevas a Brown Belt.

For more information see aikidokau.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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Fri., April 19, BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 20, BIIF Semi-Finals

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Fri., April 19, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 20, BIIF Finals

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Wed., April 17, 6 p.m., Kamehameha

Fri., April 19, 6 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Mon. April 22, BIIF First Round

Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Sat., April 20, 9 a.m., @Kamehameha

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

THE GREAT KĪLAUEA ERUPTION OF 2018 AND WHAT MAY SOON FOLLOW, an hour-long talk by Geologist Dr. Richard "Rick" Hazlett, commemorates the one-year anniversary of the day lava began erupting in Leilani Estates in Puna. Hosted by Ocean View Community Center, come share his vantage point on Friday, May 3, starting at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Following the talk, Hazlett will answer questions from the audience.

Rick Hazlett will speak about the 2018 Kīlauea eruption at a
special presentation at Ocean View Community Center on
the first anniversary, Friday, May 3. USGS photo

Hazlett was summoned by the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiʻi Volcano Observatory to help monitor and interpret the eruption as it continued to grow and spread, displacing traumatized area residents and covering the island in vog, as lava made its way to the ocean. From his front-row seat, he was able to photograph and observe events, all the while learning as much as he could as quickly as possible.
The world-renowned volcanologist is co-author of popular book Roadside Geology of Hawaiʻi, and the definitive text book on volcanoes, Volcanoes: Global Perspectives. He is also an award-winning, many times published Professor Emeritus at Pomona University; Senior Editor, Oxford University Press Research Encyclopedia of Agriculture and the Environment; Affiliate Faculty Member, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Department of Geology; and Associate Researcher, USGS HVO.

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UPCOMING

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
Early Head Start, Wednesday, April 17, 10 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Easter Craft Day, Wednesday, April 17, 11 a.m. – pau, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. Free; all ages. 939-2442

Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, April 17, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

THURSDAY, APRIL 18
Family Reading Night, Thursday, April 18, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Slide Show Presentation: On Sacred Ground, Thursday, April 18, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Dino Morrow, documentary and portrait photographer, shares an intimate collection of hula images. Free; $5 donations accepted. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

FRIDAY, APRIL 19
Keiki Jiggle Bums, Friday, April 19, 3rd Friday monthly, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 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

SATURDAY, APRIL 20
Fee-Free Day at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Saturday, April 20. Park entrance fees waived in celebration of National Park week. nps.gov/HAVO

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Earth Day Community Cleanup, Saturday, April 20. Free; donations appreciated. BYO-4WD welcome. RSVP: kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest Application Deadline, Saturday, April 20. sales@kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeemill.com,
kaucoffeefestival.com

Annual Wellness Fair and Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym. Easter Egg Hunt begins at 10 a.m. Educators encouraged to participate. Volunteers welcome. Free.

Junior Ranger Day at Kahuku, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Program debut. Keiki who complete the junior ranger handbook (illustrated by Hawai‘i artists) earn a wooden junior ranger badge, junior ranger certificate, and will be sworn in by a National Park Service ranger. Free. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 21
Easter Brunch, Sunday, April 21, 7 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café. Menu includes Honey Glazed Ham, Beef Pot Roast with Gravy, Omelet Station, Waffle Bar with Sauce and Toppings, and more. No reservations required. $17.95/adult, $10.95/ages 6-11. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday, April 21, 9 a.m. in the ‘Ōhi‘a Room, Kīlauea Military Camp. Open to keiki 10 years and under; bring Easter basket. Register: 967-8352 before 8:45 a.m. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Easter Sunday Services, April 21, 9:30 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. 939-7000

MONDAY, APRIL 22
Hypertension Management, Monday, April 22, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym, with Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, April 23 (Committees), Wednesday, April 24 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, April 23, 10 a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Merrie Monarch Festival Events at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Tuesday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 24, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Day 1: Weave coconut leaves, make lei. Rupert Tripp Jr. performs. Day 2: Learn/play the Hawaiian board game kōnane, learn about the tools, alter and plants that symbolize hula. Ti "Kawehi" Chun and Pōki‘i Seto perform. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Arts and Crafts Activity: Paint a Rainbow, Tuesday, April 23, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 15-18. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ONGOING

KauCoffeeFestival.com.

P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777

; or call 808-731-5409.

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.

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Volcano Winery is the SBA Hawaiʻi County Small Business of the Year. Del (above) and Marie
Bothof own the business. Photo by Julia Neal

VOLCANO WINERY'S DELWIN BOTHOF IS SBA TOP SMALL BUSINESS PERSON in Hawaiʻi County, says the U.S. Small Business Administration. Bothof and his Volcano Vineyards, LLC will be honored May 3 at the 32nd annual statewide SBA Awards for Hawaiʻi in Waikiki. He operates Volcano Winery with his wife, Marie Bothof.

The tasting room of Volcano Winery. Photo from volcanowinery.com

The Bothofs purchased Volcano Winery in 1999 from its founder, retired O`ahu veterinarian Lynn "Doc" McKinney, who started the winery in 1986, after years of research.
Volcano Winery grows grapes, makes and ages wine. It offers a tasting room with a selection of unusual wines, some made from honey from bees that work macadamia orchards and wild ʻōhia trees. The Bothofs also grow a selection of teas and figs.

Volcano Winery, one of the core businesses serving both locals and visitors in Volcano, kept its doors open during the 2018 Kīlauea Eruption, despite all the disruption from daily earthquakes lowering tourism numbers. In September, before the eruption was finally considered over, and weeks before Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park reopened, Volcano Winery hosted its fifth annual fundraiser for The Volcano School of Arts and Sciences. Despite the threat of tropical storm, a sold-out crowd raised $10,000 for the school, to go towards the purchase of a new van for learning trips.

Marie and Del Bothof, owners of Volcano Winery, at the
2018 Volcano School of Arts and Sciences fundraiser.
Photo by Aubrey Hawk

Learn more about the winery at volcanowinery.com.

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BLOCKING AN ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS OF PESTICIDES ON ENDANGERED SPECIES led Hawai`i's Sen. Mazie Hirono and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to ask the Department of Interior's Office of the Inspector General to investigate Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. The investigation would determine whether Bernhardt inappropriately blocked a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assessment of the effects of toxic pesticides on thousands of endangered species.

Said Hirono, "David Bernhardt should have neither been nominated nor confirmed to serve as Secretary of the Interior. Like with so many of his colleagues in Donald Trump's cabinet, Secretary Bernhardt has extensive conflicts of interests and is hostile to the mission of the Department he leads. I am concerned that the Secretary put his own interests, and those of his former clients in the oil and gas industry, above the Department's own career scientists. This new investigation by the Deputy Inspector General will get to the bottom of what happened so that we can hold the Secretary accountable."

The Senator from Oregon said, "This is exactly why I wanted a delay in Bernhardt's consideration. We now have an Interior Secretary who has been on the job for one full business day and is already under investigation. With Bernhardt's track record and the number of allegations against him, it's no surprise. At least now, the American people will finally get the answers they deserve."

Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall confirmed to Hirono that her office received seven complaints "alleging various potential conflict of interest and other violations" by Bernhardt and is "continuing to gather pertinent information about the complaints and have opened an investigation to address them."

Earlier this month, Hirono, along with seven of her U.S. Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Kendall to request she investigate "the suppression of a Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion that was due to be completed and released in December 2017." The letter specifically calls into question actions taken by Bernhardt to suppress scientific data and follows up on a letter the Senators previously sent requesting the Deputy Inspector General monitor and investigate any "instances of potential alterations to scientific reports, documents, or communications produced by the Department of the Interior (DOI) as well as instances of political pressure influencing science at DOI."

After Bernhardt appeared before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee in March for his confirmation hearing to become Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Senator Wyden sent a letter to Deputy IG Kendall to request an investigation following concerns that Bernhardt potentially made misleading or false statements about his role in blocking the USFWS analysis.

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HARMONY EDUCATION HOMESCHOOL ENROLLMENT REACHED FIFTY-FIVE KAʻŪ STUDENTS this school year. Laura Roberts, parent of several Harmony students and homeschool group organizer, said she is proud of the achievement. The homeschooling program "is a perfect fit for the more isolated district of Kaʻū." She said Harmony "provides a unique and flexible homeschooling program while partnering with local charter schools islandwide." Harmony is free of charge and fits into a variety of different parent schedules, she said.

According to Roberts, who is also Startup Manager for the Ocean View Options Day site, Harmony offers "local keiki strong academic options as well as a once a week teacher-led electives day where students come together to learn Hawaiian Culture, music, art, lego robotics, STEM, cooking, sewing, and more. It's so important to have the social skills incorporated when doing school from home."

Harmony Education provides social interaction and schedule-friendly homeschool education. Photo from Harmony Ed

Roberts homeschools four children in grades K-9 and runs a business from home. "Life is busy and crazy, but I know that my kids are receiving the best education possible without it being overbearing, and I love having them home with me." Five Options Day sites are offered to Harmony students in towns across Hawaiʻi Island.

Diedra Stephens, who has two students in the Harmony program, said, "Options Day is my girls' favorite part of the week.

Alisha Young, mom of six, said, "I can't believe that we have something like this out here in Ocean View, it's been such a blessing."

Harmony supplies curriculum, additional educational resources, and resource funds for private lessons, books, park passes, and other educational items. Families choose the curriculum for each child and have their choice of whichever curriculum that they would like to use. Mentors answer questions and provide support. "The families involved are also a great support network," said Roberts.

Julie Leonard, who said she was looking for something different for her son, said, "Harmony has been a game changer for us."

Layne Mills, who teaches Music and Art of the Masters at Options Day, said, " I am so glad to be a part of the community of homeschoolers and their families here in Ocean View. It has given me so much joy to be able to share my expertise in music and fine arts with the students every week. Over the course of this school year I have seen so much growth in their skills and knowledge as well as their willingness to try new things. I also teach private music lessons to many of the same keiki and their musicality has really blossomed. I look forward to next year and hope that more homeschool families will add our program to their curriculum. It really is a great option for our rural community."

According to Roberts, the Harmony program also supports the local economy by purchasing supplies for Options Day, renting local facilities, and hiring teachers and managers.

Beyond the Harmony program, Roberts offers the Homeschool Co-Op gathering every other Monday free of charge. It encompasses all age groups, from infants to teens. Field trips include whale watching, Dolphin Quest, beach cleanups, art projects, and clothing swap days.

For questions about the Harmony program or the homeschool Co-Op, call Roberts at 406-249-3351. To sign up for Harmony, visit https://harmonyed.com/hawaii/. Harmony will contact new families in May with official enrollment packets.

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KAʻŪ HIGH SCHOOL CAREER CENTER is in development, says a recent email from the school administration. Support for college preparation and application will be offered; all career-related training is included as "college" in the CareerCenter. The Kaʻū High Career Center website can be accessed through the Student Portal. The website can help students get started on planning their future after high school.

Other Kaʻū High School updates are:

Seniors who plan to attend Hawaiʻi Community College must schedule an orientation meeting before registering for classes. Orientation is mandatory for all new students and is available at the Manono Campus in Hilo, (808) 934-2720, and at the Pālamanui Campus in Kona, (808) 969-8816.

The CareerCenter is accepting appointments for current juniors for individual college planning. Students and parents can make an appointment with Mrs. Cutts, downstairs in the main office on Mondays and Wednesdays. Mrs. Walker, the school counselor, is also available to meet with students regarding college planning.

Early College at Kaʻū High enrollment meetings are coming up this month. Students who wish to enroll in college courses offered on the campus must attend a series of enrollment meetings.

The College Fair field trip is coming up Wednesday, April 24. See Mrs. Walker to sign up. Open to juniors, this is a great way to explore several colleges in one setting.

Summer is a great time to strengthen a college application. Many college applications include a section on community service. Volunteering is also a great way to learn about a career. Need help finding volunteer opportunities? Stop by and chat with Mrs. Cutts, or check out the ones listed on the Volunteer Page on the Career Center website.

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MISS KAʻŪ COFFEE TITLE CONTENDERS are preparing for the Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant, which takes place on Saturday, April 27, at Ka‘ū District Gym. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets and sponsorships are sold throughout the community.

Meet Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant contestants Friday, April 26 – the day before

the pageant – at the kick-off of the 2019 Kaʻū Coffee Festival open house

Paʻina, at Pāhala Plantation House. Photo from Trini Marques

Meet the candidates on Friday, April 26 at the kickoff open house Paʻina for the Kaʻū Coffee Festival at Pāhala Plantation House, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Paʻina entertainment will include Bolo and hula dancer Sami Fo.

The pageant is under the directorship of Trinidad Marques, herself a Ka‘ū Coffee producer and marketer. She promises an evening of beauty, talent, poise, confidence, prizes, food, and entertainment. The winners will receive scholarships and trophies. Sponsored by Kaʻū Coffee Growers Cooperative and Kaʻū Coffee Fest.
Candidates for Miss Ka‘ū Coffee are Helena Nihipali Sesson, 17; Bernadette Ladia, 16 (not pictured); and Kaitlyn Alaon, 15.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Peaberry contestants are Lilianna Marques, 6; Helen Miranda, age 10; and Kendall Haddock, 9.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower contestants are Kysha Kaupu Manini, 4; and Adilyn Aetonu, 5.

There are no Jr. Miss Kaʻū Coffee contenders this year; Cristina Kawewehi holds crown.

Tickets, sold by contestants and their families, are $10 each for anyone from 12 to 55; $5 for children 5-11 and senior citizens 55-older.

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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Fri., April 19, BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 20, BIIF Semi-Finals

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Fri., April 19, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 20, BIIF Finals

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Fri., April 19, 6 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Mon. April 22, BIIF First Round

Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Sat., April 20, 9 a.m., @Kamehameha

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

STORY TIME AND CRAFT with Auntie Linda of Tūtū & Me happens Wednesday, April 24, 10:30 a.m., at Pāhala Public and School Library. The story Stick by Irene Dickson will be read, followed by a craft using sticks. Free and open to all, toddler and pre-K ages recommended. See librarieshawaii.org for more.

NEW PiYo LIVE CLASSES happen Thursdays, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the PāhalaCommunity Center. This full-body, low-impact workout improves core strength, flexibility, and balance with moves inspired by Pilates and yoga. Bring a mat and water, shoes optional. Donations welcome. Contact Sara for more information, 520-389-0620.

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

FRIDAY, APRIL 19
Keiki Jiggle Bums, Friday, April 19, 3rd Friday monthly, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 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

SATURDAY, APRIL 20
Fee-Free Day at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Saturday, April 20. Park entrance fees waived in celebration of National Park week. nps.gov/HAVO

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Earth Day Community Cleanup, Saturday, April 20. Free; donations appreciated. BYO-4WD welcome. RSVP: kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest Application Deadline, Saturday, April 20. sales@kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeemill.com,
kaucoffeefestival.com

Annual Wellness Fair and Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym. Easter Egg Hunt begins at 10 a.m. Educators encouraged to participate. Volunteers welcome. Free.

Junior Ranger Day at Kahuku, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Program debut. Keiki who complete the junior ranger handbook (illustrated by Hawai‘i artists) earn a wooden junior ranger badge, junior ranger certificate, and will be sworn in by a National Park Service ranger. Free. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 21
Easter Brunch, Sunday, April 21, 7 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café. Menu includes Honey Glazed Ham, Beef Pot Roast with Gravy, Omelet Station, Waffle Bar with Sauce and Toppings, and more. No reservations required. $17.95/adult, $10.95/ages 6-11. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday, April 21, 9 a.m. in the ‘Ōhi‘a Room, Kīlauea Military Camp. Open to keiki 10 years and under; bring Easter basket. Register: 967-8352 before 8:45 a.m. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Easter Sunday Services, April 21, 9:30 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. 939-7000

MONDAY, APRIL 22
Hypertension Management, Monday, April 22, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym, with Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, April 23 (Committees), Wednesday, April 24 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, April 23, 10 a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Merrie Monarch Festival Events at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Tuesday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 24, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Day 1: Weave coconut leaves, make lei. Rupert Tripp Jr. performs. Day 2: Learn/play the Hawaiian board game kōnane, learn about the tools, alter and plants that symbolize hula. Ti "Kawehi" Chun and Pōki‘i Seto perform. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Arts and Crafts Activity: Paint a Rainbow, Tuesday, April 23, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 15-18. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Read to Me, Tuesday, April 23, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Open to keiki grades K-6. Free. Register April 15-22. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

After Dark in the Park: Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 Lower East Rift Zone Eruption, Tuesday, April 23, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta recounts the progression and shares her experiences monitoring this dramatic eruption. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

KauCoffeeFestival.com.

P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777

; or call 808-731-5409.

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.

Stations of the Cross ceremony will wind through Pāhala on Good Friday. See story below. Photo by Julia Neal

ISLAND LEADERS SIGNED A DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY today at the State Capitol. Among them were Mayor Harry Kim, Sen. Brian Schatz, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Gov. David Ige, and the President of Palau. A statement from the group said that "island leaders gathered today to significantly raise the profile on climate change. With scientists voicing growing alarm about rapidly changing world temperatures, sea level rise, and potential displacement of populations, islands are demonstrating their leadership in finding solutions and implementing action to achieve an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable future."

They pointed to Hawaiʻi's commitment to achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2045 and signing on to the Paris Agreement, which led to the United Nation's recognition of the Hawaiʻi Green Growth Local 2030 Islands Hub. "As a United Nations Hub, Hawaiʻi, in collaboration with the Global Island Partnership, will advance concrete initiatives and open-data platforms, scale successful model,s and build educational pathways for next generation's leaders," said a statement from the governor's office.

Sen. Brian Schatz and Rep. Ed Case signed a Commitment to Sustainability in the
face of climate change. Gov. David Ige, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Mayor Harry
Kim, and many others joined them. Photo from Office of the Governor

Hawaiʻi leaders from all branches and levels of government, along with United Nations and island representatives from the UN Global Compact Forum, Grenada, Aruba, and New Zealand, as well as other public, private and civil society leaders, also signed the Mālama Mandate, renewing commitment to sustainability and climate priorities through island values and actions.
Ige said the collective commitment to fighting global climate change "started long before today and will continue well into the future. Hawaiʻi is committed to working with island leaders from around the world to implement and track progress made. By partnering, we can scale models that advance the global sustainability model."
Schatz said Hawaiʻi will take "our state's values and our accomplishments and turn them into action. Today, that notion is no longer an aspiration. It's no longer theoretical. It's happening. And the rest of the world is paying attention, because we are setting the standard for how things should be done."
Gabbard said, "Hawaiʻi is leading the change we need to make to protect our environment for future generations, and doing so through our collective commitment to the Aloha+ Challenge."

While the U.S. dropped out of the Paris Climate Agreement,
Hawaiʻi signed on, along with other states and cities.

Kim said, "Hawaiʻi, the most precious and beautiful of place and people. We are committed to join hands with partners around the world through the United Nations Local 2030 to make us a better people and stewards of this world for nā keiki."
Tommy Remengesau, Jr. the Palau President, who graduated from University of Hawaiʻi-Hilo, said, "We will work to launch new island sustainability hubs and scale successful models through the Local 2030 Initiative. Change an island, and you can change the world." See hawaiigreengrowth.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.

THE MUELLER REPORT drew commentary today from Hawaiʻi's U.S. Representatives and Senators. The report on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential race and possible involvement of Donald Trump's presidential campaign "should be required reading," said Rep. Ed Case.

"It carefully documents massive Russian interference in the 2016 elections, with too many Americans participating or turning a blind eye, as well as evidence of obstruction which normally may well have resulted in prosecution. This cannot be the end of this very disturbing chapter. The stakes for public trust in our elections, checks and balances and the rule of law, are just too high. Congress, as a separate, independent and co-equal branch of government, has an obligation to continue oversight. [Trump] has not been exonerated… Nobody can read that report and consider that the president has been exonerated," said Case. He also called for access to the complete report as much copy is redacted (hidden, crossed out).

Read the 448-page Mueller Report.
Image from PBS

Sen. Mazie Hirono said the Special Counsel's investigation "found serious wrongdoing" by Trump and "many of his associates, despite the Attorney General's attempt to spin the Mueller Report in Donald Trump's favor."

It lays out "in meticulous detail" evidence that Trump obstructed justice, Hirono contended. She said that Mueller reported that Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey to end the investigation into his campaign; that Trump instructed former White House Council Don McGahn to order U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire the Special Counsel; and that Trump sent messengers to former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to "unrecuse himself in order to limit the scope of the investigation."
Said Hirono, "If not for existing Department of Justice policy, the Special Counsel had ample evidence to indict Donald Trump for obstruction. The Special Counsel also confirmed what our intelligence community had already unanimously concluded: that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election to elect Donald Trump."

Hirono contended that the report "in no way exonerates the President. In fact, it implicates the President in criminal activity. Congress has an obligation to act like the separate branch of government it is and conduct serious oversight of this administration. Everything should be on the table."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard accused Attorney General William Barr of a #BarrCoverUp, referring to Barr's contention in a press conference this morning that the Mueller Report did not find "any evidence that members of the Trump campaign or anyone associated with the campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its hacking operations."

Said Gabbard, "The most dangerous coverup is that US voting machines are vulnerable to hackers. If we lose faith in election results, democracy crumbles. The Justice Department should be focused on instituting paper ballot backups, per my Securing America's Elections Act. #MuellerReport."

Trump has long called the investigation a "witch hunt." Read the 448-page redacted version of the report.

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Stations of the Cross participants will stop at homes for music
and prayer on Good Friday. Photo by Julia Neal

THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS CEREMONY happens this Friday when parishioners walk through Pāhala carrying a cross. It is traditional for generations, with members of the HolyRosaryChurchsetting up stations in front of their homes for the walkers who stop by to sing and pray.

The procession begins at 1 p.m. going up Pikake Street from HolyRosaryChurch, turning left on Pakalana, and looping back to the church.

Stations of the Cross is commonly held on Good Friday. It dates back to Jerusalemin the 1300s and spread to Europe. It is a Catholic tradition but also practiced by some Lutherans. Its purpose is to make a pilgrimage honoring the last hours of Jesus' life before his crucifixion, meditating on his sufferings, death, and rebirth. Pope John Paul II called it the "unceasing effort to stand beside the endless crosses on which the Son of God continues to be crucified."

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Manukā Natural Area Reserve got a good cleaning Saturday. Photo from HWF

MANUKĀ NATURAL AREA RESERVE cleanup on Saturday saw a crew of 16 from Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund and the state Fish & Wildlife Natural Area Reserve crew. They removed 456 pounds and 32 bags of debris, including more than ten lbs. of derelict fishing line and net bundles, and 20 to 30 lbs. of miscellaneous larger debris along the coastline. HWF has removed over 260 tons of marine debris from the shores of Hawaiʻi Island since 2003, thanks to volunteers and supporters.

Some interesting finds from Saturday included a piece of a bowling ball, a fire-cracker launcher at smoking rock - likely shoreline user litter - and a dehydrated puffer or triggerfish.

Over 10 years, volunteers with HWF and NARS have removed over 6,850 lbs. of marine debris from along the Manukā coastline during 11 community cleanup events.

Said Megan Lamson, of HWF and Hawaiʻi Island Marine Debris Removal Hui, said "Many thanks to each of you for your support and dedication on Saturday, and at previous events, and mahalo to the state DLNR for this awesome collaboration. Special thanks to Ken for bringing your own UTV to help with hauling in gear and out debris, and to the NOAA Marine Debris Program for the award to HWF to conduct community-based marine debris removal efforts. Please also keep in touch and let us know if this experience has impacted your own personal relationship with single-use plastics or other preventable 'future marine debris' items you encounter on a daily basis. We'd love to hear from you."

Stay in touch with HWF by joining the e-newsletter list, eepurl.com/b0Axvj, or following wildhawaii.org, facebook.com/hawaiiwildlifefund, or @wildhawaii on Instagram. See photos or add your own to the Google Drive folder at drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1MHRF07hDevSAHEuqmz9WPRJXm8fGrh9l. The next cleanup events are: Saturday, April 20 at Kamilo and Thursday, May 2nd at Kamaʻoa.

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CELEBRATE NATIONAL PARK WEEK at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, starting Saturday, April 20, with a fee-free day, through Saturday, April 28. The theme of National Park Week is "On a Mission." The mission of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is to protect, conserve, and study the volcanic landscapes and associated natural and cultural resources and processes, and to facilitate safe public access to active volcanism, diverse geographic settings, and wilderness for public education and enjoyment. Everyone is invited to the following National Park Week events that celebrate the park's mission:

Fee-Free Day. National Park Week kicks off Saturday, April 20 with a fee-free day. Take a hike on one of the newly re-opened trails, or walk out to the Keanakāko‘i side of Halema‘uma‘u to see where Crater Rim Drive slid into the crater during last year's eruptive activity.

Junior Ranger Day at Kahuku. Kahuku Unit will debut its new Junior Ranger Program and wooden junior ranger badge Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Keiki who complete the junior ranger handbook, illustrated by Hawai‘i artists, will earn the badge, a junior ranger certificate, and will be sworn in as a National Park Service junior ranger.

Merrie Monarch Festival Events. Part of the park's mission is to perpetuate Hawaiian culture. During Merrie Monarch Week, the park will offer six ‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, programs for everyone to experience and connect with Hawaiian practices. On Tuesday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p. m., come to Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in the Park to learn about ‘ulana niu, weaving coconut leaves; nā lei, lei making, with Patty Kaula and Lehua Hauanio; play kōnane, a Hawaiian game that resembles checkers, with park rangers; and learn about nā pa‘ahana hula – the tools, altar, and plants that symbolize hula – with Amy Ka‘awaloa. Musicians Rupert Tripp, Jr. and Ti Kawhi Chun and Pōki‘i Seto will share their melodies.

Learn how to play kōnane, learn about hula, make a lei, and other Hawaiian
culture activities during National Park Week. NPS photo

KīlaueaVolcano's 2018 Lower East Rift Zone Eruption. Kīlauea's long-lasting East Rift Zone eruption changed abruptly when the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater floor collapsed on April 30, 2018, followed by an intrusion of magma downrift. On May 3, lava erupted in Leilani Estates and within two weeks, 24 fissures had opened along a 4.2-mile-long segment of the lower ERZ. Fissure 8 soon became the dominant vent, erupting a fast-moving channelized lava flow that reached the ocean, burying 13.7 square miles of land and destroying over 700 structures along the way. Join U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta on Tuesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium as she recounts the progression of this dramatic eruption and shares her experiences monitoring it. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series.

Learn more at nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/.

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KAʻŪ TROJANS BOYS VOLLEYBALL traveled to Kamehameha Schools for a three-set game yesterday. The Warriors won, 25-6, 25-10, and 25-8.

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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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Fri., April 19, BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 20, BIIF Semi-Finals

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Fri., April 19, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 20, BIIF Finals

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Fri., April 19, 6 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Mon. April 22, BIIF First Round

Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Sat., April 20, 9 a.m., @Kamehameha

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

EASTER PANCAKE BREAKFAST, hosted by AmazingGraceBaptistChurchhappens Sunday, April 21, 10 a.m., at the Discovery Harbour Community Center, 94-1581 Kaulua Circle, Nāʻālehu. A special Easter service will follow the breakfast; special activities and lessons will be provided for children.

Join in for a morning of good food, fellowship, and worship. Pancakes, eggs, breakfast meats, fruit, and Miranda coffee are all on the menu. For more information, contact John Glenn at 970-623-1081.

UPCOMING BLOOD DRIVES will support the one in seven people entering the hospital in Hawaiʻi who will need blood, according to Blood Bank Hawaiʻi. A release from BBH says, "In just one hour, your blood donation will save three lives of Hawaiʻi patients who will need a blood transfusion – for surgery, organ transplants, accident victims, cancer care, and more. Many celebrations take place in May – Mother's Day, Memorial Day and graduation ceremonies. What better way to honor these special people – moms, veterans who gave their lives in service, or the class of 2019 – than donating blood?"

General requirements to be a blood donor are: be in good health; 18 years or older – 16 and 17 year old donors with signed Blood Bank of Hawaiʻi parent/legal guardian consent; weigh 110 pounds or more - additional height/weight requirements apply for female donors 16-18 years old. Bring photo ID with date of birth.

There are seven upcoming blood drives in May on Hawaiʻi Island. To schedule an appointment or verify drive information, call 848-4770 or visit BBH.org. Drives are subject to change: Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy Performing Arts Center, Monday, May 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; LDS Kona Stake Center Cultural Hall, Tuesday, May 7, 8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.; LDS Kona Stake Center Cultural Hall, Wednesday, May 8, 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Aunty Sally Kaleohano's Luau Hale Main Room, Tuesday through Thursday, May 21-23, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Hawaiʻi County Police DEpartent Trainig Room Hilo, Friday, May 24, 8:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Follow Blood Bank of Hawaiʻi on social media for updates and info on blood drives: Facebook.com/BloodBankHawaii/, Instagram.com/BloodBankHawaii/, and Twitter.com/BloodBankHawaii.

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

Junior Ranger Day at Kahuku, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Program debut. Keiki who complete the junior ranger handbook (illustrated by Hawai‘i artists) earn a wooden junior ranger badge, junior ranger certificate, and will be sworn in by a National Park Service ranger. Free. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 21
Easter Brunch, Sunday, April 21, 7 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café. Menu includes Honey Glazed Ham, Beef Pot Roast with Gravy, Omelet Station, Waffle Bar with Sauce and Toppings, and more. No reservations required. $17.95/adult, $10.95/ages 6-11. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday, April 21, 9 a.m. in the ‘Ōhi‘a Room, Kīlauea Military Camp. Open to keiki 10 years and under; bring Easter basket. Register: 967-8352 before 8:45 a.m. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Easter Sunday Services, April 21, 9:30 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. 939-7000

MONDAY, APRIL 22
Hypertension Management, Monday, April 22, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym, with Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, April 23 (Committees), Wednesday, April 24 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, April 23, 10 a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Merrie Monarch Festival Events at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Tuesday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 24, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Day 1: Weave coconut leaves, make lei. Rupert Tripp Jr. performs. Day 2: Learn/play the Hawaiian board game kōnane, learn about the tools, alter and plants that symbolize hula. Ti "Kawehi" Chun and Pōki‘i Seto perform. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wednesday, April 24, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Seniors 60 years and older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i. Referral required: 961-8626 for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

THURSDAY, APRIL 25
Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, April 25, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for community members. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, April 25, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Packaged goods to take home for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

ONGOING

KauCoffeeFestival.com.

P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777

; or call 808-731-5409.

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Eucalyptus and cattle grew side by side at Kapapala Ranch. Photo by Julia Neal

EUCALYPTUS TREES COULD BE HARVESTED AND REPLANTED FOR BIOFUEL over the next 30 years on plantations that would also welcome locals to hunt and gather there. In addition to game animals, cattle could graze among the trees. That was the message that Dr. Guy Cellier gave Hawaiʻi Island's Game Management Advisory Commission this week. He mentioned Kaʻū, where eucalyptus harvesting for biofuel is ongoing, with areas on Kamehameha School lands above Kapapala Ranch completed, after allowing cattle to feed among the eucalyptus during times of drought.
The eucalyptus logs will be scheduled to truck to the nearly completed Hū Honua, a biofuels plant on the coast north of Hilo. Cellier said about 20,000 acres of eucalyptus are needed around the island to sustainably support the power plant over time.
Eucalyptus trees need about seven years of growth between harvests. He said that eucalyptus can grow out of stumps to avoid replanting and that pigs, goats, and cattle can help keep the area free from weeds without damaging the trees.
Saplings have a better chance for growth and fire spread is lessened with grazing and wildlife living among the eucalyptus, said Cellier. Control over sharing space with the growing trees for cattle, hunting and gathering belongs to the land owners, he noted.
Cellier, a forester and nurseryman, helped plant the eucalyptus farms on Kamehameha School lands around Pāhala. He said some of the trees have already been cut. "It is a significant amount of wood that needs to move." He estimated about 20 to 30 loads a day will head up Hwy 11 through Hilo to Hū Honua, once the plant is ready for them.

Cellier works with CN Renewable Resources, a sister company to Hū Honua.
Cellier also said that a small amount of herbicide and a pre-emergent fertilizer is planned for use on the eucalyptus farms. When asked by a Game Management Advisory Commission member about fertilizer runoff, he said that the amount is small, and placed in the hole with each sapling, which is away from fresh water sources. He said that regrowing eucalyptus from stumps would use very little fertilizer and herbicide.
Cellier contended that the carbon offset from growing eucalyptus for energy will be neutral, but it takes time, since some of the trees planned for harvest on the north side of the island are very large. He said CN Renewable studies show that nutrient levels of the soil will increase, predicting one inch per year addition to topsoil from the trees.

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Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach is one of Hawaiʻi Island's ten listed lifeguard beaches. See hioceansafety.com
and hawaiibeachsafety.com. Photo from lovebigisland.com

THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT URGES RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO SWIM AT LIFEGUARD BEACHES and has launched a new website with their locations in order to help reduce ocean deaths and injuries.

The state Department of Health's Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention System Branch collaborated with Hawaiʻi Drowning and Aquatic Injury Prevention Advisory Committee to produce the website, It notes that ocean drowning continues to be one of the main causes of death in Hawai‘i, the fourth leading cause of injury related death for residents and the leading cause for visitors. Snorkeling is the activity most frequently associated with visitor drowning. Visitors comprise 55 percent of ocean drownings and suffer 81 percent of ocean related spinal cord injuries. The trend of fatal ocean drownings among visitors is on the rise.

The website https://hioceansafety.com/ aims to decrease risk factors and increase "protective factors" for ocean goers through a link to real-time information on ocean conditions at beaches with lifeguards statewide. Also see http://hawaiibeachsafety.com/.

The website documents ocean incidents, including a list of beaches (some of them newly popular tourist destinations) with the highest frequency of spinal cord injuries.

Peer-reviewed studies based on good science will inform website content, says a statement from the collaborators.

Ralph Goto, co-chair of the Hawai‘i Drowning and Aquatic Injury Prevention Advisory Committee, said, "Choosing beaches with lifeguards who can respond quickly to those in the ocean is a matter of life and death. The sooner a person in distress in the ocean can get help, the better their chance of survival.

"We are studying factors that may contribute to the high representation of snorkeling as the most common activity among visitors who drown. Results of these studies will not be available for a few years, but as information is available, we will be certain to inform the public through the website."

Gerald Kosaki, a committee co-chair, said, "People who visit Hawai‘i may not realize that even small waves at our beaches can be strong enough to cause serious injury and even death. Knowing what beaches to avoid and how to react when a wave is breaking on shore is critical."

Bridget Velasco, DOH's drowning and spinal cord injury prevention coordinator, said, "Keeping everyone who goes to the ocean safe is a top priority. We realized that there was no online resource on ocean safety in Hawai‘i and that it would be valuable for residents and visitors to have a comprehensive website dedicated to providing everything from the interpretation of beach hazard signage to snorkeling tips and basic data about drowning and spinal cord injuries. As we continue to build up this website we hope that it will be a community resource for all things ocean safety."

Hawai‘i Drowning and Aquatic Injury Prevention Advisory Committee was established in 2015 to bring together industry experts, including ocean safety professionals, visitor industry authorities, non-profit child swimming organizations, the US Coast Guard and other partners, to collaborate on drowning and water-related injury prevention in Hawai‘i.

For more information contact Bridget Velasco, drowning prevention coordinator at the EMS and Injury Prevention System Branch of DOH at 733-9209 or email bridget.velasco@doh.hawaii.gov.

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WHAT CAUSED – OR DID NOT CAUSE – THE 2018 KĪLAUEAERUPTION? Learn what scientists have to say in this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:

When a major geologic event occurs, scientists who study such events and the people who are directly or indirectly impacted by it seek to understand its cause. Often, a first step toward that understanding is to rule out what did not cause the event.

USGS HVO has received several inquiries about the cause of Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. Specifically, we've been asked if the eruption was caused by or related to geothermal drilling and energy production on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone.

The short answer is "no;" there is no credible model that connects geothermal operations to Kīlauea's 2018 eruption. We'll explain by starting with some facts about the volcano:

First and foremost, Kīlauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The exposed part of the volcano covers itself with new lava every thousand years or so. Thus, it's a matter of "when"– not "if"– an eruption will occur on Kīlauea.

Fig. 1, Hawaii Island Lava Flow Map. USGS map

The rift zones and summit on Kīlauea and Mauna Loaare identified as Zone 1 on the USGS Lava-Flow Hazard Map for Hawaiʻi Island (fig. 1), which is where the majority of erupting vents have been located in recent centuries. These areas are the most dangerous because, in nearly all Hawaiian eruptions, lava has first emerged from the ground within Zone 1 and quickly flowed into Lava Flow Hazard Zone 2.

By April 2018, Kīlaueahad been erupting essentially nonstop for over 35 years. It was inevitable that, at some point, the Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption would end and another eruption would begin on the volcano. It was also fairly certain that, based on past activity, the next eruption would likely occur somewhere on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone.

Seismic and deformation data from the 2018 eruption show that magma was injected into the lower East Rift Zone from the middle part of Kīlauea's East Rift Zone near Puʻu ʻŌʻō between April 30 and May 3. A NOAA animation (fig. 2) depicts the earthquakes that occurred on Kīlauea during that time. These earthquakes propagated eastward at a pace of about 1 km per hour (0.6 mi per hour) over three days as magma forced its way through subsurface rock, until erupting to the surface as fissure 1 on May 3. It clearly shows that the downrift migration of magma began near Puʻu ʻŌʻō rather than in the LERZ.

Fig. 2, NOAA animation of seismic activity around Kīlauea between April 30 and May 3, 2018.
Image from Pacific Tsunami Warning Center

The initial intrusion of magma stopped beneath Pohoiki Road southwest of the geothermal development. On May 9, seismicity indicated that the intrusion had reactivated and was moving eastward toward Kapoho. After another short pause, the magma continued its subsurface advance until it reached its easternmost point near the south end of Halekamahina Road.

The subsequent opening of 24 fissures in the vicinity of Leilani Estates on Kīlauea's LERZ was not unprecedented or particularly surprising. Eruptions occurred in this same area in 1960, Kapoho; 1955, steam vents on Highway 130 to Halekamahina; 1840, Kaʻohe Homesteads through Nānāwale Estates; around 1790, LavaTreeStateMonument; and earlier. These previous eruptions happened well before geothermal operations began on the LERZ.

The final locations of fissures 16-22 have led some people to ask if there might be a relationship between the eruption and geothermal operations. These operations are located on the LERZ because past eruptions have produced a small hydrothermal resource deep beneath that area.

The combination of repeated pre-geothermal LERZ eruptions – 1790, 1840, 1955, and 1960 – the clear movement of magma from Puʻu ʻŌʻō into the LERZ, and the temporary halt in magma propagation west of the geothermal development all indicate that geothermal operations played no discernible role in triggering the eruption.

The actual causes of the LERZ eruption are likely the pre-eruption build-up of magmatic pressure at Kīlauea's summit combined with long-term weakening of the rift zone. The relationship between magma supply, magmatic pressure, and strength of the volcanic edifice are the typical culprits for most volcanic eruptions around the world.

Impacts of the LERZ eruption were devastating, but the reason for the lava flow is no simpler than the fact that we live on an active volcanic island. What happened in 2018 is part of Kīlauea's natural process and was not influenced by human actions. The volcano behaved as it has many times in the past.

Earthquakes (red dots) track the progression of the magmatic intrusion from Kīlauea Volcano's middle East Rift Zone

to the lower East Rift Zone between April 30 and May 3, 2018. Orange triangles show the locations of fissure 1 (right),

which erupted on May 3, and Puʻu ʻŌʻō (left). The earthquakes shown here are well-located with magnitudes

less than 3.5 and depths shallower than 7 km (4.3 miles). USGS graphic

Volcano Activity Updates

Kῑlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. Rates of seismicity, deformation, and gas release have not changed significantly over the past week. Deformation signals are consistent with refilling of Kīlauea's deep East Rift Zone magma reservoir. Sulfur dioxide emission rates on the ERZ and at Kīlauea's summit remain low and have been steady over the past several months.

Four earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week, all on April 13: a magnitude-2.3 quake 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Waikoloa at 13 km (8 mi) depth at 6:12 p.m. HST; a magnitude-2.6 quake 18 km (11 mi) east of Kalaoa at 15 km (9 mi) depth at 5:31 p.m. HST; a magnitude-3.0 quake 16 km (10 mi) northeast of Kalaoa at 14 km (9 mi) depth at 5:20 p.m. HST; and a magnitude-5.3 quake 20 km (12 mi) east of Kalaoa at 13 km (8 mi) depth at 5:09 p.m. HST.

Hazards remain at the lower ERZ and summit of Kīlauea. Residents and visitors near the 2018 fissures, lava flows, and summit collapse area should heed Hawai‘i CountyCivil Defense and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closures and warnings. HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlaueafor any sign of increased activity.

The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL.

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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Sat., April 20, BIIF Semi-Finals

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Sat., April 20, BIIF Finals

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Mon. April 22, BIIF First Round

Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Sat., April 20, 9 a.m., @Kamehameha

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

REMINDER

KAʻŪ COFFEE FESTIVAL DEADLINES are coming up, with entry for the Kaʻū Coffee Recipe Contest extended to Saturday, April 27. The all-ages, fee-free contest is Sunday, April 28, 11 a.m. at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Enter a pūpū, entrée, or dessert, divided into adult and youth categories. The public is invited to enjoy free tastings. Contest entry info at KauCoffeeMill.com or KauCoffeeFest.com, or call 928-0550.

Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa vendor deadline is Friday, April 26. Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. No campaign or other political displays. Fifty percent discounts for non-profit organizations and

Ka‘ū Coffee farmer Ann Fontes judging a Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest
at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Deadline to enter is Saturday, April 27, the day
before the event. Photo by Julia Neal

cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each and a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Space for booths and presentations are limited, reservations required. Vendor applications at KauCoffeeFest.com.
The event happens Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Full day of music, dance, coffee tasting, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games. Free entry.

Other activities of the Kaʻū Coffee Festival, Friday, April 26 through Sunday, May 5 are open to the public. They are:

Pā‘ina and Open House is Friday, April 26 at Pāhala Plantation House, 5:30 p.m. Meet the Miss Kaʻū Coffee Court on the evening before the pageant. Enjoy live entertainment and refreshments. Call Pāhala Plantation Cottages, 928-9811.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant is Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. at Kaʻū District Gym. To volunteer or donate, call Pageant Director Trini Marques at 928-0606.

Miss Ka‘ū Coffee contestants Helena Nihipali Sesson

and Kaitlyn Alaon (missing Bernadette Ladia). Meet the
contestants the evening before the pageant at the kick-off
Paʻina at Pāhala Plantation House. Photo from Trini Marques

Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch is Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Ride through the coffee plantation, up the mountains, and into the rainforest to walk along waterways from sugar days of old. Reservations required; $45 per person. Call 928-0550.

Kaʻū Valley Farms Tour and Lunch is Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon. Above Nāʻālehu, visit a plant nursery, food farm, coffee and tea plantings, native forest, and hidden valley. $40 per person, reservations required. Call 987-4229 or 731-5409.

Kaʻū Coffee and Cattle Day is Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Includes farm tours, BBQ buffet, and hayride. Visit this historic Ka‘ū Coffee farm and ranch. $25, reservations required. Call 927-2252.

Kaʻū Stargazing on Friday, May 3, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., takes guests to the top of sacred Makanau during a new-moon. Learn about the ancient Hawaiian temple and see the Hawaiian night sky and stars. Reservations required; $45 per person, includes refreshments. Call 938-0550.

Kaʻū Coffee College, held at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5 serves up education and demonstrations for coffee farmers and Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts.

See KauCoffeeFestival.com.

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UPCOMING

HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, April 23, 10 a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Merrie Monarch Festival Events at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Tuesday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 24, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Day 1: Weave coconut leaves, make lei. Rupert Tripp Jr. performs. Day 2: Learn/play the Hawaiian board game kōnane, learn about the tools, alter and plants that symbolize hula. Ti "Kawehi" Chun and Pōki‘i Seto perform. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Arts and Crafts Activity: Paint a Rainbow, Tuesday, April 23, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 15-18. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Read to Me, Tuesday, April 23, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Open to keiki grades K-6. Free. Register April 15-22. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

After Dark in the Park: Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 Lower East Rift Zone Eruption, Tuesday, April 23, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta recounts the progression and shares her experiences monitoring this dramatic eruption. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wednesday, April 24, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Seniors 60 years and older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i. Referral required: 961-8626 for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

THURSDAY, APRIL 25
Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, April 25, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for community members. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, April 25, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Packaged goods to take home for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

FRIDAY, APRIL 26
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Vendor Application Deadline for Ho‘olaule‘a, Friday, April 26. To become a vendor, contact Brenda Iokepa-Moses at biokepamoses@gmail.com or 731-5409

Coffee Talk at Kahuku - The Price of Paradise: The Story of Sandalwood in Hawai‘i, Friday, April 26, 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Talk story with John Stallman, biologist and former Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park ranger. Free. nps.gov/havo

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Pā‘ina & Open House, Friday, April 26, 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. Free; donations accepted for Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Scholarship Fund. Julia Neal, 928-9811, mahalo@aloha.net. kaucoffeefestival.com

ONGOING

KauCoffeeFestival.com.

P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777

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Easter music, Hawaiian style, with Calvin Ponce, Makana Kamahele, and Guy Sesson at the Pāhala Preschool.
See photos and story below. Photo by Julia Neal

KAʻŪ FARMERS AWAIT THE OUTCOME OF THE WATER FIGHT in the Hawaiʻi Legislature.

Gov. David Ige inserted his influence on Friday by sending lawmakers a letter of support for House Bill 1326 HD2, which would give rights to large landowner Alexander & Baldwin to continue diverting water from streams for the next seven years. The bill, which failed in committee, could be pulled to the Senate floor on Monday. The legislation would override Hawaiʻi courts that ordered the return of water to its natural flow, that the era of diverting water to grow sugar cane is over.

Eddie Andrade brought out his many keiki games, including this
wooden machine to launch frogs. Photo by Julia Neal

The bill supported by Ige would also help Kaʻū farmers and ranchers keep their water sources for now. The Kaʻū agricultural water comes from tunnels in the side of the volcano, not streams supporting Hawaiian agriculture and wildlife.
An alternative bill, proposed by Sen. Kai Kahele, would have allowed Kaʻū ranchers and farmers and other small users of water to continue with their water sources - separated from the large users like A&B. Opponents contend that A&B was promised $62 more million from the buyer of its Maui land should it be able to guarantee water rights. Water is not a commodity to be sold by private enterprise, contend the opponents who have described the measure as "the water theft bill."
Ige, however, objected to separating the big and small users, writing, "the law cannot be applied in a discriminatory fashion... all water permittees and applicants must comply with the law and the law cannot be specifically enforced against some permittees and applicants but not others."

Children run for the eggs at Pāhala Elementary
the day before Easter. Photo by Julia Neal

In response to Ige's letter, Hawaiʻi Sierra Club Executive Director Marti Townsend wrote that the governor "is essentially using his office to influence pending legislation to circumvent a court ruling for the benefit of one major corporation. His administration is failing to take responsibility for their role in this situation. It looks like the state Department of Land & Natural Resources," which is in charge of stewarding Hawaiʻi's water sources, "has done next to nothing on this issue for the last three years, and now as the deadline approaches, and A&B risks losing $62 million, it is a crisis. I do not buy it."

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Keiki spin the wheel for a prize at
Pāhala Preschool. Photo by Julia Neal

EXPANSION OF THE HAWAIʻI NUTRITION EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM goes to Gov. David Ige for his signature, along with a Hawaiʻi Community College Promise Program to help pay for college education.

Senate Bill 50 SD2 HD1 would appropriate $910,000 – $455,000 for each of the next two fiscal years – to continue Hawaiʻi Nutrition Employment and Training and hire seven full-time instructional and student support positions. HINET help pay for food, transportation, books, and necessary tools for students who are eligible for SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, and are enrolled at least part-time at a University of Hawaiʻi Community College in an approved program. HINET staff also support the students' needs and goals, matching them with training. HINET began in 2015, and is a partnership between state Department of Human Services and UH.

SB316 SD2 HD2 provides $1.4 million – $700,000 for each of the next two fiscal years – to continue the Promise Program. It would cover community college tuition for eligible students once all other federal aid and public and private scholarships are exhausted. It requires UH to collect data on how well the Promise Program influences recipients in completing a degree program.

Coloring for all the keiki at Pāhala Preschool
Photo by Julia Neal

Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee Sen. Donna Mercado Kim said, "These bills attest to the Legislature's focus on education and the future by not only helping our students with their tuition, but by helping them not have to worry if they are going to be able to feed themselves, if they are going to be able to afford their textbooks, and how they are going to get to campus on time. These two measures work together to bring support the whole student so they can be successful in achieving their educational dreams."

Chair of the House Lower & Higher Education Committee Rep. Justin Woodson said more than 1,500 community college students have been helped by the Promise Program since it began in 2017

, and that 72 percent of the participants returned for their next academic year, compared to 54 percent of all UH community college students. "About 58 percent of the participants are Native Hawaiian," said Woodson. "As of February, the program has served 543 enrollees, with more than 200 University of Hawaiʻi Community College students now receiving assistance. About 140 enrollees completed a two-year program and are employed or transferred to a four-year campus.

Big Mouth accepts the toss at Pāhala
Preschool. Photo by Julia Neal

Easter baskets are almost full at
Pāhala Elementary. Photo by Julia Neal

"The Legislature wants to ensure that as much of these funds as possible go to students who may not otherwise have attended college, and that the scholarship is effective in helping students complete a degree program. If you want to invest in yourself, then we at the Legislature want to invest in you," said Woodson.

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PĀHALA PRESCHOOL AND PĀHALA ELEMENTARY DREW DROVES OF KEIKI for two Easter Egg Hunts today. At Pāhala Preschool, Eddie Andrade - well known for his role as Santa during 40 years of Christmas Parades - brought out his many wooden games for children. The Easter celebration featured songs from musicians Calvin Ponce, Makana Kamahele, and Guy Sesson, with food and games for all. At nearby Pāhala Elementary and Kaʻū High School, the Easter Egg Hunt was tied to a health fair. See more on the health fair in tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, "Unlike President Trump, I will
not turn our great country into the prostitute of Saudi Arabia."
Photo from tulsi2020.com

REP. TULSI GABBARD CALLED OUT PRES. DONALD TRUMP on his veto of the War Powers Act that recently won approval by both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. In a recent email, Gabbard said the resolution would have seen the U.S. "finally end its support of Saudi Arabia's genocidal war against the people of Yemen." She said the veto "again proves that he is the servant of Saudi Arabia — the theocratic dictatorship which spends billions of dollars every year spreading the most extreme and intolerant form of Islam around the world, the very ideology that motivates al-Qaeda and other jihadists."

Gabbard also said Trump's veto "is further, a betrayal of his campaign promise to end 'stupid wars.' Trump is caving to the neocons around him who are fomenting regime change war in Venezuela and Iran, and escalating the new Cold War and nuclear arms race. These wars have and will continue to waste trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives, undermine our national security by strengthening terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda, and cause untold suffering and devastation for the people in the countries where we wage these wars.

"We are complicit in the genocide that Saudi Arabia is carrying out in Yemen, that has killed tens of thousands of innocent children and civilians as well as the deaths of millions more from disease and starvation. We must do the right thing and stop assisting Saudi Arabia as they carry out this genocide.

"We already know Trump is more interested in pleasing the Saudis than doing what's right, but we don't have to accept that. I will put the interests and the values of the American people first, not the interests of the theocratic dictatorship of Saudi Arabia."

After another bombing in Yemen. Photo from tulsi2020.com

She urged the public to watch this video, "where I explain how, because of the actions of President Trump, the U.S is complicit in the genocide that the theocratic dictatorship of Saudi Arabia is waging on the people of Yemen. And then share it with your friends to get the word out about what this veto really means. She also asked the public to become a citizen co-sponsor of the bipartisan resolution she will be reintroducing, "that ensures the decision to go to war lies with Congress — not the president — as is specified in our constitution. No President should be able to start a war without the explicit consent of Congress."

Said Gabbard, "As a veteran, this is personal. The direct and indirect costs of these unnecessary, costly interventionist wars take a heavy toll on our troops and veterans, and on the American people. Our communities face crumbling infrastructure, failing public schools, skyrocketing costs of healthcare and housing, and so much more while we spend trillions of dollars on regime change wars and nation-building.

Pres. Trump meeting with Saudi Arabian representatives.
Photo from tulsi2020.com

"This must stop. We must stand up to President Trump and the continued abuse of our Constitution by ending presidential wars once and for all. I'm making a promise to you right now: As President, I will put the needs and values of the American people — your needs — first. I will restore War Powers to Congress and you will have a say in the decision to send our troops into harm's way.
"Unlike President Trump, I will not turn our great country into the prostitute of Saudi Arabia."

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USING THE PLATFORM OF 4/20, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard today sent out a message to supporters about legalizing marijuana: "I'm passionate about legalizing marijuana because to me, it's a basic question of fairness and freedom of choice for the American people. And since 60 percent of voters support legalizing pot, it's clear that the American people agree. It appalls me that marijuana is considered a Schedule 1 drug, alongside heroin, and that our country arrested 600,000 people just for possession in 2017 alone.

"Meanwhile, Big Pharma gets off scot free for pushing highly addictive opioids on to patients who don't need them. Justice means expunging the records of those with marijuana possession charges and fully prosecuting Big Pharma for fueling an opioid epidemic that has killed thousands."

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.

PESTICIDE SAFETY TRAINING FOR GROWERS happens at Pāhala Community Center Tuesday, April 30 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Presented by AgSafe, this hands-on, interactive pesticide safety training for growers is approved for three Continuing Education Credits by Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture. The training will deliver information on pesticide safety and compliance, worker protection standard training, employer responsibilities, and employee rights. Participants will receive a grower compliance kit with teaching aids and training tools to use with employees. Educational materials are available in multiple languages. There is no cost to attend. Contact Amy Wolfe to RSVP at 209-499-4091 or amy@agsafe.org.

ALL HAWAIʻi ISLAND KTA SUPER STORES AND EXPRESS OFFER DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks, the Food Basket's healthy food incentive program. Primarily funded by the USDA Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive grant, DA BUX doubles low-income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cardholders' purchasing power for fruits and vegetables while supporting Hawaiʻi Island farmers. Read the press release or contact Chelsea Takahashi at 808-933-6030 to learn more.

FOOD SAFETY REIMBURSEMENT APPLICATION DEADLINE IS EXTENDED to Tuesday, April 30, for farmers and ranchers. Refer to Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture's website for more information and to apply. For assistance preparing an application, contact The Kohala Center's agricultural outreach specialist Maile Woodhall atmwoodhall@kohalacenter.org or 808-887-6411.

THE AG2019 PROPOSAL DEADLINE IS EXTENDED to Friday, April 26. The 2019 Hawaiʻi Agriculture Conference happens October 15 and 16 at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center in Honolulu. The theme is AGdaptation: Hawaiʻi's Growing Opportunity. Complete the application online. Contact agconference@agleaderhi.org with questions.

A FARM TO STATE COORDINATOR position is open for the state Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture. This full-time position is an employment opportunity in the emerging field of farm to state initiatives. The coordinator will work to increase use of locally produced commodities in Hawaiʻi's educational and institutional markets. Refer to the position description for more information. Contact hdoa.hr@hawaii.gov with questions.

Trojans Athletic Director Kalei Namohala, Deisal Martinez of

Honokaʻa, Andre Carvalho of Kaʻū, Dustin Dancel of Kaʻū, and

June Domondon of ‘O Kaʻū Kākou. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR HAWAIʻI ʻULU COOPERATIVE applications are open. This part-time position is responsible for providing on-site administrative support for all aspects of Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative operations at the Honalo marshaling yard office in Kona. See the position description for more information. To apply, email resume and cover letter to info@eatbreadfruit.com.

CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP ENROLLMENT through U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service is open through Friday, May 10. NRCS plans to invest up to $700 million in this program during fiscal year 2019 to help farmers, ranchers, and landowners achieve their conservation and management goals. Refer to the agency's press release for more information.

Track & Field at KS Hawaiʻi, Kaʻū's Luke Watson - Shot
Put. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

HIGHER LIMITS ON FEDERAL FARM LOANS are available through U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency. As a result of 2018 Farm Bill legislation, has increased the lending limits of several programs, including but not limited to the direct operating loan, farm ownership loan, and microloan. Refer to the agency's press release for more information.

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KAʻŪ TROJANS BOYS VOLLEYBALL traveled to Honokaʻa yesterday for a three-set game. The Trojans fiercely battled against the Dragons but succumbed, with Honokaʻa taking each set, 25-15, 25-17, and 28-30.

Andre Carvalho and Dustin Dancel of Kaʻū, and Deisal Martinez of Honokaʻa, helped raise $750 for Kaʻū Athletics through the ‘O Kaʻū Kākou Serve For Cash at the game.

The Trojans Track & Feild Team was at Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi today. Luke Watson competed in the Shot Put. William Tabios competed in the 300 meter Hurdle.

Track & Field at KS Hawaiʻi, Kaʻū's William Tabios - 300m Hurdle. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Mon. April 22, BIIF First Round

Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

May Day is Lei Day, May 1, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hands on lei making demonstrations, live music and hula. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Arts and Crafts Activity: Boy's Day Craft, Wednesday, May 1, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 23-30. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts and Crafts Activity: Thumbprint Art, Wednesday, May 1, 3:30-5p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki grades K-6 April 22-30. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

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UPCOMING

Easter Pancake Breakfast, hosted by Amazing GraceBaptist Church happens Sunday, April 21, 10 a.m., at the Discovery Harbour Community Center, 94-1581 Kaulua Circle, Nāʻālehu. A special Easter service will follow the breakfast; special activities and lessons will be provided for children. Join in for a morning of good food, fellowship, and worship. Pancakes, eggs, breakfast meats, fruit, and Miranda coffee are all on the menu. For more information, contact John Glenn at 970-623-1081.

MONDAY, APRIL 22
Hypertension Management, Monday, April 22, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym, with Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi.

Read to Me, Tuesday, April 23, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Open to keiki grades K-6. Free. Register April 15-22. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

After Dark in the Park: Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 Lower East Rift Zone Eruption, Tuesday, April 23, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta recounts the progression and shares her experiences monitoring this dramatic eruption. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wednesday, April 24, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Seniors 60 years and older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i. Referral required: 961-8626 for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

Kaʻū Coffee Recipe Contest Entry Deadline is extended to Saturday, April 27. The all-ages, fee-free contest is Sunday, April 28, 11 a.m. at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Enter a pūpū, entrée, or dessert, divided into adult and youth categories. The public is invited to enjoy free tastings. Contest entry info at KauCoffeeMill.com or KauCoffeeFest.com, or call 928-0550.

Healing Through Words with Dr. Heather Rivera, Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Volcano Art Center. Creative writing workshop. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Sauerkraut and Kombucha with Jasmine Silverstein, Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $55/VAC member, $60/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

ONGOING

KauCoffeeFestival.com.

P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777

; or call 808-731-5409.

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.

Exhibit: On Sacred Ground by Dino Morrow is open daily through Sunday, May 5 at Volcano Art Center Gallery. The public is invited to see documentary and protrait photography of Hula Arts at the Kīlauea Program. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more information.

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.

Parishoners walked to Stations of the Cross in Pāhala on Good Friday as Easter approached. The Holy Rosary Church
procession dates back to immigrants from Portugal, Spain, and the Philippines moving to Kaʻū to work in
the sugar industry. See story below. Photo by Julia Neal

TWO NEW GRANTS WILL BENEFIT MILOLIʻI. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Kūlia Grants Program recently approved $74,000 for Paʻa Pono Miloliʻi to complete a Department of Health, certified kitchen at the Miloliʻi Community Enrichment and Historical Center. This will allow Miloliʻi Community Center to host the charter school with food services, and allow the community to prepare food for the Hawaiian village and to cater.

Miloliʻi Village sign. Photo from paaponomilolii.org

The Miloliʻi grant is among ten within OHA Board of Trustees' approval of $500,000 for non-profit organizations under the Kūlia Grants Program. The one-year grants "benefit the Native Hawaiian community and align with the agency's broad strategic priorities of health, education, income and housing, land and water, and culture," according to an OHA statement.

Native Hawaiian grant reviewers processed 51 application, scoring them on organizational capacity, scope of services, experience, project plan, service delivery, and budget. OHA's Chief Executive Officer Kamanaʻopono Crabbe said approved programs range from culture and education, to healthcare and housing, and "will help Native Hawaiians across the state and in the communities in which they live. It is important to OHA that we support projects that kōkua where they are most needed."

The community kitchen is part of a larger $1 million Miloliʻi project – on Miloliʻi Beach Road – to develop four parcels totaling .918 acre.

The community center is part the larger Miloliʻi Hoʻopuloa Community Development Plan, presented to the state Department of Land & Natural Resources in 1984. The plan - with a name that includes Miloliʻi's ahupuaʻa of Hoʻopuloa - was developed by Miloliʻi village residents to include the future of land use, residential construction, and economic, recreational, cultural, and historical resources. It plans for a community center, picnic area, visitor center, library-museum, and canoe hale.

The Kūlia Grant builds on $200,000 released April 10 by Gov. David Ige, which funds another nonprofit called Kalanihale.

West Kaʻū Sen. Dru Kanuha, whose district includes Mioliʻi, thanked the governor for supporting "this very special community. Throughout years of change, Miloliʻi has stood as a community with an unshakable commitment to its own unique traditions and way of life. This Community Enrichment and HistoricalCenter will afford the opportunity to share their tradition with residents and visitors alike. We look forward to a center in Mioliʻi as enriching and inspiring as the community it represents."

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OHA'S KŪLIA GRANTS PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED PARTNERS IN DEVELOPMENT with $100,000 in funding for its Ka Paʻalana Family Education and Homeless Outreach. Partners in Development, which operates Tutu & Me in Kaʻū, will provide family education programming and outreach to homeless and at-risk Native Hawaiian families with children age five and younger, to improve health and school readiness. The program will also equip caregivers to be their child's first and most important teacher, empower adults toward better health and self-sufficiency.

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VISION SCREENINGS FOR NATIVE HAWAIIAN CHARTER SCHOOLS has received funding from OHA's Kulia Grants. Project Vision Hawaiʻi 's Better Vision for Keiki is awarded $26,515. The project will provide vision screenings, exams, and glasses and school-wide vision care services to children in Native Hawaiian charter schools.

A table cloth, cross, and candles welcome
walkers with the wooden cross.
Photo by Julia Neal

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ROADSIDE ALTARS sprung up throughout Pāhala on Good Friday as residents welcomed walkers carrying a wooden cross through the town. Tables with candles and a small cross, as well as home built altars, created a place for the delivery of hymns and prayers.
The Holy Rosary Church procession called Stations of the Cross dates back to immigrants from Portugal, Spain, and the Philippines moving to Kaʻū to work in the sugar industry.

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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Mon. April 22, BIIF First Round

Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

MĀLAMA NĀ KEIKI FESTIVAL happens Saturday, June 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at PāhalaCommunity Center. This free third annual event, presented by Health Resources and Services Administration, offers health screenings, education, and activities. Expectant and first-time mothers, women considering pregnancy, young families, and supporting ʻohana from across the county are especially invited to attend.

Support Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower contestants

Kysha Kaupu Manini and Adilyn Aetonu Friday,
April 26, at the Kaʻū Coffee Fest Paʻina and Saturday
at the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant. Details,
below. Photo from Trini Marques

Prizes, entertainment, free food, and keiki activities are offered. Health screenings include hearing, vision, height, weight, and blood pressure. Health education includes prenatal information and breastfeeding education with lactations specialists. Health activities include Grow Your Own Plant and Makahiki games.

For more, call 808-969-9220, or see hmono.org, facebook.com/hmono.org, or hui_malama on Instagram.

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UPCOMING

MONDAY, APRIL 22
Hypertension Management, Monday, April 22, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym, with Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, April 23 (Committees), Wednesday, April 24 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, April 25, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Packaged goods to take home for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

FRIDAY, APRIL 26
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Vendor Application Deadline for Ho‘olaule‘a, Friday, April 26. To become a vendor, contact Brenda Iokepa-Moses at biokepamoses@gmail.com or 731-5409

Coffee Talk at Kahuku - The Price of Paradise: The Story of Sandalwood in Hawai‘i, Friday, April 26, 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Talk story with John Stallman, biologist and former Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park ranger. Free. nps.gov/havo

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Pā‘ina & Open House, Friday, April 26, 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. Free; donations accepted for Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Scholarship Fund. Julia Neal, 928-9811, mahalo@aloha.net. kaucoffeefestival.com

Carl Okuyama, owner of Wikiwiki Mart in Na`alehu,
judging Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest entries last year.
Photo by Julia Neal

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

ONGOING

KauCoffeeFestival.com.

P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777

; or call 808-731-5409.

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 Valley Farm views, with panorama of Nāʻālehu and the Kaʻū Coast. Reservations for the farm tour and lunch
are available during Kaʻū Coffee Week by calling 987-4229 or 731-5409. See more on Coffee Fest below.
Photo by Lee Neal

THE SAVE OUR LANDS CITIZENS' COMMITTEE urges Kaʻū members of land stewardship groups who take care of places like Honuʻapo and Kāwā, to attend the county Charter Commission meeting at the Hilo County Council Chambers on Thursday, April 25 at 9:30 a.m. The Committee is led by volunteers who helped to establish the 2% Land Fund, which raises money from 2 percent of county property taxes to buy and maintain special properties.
The Committee proposes two County Charter amendments. Charter Amendment, CA-18, would "empower the non-profit organizations who are already caring for the 2 Percent Land Fund

Volunteers and paid workers need funding at Kaʻū Coast stewardship
sites like Kāwā where KUPU students work. Photo from KUPU

acquisitions," to receive stewardship grants to make improvements like buildings and restrooms, and to pay workers, including those who are board members," a statement from the group explains.

Save Our Land's chair Debbie Hecht said, "We are trying to strengthen the 2 Percent Land Fund Program. ...all of the stewardship groups requested that they be able to pay people to help care for the land. Every 2 Percent Land Fund property needs the help of people who are committed to care for the land... As these programs grow, volunteer coordinators could be paid to maximize the land stewardship programs and create school education programs to educate keiki about the land, its history and culture."

The other amendment, CA-9, would pay for a full time employee under the county Department of Finance to work exclusively on the 2% Land Fund Program. Pay would come from the 2% Land Fund. CA-9 is not being reviewed this week.
Most of the 4,428 acres conserved across the island are in Kaʻū, with large properties on the Kaʻū Coast. Another 2,200 acres in Kaʻū, including Waikapuna, are in escrow. Lands across the island in recent years have been acquired with $27.4 million from the 2% Land Fund, $8.8 million in grants and matching funds, and $2 million from private funds. Income from 2 percent of property taxes in Hawaiʻi County amounts to approximately $5 million a year.

To keep up with the Save Our Lands Citizen Committee, email Hecht.Deb@gmail.com. To keep up with the Charter Amendments, send an email to Charter.Commission@hawaiicounty.gov. For more information on the history, the process, and the successes of the 2 Percent Land Fund, go to: debbiehecht.com/2018/03/09/hawaii-county-and-the-big-islands-2-land-fund-report-3-9-2018/.

A ranger removes a closure sign at Kīlauea Iki, Photo by Janice Wei/NPS

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EFFORTS TO REPAIR AND REOPEN damaged areas in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park continue as the anniversary of the 2018 Kīlauea eruption nears. Members of the park's management team will share successes and challenges on the Road to Recovery: One Year Later, a special After Dark in the Park presentation on Thursday, May 9 at 7 p.m. in the newly upgraded Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. The event is free, but park entrance fees apply.

An announcement from the Park reads: The historic Kīlauea eruption and caldera collapse of 2018 resulted in most of the park closing for 134 days last year due to unsafe, unpredictable and unprecedented eruptive activity at the volcano's summit. A hurricane, two tropical storms and a wildfire on Mauna Loa added to the intensity of an unforgettable year, but park rangers continued to serve the public at locations outside the park, protect natural and cultural resources, and expand hours at the park's Kahuku Unit. Most of Hawai‘i Volcanoes is now open, including two-thirds of the popular Kīlauea Iki Trail, but some areas remain closed for safety.

Massive boulder at Kīlauea Iki. Photo by Janice Wei/NPS

Acting Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh said, "We invite our community to hear first-hand how we managed the extraordinary challenges this eruption created, and what we face moving ahead. The presentation will be about a half hour, and we welcome questions afterward."

Until 2018, Kīlauea erupted almost nonstop from two locations within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park: from the remote Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent in the East Rift Zone since 1983, and from its summit crater, Halema‘uma‘u, since 2008. Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō was renowned for producing surface lava that periodically streamed into the ocean, while Halema‘uma‘u hosted a dazzling lake of lava for nearly 10 years with glowing lava often visible from vantage points along the caldera rim. Many native Hawaiians consider Halema‘uma‘u the home of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano deity, and the entire summit area is one of the most sacred areas in all of Hawai‘i.

On April 30, 2018, the floor of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent collapsed, followed by earthquakes – including a magnitude 6.9 on May 4 – and movement of molten rock towards the lower Puna community. More than 700 homes were destroyed by lava, and more than 2,000 people were displaced. At the summit, lava disappeared from Halema‘uma‘u, and 60,000 or so earthquakes damaged park buildings, roads, trails, water systems and other infrastructure through the summer. Most of the park closed May 11, 2018 to Sept. 22, 2018.
Currently, Kīlauea is not erupting, and there is no molten lava on the surface, but the volcano remains active and is closely monitored by scientists. Park staff are at work to repair and reopen trails and roads, assess and monitor unsafe areas, and welcome the public back to a landscape forever changed by last year's epic volcanic activity.

Damage Survey along Crater Rim Drive. Photo by Jessica Ferracane/NPS

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IMMUNIZATION RATES FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN are trending lower in Hawaiʻi and all over the country. The recent release of Hawaiʻi immunization exemptions for the 2018-2019 school year shows how religious exemptions for immunizations have climbed since the 2013-2014 school year in most schools. The figures are self-reported by the schools, and only 40 schools per year are audited by the Department of Health.

Volcano School of Arts and Sciences is the exception for Kaʻū, having halved their exemption rate. The public charter school has a 5.08 percent religious exemption rate, no medical exemptions, with an enrollment of 197. Five years ago, the exemptions rate was 10.2 percent, medical zero, with an enrollment of 186.
Kaʻū's two public school campuses, however, are following the national trend, though both schools maintain low exemption numbers:
Nāʻālehu Elementary has a religious exemption rate of 2.04 percent, no medical exemptions, with an enrollment of 393. Five years ago, the religious exemption rate was 1 percent, medical at zero, with an enrollment of 418.
Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School has a .82 percent exemption rate, no medical exemptions, with an enrollment of 489. Five years ago, the exemptions rates were both at zero, with an enrollment of 476.

Hawaiʻi is one of the states that allow medical and religious exemptions
for vaccines that are otherwise required for school children.
Map from Institute for Vaccine Safety

Students not immunized can be excluded from school and group settings when: any student has a communicable disease for which isolation or restriction from school attendance is required or during a potential outbreak as determined by DOH. All schools in Hawaiʻi are required to report students who have not complied with immunization requirements upon school entry, and students who have medical or religious exemptions. A final report is due to DOH by January 10 of each school year.
Immunizations required for school attendance are: DTaP/DTP/Td (diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis); Polio; MMR (measles, mumps, rubella); Hepatitis B; Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) (for preschool attendance); and Varicella (chickenpox).
See statewide immunization levels for public, private, and charter schools at health.hawaii.gov/docd/resources/reports/immunization-exemptions/.

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WITH NEARLY 300 DEAD and hundreds injured from eight near-simultaneous suicide bomber blasts that shook Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard had this to say: "My heart is with Sri Lanka on this #EasterSunday, with hundreds killed and wounded in a horrific attack as they gathered in prayer. On a day devoted to love and peace, may we remember Jesus Christ's message of love - for God and for each other - as we commit to defeating hate with love."

The Associated Press reports that Sri Lankan authorities believe the attacks were carried out by a local Islamist group. Seven suicide bombers were involved in eight blasts that targeted Easter Sunday mass at St. Anthony's Church in Colombo, St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, and Zeon Church in Batticaloa. Three five-star hotels in Colombo – the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury – were also targeted.

White House spokesman Hogan Gidely said the attacks were "one of the deadliest terrorist events since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States."

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.

ar.com.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

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

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Pā‘ina & Open House, Friday, April 26, 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. Free; donations accepted for Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Scholarship Fund. Julia Neal, 928-9811, mahalo@aloha.net.
kaucoffeefestival.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Kaʻū Coffee Recipe Contest Entry Deadline is extended to Saturday, April 27. The all-ages, fee-free contest is Sunday, April 28, 11 a.m. at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Enter a pūpū, entrée, or dessert, divided into adult and youth categories. The public is invited to enjoy free tastings. Contest entry info at KauCoffeeMill.com
or KauCoffeeFest.com, or call 928-0550.

Healing Through Words with Dr. Heather Rivera, Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Volcano Art Center. Creative writing workshop. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Sauerkraut and Kombucha with Jasmine Silverstein, Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $55/VAC member, $60/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Meet Miss Kaʻū Coffee Peaberry contestants Kendall
Haddock, Helen Miranda, and Lilianna Marques at Friday's
Paʻina at Pāhala Plantaion House. Photo from Trini Marques

ONGOING

KauCoffeeFestival.com.

P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777

; or call 808-731-5409.

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 fire fighter stands down the street from the fire that raged in HOVE last night, destroying a two-story house.
Photo from Artega Family

A FIRE DESTROYED A NEW HOUSE IN HAWAIIAN OCEAN VIEW ESTATES at 92-9033 Tree Fern Lane yesterday at around 7 p.m. The two-story home was owned by Orlando Artega, who works construction, and his wife Roxanna, who works in housekeeping. They have two children and belong to the Miranda family, known for their Kaʻū Coffee.

Two engines, a tanker, a medic unit, and another fire fighting vehicle were dispatched to the scene, with six responders. The two-story structure was "fully engulfed in flames" when firefighters arrived, with the fire spreading to nearby brush and power lines toward another house.
It took firefighters almost five hours to extinguish the blaze. The loss is estimated at $110,000. No occupants, neighbors, or fire fighting personnel were reported injured. The cause is under investigation by the fire inspector.
Maria Miranda, former Miss Kaʻū Coffee and an organizer of the Kaʻū Coffee Festival, was just leaving a meeting of Kaʻū Coffee farmers in Pāhala when she received a short film of the fire from her family. She said family members were shaken but thankful that no one was injured. A funding page is planned in the future to help the Artega family rebuild their new home. Miranda said her family reported that neighbors saw some one leave the house and it soon went up in flames.
Anyone with clues or information regarding the possibility of arson is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.

Dr. Greg Asner, who leads the airborne observatory team, describes how
specialized instruments allow them to study large areas of ʻōhiʻa forest
from the air. See the video at Big Island Video News. Photo from DLNR

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FIGHTING RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH HAS TAKEN TO THE AIR with help from the Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science. The Hilo-based operation of the ArizonaStateUniversity is conducting overflights to track the march of the Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death disease that devastates native forests.

The Center flies a turboprop with equipment to detect and map Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death in the forests on Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, and Kauaʻi. The team surveyed more than a million acres.

The Center was contracted by the state Department of Land & Natural Resources with funding, in part, from the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority. HTA is interested in preserving the forest and educating visitors to help prevent them from spreading the disease by unwittingly moving diseased branches and foliage around the island, particularly during Merrie Monarch Week, when the festival has banned use of ʻōhiʻa materials.

ʻŌhiʻa forests from the air. Photo from DLNR

Kalani Ka‘anā‘anā, HTA'’s Director of Hawaiian Cultural Affairs commented, "During this week of the annual Merrie Monarch Festival, it's important for us all to be mindful of the natural and cultural significance of ʻōhiʻa lehua as our keystone native tree species for protecting Hawai‘i's forests and watersheds. ROD is devastating hundreds of thousands of acres of native forest. Forests are life-giving in Hawai‘i in a multitude of ways. They are often the first image visitors see when flying into Hawai‘i and it's critical we do everything possible to keep them healthy."

Dr. Greg Asner leads the team that operates the airborne observatory. This year was its third time surveying forests to collect data on symptomatic trees. Asner said, "Our January 2019 mapping update on suspected ROD trees will be coming out shortly, which will extend our total coverage of the BigIsland for three consecutive years. We've also added parts of Maui and Kaua‘i along the way. Altogether, the mapping will continue to increase our knowledge of the rate, pattern, and overall threat level of ROD in the Hawaiian Islands. We are very proud to be working closely with DLNR, the USDA Forest Service, and all the organizations that depend on island-wide mapping results."

Dr. Greg Asner describes how the instruments on the airborne observatory
allow them to look at individual leaves. Photo from DLNR

DLNR and its partners conduct regular "sketch mapping" aerial surveys of ʻōhiʻa forests across the state to detect new disease outbreaks. These surveys are done from helicopters, but the data collected by ASU's high-altitude aerial platform is much more precise and provides highly accurate location data on trees suspected to be infected with ROD.

Rob Hauff, State Protection Forester for the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife, said, "The HTA support has helped expand our outreach to visitors who could potentially move ROD from island to island and allowed us to utilize state-of-the art forest monitoring technologies to better map the disease."

Over the past year, Hawai‘i Tourism has provided more than $400,000 in funding support for numerous ROD initiatives, including: $20,000 for trailhead sanitation stations and signs, $20,000 for bio-sanitation workshops for eco-tour operators, and support for the annual ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest in Hilo.

DLNR Chair Suzanne Case remarked, "The support from Hawai‘i Tourism is invaluable in helping get the word out about what each of us can do to help stop the spread of this insidious tree disease."

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The School of Pharmacy at University of Hawaiʻi-Hilo
provided diabetes and blood pressure screening.
Photo by Julia Neal

GET YOUR SPRING ON KAʻŪ WELLNESS FAIR last Saturday drew many providers to the Kaʻū District Gym annex, offering medical, dental, mental health, healthy living, and preventative care services.

Organized by Kaʻū High School teacher, track coach, and events organizer Angie Miyashiro, the gathering of children and families offered blood pressure and diabetes screening, strength and exercise analysis, and opportunities for outdoor experiences.

The day included an Easter Egg hunt and many educational games for kids as well as
reading with Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries.
Among those on hand were Bay Clinic, Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes UH-Hilo, and Phi Delta Chi Pharmacists, Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association, United Healthcare, Keiki ID, Blue Zones, Children's Community Council, PATH, Tūtū and Me, Project Aware - Mental Health First Aid, and Ocean Awareness & Safety.

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SUICIDE PREVENTION BILLS go before Gov. David Ige for approval or veto after passing the state House of Representatives yesterday.

Getting to know the Volcano is an opportunity for health
activities shared by young David and Manuel Carvalho
of the Center for Study of Active Volcanoes at UH-Hilo.
Photo by Julia Neal

HB330 HD1 SD1 CD1– co-sponsored by west Kaʻū Rep. Richard Creagan and east Kaʻū Rep. Richard Onishi – appropriates funds to the Department of Health to support youth suicide early intervention, prevention, and education initiatives in all neighbor island counties.
House Bill 655 HD1 SD1 CD1 designates September as "Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month" to promote public awareness of suicide prevention and education.
The bills are supported by the Prevent Suicide Hawaiʻi Task Force, comprised of government agencies and private community groups that provide leadership, develop strategies, coordinate activities, and monitor the progress of suicide prevention efforts in Hawaiʻi.

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A fitness station at the health fair. Photo by Julia Neal

FUNDING FOR A NEW PRESCHOOL AND EARLY LEARNING CENTER at Volcano School of Arts & Sciences has been released by Gov. David Ige. East Kaʻū Sen. Russell Ruderman posted the acceptance letter from the governor's office, which shows $450,000 is issued for the Capital Improvement Project.
Said Ruderman, "Excited to announce the first Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funding release from Governor Ige."

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EARTH DAY, celebrated yesterday, April 22, drew comments from Hawaiʻi politicos:

Deedee Davis reads to a child for Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries.
Photo by Julia Neal

Gov. David Ige said, "Happy #EarthDay19. Hawaiʻi has come together with island leaders to renew our commitment to building sustainability in our islands and islands across the globe. Let us all do our part to help save our island Earth. #HIGov #ActOnClimate."
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, "All people deserve clean air, clean water, & the promise of a bright future. My OFF Act will end our addiction to fossil fuels & transition the country to a 100% clean energy economy—laying a just and economic pathway toward a cleaner, more secure future for all. Happy #EarthDay."
Rep. Ed Case said, "Aloha #EarthDay, the birthday of the modern environmental movement. Proud to have voted for a historic public lands package, held months of hearings on climate change and cosponsored H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, which restores our commitment to the #ParisAgreement."

Bay Clinic Spin at the Health Fair.
Photo by Julia Neal

Sen. Brian Schatz said, "We know that climate change is already increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. This report from @SenGaryPeters and @HSGAC shows that every $1 invested in mitigation saves taxpayers $6. I'm leading the new Special Committee on the Climate Crisis because this Earth Day, we can't wait any longer to take action on climate."
Sen. Mazie Hirono said, "Climate change is real and the impacts are already being felt across the country. We need to take immediate action and protect our world for the generations to come. Whether it's planting trees or whatever you’re doing today to defend the environment, Happy #EarthDay."

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SEN. MAZIE HIRONO has more to say about Thursday's release of the redacted version of the Mueller Report, which can be read through a link from Kaʻū News Briefs from Thursday, April 18. In an email to constituents, she said the release was preceded by "a partisan press conference by Attorney General Bill Barr to spin the findings in President [Donald] Trump's favor.

Angie Miyashiro is the organizer of the annual health fair.
Photo by Julia Neal

"Barr revealed he took it upon himself to share the report with Trump and the White House before sharing it with the public and lawmakers, and without consulting Mueller. He also proclaimed numerous times that there was 'no collusion,' to Trump's delight, despite evidence that suggests otherwise. In fact, Mueller lays out a strong case that Trump did obstruct justice. This was no exoneration, no matter what Trump says.
"We knew from Day 1 that Trump's hand-picked attorney general would side with him, given that Barr sent the President an unsolicited 19-page memo before he was hired for the job that outlined his opinion that a president essentially could not obstruct justice. What a coincidence.
"The American people deserve to know the full truth, and we deserve an attorney general who defends our country, not one who acts like the President's personal attorney."
Hirono asks the public to sign a petition to "demand further transparency and call on Mueller to testify before Congress as soon as possible to help us make sense of this mess."

Brennen Nishimuar, a senior at Kaʻū
High gets into the Blue Zone.
Photo by Julia Neal

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KAʻŪ COFFEE FESTIVAL EVENTS START FRIDAY, April 26 and run through Sunday, May 5. All events are open to the public; some require reservations. Celebrate Kaʻū Coffee at:
Pā‘ina and Open House is Friday, April 26 at Pāhala Plantation House, 5:30 p.m. Meet the Miss Kaʻū Coffee Court on the evening before the pageant. Enjoy live entertainment with Bolo, Sammi Fo and Boni Norito. Refreshments. Potluck. Call Pāhala Plantation Cottages, 928-9811.
Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant is Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. at Kaʻū District Gym. To volunteer or donate, call Pageant Director Trini Marques at 928-0606.
Kaʻū Coffee Recipe Contest is Sunday, April 28, 11 a.m. at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Applications for the all-ages, fee-free contest are open through Saturday, April 27. Enter a pūpū, entrée, or dessert, divided into adult and youth categories. The public is invited to come enjoy free tastings. Contest entry info at KauCoffeeMill.com or KauCoffeeFest.com, or call 928-0550.
Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch is Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Ride through the coffee plantation, up the mountains, and into the rainforest to walk along waterways from sugar days of old. Reservations required; $45 per person. Call 928-0550.
Kaʻū Valley Farms Tour and Lunch is Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon. Above Nāʻālehu, visit a plant nursery, food farm, coffee and tea plantings, native forest, and hidden valley. $40 per person, reservations required. Call 987-4229 or 731-5409.
Kaʻū Coffee and Cattle Day is Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Includes farm tours, BBQ buffet, and hayride. Visit this historic Ka‘ū Coffee farm and ranch. $25, reservations required. Call 927-2252.
Kaʻū Stargazing on Friday, May 3, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., takes guests to the top of sacred Makanau during a new-moon. Learn about the ancient Hawaiian temple and see the Hawaiian night sky and stars. Reservations required; $45 per person, includes refreshments. Call 938-0550.

Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch on Wednesday, May 1, starts with a ride through the coffee plantation, up the
mountains, and into the rainforest, to walk along waterways from sugar days of old. See details, above.
Photo from Andrew Richard Hara

Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa is Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Full day of music, dance, coffee tasting, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games. Free entry. Vendor deadline is Friday, April 26. Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. No campaign or other political displays. Fifty percent discounts for non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each and a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Space for booths and presentations are limited, reservations required. Vendor applications at KauCoffeeFest.com.
Closing out the Kaʻū Coffee Festival, Kaʻū Coffee College is held at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5. Get served education and see demonstrations for coffee farmers and Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts.
See KauCoffeeFestival.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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

REMINDER
After Dark in the Park: Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 Lower East Rift Zone Eruption, Tuesday, April 23, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta recounts the progression and shares her experiences monitoring this dramatic eruption. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

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UPCOMING

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24
Hawai‘i County Council Mtg., Wednesday, April 24, Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wednesday, April 24, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Seniors 60 years and older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i. Referral required: 961-8626 for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

Merrie Monarch Festival Events at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Wednesday, April 24, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Learn/play the Hawaiian board game kōnane, learn about the tools, alter and plants that symbolize hula. Ti "Kawehi" Chun and Pōki‘i Seto perform. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Sauerkraut and Kombucha with Jasmine Silverstein, Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $55/VAC member, $60/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant, Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m., doors open 5:30 p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym. Tickets: $10 donation. Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant Director Trinidad Marques, 928-0606, TrinidadMarques@yahoo.com, or Facebook Trinidad Marques. kaucoffeefestival.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 28
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest, Sunday, April 28, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Free coffee and recipe tastings. sales@kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeemill.com,
kaucoffeefestival.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 30
Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, April 30, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival events continue May 1 through May 5, see kaucoffeefestival.com for details.

May Day is Lei Day, May 1, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hands on lei making demonstrations, live music and hula. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Arts and Crafts Activity: Boy's Day Craft, Wednesday, May 1, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 23-30. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts and Crafts Activity: Thumbprint Art, Wednesday, May 1, 3:30-5p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki grades K-6 April 22-30. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ONGOING

KauCoffeeFestival.com.

P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777

; or call 808-731-5409.

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Walk around, under, and on old sugar plantation waterways on the Kaʻū Coffee Fest Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch on Wednesday,
May 1. Reservations required; details, below. Photo by Andrew Richard Hara

A BILL ESTABLISHING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR GUN OWNERS went into effect today. Gov. David Ige signed HB720, Act 023, requiring gun owners to report lost, stolen, or destroyed firearms to the county police department within 24 hours of discovering the loss, theft, or destruction of the weapon.

Said Ige, "This reporting process will increase accountability and strengthen public safety measures. This will help police officers in situations involving firearm ownership and possession, and it will protect firearm owners if their lost or stolen firearm was used in a crime."

Anyone who intentionally or knowingly fails to make the required report could face petty misdemeanor or misdemeanor charges that could lead to the loss of firearms registrations, ammunition and firearms. Offenders could also be prohibited from registering, possessing or owning a firearm.

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MĀLAMA HAWAIʻI, a campaign to educate and remind visitors and kama‘āina to respect the islands' natural resources, protect wildlife, and stay safe, kicked off this week. Department of Land and Natural Resources Chair Suzanne Case and Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Director of Hawaiian Cultural Affairs Kalani Ka‘anāʻanā launched the campaign at a news conference Tuesday. They said, in coming days and months, it's going to be hard to avoid the phrase Mālama Hawai‘i when flying, staying in a hotel room, watching TV, or enjoying the outdoors. Mālama Hawai‘i is their two agencies' joint project.

Case explained, "Two years ago, we utilized state funding to support Hawai‘i tourism to commission the design and placement of 30 large Mālama Hawai‘i outdoor conservation messaging signs at key state parks and trail heads around O‘ahu. Now, we're taking the very same messages on these beautiful signs and expanding them across a wide variety of communications platforms.

"We are most appreciative of the support we're getting from the visitor industry, which recognizes the strong linkage between the health of our natural and cultural resources and the health of Hawai‘i's biggest and most important economic sector. Clearly you cannot have one without the other."

Ka‘anāʻanā said, "All of us have a responsibility to take care of our island home and ensure its sustainable future. Through this collaboration with DLNR and industry partners amplifying the message, the Mālama Hawai‘i campaign encourages travelers to be safe, mindful, and respectful while enjoying the islands' natural beauty."

As part of the campaign, seven Mālama Hawai‘i public service announcements will be available for Hawaiian Airlines guests to watch onboard the carrier's Airbus A330 aircraft on flights between Hawai‘i and other states or countries. The 30-second videos focus on various topics essential to caring for the land, ocean, and wildlife, which include staying on authorized hiking trails, refraining from trespassing on private lands or in restricted areas, respecting cultural sites, and supporting conservation efforts.

For the next seven weeks, DLNR's Facebook page will feature the PSAs to show people how to be safe, sound, and secure in Hawai‘i.

Hawaiian Airlines was the first carrier to agree to include the PSAs in its digital entertainment offerings on flights from the U.S. mainland. AirAsia X is beginning to play audio versions of the announcements. Discussions are underway with domestic and international carriers to show the 30-second spots. The PSAs will run in 27,000 hotel rooms around the state, reaching an estimated three million guests each year.

Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant Louise Pacarro and her husband run a non-profit dedicated to cleaning up beaches. "I hope that we are able to convey to our passengers how important it is to protect our natural resources here in Hawai‘i," Pacarro said. "I think people will really be attracted to the natural beauty depicted in the videos. I feel like most of our visitors and locals want to naturally protect things that are special and these messages help explain how to do that."

The HTA funding also supports outreach and educational materials about preventing Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death, visitor surveys of Hawai‘i State Parks, and the establishment of a carbon credit system.
Click on images for link to PSA videos at https://vimeo.com/album/5625814.

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Maliah Ababa with Kaʻū High and PāhalaElementary School Principal

Sharon Beck. Photo from Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary

MALIAH ABABA IS ISLANDER SCHOLAR for Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary for 2019. The junior will represent the school during her senior year, as her "actions and principles represent the very best of Hawaiʻi," reads the letter announcing her selection. "This one-of-a-kind recognition was developed to remind us all that there is more to success than grades, test scores, or how much money you will earn. In our Hawaiʻi, we value our islands, our families, our communities, our cultures, and our character."

Ababa will travel to Kohala June 7 through 9 to attend a three-day IslanderScholarsAcademy. There, she will participate in hands-on activities on the ʻāina, discussions with distinguished mentors, community building with others from across the islands, and group excursions.

The letter reads, "Being an Islander Scholar is as much a responsibility as it is an honor. You are expected to return to your school and community in your senior year and act on the kuleana (responsibility) associated with this award."

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EXPERIENCE VOLCANO ANNOUNCED A NEW FESTIVAL yesterday to help revive the economy of the community devastated by last year's volcanic disaster. The event on Saturday and Sunday, July 27 and 28, at multiple locations in VolcanoVillage, aims "to celebrate and share this thriving community of artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, and cultural practitioners," said a statement from Experience Volcano.

Over the course of the weekend, residents and visitors will enjoy art, food, music, and performances. Events will be held from AkatsukaOrchidGardensto Volcano Winery, with a concentration in the heart of historic VolcanoVillage. Restaurants will feature special menus. Attendees are invited to create artwork through "make and take projects" at Volcano Garden Arts. VolcanoArtCenter will offer demonstrations at its Niʻaulani Campus. Live, local music will be on the menu at Lava Rock Cafe all weekend.

"Long appreciated as one of the hidden gems of Hawaiʻi, Volcano is more than just a gateway to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park," said the statement from Experience Volcano. "The community comes together to host the first annual Experience Volcano Festival, a celebration of arts and culture that springs from this creative rain forest community, to showcase and share it with residents and visitors."
All events will be free. Experience Volcano urges those visiting to "take advantage of the many lodging opportunities Volcano has to offer." For more information on Volcano, visit Experience Volcano at experiencevolcano.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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

KAʻŪ COFFEE TRAIL RUN REGISTRATION opens Wednesday, May 1. The race is Saturday, Sept. 21, 7 a.m.The sixth annual race offers moderate to highly challenging 5K, 10K, and 1/2 Marathon courses through macnut and coffee fields along the slopes of Ka‘ū. Races start at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill above Pāhala. Chip timing is by RFID. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill, Edmund C. Olson Trust II, ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou, BioAstin, and County of Hawaiʻi. Prices increase after July 9, Aug. 13, and Sept. 20. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.com. Register at webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020.

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

Coffee Talk at Kahuku - The Price of Paradise: The Story of Sandalwood in Hawai‘i, Friday, April 26, 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Talk story with John Stallman, biologist and former Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park ranger. Free. nps.gov/havo

Pā‘ina and Open House is Friday, April 26 at Pāhala Plantation House. The entertainment begins at 5:30 p.m. with Boni Norito, followed by hula dancer Sammi Fo, and musician and composer Bolo. Meet the Miss Kaʻū Coffee Court on the evening before the pageant. Refreshments. Potluck. Call Pāhala Plantation Cottages, 928-9811.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

The Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest, originally scheduled for Sunday, April 28 is being rescheduled to a later date – to be announced – when more community chefs and student chefs are available for the annual event.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30
Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, April 30, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration Opens, May 1, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through macnut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Sept. 21 at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.com

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Mountain Hike & Lunch, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., meet at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill, Wood Valley. $45; includes lunch. Reservations required. Limited to 30 people. 928-0550, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Early Head Start, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

May Day is Lei Day, May 1, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hands on lei making demonstrations, live music and hula. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Hula Voices with Musician Christy Leina‘ala Lassiter, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING

KAʻŪ COFFEE FEST

Kaʻū Coffee Festival Events start Friday, April 26 and run through Sunday, May 5. All events are open to the public; some require reservations. Celebrate Kaʻū Coffee at:

Pā‘ina and Open House is Friday, April 26 at Pāhala Plantation House, corner of Maile and Pikake Streets. The entertainment begins at 5:30 p.m. with Boni Norito, followed by hula dancer Sammi Fo, and musician and composer Bolo. Meet the Miss Kaʻū Coffee Court on the evening before the pageant. Refreshments. Potluck. Call Pāhala Plantation Cottages, 928-9811.
Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant, Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. at Kaʻū District Gym. To volunteer or donate, call Pageant Director Trini Marques at 928-0606.

Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Ride through the coffee plantation, up the mountains, and into the rainforest to walk along waterways from sugar days of old. Reservations required; $45 per person. Call 928-0550.

Kaʻū Valley Farms Tour and Lunch, Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon. Above Nāʻālehu, visit a plant nursery, food farm, coffee and tea plantings, native forest, and hidden valley. $40 per person, reservations required. Call 987-4229 or 731-5409.

Kaʻū Coffee and Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Includes farm tours, BBQ buffet, and hayride. Visit this historic Ka‘ū Coffee farm and ranch. $25, reservations required. Call 927-2252.

Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa, Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Full day of music, dance, coffee tasting, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games. Free entry. Vendor deadline is Friday, April 26. Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. No campaign or other political displays. Fifty percent discounts for non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each and a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Space for booths and presentations are limited, reservations required. Vendor applications at KauCoffeeFest.com.

Closing out the Kaʻū Coffee Festival, Kaʻū Coffee College is held at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5. Get served education and see demonstrations for coffee farmers and Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts.

See KauCoffeeFestival.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.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee candidate Helena Sesson and other contenders for the court will help kick off the Miss Kaʻū
Coffee Pageants and the free, public gathering at Pāhala Plantation House from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. tomorrow.
See more below. Photo by Julia Neal

HOʻOLA ONE is in Kaʻū and its student inventors are testing the machine's ability to sort sand from microplastics at Kamilo beach. The engineering students from University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada built it, winning national awards for its design to help solve the problem of plastics in beach sands around the world. Kamilo has earned international attention for the plastics that wash up there, despite its remote location on the Kaʻū Coast.

A video released by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources shows the first test of the Hoʻola One machine. The engineering students are working on the machine daily at Kamilo through this month.

Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, which continually leads volunteer cleanups along the Kaʻū Coast, helped sponsor the effort to bring the machine to Hawaiʻi Island. Megan Lamson, of HWF, remarked, "So far, so good. Hoʻola One has arrived to the beach. We're super blessed that it came alongside nine of the 12 engineering students from Sherbrooke… It's not working quite as well as they had hoped, but that's to be expected: a couple little fixes to get the vacuum perfect and then we're good to go."

Hoʻole One during its first test on Hawaiʻi Island. See video of
the machine running. DLNR photo

She said that once microplastics are removed at Kamilo, she hopes Hoʻola One "can travel to Maui… Oʻahu… The application in the state of Hawaiʻi and around the world can be huge." Lamson said that methods of sorting sand from microplastics have involved the use of sifting trays and attempting to float the plastics. She said the Hoʻola One invention will be a lot more efficient.

Alexandre Savard of the Hoʻola One team said he became obsessed with the idea of removing microplastics from the shore after watching documentaries on the subject. Then, he found out about Kamilo beach, "which was renowned to be one of the most polluted" beaches on the planet.

Said Savard, "If we can clean this beach, we can clean any beach in the world… We all agree on the team that this thing is so sad, because it's a machine that shouldn't exist, but it needs to exist clean up all the mess that's already here today."

Lamson said humans created the microplastics problem: "We can't point the finger and blame any one country, we can't point a finger and blame any one industry. We all got into this problem and it's going to take each and every one of us to get out of it."
The engineering students said that to come up with their invention, they turned to agriculture to study methods of sorting coffee, soy beans, corn, and other crops. During their stay at Pāhala Plantation House, they are meeting with farmers who are interested in developing more affordable methods of sorting coffee.

Bolo kicks off Kaʻū Coffee Fest week
on Friday evening.

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KAʻŪ COFFEE FEST WEEK BEGINS TOMORROW, FRIDAY, April 26 with Bolo performing with Sammi Fo and Bonni Narito at Pāhala Plantation House from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The free gathering gives the community an opportunity to meet Kaʻū Coffee farmers and the contenders in the Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant. Other musicians from the community will perform on piano, guitar, and ʻukulele. It's a potluck paʻina, open to all.

Bonni Narito

On Saturday, the Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant, directed by Trini Marques, begins at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. at Kaʻū District Gym. There will be tickets at the door.
Next in the ten days of activities is Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch on Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Ride through the coffee plantation, up the mountains, and into the rainforest to walk along waterways from sugar days of old. Reservations required; $45 per person. Call 928-0550.

Kaʻū Valley Farms Tour and Lunch happens next, on Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon. Visit a plant nursery, food farm, coffee and tea plantings, native forest, and hidden valley, above Nāʻālehu. $40 per person, reservations required. Call 987-4229 or 731-5409.

The next event is Kaʻū Coffee and Cattle Day, with a BBQ buffet, and hayrides at on Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at historic Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. $25, reservations required. Call 927-2252.

Sammi Fo will share hula at the Pāhala Plantation House
event on Friday.

That evening is Kaʻū Stargazing. Learn about ancient Hawaiian culture and see the Hawaiian night sky and stars during Kaʻū Stargazing. On Friday, May 3, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., travel to the top of sacred Makanau during a new moon. Reservations required; $45 per person, includes refreshments. Call 938-0550.
The main event, the Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa, happens Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Enjoy free entry to a full day of music, dance, coffee tasting, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games.

Closing out the Kaʻū Coffee Festival, Kaʻū Coffee College is held at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5. Get served education and see demonstrations for coffee farmers and Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts.

See KauCoffeeFestival.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.

Kianie Medeiros Dancel.

Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

KIANIE MEDEIROS DANCEL HAS WON A SCHOLARSHIP TO PLAY COLLEGE BASKETBALL. A senior at Kaʻū High school, she will join the Pierce College Raiders in Lakewood, Washington.
Dancel holds a 3.8 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society.

When not on a horse at her family ranch, she volunteers for her community. She gave over 100 volunteer hours, mentoring 5th grade students from Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Elementary schools. During the last two years, she helped students prepare for their annual fitness meet, and coached and refereed basketball for middle school students. She also received recognition for playing on the Division II All-Big Island Interscholastic Federation Championship First Team.

Trojans Girls Basketball Assistant Coach Jennifer Makuakane provided the following biography:

Dancel is a strong, passionate and ambitious young woman. After being with her hand in hand for the past four years, we have no doubt that she will become successful and we are extremely proud of her. She truly deserves it.

She didn't have the perfect life. In fact it was far from it. She faced many struggles, loss, and for a long time she felt like life was unfair. Then at the age of 12, the first time she played basketball, she found serenity.

The basketball court became her sanctuary. Playing the game she grew to love allowed her to clear her mind. It gave her the hope she needed to survive the next day. It gave her the wisdom she needed to pave the way to her success.

Top, left to right: Athletic Director Kalei Namohala, Assistant Coach

Rodelyn Corpuz, Assistant Coach Jennifer Makuakane, Hanai Mom

Gen Shibuya, Assistant Coach Allan Fernandez, Principal Sharon Beck.

Bottom, l-r: Hanai sister Kaelyn Medeiros-Shibuya, Kianie Medeiros

Dancel, Head Coach Cy Lopez Jr. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

When we first met Dancel at the age of 13, the first thing she said to us was, "Are you the basketball coaches? Ooh, I'm gonna be playing for you." Our first impression was, "Wow... she's confident and not afraid to show it."

First day of tryouts came and she played like she was proving a point. She wanted a spot on the varsity team and she wasn't going to settle for less. She showed it in her attitude, level of effort, confidence, and abilities. At the end of the week, when the teams were determined and Dancel was told she made the varsity squad, her face lit up, she smiled with pride, and all she said was, "Yessss... Thank you!"

After a few seasons came and went, Dancel started to realize that the end was coming near – and too fast. She didn't want to give up the one thing she loved the most; the game that saved her from her darkest days, the one thing that kept her on track and out of trouble. By her junior year in high school, she started reaching out to her coaches because the thought of not having another chance to play the game she was so passionate about would be heartbreaking. She started reviewing practice and game film to improve her skills. She started individual skills training, playing club basketball and doing all she could to become a better player, student, and person. She was also the Varsity team captain and she wanted to lead by example. Her work ethic, effort, dedication, and passion grew stronger than ever.

Hanai sister Kaelyn, Kianie Medeiros Dancel, and Hanai mom

Gennifer Shibuya. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

Her senior year approached quickly, and she was more focused and driven. Her hanai parents, Daryl and Gen Shibuya and family, supported her and her dream. With motivation from her family, coaches, and teammates, she led her team to a very successful season. They made their first appearance in Div. II BIIF game in January 2019 and earned their state berth for the first time in school history. Despite their loss to University Lab on Day 1 at the State Tournament, Dancel played an incredible 32 minutes and was immediately contacted by Turner Sports Recruiting, LLC – a recruiter that connects Hawaiʻi student-athletes with college coaches. From her hotel room, she started finalizing her college applications and getting everything together she needed to get the ball rolling. The light at the end of the tunnel was shining bright and she realized her dreams were becoming a reality.

After receiving several offers, she weighed her options and made her decision. On April 15, 2019, Dancel signed her letter of intent and committed to PierceCollege in Lakewood, Washington. She will be the second player from Kaʻū High to play under Raider's coach Arissa Wilson, after Denisha Navarro.

Dancel will major in Fire Command and Administration and minor in Emergency Medical Services. After receiving her Associates degree, Dancel plans on transferring to a university to continue her education and receive her bachelor's in hopes of becoming a paramedic. Dancel also plans to enlist in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Photo from Kaʻū Athletics Twitter

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YOU MATTER SHIRTSare sported by Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School administration, teachers, coaches, and other staff as part of a School Culture Project. Created by KHPES Freshmen students, the project message is: "You Matter! Every student matters when it comes to school, family, and friends. Lift each other up and rise as one. Haʻaheo Kākou ʻO Kaʻū – We are Proud of Kaʻū."

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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

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.

UPCOMING

FRIDAY, APRIL 26
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Vendor Application Deadline for Ho‘olaule‘a, Friday, April 26. To become a vendor, contact Brenda Iokepa-Moses at biokepamoses@gmail.com or 731-5409

Coffee Talk at Kahuku - The Price of Paradise: The Story of Sandalwood in Hawai‘i, Friday, April 26, 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Talk story with John Stallman, biologist and former Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park ranger. Free. nps.gov/havo

Sauerkraut and Kombucha with Jasmine Silverstein, Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $55/VAC member, $60/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant, Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m., doors open 5:30 p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym. Tickets: $10 donation. Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant Director Trinidad Marques, 928-0606, TrinidadMarques@yahoo.com, or Facebook Trinidad Marques. kaucoffeefestival.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 28
TO BE RESCHEDULED: Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest, Sunday, April 28, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Ka‘ū Coffee Mill will be delayed to a date to be announced.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30
Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, April 30, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Mountain Hike & Lunch, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., meet at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill, Wood Valley. $45; includes lunch. Reservations required. Limited to 30 people. 928-0550, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Early Head Start, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

May Day is Lei Day, May 1, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hands-on lei making demonstrations, live music and hula. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Hula Voices with Musician Christy Leina‘ala Lassiter, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Open Mic Night, Wednesday, May 1, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m., Lava Lounge, Kīlauea Military Camp. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up and for more details. Park entrance fees may apply. Open to KMC patrons and sponsored guests, 21+. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

THURSDAY, MAY 2
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Thursday, May 2. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Valley Farms Tour, Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. – noon, Ka‘alaiki Rd., Nā‘ālehu. $40; includes lunch and transportation from meeting site. Reservations required. 987-4229/731-5409, kauvalley.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Keiki Jiggle Bums, Thursday, May 2 and 16 – 1st and 3rd Thursday, monthly – 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 17 – 3rd Friday monthly – 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 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

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thursday, May 2, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Women's Expression Group, Thursday, May 2 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, May 2, 6:30 p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

ONGOING

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.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee 2018 Reishalyn Kekoa Jara will hand over her crown at the 2019 pageant tomorrow at Kaʻū District
Gym, See more below. Photo from OKK

THE BILL TO HELP PREVENT AG THEFT passed the Hawaiʻi Legislature, Rep. Richard Creagan, who chairs the House Committee on Agriculture, reported today. He said an enforcement officer will be assigned to Hawaiʻi Island. Kaʻū Coffee farmers and ranchers have reported thefts of crops and animals over the years.

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INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE FAILED at the state legislature. Rep. Richard Creagan said today. The problem arose when the most successful proposal called for a lower minimum wage for those receiving health insurance than those employees not receiving health insurance. He said it became a legal discussion and the entire minimum wage campaign was shelved until next session.

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Infographic from stanthorpeborderpost.com.au

THE HEMP BILL PASSED THE HAWAIʻI LEGISLATURE TODAY. SB1353 SD3 HD3, co-sponsored by east Kaʻū Sen. Russell Ruderman, almost died due to disagreements in amendments in both the state House and Senate, but passed both today with all 'ayes,' including from west Kaʻū Rep. Richard Creagan. The bill goes to Gov. David Ige to sign. If he does, the bill would: require the Department of Agriculture to establish an industrial hemp program that reflects federal law; authorize cultivation of hemp; and define hemp separately from marijuana.

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NATIONAL DRUG TAKE BACK DAY happens tomorrow, Saturday, April 27. Sen. Mazie Hirono joined federal and state officials John Callery, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Honolulu District Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Jared Redulla, Administrator of the Hawaiʻi Department of Public Safety's Narcotics Enforcement Division, to promote the 17th national event.
Hirono encourages Hawaiʻi residents to join national efforts to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft by turning in potentially dangerous, expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Locations on Hawaiʻi Island are in Kona in the police station parking lot, and in Hilo at Ka Waena Lapaʻau Mecidal Complex's upper parking lot.

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Eggs, pancake's great companion, were made for those who joined Amazing
Grace Baptist Church fellowship on Easter morning. Photo by Lee McIntosh

A PANCAKE BREAKFAST FOR ALL was hosted at AmazingGraceBaptistChurchon Easter Sunday morning. Starting at 10 a.m., the public was welcomed at DiscoveryHarbourCommunity Centerin Nāʻālehu. Pancakes, eggs, breakfast meats, fruit, and Miranda coffee were all on the menu.

A special Easter service followed the breakfast, with worship and special activities and lessons provided for the keiki. For more on upcoming events, contact John Glenn at 970-623-1081.

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Part of the 2018 Miss Kaʻū Coffee Court.
Photo by Denise Laitenen/Kaʻū Coffee Fest

MISS KAʻŪ COFFEE PAGEANT happens tomorrow, Saturday, April 27 at Kaʻū District Gym, beginning at 6 p.m.– doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets at the door are $10 each for anyone from 12 to 55, $5 for children 5-11 and senior citizens 55-older.

The 2018 court will be in attendance, with 2018 Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Reishlyn Kekoa Jara crowning the next Miss Ka‘ū Coffee.

Meet the seven candidates tonight, Friday, April 26 at the kickoff open house Paʻina and potluck for the Kaʻū Coffee Festival at Pāhala Plantation House, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Entertainment will include Bolo and hula dancer Sammi Fo.
Contenders for Miss Kaʻū Coffee are:
Helena Nihipali Sesson of Pāhala, age 17, who wants to become a police officer.
Bernadette Ladia of Pāhala, age 16, who wants to join the military.

Bernadette Ladia,

Miss Kaʻū Coffee contestant.

Helena Nihipali Sesson,

Miss Kaʻū Coffee contestant.

Vying for Miss Kaʻū Coffee Peaberry are:

Lilianna Marques of Pāhala, age 6, who wants to become a graphics artist.

Helen Miranda of Kiolokaʻa, age 10, who wants to become a lawyer.

Kendall Haddock of Kiolokaʻa, age 9, who wants to become a science teacher.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower contestants are:

Kysha Kaupu Manini of Pāhala, age 4, who wants to become a cosmetologist.

Adilyn Aetonu of Pāhala, age 5, who wants to become a fashion designer.

There are no Jr. Miss Kaʻū Coffee contenders this year; Cristina Kawewehi holds her crown.

Kendall Haddock,

Peaberry contestant.

The pageant is sponsored by Kaʻū Coffee Growers Cooperative and Kaʻū Coffee Fest, and the support of the Kaʻū community.

Next in the ten days of activities, make reservations for Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch on Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Starting at Kaʻū Coffee Mill, ride through the coffee plantation, up the mountains, and into the rainforest to walk along waterways from sugar days of old. $45 per person. Call 928-0550.

Helen Miranda,

Peaberry contestant.

Kaʻū Valley Farms Tour and Lunch happens Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon. Visit a plant nursery, food farm, coffee and tea plantings, native forest, and hidden valley, all above Nāʻālehu. $40 per person, reservations required. Call 987-4229 or 731-5409.

Friday, May 3 offers two events: enjoy BBQ buffet and hayrides from 10 a.m.to 3 p.m. at historic Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm during Kaʻū Coffee and Cattle Day. $25 per person, reservations required. Call 927-2252.

Lilianna Marques,

Peaberry contestant.

That evening, learn about ancient Hawaiian culture and see the Hawaiian night sky and stars during Kaʻū Stargazing. Meet at 5:30 p.m. to travel to the top of sacred Makanau during a new moon. Ends at 10 p.m. Reservations required; $45 per person, includes refreshments. Call 938-0550.

The Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa happens Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Enjoy a full day of music, dance, coffee tasting, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games at the entry-fee free event.

Kysha Kaupa Manini,

Flower contestant.

Kaʻū Coffee Festival winds to a close with Kaʻū Coffee College, held at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5. Slurp up some coffee education aimed at coffee farmers and Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts. Free.

Adilyn Aetonu,

Flower contestant.

See KauCoffeeFestival.com for more details.

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WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM KĪLAUEA'S 2018 LOWER EAST RIFT ZONE ERUPTION is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
May 3, 2019, marks the one-year anniversary of the start of Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. Over the past year, USGS HVO geologists and collaborators have been closely studying the vast amount of data collected during the summer eruption. Now is a good time to explore what's been learned, and what's still unfolding.

The LERZ eruption, as well as the 2018 summit collapses, are providing many new insights on Kīlauea. This week's Volcano Watch focuses on a few aspects of the LERZ eruption that are helping us better understand volcanic hazards in Hawaiʻi.

First, ongoing work is telling us how the changing chemical composition of the magma erupted in 2018 controlled the lava-flow hazard. The first two weeks of the eruption – May 3-18 – produced low eruption rates and relatively small flows. Chemical analyses indicated that the lava originated from pockets of older magma stored underground in the LERZ. This cooler and less fluid magma was probably residue from earlier eruptions.

This stored magma was presumably forced out by the intruding dike of magma that originated from Puʻu ʻŌʻō. University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo researcher Cheryl Gansecki says that chemical analyses indicate that the dike may have intersected two, or even three, separate stored magma bodies.

Around May 18-19, the eruption vigor changed as hotter and more fluid magma was erupted. This magma was presumably draining from the summit magma reservoir. The eruption rate increased roughly 10-20 times, and the flows became larger, faster-moving, and much more hazardous.

During the first two weeks of Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 LERZ eruption, fissures were characterized by low eruption rates

and small flows. This was because the erupted lava originated from pockets of cooler, less fluid magma stored in the rift

zone. Later fissures erupted hotter, more fluid magma, resulting in higher eruption rates and large, fast-moving lava

flows, like that erupted from the fissure 8 cone (lower right), shown here on July 29, 2018. USGS photo by M. Patrick

A similar—although less dramatic—chemical change occurred during the 1955 LERZ eruption, but it was not recognized until long after that eruption ended. Daily tracking of lava composition during the 2018 eruption was important because it allowed us to identify the chemical change in early May, and to correctly anticipate that hotter, more fluid magma—and more hazardous lava flows—might be around the corner.

Taken together, the 2018 and 1955 eruptions point to the possibility that future rift zone eruptions can start deceptively small in the opening days as older, stored magma is erupted. But once the magma "spigot" is opened, and fresher, hotter magma arrives, rift zone eruptions can switch to large, fast-moving, and hazardous lava flows.

Magma composition also helped explain another hazard of the 2018 eruption. In mid-May, brief explosions occurred frequently from fissure 17, throwing lava bombs several hundred meters (a few hundred yards). An initial explanation was that they were driven by groundwater seeping into the fissures, causing steam blasts.

However, chemical analyses revealed that fissure 17 erupted lava with an unusual composition. Nearly all lava erupted on Kīlauea is basalt, but fissure 17 erupted Kīlauea's first documented andesite. Andesite is higher in silica than basalt, and is, therefore, less fluid. The more viscous consistency of andesitic lava makes it easier for large gas bubbles to coalesce and burst with high pressure, which provides a likely explanation for the explosive activity at fissure 17.

Fissures and fountains near Pohoiki Road in 1955. HVNP/George Ruhle photo

The eruption also highlighted the close connection between Kīlauea's East Rift Zone and the volcano's summit magma reservoir. In June and July 2018, there were near-daily summit collapse events, each with the equivalent of a magnitude-5.3 earthquake.

Time-lapse cameras monitoring the fissure 8 lava channel observed that the eruption rate began to increase within minutes after a summit collapse, eventually peaking 2‒4 hours later. At least once, the increased eruption rates produced overflows from the lava channel that could have threatened adjacent residential areas.

The short delay before LERZ eruption rates increased indicates that the "surge" in eruption vigor was driven by a pressure pulse originating from the summit collapse and transmitted down the 40-km- (25-mi-) long magma conduit to the LERZ—akin to a hydraulic press. The 2‒4-hour delay in peak eruption rates allowed HVO and emergency managers, in at least one instance, to anticipate and prepare for the overflow hazard.

These are just a few of the new insights gained from Kīlauea's 2018 LERZ eruption. They show how unraveling each volcanic process helps us better understand the hazard, and, in turn, to forecast and prepare for hazards in future eruptions.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kῑlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL.

Two earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-2.9 quake 4 km (2 mi) southwest of Volcano at 0 km (0 mi) depth on April 20 at 3:58 p.m. HST, and a magnitude-3.4 quake 19 km (12 mi) southeast of Waikoloa Village at 16 km (10 mi) depth on April 18 at 2:27 p.m. HST.

The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL, which means that the volcano is in typical background or noneruptive state.

Visit https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvofor 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.

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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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

SUMMER KEIKI LEARN-TO-SWIM REGISTRATION open Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Pāhala Swimming Pool, Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary School Campus. $15 per session per child; cash or check accepted, payable to County Director of Finance. No refunds. 928-8177, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-aquatics

Each session is two weeks long, Monday through Friday. Check with lifeguard in advance for requirements. Learn-to-Swim sessions led by Kayla Nishimura, Pāhala Swimming Pool Lifeguard.

Session A, June 3 through 14: 9 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., Level 4, highest skill level offered. 10 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Level 3, moderate to high skill level.

Session B, June 17 through 28: 9 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., Level 3, moderate to high skill level. 10 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Level 2, moderate skill level.

Session C, July 1 through 12: 9 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., Level 2, low to moderate to high skill level. 10 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Level 1, low skill level. suggested for five years old and up.

Session D, July 15 through 26: 9 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., Level 2, low to moderate to high skill level. 10 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Parent and child class - little to no skill level. One child per parent, six months old and up. Swim diapers required for children not yet potty trained.

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, APRIL 27

Healing Through Words with Dr. Heather Rivera, Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Volcano Art Center. Creative writing workshop. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Sauerkraut and Kombucha with Jasmine Silverstein, Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $55/VAC member, $60/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant, Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m., doors open 5:30 p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym. Tickets: $10 donation. Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant Director Trinidad Marques, 928-0606, TrinidadMarques@yahoo.com, or Facebook Trinidad Marques. kaucoffeefestival.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 28
TO BE RESCHEDULED: Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest, originally scheduled for Sunday, April 28 is being rescheduled to a later date – to be announced – when more community chefs and student chefs are available for the annual event.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30
Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, April 30, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Mountain Hike & Lunch, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., meet at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill, Wood Valley. $45; includes lunch. Reservations required. Limited to 30 people. 928-0550, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Early Head Start, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

May Day is Lei Day, May 1, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hands-on lei making demonstrations, live music and hula. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Hula Voices with Musician Christy Leina‘ala Lassiter, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Open Mic Night, Wednesday, May 1, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m., Lava Lounge, Kīlauea Military Camp. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up and for more details. Park entrance fees may apply. Open to KMC patrons and sponsored guests, 21+. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

THURSDAY, MAY 2
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Thursday, May 2. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Valley Farms Tour, Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. – noon, Ka‘alaiki Rd., Nā‘ālehu. $40; includes lunch and transportation from meeting site. Reservations required. 987-4229/731-5409, kauvalley.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Keiki Jiggle Bums, Thursday, May 2 and 16 – 1st and 3rd Thursday, monthly – 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 17 – 3rd Friday monthly – 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 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

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thursday, May 2, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Women's Expression Group, Thursday, May 2 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, May 2, 6:30 p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

FRIDAY, MAY 3
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee & Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Aikane Plantation Coffee Company. $25; includes BBQ buffet and hayrides. Reservations required. 927-2252, aikaneplantation.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Cinco de Mayo Fundraiser, Friday, May 3, doors open 5:30 p.m., dinner served 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Enchiladas, Tamales, Charro Borracho Beans (Mexican Cowboy Drunken Beans), Drinks and Dessert. $8/person, $15 for two, $20/family. stjudeshawaii.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Star Gazing, Friday, May 3, 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m., Makanau summit. $45, includes refreshments and shuttle ride. Reservation required. 928-0550, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

KDENte Fundraising Dinner for Kilauea Drama Entertainment Network, Friday, May 3, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Amalfatano's Italian Restaurant, Hilo. Italian food buffet, $20 cash or check at door. 984-7344

The Great Kīlauea Eruption of 2018 and What May Soon Follow, Friday, May 3, 6:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. Presented by Geologist Dr. Richard "Rick" Hazlett, Free. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

ONGOING

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.

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Helena Sesson, who says she wants to become a police officer to help keep her community safe, won the Miss
Ka`u Coffee title tonight at Ka`u District Gym. See more below. Photo by Julia Neal

A WOMAN WAS MURDERED yesterday afternoon at WhittingtonBeachPark. The Hawaiʻi Police Department reported that on Friday, April 26 at about 3:40 p.m., Kaʻū patrol officers responded to a reported stabbing. Officers discovered two victims, a 36-year-old male and a 35-year-old female, both with multiple stab wounds. The female victim died at the scene; official cause of death is pending. The male victim was transported to HiloMedicalCenterin serious condition. The park was closed while officers investigated.

Two suspects in the stabbings are identified by police as Kaleianuenue Borero-Kaluna, a 19-year-old female, and Robert Hayes, a 69-year-old male, both of Nāʻāehu. Both suspects were arrested at 5:05 p.m. yesterday on suspicion of First Degree Murder. They are currently being held pending investigation.

Anyone with information about this incident, call Detective Dominic Uyetake Jr. at (808) 326-4646 ext. 228, email dominic.uyetake@hawaiicounty.gov, or call the HPD non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.

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Major scholarship sponsor Ed Olson with the 2019 Miss Ka`u Coffee Court, with Ka`u Coffee Growers
Cooperative Pres. Gloria Camba far right and former Miss Ka`u Coffee queens Jami Beck and
Maria Miranda to her left. See story below. Photo by Julia Neal

RENTAL HOSTING WEB SITES WILL NOT SUPPLANT HOME OWNERS TO COLLECT VACATION RENTAL TAXES. Senate Bill 1292 would have required transient accommodation and general excise taxes be paid to the state through hosting platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, Expedia, and others. The last draft allows the online marketing firms hosting rentals to keep information collected about home-rental operations confidential. This was one sticking point of the bill, as opponents said publishing the information would be illegal.

State senators voted 12 to 12 to kill SB1292; HiloSen. Kai Kahele voted "no," west Kaʻū Sen. Dru Kanuha voted "yes." Thirteen votes were needed to pass the bill on to Ige for consideration.

Lilliana Marques took the talent contest with her song
about picking coffee. She won Miss Peaberry.
See story below. Photo by Julia Neal

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A BILL TO LEVY 6.2 PERCENT CORPORATE INCOME TAX ON REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS, Senate Bill 301, goes to both state legislative houses for consideration. If it passes both houses, and Gov. David Ige approves it, Hawaiʻi would be the first state in 50 years to impose such a tax.

REITs distribute at least 90 percent of taxable income to shareholders, who pay taxes on that income wherever they reside – not necessarily Hawaiʻi, giving that tax on revenue to other states or countries. Those dividends can be deducted from the REIT's taxable income, legally avoiding federal taxes. Hawaiʻi has over $18 billion in REITs.

The bill includes a four-year sunset, so review and repeal options are not far in future, if opponents fears that the tax will squelch investment prove correct.

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DECRIMINALIZING UP TO THREE GRAMS OF MARIJUANA goes before both state houses, with a proposed possession fine of $130. House Bill 1383 is one of few marijuana-related measures that Gov. David Ige may see cross his desk. A bill for complete legalization was killed earlier in this session. If it passes, Hawaiʻi will become one of 23 U.S.states and the District of Columbiato remove criminal penalties for small amounts of the drug.

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Miss Flower Kysha Manini Kaupu and First Princess Adilyn
Aetonu, along with sponsor Ka`u Valley Farms
representative Lloyd Nakano. Photo by Julia Neal

REMOVAL OF THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON CHILD SEX ABUSE FAILED in the state legislature this week, even though no one voted against it in any previous review of hearing. House Bill 18 would have removed the statute of limitations on prosecuting sexual abuse of children, giving victims more time to report abuse.

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HELENA SESSON TOOK THE MISS KA`U COFFEE TITLE TONIGHT AT KA`U DISTRICT GYM. The senior at Ka`u High School says she plans to become a police officer "to keep my community safe." She sang in Spanish, accompanied by her own `ukulele stylings. Lilliana Marques took the Ka`u Peaberry title, winning the talent with an oirginal song about coffee picking. Kysha Manini Kaupu took the Miss Coffee Flower title.
Pageant Director Trini Marques thanked the many sponsors giving the scholarships. They are Edmund C. Olson, Sen. Richard Ohnishi, Ka`u Mahi, CU Hawai`i Federal Credit Union, Ka`u Valley Farms, Punalu`u Bake Shop, Pacific Quest, Big Island Toyota, See more in the Monday Ka`u News
Briefs.

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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

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

SUNDAY, APRIL 28
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest,, originally scheduled for Sunday, April 28 is being rescheduled to a later date – to be announced – when more community chefs and student chefs are available for the annual event.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30
Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, April 30, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Mountain Hike & Lunch, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., meet at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill, Wood Valley. $45; includes lunch. Reservations required. Limited to 30 people. 928-0550, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Early Head Start, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

May Day is Lei Day, May 1, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hands-on lei making demonstrations, live music and hula. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Hula Voices with Musician Christy Leina‘ala Lassiter, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Open Mic Night, Wednesday, May 1, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m., Lava Lounge, Kīlauea Military Camp. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up and for more details. Park entrance fees may apply. Open to KMC patrons and sponsored guests, 21+. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

THURSDAY, MAY 2
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Thursday, May 2. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Valley Farms Tour, Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. – noon, Ka‘alaiki Rd., Nā‘ālehu. $40; includes lunch and transportation from meeting site. Reservations required. 987-4229/731-5409, kauvalley.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Keiki Jiggle Bums, Thursday, May 2 and 16 – 1st and 3rd Thursday, monthly – 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 17 – 3rd Friday monthly – 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 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

SATURDAY, MAY 4
Parenting Class & Saturday School, May 4 and 18, 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center, Downstairs. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Stewardship at the Summit, May 4, 9, 17, 25, and 31, 8:45 a.m. – 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

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ho‘olaule‘a, Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Music and hula, coffee tastings (Ka‘ū Coffee Experience, 9:30 a.m. – noon, 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., free). Talk story with coffee growers and industry professionals. Food, craft and information booths. Free entry. Coffee farm and mill tours, $20, offered 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. kaucoffeefestival.com

Abstract Painting Workshop with Darcy Gray, Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Basic painting backgroup suggested. Tools provided, can bring own supplies. $85/VAC member, $90/non-member, plus $20 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 8 adults. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, May 4 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11 a.m. – noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

Fiesta in the Forest, May 4, bar opens 4 p.m., dinner 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Food, margaritas, beer, wine and live music. Bring Cooper Center mug for $1 off beer – purchase one for $10 – can be used at all Cooper Center events. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

ONGOING

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.

KAʻŪ COFFEE FEST

Kaʻū Coffee Festival Events start runs through Sunday, May 5. All events are open to the public; some require reservations. Celebrate Kaʻū Coffee at:

See KauCoffeeFestival.com.

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Kehau Ke from Kaʻū is Princess of Kauaʻi in the Merrie Monarch Parade in Hilo yesterday. See more below.
Photo by Kamalani Kualahine-Salmo

THE WATER BILL AT THE LEGISLATURE involving small Kaʻū farms and ranches, and utilities and large landowners on Maui and Kauaʻi, could be brought to the floor of the state House of Representatives for a full vote on Tuesday, April 30. House Bill 1326 HD2 would extend water use permits for up to seven more years. Kaʻū agriculture is involved as, without the bill, state water licenses here could be in jeopardy, ranchers and farmers said. Kaʻū is caught up in the issue as the bill attempts to give large landowners that divert streams more time to put the water back into its natural flow. Kaʻū farmers and ranchers use water from horziontal wells in Mauna Loa rather than diverted streams but are considered under the same umbrella. For more, see Kaʻū News Briefs on April 20, April 7, and March 14.

Kercia Derasin, of Kaʻū, rides as a Panaʻewa Stampede Princess.
Photo by Kamalani Kualahine-Salmo

The bill drew criticism from former state Sen. Gary Hooser, who directs a statewide organization called HAPA. "In my 20 years of experience in government, politics and policy-making, House Bill 1326 is the most egregious example of special-interest legislation I have ever seen.
"Alexander & Baldwin (A&B) stands to gain or lose $62 million, depending on the outcome of HB 1326. In essence, it is attempting to sell public trust water rights derived from stream diversions in east Maui. The intended beneficiary of this transaction is Mahi Pono — a California-based LLC, financed by a Canadian pension fund — which recently purchased the majority of A&B lands on Maui.
Hooser states that "A&B neither owns, nor has long-term control, over this water. In Hawaiʻi, whether beneath the ground or flowing through our rivers and streams, water is a public trust resource. Businesses may use the resource, but must secure a permit that ensures sufficient water remains in the stream to preserve its natural ecosystem and that down-stream users also have access.

Lorilee Lorenzo of Pāhala represents Hawaiʻi Island in the Merrie
Monarch Parade on Saturday.Photo by Kamalani Kualahine-Salmo

"Yet this one company, the last remnant of the Big five plantation era, and arguably the most politically powerful private landowner in Hawaiʻi, is attempting, with the Legislature's help, to secure those water rights without securing the proper long-term permits, and then transfer those water rights to Mahi Pono — pocketing a cool $62 million in the process."
See statements from Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and Earthjustice.

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Makana Gravela, of Kaʻū, rides for
Hawaiʻi Island. Photo by
Kamalani Kualahine-Salmo

McKella Akana at Merrie Monarch.
Photo by Kamalani Kualahine-Salmo

KAʻŪ'S PANIOLO COMMUNITY gathered flowers and foliage, made lei, and loaded up horses to head for Hilo on Saturday to ride and walk in the Merrie Monarch Parade.
Among the paniolo participating from this district were Kehau Ke, who represented Kauaʻi, wearing the purple color of the island, and Lori Lee Lorenzo, wearing the red color of Hawaiʻi Island.
Escorts included Makana Gravela, carrying the Hawaiʻi Island banner and Anthony Emmsley, with horse and rider bedecked in lei.
Also riding were Kaʻū residents Mckella Akana and Kircia Derasin, who rode as a Panaʻewa Stampede Princesses.

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Anthony Emmsely riding for Hawaiʻi Island and coming from Kaʻū in yesterday's Merrie Monarch parade.
Photo by Kamalani Kualahine-Salm

MAGNITUDE 4.2 EARTHQUAKE yesterday, Saturday, April 27 at 5:26 p.m., caused no reported damage. The earthquake was located about 12 miles – 20 km – southeast of Volcano at a depth of about 4 miles – 6 km. Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory reports the earthquake as one of the continuing adjustments beneath the south flank of Kīlaueafollowing the magnitude-6.9 earthquake on May 4, 2018.

Weak to light shaking, with a maximum Intensity of IV on the Mercalli Intensity Scale, was reported primarily in East Hawaiʻi, with a few reports from West Hawaiʻi. The USGS "Did you feel it?" service – earthquake.usgs.gov/dyfi– received over 100 felt reports within an hour of the 4.2M quake.

Earthquakes yesterday, one a 4.2 in the continuing readjustment after
last year's 6.9 M quake on May 4. Map from USGS

Neither quake caused any detectable changes in activity at either Kīlaueaor Mauna Loa volcanoes. According to the PacificTsunamiWarningCenter reported no tsunami generated by the earthquake.

Twenty seconds before the magnitude-4.2 earthquake, a magnitude-1.6 quake occurred deep beneath Kīlauea Volcano's Southwest Rift Zone, causing some initial confusion about the larger earthquake's location, reports HVO.

See more details at earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/hv70927626 and volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo.

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PĀHALA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DANCERS headed to Merrie Monarch on Friday to perform for the public. Under the direction of Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder, both boys and girls traveled to Hilo to perform. They take hula at school and participate in many community activities, including the recent Unity Fair. Ryder also teaches her halau members, from keiki to kupuna, after school hours.

Pāhala Elementary School students, under the direction of Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder, performed on Friday
in the Merrie Monarch Festival. Photo by David Berry

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COMPLETE RESULTS OF THE MISS KAʻŪ COFFEE PAGEANT ARE IN. Miss Popularity, across all candidates from ages 4 to 17, went to five-year old Adilyn Aetonu, of Pāhala, with a $200 scholarship and the title based on support she received from the community.

In the Miss Kaʻū Coffee category, Kaʻū High School Sophomore Bernadette Ladia won Swimsuit

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Helena Sesson won the talent,
photogenic and interview categories.
Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine-Salmo

and Gown. Graduating Senior Helena Sesson took Interview, Career Outfit, Photogenic, and Talent to become Miss Kaʻū Coffee 2019. She takes home a $1500 scholarship from Edmund C. Olson and $400 for winning four categories in the competition, with scholarships provided by Pacific Quest, County Council member Maile David, state House of Representatives members Richard Onishi and Richard Creagan, and state Senator Russell Ruderman. First Miss Kaʻū Coffee takes home a $1000 scholarship from Kaʻū Mahi and $200 in scholarships from Rep. Richard Onishi.

Five year old Adilyn Aetonu is
Miss Popularity in the entire Miss Kaʻū
Coffee Courts, ages four -17.
Photo by Julia Neal

In the Miss Peaberry category, Helen Miranda took the Gown and became Second Miss Peaberry, with a $350 scholarship from Pacific Quest and a $90 scholarship from Rep. Richard Creagan. Kendall Haddock took Talent and became First Miss

Helen Miranda won the Miss Peaberry Gown
category. Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine-Salmo

Peaberry, with $650 scholarship from CU Hawaiʻi Federal Credit Union and donors, and a $90 scholarship from Rep. Richard Onishi. Lilliana Marques won the Miss Peaberry title, taking Character Outfit and Photogenic. She takes home an $850 scholarship from Punaluʻu Bakeshop and Rep. Richard Onishi, as well as two $90 scholarships from County Council member Maile David and Sen. Russell Ruderman and donors.
In the Miss Flower category, Kysha Manini Kaʻupu took home a $500 scholarship from Kaʻū Valley Farms, an $80 scholarship from Sen. Russell Ruderman for Miss Photogenic, plus an $80 scholarship for Character Outfit. First Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower Adilyn Aetonu won a $350 scholarship from Big Island Toyota and an $80 scholarship for Evening Gown from Rep. Richard Onishi
See more in yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

MONDAY-THURSDAY, MAY 6-9
Summer Fun Registration, Monday-Thursday, May 6-9, 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., at Nā‘ālehu Community Center and at Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Program, for keiki completing grade K-6, runs Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., June 12-July 19. $40 fee. $50 portion of registration fee funded by Councilwoman Maile David. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

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

TUESDAY, APRIL 30
Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, April 30, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Keiki Jiggle Bums, Thursday, May 2 and 16 – 1st and 3rd Thursday, monthly – 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 17 – 3rd Friday monthly – 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 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

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thursday, May 2, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Women's Expression Group, Thursday, May 2 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, May 2, 6:30 p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

FRIDAY, MAY 3
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee & Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Aikane Plantation Coffee Company. $25; includes BBQ buffet and hayrides. Reservations required. 927-2252, aikaneplantation.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ho‘olaule‘a, Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Music and hula, coffee tastings (Ka‘ū Coffee Experience, 9:30 a.m. – noon, 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., free). Talk story with coffee growers and industry professionals. Food, craft and information booths. Free entry. Coffee farm and mill tours, $20, offered 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. kaucoffeefestival.com

Abstract Painting Workshop with Darcy Gray, Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Basic painting backgroup suggested. Tools provided, can bring own supplies. $85/VAC member, $90/non-member, plus $20 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 8 adults. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, May 4 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11 a.m. – noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

Fiesta in the Forest, May 4, bar opens 4 p.m., dinner 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Food, margaritas, beer, wine and live music. Bring Cooper Center mug for $1 off beer – purchase one for $10 – can be used at all Cooper Center events. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

SUNDAY, MAY 5
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee College, Sunday, May 5, 9 a.m. – noon, Pāhala Community Center. Coffee industry professionals come to Ka‘ū to share their knowledge with coffee growers and enthusiasts. Free; donations welcome. kaucoffeefestival.com

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, May 5 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon – 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

ONGOING

KAʻŪ COFFEE FEST

Kaʻū Coffee Festival Events run through Sunday, May 5. All events are open to the public; some require reservations. Celebrate Kaʻū Coffee at:

See KauCoffeeFestival.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 Trojans culinary students presented their chocolatier skills at last weekend's Big Island Chocolate Festival in Kohala.
See story, below. Photo by Fern Gavalek

KAʻŪ TROJAN CULINARY STUDENTS MADE A SPLASH ON THE KOHALA COAST over the weekend. They shared their skills with a sold-out crowd of 700 attendees at the eighth annual Big Island Chocolate Festival gala, which benefited seven island non-profits, including high school and college culinary programs. The Kaʻū Trojans team, mentored by Aina Akamu, offered Smoked Meat with Kaʻū Coffee Chocolate Barbecue Sauce. Another offering from the local high school students included Kaʻū Gold Orange Chocolate Drizzle.
Indoors and outdoors, the event spread throughout the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort on Saturday. Chocolate recipes by chefs, chocolatiers, and culinary students were critiqued on taste, texture, appearance, and creativity by a team of celebrity judges. Competitions spanned the annual two-day festival.

Food made with chocolate. Photo from konacacaoassociation.com

In addition to culinary contests, farmers entered competitions for their production of the beans that are processed into chocolate. Ken Melrose of Primavera Farm bested 13 other entries for the Best Cacao Bean while Kealia Ranch earned Best Criollo Bean.

The festival also offered knowledge on planting to plating: a Kona cacao farm tour, cacao growing and processing seminars, how-to culinary demonstrations by chocolate industry experts and a unique chocolate and tequila pairing.

Kaʻū students, as first time competitors at the Chocolate Festival, were in the mix with famous chefs and food creators, including Mike Winder of Kailua-Kona's Loko Wraps for Best Savory, who offered a vegan dish, and Anna Hohenberger of Puna Chocolate Company for Best Plated Dessert. Pastry Chef Kalani Garcia of Four Seasons Resort Hualalai took Best Bonbon while Michelle Yamaguchi of Oʻahu's Waialua Estate Chocolate won Best Bean-to-Bar Chocolate.

Those who best dazzled the crowd with their creations earned the People's Choice Awards: Chef Dayne Tanabe of Hilton Waikoloa Village for Best Savory and Pastry Chef Daniel Sampson of the Fairmont Orchid, Hawaiʻi for Best Sweet.

Farsheed Bonakdar, president of the Kona Cacao Association, the organization that produces the festival noted, "It's great the field of competition is growing in the bean division, which basically critiques the quality of beans after fermentation and drying. Proper fermentation optimizes the flavor profile of chocolate."

Big Island Chocolate Festival beneficiaries.

Kaʻū, at the festival for the first time, was one of four Hawaiʻi Island high school culinary teams that vied for People's Choice Awards Saturday night. Kealakehe High culinarians took top honors for both savory and sweet offerings, a dual repeat winner from last year.

The event theme, Black and White, was depicted at culinary stations and Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory of Kona was tapped Best Decorated Booth.

For Friday's college competition, seven two-person teams from Kona's UH-Palamanui and UH-Maui College vied in a timed dessert competition that incorporated chocolate. Winners included Team 5 Marion Sidon and Daniele Sulliban of Maui, Team 6 Bristol Anae and Tiffany Figeroa of Maui, and Team 1 Thomas Elarco and Lily Frazier of Palamanui.

Judges for the competitions hailed from throughout the state and Mainland: Chef Alicia Boada CEPC, CCA, CCE, ACE of Cacao Barry; Chef Stephane Treand MOF of The Pastry School; Chef David Brown of Kapiolani Community College, Dr. Nat Bletter of Madre Chocolate, Chef Connor Butler of Kona Butcher Shop; Neal Campbell of Healani Orchards; Chef Ricky DeBoer of Fairmont, Kea Lani; Chef Muzzy Fernandez of Hokulia, Chef Yoshikazu Kizu of The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua; Chef Daniel Sampson of Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii; Chefs Teresa (Cheech) Shurilla and Hannah Stanchfield of UH-Maui College; and Maddy Smith of Barefoot Chocolatini and Weston Yap.

The real winners of the annual festival are the seven 2019 beneficiaries: the culinary programs at Hawaiʻi Community College Palamanui, Kealakehe High School, Hawaiʻi Island High Schools and Maui Community College, plus Hawaiʻi Institute of Pacific Agriculture, Waimea Country School, and Kona Dance & Performing Arts.

The mission and goal of the Kona Cacao Association is to promote the cacao industry on Hawaiʻi Island by presenting BICF as an educational and outreach opportunity for local cacao farmers, the hospitality industry, and cacao enthusiasts. 2019 sponsors are: Cacao Berry, Callebaut, The Coconut Wireless Weekly, Cocoa Outlet & The Chocolate Guy Hawaiʻi, DHX, Guittard Chocolate Company, Hawaiʻi Coffee Connection, Hawaiʻi Community Federal Credit Union, Kona Business Center, Kona Brewing Company, Mehana Brewing Company, Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory, Primavera Farm, Purely Artisan Foods, Restaurantware, Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits, Tattoo Tequila, Valhrona Chocolate, Waialua Estate Coffee & Chocolate, The Wave@92FM, and The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort.

Visit bigislandchocolatefestival.com or floowo @BIChocoFest for updates on next year's event.

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KAʻŪ CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS have been funded by the Hawai`i Legislature to help with health and education in Kaʻū and Volcano, reports east Kaʻū Sen. Russell Ruderman:

Kaʻū Hospital, $500,000 for equipment and renovations.

Big Island Substance Abuse Council, $100,000 for operating expenses.

VolcanoSchool of Arts & Sciences, $15 Million for building a new campus.

Kaʻū High and Elementary School, $200,000 for cafeteria, equipment, and site improvements.

Pohoiki Boat Ramp, landlocked. A new boat ramp location will be chosen.
Photo from Sen. Russell Ruderman's Facebook

After School All-Stars, $150,000 to continue various programs in all Kaʻū and Puna high schools.

Puna Boat Ramp on the Puna coast, $500,000 for planning and design of a new boat ramp to replace Pohoiki boat ramp, which is now land-locked due to lava. Ruderman said a study has been completed showing Pohoiki is not repairable, and a new location will be determined.

Ruderman also reported :

Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island - $100,000 to help families to become homeowners through their own sweat equity and volunteerism.

Mauna Kea Fence, $500,000 for fencing for ungulate control. Ruderman said this will protect native species and habitat.

Ulu Coop Facility / Honalo Yard, $1.1 million for improvements. Ruderman said this Kona facility supports local food island-wide as host of the Ulu Cooperative. Hawaiʻi Ulu Producers Coop was also awarded $150,000.

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Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant contestants all donned costumes as one of the judged categories. From top left: Helena
Nihipali Sesson, Miss Kaʻū Coffee; Bernadette Ladia, First Miss Kaʻū Coffee; Kysha Manini Kaʻupu, Miss Coffee
Flower; First Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower and Miss Popularity, Adilyn Aetonu; Helen Miranda, Second Miss Peaberry;
Kendall Haddock, First Miss Peaberry; Miss Flower, Kysha Manini Kaʻupu; Lilianna Marques, Kaʻū Peaberry.
Photos by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

MISS KAʻŪ COFFEE COURTbegins a schedule of appearances this week, as the Kaʻū Coffee Festival continues through Sunday, May 5. All events are open to the public; some require reservations. Celebrate Kaʻū Coffee at:

Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Ride through the coffee plantation, up the mountains, and into the rainforest to walk along waterways from sugar days of old. Reservations required; $45 per person. Call 928-0550.

Kaʻū Valley Farms Tour and Lunch, Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon. Above Nāʻālehu, visit a plant nursery, food farm, coffee and tea plantings, native forest, and hidden valley. $40 per person, reservations required. Call 987-4229 or 731-5409.

New Miss Kaʻū Coffee Helena Nihipali Sesson, center,
with major sponsor Ed Olson to her right, and Kaʻū
Coffee Growers Cooperative President Gloria Camba
to her left. Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

Kaʻū Coffee and Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Includes farm tours, BBQ buffet, and hayride. Visit this historic Ka‘ū Coffee farm and ranch. $25, reservations required. Call 927-2252.

Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa, Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Full day of music, dance, coffee tasting, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games. Meet the Kaʻū Coffee court. Free entry. KauCoffeeFest.com.

Kaʻū Coffee College at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5 closes out the festival. Get served education and see demonstrations for coffee farmers and Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts.

See KauCoffeeFestival.com.

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First Miss Kaʻū Coffee Bernadette Ladio
won the gown competition.
Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS are looking to fill vacancies. Members of most of these Boards and Commissions serve for staggered terms of five years, on a voluntary basis. These positions are open for Kaʻū:

Cultural Resource Commission, two vacancies; seeking an Architect and a Planner respectively for these vacancies.

Fire Board of Appeals, five vacancies. Applicants require education or experience in engineering or architectural design, building code enforcement, fire department operations, fire code enforcement, fire protection contracting, general contracting, or legal.

Fire Commission, one vacancy.

Kaʻū Community Development Plant Action Committee, nine vacancies.

Tax Board of Review, one vacancy.

For all Boards and Commission, travel expenses to and from meetings are reimbursed. Applicants must be U.S.citizens and residents of the state of Hawaiʻi. The Mayor's Office will fill the vacancies from a list of applicants. Application forms are available online at hawaiicounty.gov/office-of-the-mayor. For further information, please contact Rose Bautista, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, at 961-8211 or at rose.bautista@hawaiicounty.gov.

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AN OVERVIEW OF KĪLAUEA VOLCANO'S 2018 EVENTS will be resented on Thursday, May 2 by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist Ingrid Johanson. Her talk begins at 7 p.m. in the UniversityClassroomBuilding, Room 100, on the main University of Hawaiʻiat Hilo campus,

200 W. Kawili St., Hilo

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant Director
Trini Marques.

In 2018, the largest flank eruption and caldera collapse in at least 200 years occurred on Kīlauea Volcano. It began on May 3, when a fissure erupted in the lower Puna District. In all, 24 fissures eventually erupted along a 4.2-mile-long segment of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone. Fissure 8 became the dominant vent, erupting a voluminous lava flow that reached the ocean, destroying over 700 structures along the way.

As magma drained from the summit reservoir to feed the lava flow, parts of Kīlauea's summit caldera collapsed, by more than 1600 feet in places, accompanied by dozens of earthquakes each day. In early August 2018, the summit subsidence and earthquakes abruptly ended, and the LERZ lava effusion declined until September 5, when active lava was no longer observed at fissure 8.

Johanson presents an overview of last summer's unprecedented events on Kīlauea, including how tilt data, GPS, and satellite radar helped scientists understand what was happening in 2018, and what the volcano is doing now.

Free and open to the public. No reservations required. For more information, email askHVO@usgs.gov.

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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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

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UPCOMING

Women's Expression Group, Thursday, May 2 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, May 2, 6:30 p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

FRIDAY, MAY 3
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee & Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Aikane Plantation Coffee Company. $25; includes BBQ buffet and hayrides. Reservations required. 927-2252, aikaneplantation.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Cinco de Mayo Fundraiser, Friday, May 3, doors open 5:30 p.m., dinner served 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Enchiladas, Tamales, Charro Borracho Beans (Mexican Cowboy Drunken Beans), Drinks and Dessert. $8/person, $15 for two, $20/family. stjudeshawaii.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Star Gazing, Friday, May 3, 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m., Makanau summit. $45, includes refreshments and shuttle ride. Reservation required. 928-0550, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

KDENte Fundraising Dinner for Kilauea Drama Entertainment Network, Friday, May 3, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Amalfatano's Italian Restaurant, Hilo. Italian food buffet, $20 cash or check at door. 984-7344

The Great Kīlauea Eruption of 2018 and What May Soon Follow, Friday, May 3, 6:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. Presented by Geologist Dr. Richard "Rick" Hazlett, Free. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

SATURDAY, MAY 4
Parenting Class & Saturday School, May 4 and 18, 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center, Downstairs. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Stewardship at the Summit, May 4, 9, 17, 25, and 31, 8:45 a.m. – 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

MONDAY, MAY 6

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, May 6, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

ONGOING

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Kaʻū Valley Farms offers a few more spaces for its farm tour this Thursday above Nāʻālehu.
See more below. Photo by Lee Neal

AIRBNB AND OTHER VACATION RENTAL MARKETING AGENCIES will have to pay Transient Accommodation taxes directly to the state, on behalf of owners, unless Gov. David Ige vetoes the bill. A last minute floor vote at the Hawaiʻi Legislature today passed the measure 13-12. Last week, the bill failed 12 to 12, essentially killing Senate Bill 1292. In both votes, west Kaʻū Sen. Dru Kanuha voted "aye," and east Kaʻū Sen. Russell Ruderman and Hilo Sen. Kai Kahele voted "no."

The approved version of SB1292 allows the online marketing firms hosting rentals to keep information collected about home-rental operations confidential, instead of sharing it with the state. It will pay the TAT on behalf of the owners of the properties. In the past, owners have been responsible for paying, and state representatives lobbied the legislature saying many were avoiding paying the tax, which could generate millions of dollars for state government.

Coffee College will be this Sunday at Pāhala Community Center.
Photo by Julia Neal

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KAʻŪ COFFEE COLLEGE OFFERS PROCESSING AND GROWING EXPERTISE at the free event Sunday, May 5. Starting at 9 a.m. at PāhalaCommunity Center, this open-ended annual educational series is part of the Kaʻū Coffee Festival.

Leaders in the specialty coffee industry and orchard research will present a host of educational opportunities for island coffee farmers. CoffeeCollege has proven to be a place of learning, sharing, and networking, featuring coffee's leading professionals from around the globe while bringing industry experts to Kaʻū to interface with local growers and make valuable connections.

Long-time Festival organizer Chris Manfredi said, "This year's college focuses on needs expressed by local growers. In particular, we've found that estimating the harvest can be elusive and challenging and has caused some issues, particularly in the wake of last year's volcanic eruption. Being better able to accurately predict yields helps bolster good business practices."

Demonstrations for coffee farmers will bring
the coffee community to Pāhala Sunday.
Photo by Julia Neal

Admission to the Kaʻū Coffee College is free, though donations are appreciated. Refreshments will be served.

The following are offered during CoffeeCollege:

Increasing Coffee Production in Kaʻū. Based in Kona, Andrea Kawabata is an assistant agent for coffee and orchard crops with UH's CTAHR cooperative extension service. Since 2011, she has been on the forefront of coordinating and providing coffee berry borer integrated pest management recommendations to growers throughout the state and beyond. She also conducts research applicable to farmers.

A Rapid Visual Estimation of Coffee Yield in Hawaiʻi is explored by Dr. Adel Youkhana, a Ph.D. researcher and lecturer in the Natural Resources and Environmental Management department at UH-Mānoa. With his colleagues, Youkhana has published numerous research papers and his efforts have delved into shade coffee agroecosystems, biofuel feedstock production, and silviculture of coffee hybrid Leucaena.

Coffee College at Pāhala Community Center on Sunday offers innovations and education.
Photo by Julia Neal

Learn how to process distinctive coffee with added yeast strains during a presentation by Brittany Horn, owner and founder of Pacific Coffee Research. Located in Kealakekua, PCR is a specialty coffee education center and the Specialty Coffee Association's premier training campus in Hawaiʻi. It is home to a Coffee Quality Institute-certified cupping lab. PCR has partnered with Lallemand, a global leader in the development and production of yeasts, to introduce its line of Lalcafe coffee yeasts. PCR provides support for producers wanting to add yeast strains to their fermentation process by assisting in designing trials and providing cupping feedback.

Pesticide Safety Training. Cal Westergard, an environmental health specialist with the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Branch, offers a talk on safely mixing and applying pesticides in the coffee orchard. He is an expert on the updated federal Worker Protection Standards regarding proper pesticide use and safety, and can share what the standards are, to whom they apply, and what is needed to be compliant. Westergard previously worked in pesticide enforcement in Saipan prior to moving back to Hiloin 2015.

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Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch is tomorrow, Wednesday.
Photo by Lee Neal

KAʻŪ COFFEE FEST IS UNDERWAY and all activities are open to the general public; some require a fee. The Festival started Friday with a Paʻina at Pāhala Plantation House and the Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant on Saturday – see the new Miss Kaʻū Coffee court on Kaʻū News Briefs from April 27, 28, and 29.
The festival continues this week with a variety of fun and interactive activities at different venues:
Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch, tomorrow, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Ride through the coffee plantation, up the mountains, and into the rainforest to walk along waterways from sugar days of old. Reservations required; $45 per person. Call 928-0550.
Kaʻū Valley Farms Tour and Lunch, Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon. Above Nāʻālehu, visit a plant nursery, food farm, coffee and tea plantings, native forest, and hidden valley. $40 per person, reservations required. Meet Miss Kaʻū Coffee, who will be there with her songs and ʻukulele. Call 987-4229 or 731-5409.
Kaʻū Coffee and Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Includes farm tours, BBQ buffet, and hayride. Visit this historic Ka‘ū Coffee farm and ranch. $25, reservations required. Call 927-2252.

John Cross, of Kaʻū Valley Farms, will explain the nursery
development above Nāʻālehu. Photo by Lee Neal

Kaʻū Stargazing on Friday, May 3, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., takes guests to the top of sacred Makanau during a new-moon. Learn about the ancient Hawaiian temple and see the Hawaiian night sky and stars. Reservations required; $45 per person, includes refreshments. Call 938-0550.
Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa, Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Full day of music, dance, coffee tasting, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games. Free entry. Vendor deadline is Friday, April 26. Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. No campaign or other political displays. Fifty percent discounts for non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each and a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Space for booths and presentations are limited, reservations required. Vendor applications at KauCoffeeFest.com.
Kaʻū Coffee College closes out the Kaʻū Coffee Festival at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5. It features education and demonstrations for coffee farmers and Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts.

Lee Segawa is farm manager at Kaʻū Valley Farms. Photo by Lee Neal

Kaʻū Coffee Festival is founded in coffee traditions hailing to the 1800s. With the hard work of former sugar plantation workers, Kaʻū coffee burst onto the specialty coffee scene by winning numerous coffee quality awards. These accolades highlight the unique combination of people and place that makes Kaʻū coffee a favorite across the globe.
The festival's mission is to raise awareness of Kaʻū as a world-class, coffee-growing origin. Support for Kaʻū Coffee Festival is provided by the Edmund C. Olson Trust and Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority through its Community Enrichment Program.
Visit kaucoffeefestival.com, follow Kaʻū Coffee Festival on Facebook and @kaucoffeefest on Twitter, or call 808-929-9550.

A hayride is part of Coffee & Cattle Day this Friday.
Photo by Lee Neal

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FLIGHT PLANS in May for Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park are announced:

May 1, 9:30 a.m. to noon– Transport fence material and field equipment and supplies to the Ka‘ū desert boundary between sea level and 3,000 ft. elevation.

May 3, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.– Conduct a firefighting operations training at the Mauna Loa quarry.

May 13 and 17, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.– Fly camp supplies and equipment from Chain of Craters Road near Hōlei Pali to ‘Āpua Point, Keauhou, and Halapē campsites for annual monitoring of hawksbill turtle nesting season.

May 14, 6:15 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.– Ungulate surveys and control work in Kahuku Unit, between 4,000 ft. and 6,500 ft. elevation.

U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct flight operations over Kīlaueaand Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation. The park regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors.
Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather. Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities.

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Join Rick Hazlett on a journey through last year's eruption.
Photo by Annie Bosted

THE GREAT KĪLAUEA ERUPTION OF 2018 AND WHAT MAY SOON FOLLOW presentation happens at Ocean View Community Center on Friday, May 3, starting at 6:30 p.m. Join Rick Hazlett, the author of Roadside Geology of Hawaiʻi, who will share his unique insight on the first anniversary of the devastating event with an Ocean View audience.

The hour-long talk will be followed by questions from the audience. Hazlett, a geologist and faculty member at the University of Hawaiʻiat Hilo, was one of the many scientists monitoring and observing the three month long eruption. From his vantage point, Hazlett was able to photograph the fast moving event, and in the past year has been able to learn from the immense pool of knowledge that the eruption afforded. He will share that knowledge with his audience, as well as talk about the future faced by residents on an island that was built by eruptions.

Ocean View audiences have long enjoyed talks and presentations by volcanologists each January, a month dubbed Volcano Awareness Month. However, due to the government shut-down for much of January 2019, those annual talks were never scheduled.

The talk, which marks the first anniversary of the start of the eruption, is free and open to all members of the public.

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HAWAIʻI SOUTH TŪTŪ & ME HOME VISITING PROGRAM FUNDRAISER features dōTERRA Oils Travel Kits. The therapeutic-grade oil kit comes with a set of three 5ml rollers for $35. The oils are Hauʻoli – tangerine and lemon; Lōkahi – "Blends of Balance and Serenity;" and Mana – peppermint and wild orange.
Available while supplies last, email orders to avitorino@pidfoundation.org. Funds raised help support Tūtū & Me's parent organization, Partners in Development Foundation. Copies of the PIDF Annual Report are available for review at the Tūtū & Me office in Nāʻālehu.

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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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

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

Early Head Start, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

MONDAY, MAY 6

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, May 6, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MAY 7
Family Engagement Night, Tuesday, May 7, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

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Enjoy a farm tour, take a hayride, and eat some BBQ during Kaʻū Coffee & Cattle Day at Aikane

Plantation Coffee Farm on Friday. See about a reservation below. Photo from Kaʻū Coffee Fest

SHOULD ALL TOUR HELICOPTERS BE PROHIBITED FROM FLYING OVER RESIDENTIAL AREAS? This is the question that Congressman Ed Case asked the FAA in a letter. The request follows a tour helicopter crash killing three on Oʻahu yesterday but would apply to the entire state and perhaps beyond. State Rep. Cynthia Thielen asked that all helicopters statewide be grounded until the cause of yesterday's crash is determined.

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A NEW HAWAI‘I AIR QUALITY ADVISORY WEBSITE provides near real-time data. Developed by the state Department of Health, data for the website comes from air quality monitoring stations at strategic locations throughout the state, the majority on Hawai‘i Island. It includes an interactive air quality map.

Interactive map shows air quality monitoring stations in Kaʻū.
Image from health.hawaii.gov/cab/hawaii-ambient-air-quality-data

Last summer's Kīlauea eruption pointed to the need for useful, accessible, and reliable data for residents affected by the resulting vog and other effects of the volcano, says a release from DOH. The agency secured more than $1.5 million in federal and state funds to expand and upgrade the state's air quality monitoring system. This includes six new long-term stations, located in Nā‘ālehu, Pāhoa, Kea‘au, Honaunau, Kona, and Waikoloa. Now there are 18 air quality monitoring stations statewide.
The expanded air quality monitoring system came online to coincide with National Air Quality Awareness Week, April 29 through May 3. It is a collaborative, intradepartmental initiative between the health department's Clean Air Branch and State Laboratories Division.
Bruce Anderson, DOH health director and a Hawai‘i Island resident, said, "Kīlauea provided valuable lessons for our state. Residents in communities on the Big Island were severely impacted by Kīlauea, especially those with respiratory conditions. There were numerous days during the eruption when the air quality was unhealthy and health effects were a concern. We listened to the concerns of residents, took action to improve our air quality monitoring system, and created a one-stop, user-friendly website. We're much more volcano-ready than we have ever been."

Marianne Rossio, manager of the Clean Air Branch, whose team oversaw the development of the website, said the online source combines ambient air quality concentrations and advises residents and visitors on potential health impacts using a national standard, six-tiered, color-coded system. The system indicates whether the air quality is good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy, or hazardous, and provides recommended actions for public health based on air quality.
DOH manages all of the state and local air monitoring stations (SLAMS), special purpose monitoring stations (SPMS), and the national core multi-pollutant monitoring station (NCore). Data from these sources ensures compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), for timely reporting of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI), to track and characterize air quality trends, evaluate emission control strategies, and support health studies. Visit health.hawaii.gov/cab/hawaii-ambient-air-quality-data.

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"YOU SHOULD RESIGN," SEN. MAZIE HIRONO TOLD THE U.S ATTORNEY GENERAL today during a hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. She also accused Barr of lying, which drew a response from Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who chairs the Judiciary Committee. Graham told Hirono, "You just slandered this man."
Hirono said that instead of defending the rule of law, AG William Barr behaves like Pres. Donald "Trump's personal defense attorney." She compared Barr to Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, Trump's counselor Kellyanne Conway, and "any of the other people who sacrificed their once-decent reputation for the grifter and liar who sits in the Oval Office."

Sen. Mazie Hirono asked U.S. Attorney General William Barr to resign today. She is a member of the
U.S. Senate's Judiciary Committee.Image from Big Island Video News

Hirono noted that Barr "once turned down a job offer from Donald Trump to represent him as his private attorney. At your confirmation hearing you told Senator Feinstein that 'the job of Attorney General... is not the same as representing' the President. So, you know the difference, but you've chosen to be the President's lawyer and side with him over the American people."
Hirono said Barr "mishandled" the Mueller Report - which sought to find out if Russia influenced the 2016 U.S. Presidential election - "every step of the way." She said Barr's four-page "so-called summary" of the nearly two-year investigation that resulted in the Report, and the "political stunt of a press conference" that claimed Trump did not obstruct justice, is "an abuse" of his power.
"To start with, you should never have been involved in supervising Robert Mueller's investigation. You wrote a 19-page, unsolicited memo, which you admit was not based on any facts, attacking the premise of half of the investigation. And you also should have insisted that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein recuse himself. He wasn't just a witness to some of the President's obstructive behavior. We now know he was in frequent personal contact with the President – a subject of the investigation. You should have left it to career officials.
"Then, once the report was delivered by the Special Counsel, you delayed its release for more than two weeks. You let the President's personal lawyers look at it before you even deigned to let Congress or the public see it. During that time, you substituted your own political judgment for the Special Counsel's legal conclusions in a 4-page letter to Congress. And now we know, thanks to a free press, that Mr. Mueller wrote you a letter objecting to your so-called summary.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr was asked by several Senators to resign today. Image from Big Island Video News

"When you called Mueller to discuss his letter, the reports are that he thought your summary was giving the press, Congress, and the public, a misleading impression of his work. He asked you to release the report's summaries to correct the misimpression you created, but you refused. When you finally did decide to release the report - over a Congressional recess and on the eve of two major religious holidays - you called a press conference to once again try to clear Donald Trump before anyone had a chance to read the Special Counsel's report and conclusions for themselves.
"But when we read the report, we knew Robert Mueller's concerns were valid, and that your version of events was false.
"You used every advantage of your office to create the impression that the President was cleared of misconduct. You selectively quoted fragments from the Special Counsel's Report, taking some of the most important statements out of context and ignoring the rest. You put the power and authority of the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice behind a public relations effort to help Donald Trump protect himself. Finally, you lied to Congress. You told Rep. Charlie Crist that you didn't know what objections Mueller's team might have to your March 24th so-called summary. You told Senator Chris Van Hollen that you didn't know if Bob Mueller supported your conclusion.
"But you knew. You lied. And now we know. A lot of respected, non-partisan legal experts and elected officials were surprised by your efforts to protect the President. But I wasn't surprised. You did exactly what I thought you'd do. It's why I voted against your confirmation. I expected you would try to protect the President, and indeed you did."

Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sen. Mazie Hirono slandered AG William Barr.
Image from Big Island Video News.

Hirono pointed to Barr's past actions: "In 1989, when you refused to show Congress an OLC opinion that led to the arrest of Manuel Noriega; in 1992, when you recommended pardons for the subjects of the Iran-Contra scandal; and last year, when you wrote the 19-page memo telling Donald Trump that a president can't be guilty of obstruction of justice and then didn't recuse yourself from the matter. From the beginning, you were addressing an audience of one: Donald Trump.
"That's why, before the bombshell news of yesterday evening, 11 of my Senate colleagues and I called on the Department of Justice Inspector General and Office of Professional Responsibility to investigate the way you handled the Mueller Report. I wanted them to determine whether your actions complied with the Department's policies and practices, and whether you have demonstrated sufficient impartiality to continue to oversee the 14 other criminal matters that the Special Counsel referred to other parts of the Department of Justice.
"But now we know more about your deep involvement in trying to cover up for Donald Trump. Being Attorney General of the United States is a sacred trust. You have betrayed that trust. America deserves better. You should resign."
At the end of her testimony, Hirono asked Barr if the White House was "exerting any influence" on whether to allow Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify in Congress and when. Barr said, "No." Several other Senators asked Barr to resign, including Presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
See the video of Hirono's testimony: bigislandvideonews.com/2019/05/01/video-hawaii-senator-hirono-blasts-ag-barr-during-mueller-report-hearing
Hirono asks the public to demand Barr resign immediately by signing a petition.

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Hilo Medical Center advanced cardiology employees at the
2019 Hilo Heart and Stroke Walk. Photo from HMC

FUNDING FOR IMPROVED CARDIAC CARE STALLED in the state House of Representatives last week. Senate Bill 911 would have funded a cath lab at Hilo Medical Center, where Ka‘ū cardiac patients often receive treatment. With improved cardiac care in Hilo, patients would avoid emergency flights to O‘ahu for treatment, and outcomes would be better, said repreentatives of Hilo Medical Center.
Introduced by Hilo Sen. Kai Kahele and co-sponsored by west Ka‘ū Sen. Dru Kanuha and east Ka‘ū Russell Ruderman, SB911passed the House but was not called to a conference committee, where Senate and House members resolve differences brought up by amendments to bills.
A release from Hilo Medical Center thanked community supporters, and said the support will be needed again next legislative session."We realize the great responsibility we have in keeping this program going. Over the next year, we are committed to keeping the doors open on this lifesaving service to stop heart attacks in progress. Funding will come from the hospital and we are prepared to make tough decisions necessary to preserve our program. Our community is depending on us and state funding next year will be absolutely necessary to provide the level of cardiac care that the residents of the Big Island should expect for themselves and their loved ones. We would like to assure our community that our program is still on track."

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Electric vehicle chargers are slowly cropping up all over Hawaiʻi

Island. Punaluʻu Bakeshop in Nāʻālehu got a new Electric Vehicle

fast charger in March. Photo from Hawaiʻi Electric Light

CLEAN TRANSPORTATION BILLS are expected to pass in the state House of Representatives tomorrow. All five bills would then need to be passed by the state Senate before going to Gov. David Ige for consideration.

Rep. Nicole Lowen - who represents Kona, is Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Environment, and authored of two of the bills - said the time has come for Hawaiʻi to transition away from fossil-fuel powered vehicles, and that these measures help democratize the use of electric vehicles. She explained that building infrastructure makes EVs more affordable, accessible, and convenient for low- and middle-income working people.
"In order to meet our emissions reduction goals, we must address the transportation sector, which accounts for two-thirds of Hawaiʻi's imported oil, and is not included in the 100 percent RPS requirement, which applies only to electric power generation. Increasing the number and availability of charging stations is the most important thing we can do right now to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles."

A DC fast charger for electric vehicles, like the

one installed at Punaluʻu Bake Shop in Nāʻālehu.

Photo from Hawaiʻi Electric Light

Lowen said EVs "are expected to cost about the same as gasoline fueled vehicles" within the next five years, but that won't be enough without infrastructure to make "EVs affordable, accessible, and convenient for everyone."
HB1585 HD1 SD2 CD1 would create a rebate program for installation or upgrade of electric vehicle charging stations in publicly accessible commercial areas, workplaces, and multi-unit dwellings. The rebate is not for single-family residences or parking stalls reserved for individual use.
HB401 HD1 SD2 CD1 would allow state and county agencies to enter into performance contracts for electric vehicle fleets and charging infrastructure.
HB 852 HD1 SD1 CD1 would clarify and strengthen the role of the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office in developing policies and programs to support the adoption of clean transportation.
SB661 SD1 HD1 CD1 would make fuel cell electric vehicles a priority for state and county vehicle purchases.
Making EVs less affordable, SB409 SD2 HD1 CD1 would establish an annual vehicle registration surcharge fee for electric vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles. Funds would be deposited into the State Highway Fund.

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.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Helena Nihipali Sesson with Kaʻū Coffee Mill crew and hikers who headed into the rainforest today.
She will also be on tour and will entertain tomorrow with the Kaʻū Valley Farm tour and luncheon.
Learn how to sign up below. Photo by Vickie Paʻalui

KAʻŪ COFFEE FEST

Kaʻū Coffee Festival Events run through Sunday, May 5. All events are open to the public; some require reservations. Celebrate Kaʻū Coffee at:

Kaʻū Coffee & Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Includes farm tours, BBQ buffet, and hayride. Visit this historic Ka‘ū Coffee farm and ranch. $25, reservations required. Call 927-2252.

Meet owners Merle and Phil Becker at Kaʻū Coffee & Cattle Day

at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm on Friday. Details, left.

Photo from Aikane Plantation

Kaʻū Coffee College closes out the Kaʻū Coffee Festival. It is held at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5. Get served education and see demonstrations for coffee farmers and Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts.

See KauCoffeeFestival.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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., through May 4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

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

FRIDAY, MAY 3
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee & Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Aikane Plantation Coffee Company. $25; includes BBQ buffet and hayrides. Reservations required. 927-2252, aikaneplantation.com,
kaucoffeefestival.com

Cinco de Mayo Fundraiser, Friday, May 3, doors open 5:30 p.m., dinner served 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Enchiladas, Tamales, Charro Borracho Beans (Mexican Cowboy Drunken Beans), Drinks and Dessert. $8/person, $15 for two, $20/family. stjudeshawaii.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Star Gazing, Friday, May 3, 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m., Makanau summit. $45, includes refreshments and shuttle ride. Reservation required. 928-0550, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, May 5 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon – 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc
or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

MONDAY, MAY 6

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, May 6, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MAY 7
Family Engagement Night, Tuesday, May 7, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, May 7 (Committees), Wednesday, May 8 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
Volcano Bay Clinic Mobile Health Unit Visit. Dental, Wednesday, May 8, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Medical, Thursday, May 30, 1 – 5 p.m. Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Must be Bay Clinic, Inc. patient. 333-3600 for appt. thecoopercenter.org

Kākou, Wednesday, May 8, 10 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Author and ethnographer, P.F. "Ski" Kwiatkowski, speaks about Hawaiian kākau – tattoos – their origins and counterparts in other aspects of Hawaiian crafts. Displaying collection of tattoo needles and the materials that are used in creating the needles, the ink and the tattoos themselves. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Arts and Crafts Activity: Mother's Day Keepsake, Wednesday, May 8, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 2-7. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ONGOING

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Go stargazing tomorrow night under a new moon at Makanau above Pāhala and Nāʻālehu. Reservations required.

Part of the Kaʻū Coffee Fest events. See story below. Photo by Andrew Richard Hara

A MAN WAS RESCUED AFTER HE FELL 70 FEET INTO KĪLAUEA CALDERA yesterday. At 6:50 p.m., visitors reported that ground gave away on the 300 foot-high Steaming Bluff. The earth collapsed beneath him after he climbed over a metal railing to an off-limits area at the lookout. Search and rescue began within minutes.

At approximately 9 p.m., rescue personnel discovered the man alive but critically injured on a narrow ledge about 70 feet blow the lookout. Rescuers employed high angle extrication using ropes and a stokes stretcher. In critical condition, the man, a 32-year-old U.S. Army enlisted service member who was on island to train at Pōhakuloa, was airlifted by a military Blackhawk to HiloMedicalCenter.

Steaming Bluffs, where a visitor climbed over the railing and fell
70 feet yesterday. NPS photo by Janice Wei

Six rescue vehicles responded and 24 personnel saved the man. They came from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai‘i County Fire Department, and Department of Defense.

Park Chief Ranger John Broward said, "Visitors should never cross safety barriers, especially around dangerous and destabilized cliff edges. Crossing safety barriers and entering closed areas can result in serious injuries and death."

The last fatality in the park from falling occurred on Oct. 29, 2017.

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GPS instrument that fell into
Puʻu ʻŌʻō yesterday.
USGS photo by I. Johanson

A FAITHFUL GPS INSTRUMENT DISAPPEARED IN A PUʻU ʻŌʻŌ small crater collapse Wednesday at 6:14 a.m. U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists said it was an important source of information on the shallow magma system of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō during the 2018 Kīlauea 2018 eruption.
HVO's last report from the instrument showed it moving rapidly to the southeast, consistent with motion into the crater. HVO scientists said the larger equipment installation near the solar panels (which power the instruments) was not affected by the collapse. Contingency plans are in place in case collapses of the crater edge continue, they said.
The motion is interpreted by HVO scientists to be "sliding of the unstable edge of Puʻu ʻŌʻō cone, rather than having direct association with magmatic activity. Small collapses at Puʻu ʻŌʻō have occurred since the eruption due to local instability."
Monitoring of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is now reported by additional GPS and tilt stations farther from the edge of the crater.

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A HOUSE BURNED DOWN ON LANIHULI ROAD IN VOLCANO late last night, reports Hawaiʻi Fire Department. The 1,200 square foot, two-story structure was engulfed in flames and partially collapsed when firefighters arrived at 11:28 p.m. All occupants and pets were outside and away from the fire, with no injuries reported.

Firefighters spent over two hours extinguishing the fire that consumed the house and a vehicle, using 13 personnel attached to three engines, one medic unit, and two tankers. Tankers were required as the closest fire hydrant was miles away.

HFD reports Hawaiʻi Electric Light Co. deactivated power lines and that Red Cross was informed of the occupants' status. HFD investigators are looking into the cause. Call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300 with information on this event.

The loss is estimated at $180,000.

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The state House of Representative ended the 2019 session today.
The event is called sine die. The House passed 298 bills.
Photo from Hawaiʻi House of Representatives

VOTING BY MAIL WON APPROVAL OF THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, which ended its session - sine die - today in Honolulu. The House passed 298 bills in 2019. Once the Senate signs off on those measures it approves, the winners will go to the Governor for approval or veto.
In addition to voting by mail, measures include changes to Medicaid eligibility, decriminalization of marijuana, charter school operations transparency, review of mosquito vector control, and more election reforms. More than 3,000 bills were introduced this legislative session.

Some highlights:

Medicaid

SB330 SD1 HD1 SD1 CD1 would disregard the income earned by otherwise Medicaid-eligible individuals with disabilities between 16 and 64 years old when determining their eligibility for Medicaid.

Bail/Prisons

SB192 SD1 HD2 CD1 would authorize the court to release a defendant in custody on unsecured bail.

Elections

SB216 SD2 HD1 CD1 would require a recount in elections when margin of victory is equal to or less than one hundred or one-quarter of one per cent of the votes cast, whichever is greater.

HB1248 HD1 SD2 CD1 would enact voting by mail across the state, starting in 2020.

Homelessness

HB257 HD2 SD1 CD1 would authorize use of private lands for the ʻOhana Zones Pilot Program.

Bolo performs at the Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday at
12:30 p.m. See entertainment lineup below.
Photo from Bolo

SB471 SD2 HD1 CD1 would appropriate funds for core homelessness services, including the outreach program, rapid re-housing program, housing first program, family assessment centers, stored property and debris removal services, and the state rent supplemental program.

Affordable Housing

SB1223 SD2 HD1 CD1 would extend Act 141, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2009, which requires each county to issue affordable housing credits to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, until July 1, 2024. It would extend Act 98, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2012, which requires counties to issue affordable housing credits for each residential unit, or if allowed under the county's affordable housing program, vacant lot, developed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, until July 1, 2024.

Agriculture

HB297 HD1 SD1would require the Dept. of Ag to review importing modified mosquitoes for landscape-scale mosquito control.

Cannabis

HB1383 HD2 SD1 CD1 would allow expungement of criminal records for possession of three grams or less of marijuana. It would decriminalize the possession of three grams or less of marijuana, making possession a violation punishable by a $130 fine.

HB290 HD1 SD2 CD1 would authorize qualifying patients to transport medical cannabis between islands for their personal medical use.

Hemp Production

SB1353 SD3 HD3 CD1 would require the Department of Agriculture to establish a permanent industrial hemp program, pursuant to federal law. It would establish monetary penalties for the unauthorized cultivation of hemp. It would also exclude hemp from statutory definitions of marijuana.

Real Estate Investment Trusts

SB301 SD1 HD1 CD1 Would disallow dividends paid deduction for real estate investment trusts for 2020 through 2023.

Lucky Lizards band performs at the Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday at
11:15 a.m. Photo from Lucky Lizards

Education

HB622 HD2 SD1 CD1 would require charter schools to provide full access to their fiscal and accounting books, documents, and files to authorizers, and submit to independent audits. It would prohibit individuals from serving as Charter School Commission members if the individual was affiliated with a charter school within one year preceding appointment.

Tobacco

SB1405 SD2 HD2 CD1 would require public school teachers and educators to confiscate electronic cigarettes from students under 21 years of age.

Suicide Prevention

SB383 SD2 HD1 CD1 would require the Department of Education to establish a mandatory youth suicide awareness and prevention training program and model risk referral protocol for all public schools.

Click here for a list of all bills that passed final reading in the House of Representatives. See more on tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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Bula Akamu performs at the Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday at 115 p.m.
Photo from Bula Akamu

KAʻŪ COFFEE FESTIVAL HOʻOLAULEʻA entertainment begins this Saturday, May 4, at 9 a.m. at Pāhala Community Center.
Here is the lineup: Hands of Time plays at 9 a.m., followed by Foggy at 9:45 a.m. Hannah's Makana ʻOhana Hālau takes the stage at 10:30 a.m., followed by Lucky Lizards at 11:15 a.m.

At noon, the 2019 Miss Kaʻū Coffee Court greets the crowd. Bolo follows the court at 12:45 p.m., with Bula Akamu at 1 p.m. Games come on at 2 p.m., with Braddah Ben & Kaniu at 2:30 p.m. Leka & Demetrius play at 3:15 p.m., with Backyahd Brahddahs closing the stage performers at 4 p.m.

The Hoʻūolauleʻa also features coffee tasting, meeting the many farmers of Kaʻū Coffee, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games. Free entry.

Other Kaʻū Coffee Festival Events run through Sunday, May 5. All events are open to the public; some require reservations. Celebrate Kaʻū Coffee at:

Kaʻū Coffee and Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Includes farm tours, BBQ buffet, and hayride, with music by Miss Kaʻū Coffee Helena Nihipali Sesson and Chase Cabudol. Visit this historic Ka‘ū Coffee farm and ranch. $25, reservations required. Call 927-2252.

Kaʻū Stargazing on Friday, May 3, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., takes guests to the top of sacred Makanau during a new moon. Learn about the ancient Hawaiian temple and see the Hawaiian night sky and stars. Reservations required; $45 per person, includes refreshments. Call 938-0550.

Kaʻū Coffee College closes out the Kaʻū Coffee Festival. It is held at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5. Coffee College will feature a host of educational opportunities for island coffee farmers, where coffee farmers and enthusiasts can learn, share, and network. Coffee's leading professionals from around the globe and industry experts come to Kaʻū Coffee College to interface with local growers and make valuable connections.

See KauCoffeeFestival.com.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Helena Nihipali Sesson stakes her name to a coffee tree she planted at Kaʻū Valley Farms today. Join
her tomorrow at Coffee & Cattle Day, where she will play ʻukulele during the hayrides. Also performing is Chase
Cabudol. The event features a barbecue lunch. See contact info above. Photo by Lloyd Nakano

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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

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.

ALSO UPCOMING

FRIDAY, MAY 3
Cinco de Mayo Fundraiser, Friday, May 3, doors open 5:30 p.m., dinner served 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Enchiladas, Tamales, Charro Borracho Beans (Mexican Cowboy Drunken Beans), Drinks and Dessert. $8/person, $15 for two, $20/family. stjudeshawaii.org

KDENte Fundraising Dinner for Kilauea Drama Entertainment Network, Friday, May 3, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Amalfatano's Italian Restaurant, Hilo. Italian food buffet, $20 cash or check at door. 984-7344

The Great Kīlauea Eruption of 2018 and What May Soon Follow, Friday, May 3, 6:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. Presented by Geologist Dr. Richard "Rick" Hazlett, Free. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

SATURDAY, MAY 4
Stewardship at the Summit, May 4, 9, 17, 25, and 31, 8:45 a.m. – 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

Parenting Class & Saturday School, May 4 and 18, 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center, Downstairs. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Abstract Painting Workshop with Darcy Gray, Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Basic painting backgroup suggested. Tools provided, can bring own supplies. $85/VAC member, $90/non-member, plus $20 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 8 adults. 967-8222,
volcanoartcenter.org

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, May 4 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11 a.m. – noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

Fiesta in the Forest, May 4, bar opens 4 p.m., dinner 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Food, margaritas, beer, wine and live music. Bring Cooper Center mug for $1 off beer – purchase one for $10 – can be used at all Cooper Center events. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

SUNDAY, MAY 5
Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, May 5 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon – 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

MONDAY, MAY 6

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, May 7 (Committees), Wednesday, May 8 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
Volcano Bay Clinic Mobile Health Unit Visit. Dental, Wednesday, May 8, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Medical, Thursday, May 30, 1 – 5 p.m. Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Must be Bay Clinic, Inc. patient. 333-3600 for appt. thecoopercenter.org

Kākou, Wednesday, May 8, 10 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Author and ethnographer, P.F. "Ski" Kwiatkowski, speaks about Hawaiian kākau – tattoos – their origins and counterparts in other aspects of Hawaiian crafts. Displaying collection of tattoo needles and the materials that are used in creating the needles, the ink and the tattoos themselves. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Arts and Crafts Activity: Mother's Day Keepsake, Wednesday, May 8, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 2-7. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MAY 9
Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thursday, May 9, 6:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

After Dark in the Park – The Road to Recovery: A Year Later, Thursday, May 9, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Park managers will present a community update about the challenges and successes of 2018, and how staff is working hard to open more areas. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

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.
Two fundraisers for the program are also ongoing; see flyers on this page.

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.

Kaʻū Coffee farmers will show off the taste, the aroma, and the design of their many brands of coffee
at tomorrow's Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m at Pāhala Community Center.
Entertainment and food. Free entry. See more details below. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

HAWAIʻI REEFS PROVIDE MORE THAN $836 MILLION IN FLOOD PROTECTION to people, property, and jobs every year – more than in every other state and territory in the nation. This is according to a new report, Rigorously Valuing the Role of U.S. Coral Reefs in Coastal Hazard Risk Reduction, released by the U.S. Geological Survey, The Nature Conservancy, and the University of California Santa Cruz.

The report states reefs across the U.S. provide more than $1.8 billion dollars in flood protection benefits every year, including $51 million on Hawaiʻi Island, $11 million on Kauaʻi, $376 million on Maui, and $394 million on Oʻahu. In a 50-year storm, the coral reefs off Honolulu alone could provide more than $435 million in flood protection benefits.

An example of coral reefs dissipating wave energy.
Photo by Kydd Pollock/Nature Conservancy

Co-author Dr. Michael Beck of U.C. Santa Cruz and former lead scientist for The Nature Conservancy's Global Oceans Program, said, "Most people have no idea how valuable coral reefs are for coastal protection. Now we do. Reefs act as submerged breakwaters, 'breaking' waves and dissipating up to 97 percent of their energy offshore." According to Beck, "While these may look like general, 'back of the envelope' numbers, they are not. They are based on what are now the best flood risk maps available for U.S.coastlines, predicting risk at 10 meters by 10 meters, which is about one one-hundredth the area of a city block."

The Nature Conservancy's Hawaiʻi Marine Program Director, Kim Hum, said, "This information is game-changing for Hawaiʻi. We know that Hawaiʻi benefits in many ways from healthy coral reefs, and now we can quantify those benefits and identify specifically who receives them – whether they be coastal businesses, resorts, homeowners or critical government infrastructure like military bases, roads and sewage treatment plants." According to Hum, "We also now know the areas at the greatest risk of flooding, and where reef restoration may be able to reduce that risk. By rigorously valuing these benefits, we can help mobilize the public and private investments needed for reef management."

The information contained in the report can be used by coastal managers, emergency response agencies and local and national government officials to identify where to invest in reef management as a natural defense against coastal flooding related to hurricanes, storms, sea level rise and other coastal threats.

Reefs visibly break shoreline waves. Photo from The Nature Conservancy

USGS research geologist and lead author, Dr. Curt Storlazzi, said, "Our goal in this study was to provide sound science to identify where, when and how U.S.coral reefs provide significant coastal flood reduction benefits to ultimately save dollars and protect lives."

The bad news is that we are rapidly losing coral reefs in Hawaiʻi and around the globe - along with the benefits they provide to people and coastal infrastructure. For example, in 2015 Hawaiʻi experienced its worst mass bleaching event in modern history, with an average of 50 percent loss of live coral cover on Maui and up to 90 percent loss of coral on some West Hawaiʻi reefs, according to recent assessments conducted by The Nature Conservancy, the State Division of Aquatic Resources, and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

The good news is that reefs can recover and may even adapt to changing ocean conditions, particularly if we identify the threats to them and sufficient financial resources to manage those threats.

According to Beck, "The U.S. has already appropriated more than $100 billion to recover from hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma. Coral reefs can reduce the damage caused by future storms, but we need to identify new and innovative funding opportunities to pro-actively build our reefs and coastal resilience. For example, disaster recovery funding from FEMA is now being used to identify where reefs can provide natural coastal defenses." Adds Beck, "The insurance industry can also support incentives for habitat conservation and restoration. They are starting to do just that by ensuring that habitats are included in industry risk models and with the first ever trust to fund an insurance policy for coral reefs in Mexico.

100-year flood areas, in blue, have a 1 percent chance of a very large flood in any given year. Red areas denote
places that would flood without the presence of coral reefs, in gray. A 100-year flood has a 1 percent chance
of happening every year. USGS Map

According to Hum, The Nature Conservancy is assessing the viability of a similar reef insurance policy for Hawaiʻi's reefs. "Reefs provide hundreds of millions of dollars in flood protection services to the State every year – in addition to their many other benefits to people and nature. We should be investing in reef management and insuring our investment so that we can keep those benefits in the years to come."

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.

NATIONAL LEI DAY is proposed by Hawaiʻi Rep. and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard to symbolize "the peace and harmony our country and world so badly need." In an email sent out by the Tulsi 2020 campaign May 1, a lei was explained to those beyond the Islands as "a flower garland, traditionally given as a gesture of unity and friendship. Lei Day has been celebrated annually in Hawaiʻisince 1928."

A National Lei Day is proposed by Tulsi Gabbard.
Photo from Tulsi 2020

The concept of a lei, states the email, fits with Gabbard's "policy platform of ending U.S involvement in foreign wars."

Said Gabbard, "Join me in sharing aloha – respect and love for others – by giving a lei to a loved one, neighbor, or friend. It's Lei Day in Hawaiʻi, and as president, I'll propose a national Lei Day to help unite our divided country."

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 STUDY TO DETERMINE WAYS TO PREVENT AND PROSECUTE AGRICULTURAL THEFT IS FUNDED BY THE HAWAIʻI LEGISLATURE, which ended its session Thursday on Oʻahu. Gov. David Ige has until June 24 to veto any of the 298 bills that passed the House of Representatives and Senate this session. More than 3,000 bills were introduced.

One bill that failed was an extension for water use leases involving Kaʻū farmers and ranchers, who may face difficult renewals of their state water. The Kaʻū agriculturalists are caught up in an attempt to force. Also failing was automatic voter registration through applying for a driver's license; legalization of recreational marijuana; minimum wage increases; and a proposal to prohibit use of plastic bottles, utensils, stirring sticks, polystyrene foam containers, and straws by restaurants and state agencies.

See info on bills that passed, including voting by mail, changes to Medicaid eligibility, decriminalization of marijuana, charter school operations transparency, review of mosquito vector control, and more election reforms on yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs.

Some bill that did pass:

Agricultural Theft

SB759 SD2 HD1 CD1 would require the Department of Agriculture to establish a two year Agricultural Theft and Vandalism Pilot Project to examine the effectiveness of prosecuting agricultural theft and agricultural vandalism in the counties of Hawaiʻi and Maui.

Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death

HB1548 HD1 SD2 CD1 would appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to study and combat rapid ʻōhiʻa death.

Manta Rays

HB808 HD1 SD2 CD1 would expand the existing prohibition on knowingly capturing or killing a manta ray in state marine waters to apply to all rays and to also include knowingly taking, possessing, abusing, or entangling a ray. Provides certain exemptions.

Child Abuse

SB1232 SD1 HD1 CD1 would authorize the Department of Human Services to disclose, upon consent, confirmed reports of child abuse or neglect to any parent or guardian of a child enrolled in an exempt or excluded child care facility.

Kupuna

HB471 HD1 SD1 CD1 would establish quorum requirements for the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs.

Driving Under the Influence

HB703 HD1 SD2 CD1 would amend the sentencing requirements for Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence and Habitually Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence offenses. It would amend the threshold for HOVUII offenses. It would require the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to convene a task force to examine and propose legislation that would allow the courts, under certain circumstances, to prohibit a person convicted of OVUII or HOVUII from purchasing or publicly consuming alcohol for a probation period.

Merle and Phil Becker welcome Miss Kaʻū Coffee Helena Nihipali Sesson today to Coffee & Cattle Day at
Aikane Plantation, where they grow coffee, tea, cattle and horses. See more on the Kaʻū Coffee Fest below.

Emergency Services

SB281 SD1 HD2 CD1 would appropriate funds to the Department of Health for collective bargaining requirements for ambulance providers and other current expenses. It would require the Department of Health to contract with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under the guidance of a steering committee to conduct a study of the State Emergency Medical System. It would authorize the Department of Health to establish a task force to develop a plan to implement findings and recommendations of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's study and any proposed legislation.

Opioids

SB536 SD2 HD1 CD1 would clarify the existing law intended to curb over-access to and abuse of opioids, including the time frame for filling prescriptions, supply limitations, and requirements to check the state electronic prescription accountability system and execute an informed consent process, do not apply to qualifying patients who are prescribed or issued prescriptions pursuant to the State's Our Care, Our Choice Act.

SB535 SD1 HD1 CD1 would authorize pharmacists, acting in good faith and exercising reasonable care, to prescribe and dispense an opioid antagonist to patients at risk of overdose, and family members and caregivers of patients at risk of overdose.

Economic Development

SB989 SD2 HD2 CD1 would rename the Hawaiʻi Television and Film Development Special Fund as the Hawaiʻi Film and Creative Industries Development Special Fund and expands its funding sources and purposes. It would appropriate funds for the University of Hawaiʻi creative media program to strengthen the pipeline of students into the creative media industry.

The House has passed 232 bills on final reading so far this session. Click here for a list of all bills that have passed final reading in the House.

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KAʻŪ COFFEE FESTIVAL HOʻOLAULEʻA kicks off at 9 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday, May 4, at Pāhala Community Center. Open to the public, with free entry, the Hoʻūolauleʻa boasts coffee tasting, meeting the many farmers of Kaʻū Coffee, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games.
The main stage features live entertainment from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Hands of Time, 9 a.m.; Foggy, 9:45 a.m.; Hannah's Makana ʻOhana Hālau, 10:30 a.m.; Lucky Lizards, 11:15 a.m.; the 2019 Miss Kaʻū Coffee Court greets the crowd at noon; Bolo, 12:30 p.m.; Bula Akamu, 1:15 p.m.; Games, 2 p.m.; Braddah Ben & Kaniu, 2:30 p.m.; Leka & Demetrius, 3:15 p.m., and Backyahd Brahddahs closing the stage performers at 4 p.m.
Closing out the 2019 Kaʻū Coffee Festival on Sunday, May 5, Kaʻū Coffee College happens at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon. Coffee College will feature a host of educational opportunities for island coffee farmers, where coffee farmers and enthusiasts can learn, share, and network. Coffee's leading professionals from around the globe and industry experts come to Kaʻū Coffee College to interface with local growers and make valuable connections.

The College offers these presentations: Increasing Coffee Production in Kaʻū, from Andrea Kawabata, an assistant agent for coffee and orchard crops with UH's CTAHR; A Rapid Visual Estimation of Coffee Yield in Hawaiʻi, from Dr. Adel Youkhana, a Ph.D. researcher and lecturer in the Natural Resources and Environmental Management department at UH-Mānoa; Learn how to process distinctive coffee with added yeast strains from Brittany Horn, owner and founder of Pacific Coffee Research; and Pesticide Safety Training, from Cal Westergard, an environmental health specialist with the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Branch.

See KauCoffeeFestival.com.

Hannah's Makana ʻOhana hālau shares hula at Kaʻū Coffee Festvial's Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

Photo by Julia Neal

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.

HVO GEOLOGISTS RECALL their first day of the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption on the one-year anniversary in this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. This week's article is by HVO geologist Matt Patrick:

With the one-year anniversary of the onset of Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption upon us, USGS HVO staff, like many Hawaiʻi residents, are reflecting on this historic event.

On May 3, 2018– two days after HVO issued a notice that an eruption on Kīlauea was possible – we (HVO geologists) began our day with an 8:00 a.m. overflight of the volcano's East Rift Zone.

The crater in Puʻu ʻŌʻō had drained three days earlier, leaving a large empty pit and questions as to where magma might head next. Earthquakes indicated that magma was migrating into the lower East Rift Zone, so our overflight included photographic and thermal surveys all the way to the eastern tip of the Island of Hawaiʻi. We saw nothing unusual.

Returning to HVO in the afternoon, we settled in to write our reports. As we did, HVO technicians working on field instruments near Leilani Estates periodically informed us of their status via radio. Around 4:30 p.m., they reported steam within the subdivision, and moments later, confirmed that they had seen lava.

The HVO geology team immediately gathered our gear for a helicopter overflight. Knowing that we could be in the field all night, we packed extra water, batteries, and other equipment. About 20 minutes later, we were in the air, flying down the East Rift Zone towards Leilani Estates.

Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption was monitored around the clock by field crews of
HVO and other USGS scientists for three months, starting with the first fissure that erupted in Leilani
Estates on May 3, 2018. Clockwise from upper left, USGS-HVO scientists walked along Leilani Avenue
on May 6 to examine spatter erupted from fissures 5-6; documented the fast-moving lava flow as it exited
the fissure 8 vent; photographed the fissure 8 lava channel on June 2; and measured the temperature of a
fuming ground crack in Leilani Estates on May 9. USGS photos

As the helicopter approached the lower East Rift Zone, we could see gas and smoke rising from the forest. Reaching Leilani Estates, we circled the source of the plume and got a clear view of lava erupting onto the surface. Large gas bubbles were bursting through viscous orange lava oozing from a fissure that had severed Mohala Street.

With an erupting vent in a residential neighborhood, we needed to get accurate information to emergency managers right away. Circling the fissure, we transmitted GPS coordinates, along with photos and video, back to HVO staff who were communicating with Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense from the observatory.

Around 6:30 p.m., as fissure 1 was dying, we were dropped just outside the subdivision, where we joined other HVO staff who had arrived in vehicles. The rest of that night we drove through Leilani Estates monitoring multiple enlarging steam cracks and keeping the observatory and Civil Defense updated on changes.

Around 1 a.m., fissure 2 opened in a driveway on Makamae Street, where we could see pulsating lava bubbles and spattering migrate toward the road as the fissure lengthened. This fissure was active for four hours, escalating in intensity and throwing incandescent spatter in large, accurate paths over adjacent powerlines and onto the road. After the larger bursts, we carefully collected samples of the fresh spatter for chemical analyses that would provide clues to the source of the lava.

After fissure 2 died down around 5:15 a.m., we continued to circle the subdivision, watching for any new activity. At dawn, we discovered increased fuming from a crack cutting Kaupili Street. Thick white fume was pulsing every 10-20 seconds, and we could feel an ominous deep rumble underground that seemed to slowly get closer.

The start of fissure 3 during Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption. Lava erupting to the surface cut
across

Kaupili Street

around 7 a.m. on May 4, 2018. USGS photo by M. Patrick

Within minutes, the fume enveloped us in a whiteout, and our gas alarms beeped loudly due to the high sulfur dioxide concentration – a clear sign that magma was close to the surface. Our gas masks protected us, but we had to hastily retreat a hundred meters (yards) to regain visibility.

Through the opaque white fume, we could hear the distinctive sounds of rushing gas, along with the pounding rhythm of bubbles bursting at the surface. Fissure 3 had started, so we transmitted the time and GPS coordinates to the observatory.

The fissure cut through the pavement, but also went directly under an adjacent home, which was rapidly burned. Sadly, it was one of more than 700 structures eventually destroyed in the eruption.

The next HVO field crew arrived at 6 a.m., and together we documented the start of fissure 3. Around 7:15 a.m., the new crew took over monitoring duties, and we drove back to our offices to write reports, recharge batteries, and rest before our next shift. That ended our first day of the 2018 eruption and marked the start of USGS scientists monitoring Kīlauea around the clock for the next three months.

Volcano Activity Updates

The USGS Volcano Alert levels for both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa remain at NORMAL.

Four earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-3.4 quake 26 km (16 mi) northeast of Hōnaunau-Nāpōʻopoʻo at 7 km (4 mi) depth on May 1 at 1:50 a.m. HST; a magnitude-2.6 quake 9 km (6 mi) southeast of Waimea at 13 km (8 mi) depth on April 30 at 6:37 p.m. HST; a magnitude-1.6 quake 13 km (8 mi) northeast of Pāhala at 32 km (20 mi) depth on April 27 at 5:26 p.m. HST; and a magnitude-4.2 quake 16 km (10 mi) southeast of Volcano Village at 7 km (4 mi) depth on April 27 at 5:26 p.m. HST.

Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvofor 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.

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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Wed.-Sat., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

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.

ALSO UPCOMING

MONDAY, MAY 6

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Friday, May 10, 9 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Free disability legal services provided by Hawai‘i Legal Aid. ovcahi.org, 939-7033

Arts and Crafts Activity: Mother's Day Card, Friday, May 10, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, May 1-8. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ReadySetGo! Wildfire Preparedness Workshop, Friday, May 10, 5:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. Educational, free and family-friendly. Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization. Pablo Akira Meimler at pablo@hawaiiwildfire.org. hawaiiwildfire.org, or 808-885-0900

Light, Sound & Spirit by Ken Goodrich of Hawai‘i Photo Retreat, Friday, May 10, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Talk and presentation of seven videos synthesizing music and projected imagery. Free, $5 donation suggested. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

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

ONGOING

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 Coffee farmers joined in a coffee picking contest today at the 11th annual Kaū Coffee festival, showing off

sorting skills. See more photos and info on tomorrow's last Festival event, below. See a full rundown on Kaʻū

Coffee Fest on tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs. Photo by Julia Neal

GOV. DAVID IGE IS CONSIDERING SIGNING, VETOING, OR LETTING BILLS PASS WITHOUT HIS SIGNATURE, following the conclusion of the 2019 Hawaiʻi Legislature this week. Some bills would affect Kaʻū directly. State revenues dropped severely this year, but some critical programs would receive funding if Ige approves them. Areas impacted by these legislative measures would include disaster relief, community health, environmental protection, economic development, and public safety:

Disaster Relief

House Bill 1180 HD1 would provide $60 million in relief, recovery, mitigation, and remediation activities for Hawaiʻi County following the Kīlauea eruption of 2018. This would allow the county to cover its share of the overall disaster relief effort. Under the county's agreement with the federal government, in addition to this funding, 75 percent of the total relief will be further provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. These funds will provide critical support for an overarching county-state-federal partnership to assist thousands of families as they recover from last year's devastating lava flow.
House Bill 993 HD2 SD1 CD1 would improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and capabilities of the State Emergency Management Program. This would increase the amount of state funds which can be expended for immediate relief from $5 million to $10 milion.

Community Health

House Bill 465 HD1 SD2 would provide $4,145,695 of funding for the Kūpuna Care program. This program assists frail adults age 60 and older who require assistance to perform some of the basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Core services of Kūpuna Care include: personal care, chores, home delivered meals, adult day care, case management, transportation, and attendant care.

Sen. Dru Kanuha, pictured with Miss Kaʻū Coffee Helena Nihipali Sesson,

wrapped the 2019 state legislature this week, and said he will soon

provide a rundown on Kaʻū measures. Photo by Julia Neal

Environmental Protection

Senate Bill 464 SD2 would authorize a property owner or agent to enter adjacent property with Albizia trees under certain conditions, including consulting with a tree arborist and providing written notice, to control Albizia trees. The invasive species often becomes hazardous during tropical storms.
Economic Development

Senate Bill 1326 SD1 would increase estate taxes to 20 percent for Hawaiʻi net taxable estates valued at over $10 million. This increase will provide critical revenues to fund education, environmental mitigation, infrastructure improvement, and social programs.

Public Safety

     House Bill 757 HD1 SD1 CD1 would require the State and County departments of transportation to adopt a "Vision Zero" plan, which lays out policies to prevent and eliminate traffic fatalities. During the last decade, Hawaiʻi has been above the national average for alcohol impaired driving fatalities. The ultimate goal of this federally endorsed and researched strategy is to reduce traffic fatalities in the county to zero.
     House Bill 1552 HD2 SD2 CD1 would establish the Hawaiʻi Correctional Oversight Commission. This commission would be tasked with overseeing the state's correctional system and facilitating its transition to an increasingly rehabilitative and therapeutic model. This is a major step in criminal justice reform to implement evidence-based corrections policies and reduce recidivism.
     Click here to see important legislative measures being considered by the governor. Click here to contact Ige to let him know thoughts on legislative measures pending his action. Click here to track specific legislative measures.

See more on bills going before the governor on Friday and Thursday'sKaʻū News Briefs.

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.

PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON MAUNA KEA ADMINISTRATION is sought by University of Hawaiʻi. UH is asking for comments on the latest draft of the proposed administrative rules to govern public and commercial activities on UH-managed lands on Mauna Kea.

The university has received hundreds of written and oral comments and suggestions during the formal and informal processes to date, and this input significantly shaped the latest draft. The public is strongly encouraged to continue to participate in the process.

See hawaii.edu/offices/bor/adminrules/proposed.html, select Proposed for the rules.

Submit data, views, or arguments, orally or in writing by Friday, June 7: by mail to UH System of Government Relations Office, UH_Mānoa, 2442 Campus Rd., Admin. Svcs. Bldg. 1, Rm. 101, Honolulu, HI, 96822; online to uhhar@hawaii.edu; or at a public hearing, Tuesday, June 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Waiākea Elementary School, 180 W. Puainako Street, Hilo or Wednesday, June 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School, 68-1730 Hoʻoko Street, Waikoloa.

Mauna Kea, in the shadow of Mauna Loa. Photo from UH

This second round of public hearings is the latest step in the development of the rules. Following initial public outreach and consultations, the first round of four public hearings was held in September, 2018. A revised draft was prepared based on the comments and concerns received during those public hearings. That revised draft was then shared with stakeholder groups and the public during a three-month, informal outreach process that started in January. The current draft of the rules includes revisions based on comments received during this informal outreach process. On April 18, the UH Board of Regents approved having a second round of public hearings on this version.

Based on this round of formal public hearings, the rules may be further refined and brought back before the UH regents in a publicly noticed meeting currently anticipated for July 18. Then, UH regents would have a range of possible actions including: approve the rules provided there are no substantial changes; request a third round of formal public hearings on new draft rules that are substantially changed from the current draft; or defer decision making. Further public testimony will be accepted at that meeting. If approved by the regents, the rules will proceed through the remainder of the administrative rules process to the governor for final review and approval.

Kimo sings with Braddah Ben, center, whose wife of 30 years offers hula.

Photo by Julia Neal

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KAʻŪ COFFEE COLLEGE closes out the 2019 Kaʻū Coffee Festival on Sunday, May 5, at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon. Coffee's leading professionals from around the globe and industry experts come to Kaʻū Coffee College to interface with local growers and make valuable connections. Coffee College will feature a host of educational opportunities for island coffee farmers, where coffee farmers and enthusiasts can learn, share, and network.

The College offers these presentations: Increasing Coffee Production in Kaʻū, from Andrea Kawabata, an assistant agent for coffee and orchard crops with UH's CTAHR; A Rapid Visual Estimation of Coffee Yield in Hawaiʻi, from Dr. Adel Youkhana, a Ph.D. researcher and lecturer in the Natural Resources and Environmental Management department at UH-Mānoa; Learn how to process distinctive coffee with added yeast strains from Brittany Horn, owner and founder of Pacific Coffee Research; Pesticide Safety Training, from Cal Westergard, an environmental health specialist with the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Branch.

Kaʻū Coffee College is free and open to coffee farmers to coffee enthusiasts. See KauCoffeeFestival.com.

Lady in red dances for Bula Akamu. Photo by Julia Neal

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 WILDFIRE DATA WEB APPLICATION is available from Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization. The HWMO Webapp visualizes wildfire data across Hawaiʻi. It has four types of data: fire history, community hazard assessments, community input information, and census data.
Niklas Lollo and Evangeline McGlynn, PhD candidates at the University of California, Berkeley, developed the app in conjunction with Data Sciences for the 21st Century.
There will be a couple of opportunities to get involved with wildfire management in Kaʻū on May 10 and 11. HWMO is teaming up with Nā Mamo O Kāwā for Ready, Set, Go! Wildfire Preparedness Workshop, Friday, May 10, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation Cottage, 96-3208 Maile St., and Nā Mamo O Kāwā Community Wildfire Preparedness Day, Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., meet at the northern entrance to Kāwā. RSVP by e-mail, jakau@nmok.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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

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

SUNDAY, MAY 5
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee College, Sunday, May 5, 9 a.m. – noon, Pāhala Community Center. Coffee industry professionals come to Ka‘ū to share their knowledge with coffee growers and enthusiasts. Free; donations welcome. kaucoffeefestival.com

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, May 5 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon – 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

MONDAY-THURSDAY, MAY 6-9

Summer Fun Registration, Monday-Thursday, May 6-9, 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., at Nā‘ālehu Community Center and at Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Program, for keiki completing grade K-6, runs Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., June 12-July 19. $40 fee. $50 portion of registration fee funded by Councilwoman Maile David. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

MONDAY, MAY 6

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, May 7 (Committees), Wednesday, May 8 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
Volcano Bay Clinic Mobile Health Unit Visit. Dental, Wednesday, May 8, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Medical, Thursday, May 30, 1 – 5 p.m. Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Must be Bay Clinic, Inc. patient. 333-3600 for appt. thecoopercenter.org

Kākou, Wednesday, May 8, 10 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Author and ethnographer, P.F. "Ski" Kwiatkowski, speaks about Hawaiian kākau – tattoos – their origins and counterparts in other aspects of Hawaiian crafts. Displaying collection of tattoo needles and the materials that are used in creating the needles, the ink and the tattoos themselves. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

FRIDAY, MAY 10

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

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, Saturday, May 11-June 16, daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Multi-media exhibition of seven artists. Opening reception Saturday, May 11, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Free; National Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day – Wildfire Preparedness, Saturday, May 11, 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

Zentangle Inspired Labyrinth Art with Lois and Earl Stokes, Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m. – 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

ONGOING

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