The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

"Plastic Beach," Kamilo on the Kaʻū Coast, is a repository of marine debris, especially plastics and derelict fishing nets.
Read about a new Act, passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate, meant to help take care of more marine debris.
Photo from Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund

KAʻŪ LEGISLATORS HAVE PROPOSED NUMEROUS BILLS to the 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature. Find and follow their proposals at www.capitol.hawaii.gov. See the list of Senators' proposals. See the list of proposals from members of the House of Representatives. Click on the column entitled Introducers to find bills by Kaʻū's legislators in alphabetical order. They are: Sen. Russell Ruderman, Sen. Dru Kanuha, Rep. Richard Onishi, and Rep. Richard Creagan. Also search by specific legislators or keywords. The deadline to introduce bills for 2020 is this Thursday, Jan. 23.
Examples of bills introduced or co-sponsored this session by Ruderman include SB1932, which would ban fifth-generation wireless technology until a definitive research base exists finding that 5G poses no significant public health hazard; SB2732, which would ban adding fluoride to any public water system; and SB2009, which would cap out-of-pocket prescription insulin at $100 for a thirty-day supply.
Examples of bills introduced or co-sponsored this session by Kanuha include SB2042, which would establish a rent-to-own housing pilot program, and SB2052, which would forgive student loans for early childhood educators after a certain number of years of service.

Examples of bills introduced or co-sponsored this session by Onishi includes House Bill 1671, which would fund capital improvement projects for District 3. Onishi's House Bill 1944 would allocate $5 million from Transient Accommodations Taxes to Hawai`i Tourism Authority for "protection, preservation, maintenance, and enhancement of natural resources."
Examples of bills introduced or co-sponsored this session by Creagan include HB1887, which would prohibit importation of unroasted coffee into the state, makes it a class C felony, and imposes a fine for violation of the prohibition. It would authorize the state Department of Agriculture to adopt rules to allow for importation of partially roasted coffee into the state. Creagan also introduced HB1892, which would promote local foods and make them more easily accessible to all areas through food hubs.
To look for bills that mention Kaʻū, Subject Search may be used. To see bills introduced or co-sponsored by each of Kaʻū's four legislators, go to Measures by Introducer and search by the last name of each legislator, or go to each person's main legislative page:

Sen. Dru Kanuha, capitol.hawaii.gov, represents District 2, which includes Honuʻapo, Nāʻālehu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, South Point, Waiʻōhinu, Ocean View, and Miloliʻi into Kona. He serves on the Housing, Education, Government Operations, and Ways & Means Committees. He can be contacted at 808-586-9385, senkanuha@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Sen. Russell Ruderman, capitol.hawaii.gov, represents District 3, which includes Punaluʻu, Pāhala, WoodValley, and Volcano, through to Hawaiian Paradise Park and Puna. He serves on the Human Services, Agriculture & Environment, and the Commerce, Consumer Protection, & Health Committees. He can be contacted at 808-586-6890, senruderman@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Rep. Richard Onishi, capitol.hawaii.gov, represents District 3, which includes Punaluʻu, Pāhala, WoodValley, and Volcano into South Hilo. He serves on the Tourism & International Affairs, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection & Commerce Committees. He can be contacted at 808-586-6120, reponishi@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Rep. Richard Creagan, capitol.hawaii.gov, represents District 5, which includes Honuʻapo, Nāʻālehu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, South Point, Waiʻōhinu, Ocean View, and Miloliʻi into South Kona. He serves on the Agriculture, Judiciary, and Tourism & International Affairs Committees. He can be contacted at 808-586-9605, repcreagan@Capitol.hawaii.gov.

To track bills that are of interest, consider adding them to two lists – "Hearing Notification," which will generate an email if the measure comes up for a hearing; and "Measure Tracking," where the most current status of those bills can be seen at a glance. Call Public Access Room, the non-partisan Legislative Reference Bureau group for assistance, 808-587-0478, or email PAR, par@capitol.hawaii.gov.

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MANY KAʻŪ SCHOOL TEACHERS ENJOYED HIGHER PAY CHECKS ON FRIDAY. In December, the state school board approved more compensation for public school teachers in hard-to-staff positions in rural areas like Kaʻū, where living expenses are high and housing hard to come by. The highest increases go to special education and Hawaiian Immersion teachers. Salary hikes range from $3,000 to $10,000 a year.

Statewide, pay raises go to about 1,690 special ed teachers and 2,100 regular teachers. They do not include public CharterSchool teachers. Gov. David Ige and the Department of Education took the plan to the school board, agreeing to pay for the hikes through the end of this school year with existing state funds. They propose that the 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature fund the pay increases for next year.

Hawaiʻi State Teacher's Association lauded the Board of Education for approving the pay hikes in the middle of this school year when many teachers are deciding where to teach next year.

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PAY HIKES FOR VETERAN PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS in Hawaiʻi are proposed in the 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature. This week, state Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto asked lawmakers to approve the funding as part of an Experimental Modernization Project. Pay increases would range from $900 to $17,000 a year, reflecting years of service. The teachers' union supports the proposal.

In the past, whether years of teacher experience were taken into consideration depended on the outcome of union bargaining with the state. The state "refused to provide funding for increases during economic downturns," reported Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association.

HSTA President Corey Rosenlee said, "Research shows that teachers become more effective the longer they are in the classroom. We have to do more to encourage educators, especially those who have years and even decades of experience, to keep teaching our children. This proposal is part of a multi-phased plan to ensure that all our keiki, regardless of where they live, what their special needs are or their ethnicity, are taught by highly qualified teachers."

If state lawmakers fund the proposal, thousands of teachers serving the Department of Education for more than 10 years would receive an increase in pay. Increases would be based on a one-time step movement. Step 1 teachers moving to Step 2 would receive a 3 percent pay increase. Teachers moving from Step 14A to 14B would receive a 6 percent pay hike. (see chart)

Hawaiʻi Department of Education is expected to soon release the overall cost of the proposed step movements for the 2020–21 school year. State lawmakers would need to appropriate "tens of millions of dollars for these adjustments to be implemented," reported HSTA. Thousands of educators hired within the last seven years who have received regular step increases most likely would not receive a pay adjustment, HSTA said.

See more at hsta.org/News/Recent-Stories/doe-asks-lawmakers-to-fund-salary-adjustments.

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KAʻŪ VOICES will attend the Fourth annual Women's March in Hilotomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 19, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Moʻoheau Bandstand 329 Kamehameha Ave. Some members plan to arrive at the location at 10 a.m., and will set up a tent and tables. The group plans to lunch after the event. If interested in carpooling from Kaʻū, contact Laurie Boyle at 408-717-3072.

The booth will be set up by 10:45 a.m. at the bandstand area, sharing space with the Volcano Community Action Network. The booth will include: Linda's mesh bags for vegetables and grains for sale; voter registration flyers; Kaʻū Voices buttons and button maker to make your own; information on Indivisible, of which Kaʻū Voices is a part, and target elections for 2020; a notepad available for recycling and other ideas; and postcards.

Boyle, organizer for Kaʻū Voices, said the march is "a great way to show our solidarity, to connect with other activists from around the Island, and to share information, resources, plans, and a few laughs with each other."

Kaʻū Voices at an event. Photo from Laurie Boyle

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Kaʻū Coast's Kamilo Beach catches more than surf
on its shores. Photo from Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund

SAVE OUR SEAS 2.0 ACT was unanimously passed this week by the U.S. Senate. The bipartisan legislation, co-introduced by Sen. Mazie Hirono, would create a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration trust foundation to respond to specific marine debris events. The foundation would create a prize for innovation and work toward international cooperation on dealing with marine debris. The legislation would work with the Environmental Protection Agency to develop a strategy within a year of the bill's enactment to prevent domestic debris from entering the environment in the first place. The legislation also authorizes studies on waste management and mitigation.
Plastic can take hundreds of years to biodegrade, states the announcement from Hirono's office, and plastic debris cause the deaths of more than a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals annually, according to estimates from the United Nations. A recent study by the National Academy of Sciences found that fish in Hawaiʻi begin ingesting microplastics as early as the larval phase, which could have drastic impacts on marine ecology.
Before consideration on the floor, sections of the bill passed through the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The bill now must pass the House of Representatives and any differences must be reconciled before being sent to the President.

Near-Threatened Laysan Albatross, more than 99 percent of which make
their homes in the northern Hawaiian Islands, ingest plastics, causing
death. Photo from ocean.si.edu

Hirono said, "Marine debris from all over the world is found in Hawaiʻi's waters and washes up on our shores, including between 15 and 20 tons per year just on Hawaiʻi Island's Kamilo Beach. The Save Our Seas 2.0 Act provides critical resources for cleaning up our existing pollution, facilitating international collaboration to curtail marine debris globally, and improving infrastructure to keep debris from entering the environment. We must address this global crisis immediately to protect the health of Hawaiʻi's avian and marine life, including corals, fish, humpback whales, sea turtles, and monk seals."
Hirono has supported funding for the NOAA Marine Debris Program through the annual appropriations process and also visited Kalaheo School in April 2019 to discuss the importance of addressing marine debris and make art out of marine debris.

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HVO'S TINA NEAL IS THE AUTHOR – AND SUBJECT – of this week's Volcano Watch, a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. This article is the second in a series of articles about HVO people and jobs during Volcano Awareness Month 2020. Next week, another HVO team will write about its work:

HVO people and jobs, Part 2: Who and what is the Scientist-in-Charge?

Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory Scientist-in-Charge
since 2015, Tina Neal

Since HVO was founded by the visionary Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar in 1912, a senior scientist has been responsible for its work and staff. Over time, the leadership title has changed from "Director" to "Scientist-in-Charge", but the principal responsibilities endure: (1) ensure that HVO has funding, people, and equipment to research and monitor Hawaii’s volcanoes and warn of hazards; (2) lead observatory staff as they respond to, document, and study eruptions; and (3) engage with emergency managers, the public, and other government agencies to minimize negative impacts.

I've been in this job for nearly five years, and no matter what the volcanoes are doing, no two days are the same! They do, however, all start early when, over coffee, I review email on my phone, which is never far from me in case of a monitoring alarm or call from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense.

Once in the office, email and phone calls are a constant backdrop as I review manuscripts and research plans, write reports, and respond to inquiries. Some days, I'm offsite to confer with the National Park Service or others to plan operations or discuss volcano status. When agency leadership or Congressional visitors arrive, I provide briefings and tours to explain our volcano hazards and HVO's mission.

SICs hold many in-house meetings. Even with modern telecommunication tools, gathering staff in the same room is still critical to make sure operations are informed and coordinated. Every Monday morning, all HVO staff meet to discuss the week's developments and upcoming work plans. Other meetings may focus on our latest hazard assessment, plans for instrumentation expansion, or a particularly challenging science question.

It's important for me to walk through the office nearly every day to talk with colleagues. As time permits, I join staff in the field to better understand what HVO scientists deal with on the landscape. During both eruptive and quiet times, it is critical to witness things first hand.

Thomas A. Jaggar, shown at his desk circa 1925, founded
the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in 1912 and served as
its Director until he retired in 1940. Since then, volcano

monitoring and research efforts in Hawaiʻi have

been guided by 19 scientists who have served as

HVO's "Director" or "Scientist-in-Charge."USGS photo

A significant part of the SIC's job is the stuff of bureaucracy. As federal government employees, we must comply with federal regulations, ensure safe and efficient operations, and stay within budget. There seems to always be a new policy to digest and implement.

Thomas Jaggar passionately believed that communicating with the world about both the wonder and hazards of volcanoes is one of the most important things HVO can do. All SICs have continued this tradition and try to provide the public and decision-makers with accurate and helpful information. This often means asking HVO staff hard questions about what's happening and what we know or don't know. Taking it all in, the SIC must decide what action(s) to take and what to say at the next public meeting.

SICs are scientists first and foremost, and the love of volcanology is what we all have in common. Depending on who is in the job and the status of Hawaiʻi's volcanoes, each SIC may focus on different elements of HVO operations. Some spend much of their tenure doing basic research. Others have concentrated on emergency response, monitoring technique development, or plans for program growth. Most do a combination of these things.

It's rare for SICs to disappear after their terms end. Two former SICs, Jim Kauahikaua and Don Swanson, are still at HVO doing important science and mentoring new colleagues.

All SICs depend on the talented HVO team to get the job done. Increasingly, the extended HVO family includes volunteers, cooperators, and colleagues at sister observatories, universities, and other USGS offices.

Despite the bureaucratic load, the mysteries and discoveries on Hawaiian volcanoes make the job worthwhile. The most fulfilling aspects for me are helping HVO accomplish its mission and supporting the next generation of volcano scientists.

In 2018, I had the heartbreaking task of removing portraits of past HVO directors from inside HVO's earthquake-damaged ReggieOkamuraBuilding at the summit of Kīlauea. Despite feeling profoundly sad, I knew that HVO would carry on without missing a beat.

SIC Tina Neal during the 2018 eruption.

Being the leader of HVO in this inspirational place is arguably the best volcanology job in the world. We have learned an enormous amount about how Hawaiian volcanoes work, but there are important gaps yet to fill. Doing so on behalf of our island communities is a great motivator.

Some days, I'm exhausted by my to-do-list and mountain of worry. But then, the volcanoes do something surprising and wondrous, and it's all new again.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. Monitoring data showed no significant changes in seismicity and ground deformation. Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain low. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly expand and deepen.

Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption is certain.

This past week, 52 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa. Deformation indicates continued slow summit inflation. Fumarole temperature and gas concentrations on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable.

One earthquake with three or more felt reports occurred on the Island of Hawai‘i this past week: a magnitude-3.3 quake 13 km (8 mi) southeast of Volcano at 6 km (4 mi) depth on Jan. 13 at 8:55 p.m.

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

Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvofor past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. 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.

See monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed., Jan. 22 @HPA

Tue. and Wed., Jan. 28 and 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Mon., Jan. 20 @Honokaʻa

Mon., Jan. 27 @Kamehameha

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed., Jan. 22 and Sat., Jan. 25 Girls BIIF

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kamehameha

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kona Community Aquatic Center

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

SUNDAY, JAN. 19

Hi‘iaka & Pele, Sunday, Jan. 19, 9:30-11:30a.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, moderate, one-mile walk. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

MONDAY, JAN. 20

Fee Free Day at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Monday, Jan. 20, midnight-11:59p.m. Park entrance fees waived for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

AdvoCATS, Monday, Jan. 20, 7a.m.-4:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Free spay/neuter for cats. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

TUESDAY, JAN. 21

Cultural Understanding through Art & the Environment: Ti Leaf Lei Making with Jelena Clay, Tuesday, Jan. 21 – third Tuesday, Monthly – 11a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. Pre-registration required; class size limited. $10 per person supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

After Dark in the Park – Kīlauea Lower East Rift Zone 2019: Quiet But Insightful, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 7-8p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Why did the fissures erupt along a linear pattern? How long will it take for the lava to solidify? Why is vegetation still dying in the area? Join USGS HVO geologist Carolyn Parcheta as she explores these and other queries, and shares recent observations and findings by HVO scientists. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22

Kuʻi Kalo: Pound Poi, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lanai, HVNP. Make poi, the staple food of the Hawaiian diet. The root of the kalo plant is cooked and ku‘i (pounded) to create this classic Hawaiian dish. Join Ranger Keoni Kaholo‘a‘a as he shares his knowledge of kalo. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops. Free; Park entrance fess apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

FRIDAY, JAN. 24

Old Style Pau Hana Mele & Hula ‘Auana, Friday, Jan. 24 – fourth Friday, monthly – 4-5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Held outdoors, weather permitting. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

Palm Trail, Saturday, Jan. 25, 9:30-12:30p.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, relatively difficult, 2.6-mile, hike. Bring snack and water. nps.gov/havo

Sounds at the Summit: Hilo Jazz Orchestra Frank Zappa Tribute, Saturday, Jan. 25, 5:30-7:30p.m. Hawaiʻi Island musician and composer Trever Veilleux, director. Annual concert tends to sell out. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Blue Tattoo Band, Saturday, Jan. 25, 7-10p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Lava Lounge, in HVNP. $5 cover charge, free to in-house guests. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

ONGOING

Apply for Mosaics of Science by Monday, Feb. 3. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's 12-week paid summer internship position is designed to engage university students and recent graduates with on-the-ground work experience in the National Park Service. A $4,800 stipend, and all travel costs are covered, including a week-long career workshop in Washington, D.C. to meet with NPS managers.

The selected intern will assist with the development of education curriculum for Kīpukapuaulu and Pu‘u Loa trails in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
For more information, contact Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Education Specialist Jody Anastasio by email at j ody_anastasio@nps.gov. To apply go to go.nps.gov/mosaics or mosaicsinscience.org.

T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30-4:30pm, ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30-6p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511

Tūtū & Me Home Visiting Program is a free service to Pāhala families with keiki, birth to five years old. This caregiver support program offers those taking care of young keiki "a compassionate listening ear, helpful parenting tips and strategies, fun and exciting activities, and wonderful educational resources" from Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool. Home visits are one hour in length, two to four times per month, for 12 to 15 visits. Snacks are provided. See pidfoundation.org or call 808-938-1088.

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Kaʻū High Alumnus Tim Wright saw the first Southwest Airlines interisland flight land at HiloAirporttoday,
the moment of Kahu Daniel "Kaniela" Akaka, Jr. blessing the event. See more below.
Photo by Tim Wright Ka'u '77

EIGHT UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS have been chosen by the Hawaiʻi's state Senate. Sen. Kai Kahele said he and colleagues will attempt to reach the eight goals "to change the world." They are:

Good Health and Well-being, by providing access to quality, including mental and

behavioral health services; reducing youth vaping; and repurposing underutilized state facilities.

Quality Education, by improving teacher recruitment and retention, strengthening civic education programs, increasing revenue sources to support and enhance secondary education, and expanding career and technical education opportunities to develop a

21st century workforce.

Decent Work and Economic Growth, by promoting robust, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth; full and productive employment; and work for all by encouraging job creation and workforce development programs, embracing innovation, and developing sustainable business plans to invest in the future of Hawai’i.

Reduced Inequality, by working diligently to promote social, economic, and political

growth for all by increasing the minimum wage, requiring paid family leave, and creating a retirement savings program.

Sustainable Cities and Communities, by increasing access to affordable and transitional housing, reducing homelessness, increasing local food production to promote food security, protecting agricultural lands, improving infrastructure, and investing in modern transportation.

Climate Action, by promoting carbon neutrality, ocean conservation, sustainable land use, and protection of watersheds.

Peace and Justice Strong Institutions, by promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, and access to justice for all; building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions by exploring effective options to restructure government; increasing Hawai‘i's participation on the international level; enhancing public safety; improving social services; expanding the Sister State Program; supporting the State Archives; and increasing civic education statewide.

Partnerships to achieve the Goals, by encouraging and promoting effective public, private, and civil society partnerships; building on the experience and resourcing strategies of existing partnerships; enhancing a coherent policy for sustainable development; and building on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement economic goals.

The other nine U.N. goals are: Gender Equality, Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Life Below Water, and Life on Land.
Kahele said he urges citizens to become involved in the legislative process. "I remain committed to investing in policies that balance environmental sustainability with economic stability, unlocking the potential of a green economy for future generations. Hawaiʻi is already experiencing the devastating effects of climate change as coastal erosion and sea level rise occur. Protecting our environment and natural resources continues to be a priority for me this legislative session.

Kahele is Chair of the Senate Water and Land committee, and said the committee will continue to pursue initiatives to ensure Hawaiʻi "remains a global leader in addressing sustainability and climate change issues. He is also running for Congress, the seat to be left open by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
Contact Kahele at (808) 586-6760 or senkkahele@capitol.hawaii.gov with any questions or concerns.

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BOTH KAʻŪ STATE SENATORS JOINED THE ENVIRONMENTAL CAUCUS, launched this month for the 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature. Sen. Russell Ruderman and Sen. Dru Kanhua are part of this new group, formed "to encourage legislative action on pressing environmental issues." The inaugural meeting was Tuesday, Jan. 7. Members discussed legislative priorities for the 2020 session. The caucus is co-chaired by Representative Nicole Lowen, Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, and Senator Mike Gabbard, Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment.

Among the many environmental issues discussed by caucus members, climate change adaptation to sea level rise, resilience to natural disasters, forest and coral reef protection, and reducing the use of fossil fuels in the transportation and energy sectors were identified as issues to prioritize for legislative action this session. The caucus also recognized the need to address issues related to invasive species, drinking water safety, solid waste management, cesspools, and inclusion of environmental justice concerns in policymaking.

Sen. Dru Kanuha, second from left, during discussion on the Environmental Caucus. Photo from Facebook

According to a statement from the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives, "The caucus will build on legislation passed in recent years that has made Hawaiʻi a leader in environmental policy. It was the first state to pass a 100 percent clean energy goal and to ban the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos. Hawaiʻi was also the first place in the world to protect its reefs from harmful sunscreen chemicals. In recent years, the legislature has passed dozens of bills to protect the environment, advance renewable energy, expand clean transportation, and address the challenges of climate change, including establishing the Hawaiʻi Climate Commission, implementing the State's first appliance efficiency standards, and mandating the replacement of polluting cesspools by 2050.

Kanuha said, "Excited to start important discussions about issues such as sea level rise, coastal erosion and mitigating the detriments of climate change in the islands."

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SOUTHWEST AIRLINES LAUNCHED FOUR DAILY FLIGHTS between Hiloand Honolulu today. The airline was blessed by Kahu Daniel "Kaniela" Akaka, Jr. just after landing at HiloAirport. Kaʻū High Alumnus Tim Wright declared "game on" for lower interisland plane tickets prices. He caught the first Southwest Airlines interisland flight landing at Hilo today, and caught the moment of blessing the event.

Flights from Hiloto Honolulu and back start at $39 each way, with one free bag and a surfboard, or two free bags. There are no charges for changing flights. See southwest.com.

See more on the new flights on Friday's Kaʻū New Briefs.

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HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC SOURCED 21 PERCENT OF ITS ELECTRICITY IN 2019 FROM RENEWABLES. The utility made the announcement it its year end report released Friday. Hawaiʻi's solar generation capacity increased by the largest single-year margin since Hawaiian Electric began tracking solar capacity in 2005. The state's solar capacity grew from 745 cumulative installed megawatts in 2018 to 902 megawatts at the end of 2019.

Rooftop solar is increasing across the state. Photo by Julia Neal

Hawaiʻi boasts the highest residential rooftop solar penetration in the nation, and rooftop solar use and installations are on the rise. On Hawaiʻi Island, 21 percent of single-family homes have rooftop solar, with 27 percent of Maui County single-family homes and 37 of Oʻahu single-family homes having rooftop solar. Residential customers across Hawaiian Electric's system are using one percent more rooftop solar, up from 18 percent in 2018. Use of residential rooftop solar installations rose 4.6 percent, to 77,801 in 2019 from 74,331 in 2018. New rooftop solar systems across Hawaiʻi Island, Maui County, and Oʻahu numbered about 3,500 in 2019.

The increases in use of renewable energy support the state's goal of 30 percent renewable energy by the end of 2020. Reinstatement of Puna Geothermal Venture, if approved by the Public Utilities Commission, will add toward that goal. Hawaiian Electric's five-island system sports about 3.5 million solar panels. This includes the West Loch solar array on Oʻahu, which came online last year, producing 20 megawatts.

Shelee Kimura, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president of customer service, said, "The numbers show the adoption of residential rooftop solar remains strong, increasing year after year across all of our islands. Rooftop solar is a critical piece of the renewable mix, and our plans call for tripling the amount already installed to help move the state toward a clean energy future."

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 WARNING ABOUT A TELEPHONE SCAM circulating on Hawaiʻi Island is announced by Hawaiʻi Police Department.

HPD stated a victim received a telephone recorded message call which stated the victim's Apple account had been hacked. The recording suggested staying on the line for further assistance. A male individual then told the victim "your Apple account has been hacked" and requested the victim's assistance in catching the hackers by purchasing gift cards, after which the cost would be immediately refunded back to the victim. The victim made the gift card purchases and provided the gift cards' security codes to the caller. The victim then received several emails, purportedly from Apple Care, telling the victim the gift card purchases had been refunded. The telephone call and the subsequent emails were deemed to be fraudulent, stated HPD.

Police advise the public to verify that telephone calls are legitimate, especially those calls in which recorded messages are played upon answering. The Federal Trade Commission recommends hanging up on robocalls (automated phone calls that deliver a recorded message), then report the call to the FTC. These calls are illegal, and often the products being offered are bogus, stated HPD. "Don't press 1 to speak to a person or to be taken off the list as this could lead to more calls."

More tips can be found at consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0060-10-things-you-can-do-avoid-fraud. Scams, such as this one, can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov, and additional information about recently reported scams can also be found at consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts.

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Kaʻū Voices members Edna Montague, Tyler Schaeffer, and Laura Stern, during today's march.
Photo by Laurie Boyle

Kaʻū Voices: Candy Casper, Laura Stern, Edna Montague,

Laurie Boyle, Missi Wheeler, Ed Giant, and Tyler Schaeffer.

Photo from
Kaʻū Voices

THE 4TH ANNUAL WOMEN'S MARCH IN HILO TODAY, according to a statement from Kaʻū Voices, was "a fabulous day with an amazing group of activists." Organizer Laurie Boyle said, "We registered voters, sold reusable produce bags, had people submit their recycling and upcycling ideas, and offered buttons for people to create." Kaʻū Voices members were joined during the march by Volcano Community Action Network members.
The theme of Hilo's 4th annual Women's March, according to hawaiipublicradio.org, was Hawaiʻi Counts! and the event focused on the importance of voting and engagement in this "critical election year."

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.

VARSITY TROJANS BASKETBALL at Hiloyesterday was a hard one for the Kaʻū Girls team, with Hilotaking the game, 72 to 7.

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.

See monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed., Jan. 22 @HPA

Tue. and Wed., Jan. 28 and 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Mon., Jan. 20 @Honokaʻa

Mon., Jan. 27 @Kamehameha

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Soccer

Wed., Jan. 22 and Sat., Jan. 25 Girls BIIF

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Wrestling

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kamehameha

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Swimming

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kona Community Aquatic Center

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

UPCOMING

MONDAY, JAN. 20

Fee Free Day at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Monday, Jan. 20, midnight-11:59p.m. Park entrance fees waived for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

AdvoCATS, Monday, Jan. 20, 7a.m.-4:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Free spay/neuter for cats. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

TUESDAY, JAN. 21

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, Jan. 23, 3-4 p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for community members. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP to Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584 or domingoc1975@yahoo.com.

FRIDAY, JAN. 24

Old Style Pau Hana Mele & Hula ‘Auana, Friday, Jan. 24 – fourth Friday, monthly – 4-5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Held outdoors, weather permitting. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

Palm Trail, Saturday, Jan. 25, 9:30-12:30p.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, relatively difficult, 2.6-mile, hike. Bring snack and water. nps.gov/havo

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.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou's annual Keiki Fishing Tournament will be open for registration this Wednesday, Jan. 22. The annual
event takes place this year at Punaluʻu on Saturday, Feb. 22. See okaukakou.org and the
organization's Facebook page. See more details below. Photo by Nalani Parlin

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY drew a message today from Kaʻū's congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard:

"Today is, in many ways, the most important of our nation's cherished holidays. Martin Luther King Jr. Day represents who we aspire to be rather than simply celebrating who we are or what we've been. On this day, we celebrate Dr. King's legacy — the values of freedom, liberty, and justice for all.
"Dr. King's legacy is one of love. Through his life, he showed us all by his example how, even in our darkest of days, we can choose love. His example has inspired me from a very young age, where I personally experienced that I was happiest when serving God, working for the wellbeing of others and the planet. It's what has motivated me throughout my life, serving in public office, and serving our nation in uniform.
"Today I stood at the state house in Columbia, South Carolina to honor Dr. King's legacy, to remember Ms. Septima Clark of Charlestown who Dr. King called the 'Mother of the Movement,' and to reflect on today's importance to our nation, to all its people, to me:

Kaʻū's Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard at Martin Luther King celebration in Columbia, South Carolina today.
Photo from Gabbard

Click here to watch full speech from today's MLK Day event.
"Ultimately, the legacy of Dr. King is one of peace and freedom. He understood that the road to peace, freedom, and justice requires that we stand up to violence, injustice and fear without doing greater violence, inflicting greater injustice or instilling greater fear. He understood that if we are serious about being a force for good in the world, a force for God's love, we must proceed from a place of love for all of God's children.
"Dr. King opposed the Vietnam War, because he saw the connection between the fact that our government spent '$35 billion a year' to fight in Vietnam, but would not spend '$44 million to get rid of the rats' in impoverished American communities.
"Today, our leaders waste trillions of dollars on the new cold war and wasteful regime change wars that haven't made us any safer, and then they tell us we can't afford healthcare and education."
Gabbard wrote that if she should become U.S. President, she would "uphold Dr. King's legacy by taking the trillions of dollars we are now wasting to enact death and destruction, and investing it in the cause of life and renewal here in the United States of America."

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on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

STRONG ECONOMIC MEASURES are promised by the 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature, which is underway. The House of Representatives, Senate, and Gov. David Ige issued a joint statement, as House Speaker Scott Saiki announced a package of bills to tackle issues highlighted in Aloha United Way's 2017 report called ALICE: A Study of Financial Hardship in Hawaiʻi.

The ALICE Report sponsors are Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, and Bank of Hawaiʻi. ALICE - Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed - describes economic hardships of many working individuals and families in Hawaiʻi. After paying for expenses such as housing, child care, food, taxes, health care, and transportation, a family of four needs to earn roughly $77,000 a year simply to survive, according to ALICE.

The Speaker said the aim is to address the high cost of living in Hawaiʻi by directly supporting "individuals and families who are struggling the most to make ends meet. Every dollar counts when you are trying to stretch each paycheck just to meet basic needs. By increasing wages and tax benefits, investing in child care, and creating more affordable housing units, the Legislature, together with public and private partners, is working to end the cycle of poverty."
This is the first joint House and Senate legislative bill package since 2004 and it has the backing of the Governor. Saiki called it "an example of innovative reforms and targeted investments to help ensure a better future for residents and the state."

ALICE is the inspiration for a package of proposals in
the 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature that seek to reduce poverty,
raise income and housing opportunities, and improve
education. Image from The ALICE Report

Senate Pres. Ron Koichi said, "In these divisive times, this collaborative package is the result of the hard work done over the interim months by House and Senate leaders, with input from stakeholders and administrative departments, that strikes an optimistic tone in addressing these issues. We are aware that this is a good first step toward making a difference and hopefully, with continued cooperation from all parties, we will continue to invest in Hawaiʻi and in our youth."
Ige said it provides a blueprint for changes for generations to come, to better the lives of Hawaiʻi's people and make the islands a place that future generations will be able afford to call home. "Many of our families are living paycheck to paycheck, and this proposed package of bills is designed to ease the burden on those struggling to stay afloat and provide a more stable future for the next generation."
The legislative economic package targets tax relief for working class families and individuals; increases the minimum wage, develops leasehold housing for the working class; provides tax exemptions for developers to build below market priced homes; provides infrastructure for developments at or near rail stations; expands childcare options for parents near their work places, creates a new Schools Facilities Agency and allows the state Department of Education to focus on education.
Rep. Sylvia Luke, Chair of the House Finance Committee pointed to the ALICE report, saying it "shows that large cost drivers, primarily taxes, housing, and childcare, coupled with relatively low income levels make cost of living a challenge for too many Hawaiʻi families. Instead of trying to resolve these issues in silos, we, along with community members, came together and decided, 'Let's help our working people.' That's why what we have is not just about wages, and not just about affordability of housing, and not just about childcare needs. It's about raising up that entire group of our population."
Ways and Means Committee Chair Donovn Dele Cruz said, "This joint House, Senate, Governor effort is a real integrated approach to help working families with increasing their take home pay amounts, providing pre-school for their children, and increasing housing supply." A joint press release from the House, Senate and Governor describes programs:

Reducing Income Inequality:"To put money back into the pockets of residents, one measure will provide tax relief for working families by making the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) refundable and permanent. That means qualified families can get a cash refund of up to $380 through this tax credit. For many people, earning minimum wage is not enough to provide enough to live on. This package includes a bill that will provide incremental increases in the minimum wage bringing it to $13 an hour by 2024. But raising the minimum wage alone is not a solution to providing economic stability."
Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson, Chair of the Labor and Public Employment Committee, said, "The $75 million in tax relief is some of the largest "for working class folks that the Legislature has made in the last few decades. By coupling a minimum wage increase with the tax relief, we're ensuring that working class families and individuals not only increase their income, but also offset any increased taxes from those wage gains."
Senate Labor, Culture, and the Arts Chair Brian T. Taniguchi said, "I like the idea of a joint Senate-House-Governor proposal for a package that addresses income inequality by providing relief for the working poor. Although the increases to the minimum wage may seem modest, the proposal must be seen in its overall positive impact and in its embrace of the 'aloha spirit' toward those that are struggling in our society."
Norm Baker, chief operating officer at Aloha United Way, said, "The Alice Report showed us that 47 percent of our households are barely able to provide for the five basic essentials of housing, childcare, food, transportation, and healthcare. These families are left vulnerable as their budget – $28,296 for a single adult and $77,052 for a family of four – does not allow for savings and unexpected expenses. It could take just one incident for these households to fall into a crisis. We have to do better for our families. We are grateful that our lawmakers are working on a legislative package and partnering with nonprofits and the private sector to create solutions that will help lift our ALICE households."

Increasing Affordable Housing: The proposal states that the ability to buy a home is part of the American dream but many in Hawaiʻi cannot compete with outside investors to purchase homes and condos beyond their economic reach. To address this issue, the state will identify publicly-owned properties that can be used to develop 99-year leasehold units. Half of those homes will be reserved for working-class families earning up to 140 percent of the area median income (AMI).

Rep. Tom Brower, Chair of the House Housing Committee, said, "Leasehold sales will ensure that the homes will be reserved for local residents because the investment market is not interested in leasehold. And leasehold will keep the prices down well below the median therefore making it affordable."
According to the plan, the state will also invest $200 million in General Obligation Bonds to defray infrastructure costs for developers willing to build around the first open rail stations in West Oahu and offer a General Excise Tax exemption for projects that meet the goal of 140 percent AMI or below. "The goal is to build 10,000 units," said Brower. "Developers say the cost of infrastructure makes projects cost prohibitive. This provides a great incentive and will jumpstart construction and expand the number of affordable, available homes on the market."

Fifty-five percent of Hawaiʻi Island residents are below the
ALICE Threshold. Image from ALICE

Access to Learning for all 3- and 4-year-olds: The proposal states that all families want the best for their children and studies have shown that an early education contributes significantly to how well a student does in school. But finding affordable child care that is also convenient to homes or business is often difficult.
The proposal says: "The lack of affordable child care serves as a major barrier for families trying to better their economic circumstance. Many families are forced to forgo child care and early learning for their children and those who do budget for child care spend about one-third of their incomes on it. Lawmakers have been struggling to expand public early learning facilities for decades."

To solve this problem, this package contains a bill to create a public-private model to increase the capacity at existing private childcare facilities supported with public funds and also develop new facilities for early learning programs for 3- and 4-year-old children where they are needed.
State-owned sites including all the university campuses will provide space to incorporate early learning centers near where people work. Learning centers will also be developed on state properties on the neighbor islands.
Rep. Justin H. Woodson, Chair of the Lower & Higher Education Committee, said, "The best way to do something about childcare is to provide early learning. Providing many more early learning centers across the state will help 3-, 4-, and early 5-year-old children the chance to truly be ready for kindergarten."

Seventy-seven percent of Kaʻū residents are below the ALICE Threshold.
Image from ALICE

Senate Vice President Michelle N. Kidani said, "The Learning To Grow legislation will expand access to early learning opportunities to keiki across our state. It is well documented that early learning has a substantial positive effect on long-term academic success, and we owe it to our keiki to give them the best possible chance at success that we can.
"The action to move school facilities out of the Department Education is not intended to be punitive in nature; this is simply an acknowledgement that proper and appropriate facilities management requires a different skillset from education. This new School Construction Authority will have the ability to redevelop our campuses and transform our schools into 21st Century learning centers for our students."
Micah Kane, board member of Hawaiʻi Executive Collaborative and CEO and president of Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, said, "Our state is at a crossroads – people we love are leaving Hawaiʻi not because they want to, but because they have to. They can no longer afford to live here. Two of the primary cost drivers are the lack of affordable housing and childcare options. Addressing these challenges will not be easy, however, I do believe it can be done through our collective effort. Our public-private partnership with the state, legislature, nonprofits, and the private sector gives me hope that together, we will solve these issues for our families. If we are so lucky, our families will stay home and come home."
Building Educational Results: In order to allow the Department of Education "to closely focus on its primary purpose of teaching our children, the legislature proposes to create a new Schools Facilities Agency to oversee major construction and repair projects in our schools," says the proposal.
The governor will appoint an executive director for the new agency which will be responsible for all public school construction except for repair and maintenance projects that cost $100,000 or less.
"This new agency will focus on the construction of major building projects at existing and new schools," said Luke. "This proposal will ensure that school construction is done in a timely manner with public input and strong oversight. This will enhance the learning experience and give all students a better chance for success."
The statement from the 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature and governor points to Hawaiʻi Business Magazine's article Half of Hawaiʻi Barely Gets By. Read here. Read the ALICE Report.

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Bamboo poles are provided for the hundreds of keiki participants every year at the ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Fishing Tournament.

Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

ʻO KAʻŪ KĀKOU'S 12TH ANNUAL KEIKI FISHING TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION opens Wednesday, Jan. 22, through Wednesday, Feb. 19 at noon. The tournament, held each year at Punaluʻu, is a huge draw for Kaʻū

Even the smallest of fisherpeople catch something during

the OKK Keiki Fishing Tournament. OKK photo

residents. Whole families make a day of it. Keiki as young as one year old up to age 14 can register online at okaukakou.org, or pick up a registration form at local stores, to be announced.

Last year's tournament had over 275 keiki entrants, and the shores held almost 1,000 participants and volunteers. Those fishing in the ocean catch, measure, and release their catches. Poles, hooks, buckets, and bait are provided.

Every participant receives a prize. Special prizes are awarded to the top three largest catch in each of five categories: Largest Kupipi, Largest Po‘opa‘a, Largest Hinalea, Largest Āholehole, and Most Caught.

Last year's event boasted free chili, hot dogs, rice, brownies, shave ice, and water for everyone. For fisherpersons under age four, a little plastic pool was provided, filled with rubber duckies for them to fish for – with magnets, not hooks. Tents let people relax out of the sun. Keiki could participate in a fish quiz for prizes. There was also a raffle drawing which included fishing poles,

The fun isn't all in the water. Keiki answer the fish quiz,

win a prize, and they're hooked! OKK photo

gift cards, mini drones, and electric scooter prizes, and live music to entertain. There were also booths at the event: PARENTS, Inc., Department of Land & Natural Resources, Barbless Circle Hooks Project, United Health Care Community Plan, and the American Red Cross.

OKK' s website states: "Since 2007, OKK has sponsored a fishing tournament for hundreds of area children and their families. The tournament continues to be a huge success! Local families are treated to a day of fishing, a chance to win numerous goodies in a random drawing, there's free food for everyone, and every kid goes home with a prize of their choice."

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.

See monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed., Jan. 22 @HPA

Tue. and Wed., Jan. 28 and 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Mon., Jan. 20 @Honokaʻa

Mon., Jan. 27 @Kamehameha

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed., Jan. 22 and Sat., Jan. 25 Girls BIIF

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kamehameha

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kona Community Aquatic Center

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

MONDAY, JAN. 20

Fee Free Day at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Monday, Jan. 20, midnight-11:59p.m. Park entrance fees waived for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

AdvoCATS, Monday, Jan. 20, 7a.m.-4:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Free spay/neuter for cats. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

TUESDAY, JAN. 21

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22

THURSDAY, JAN. 23
PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, Jan. 23 and 24, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, Jan. 23, 3-4 p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for community members. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP to Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584 or domingoc1975@yahoo.com.

FRIDAY, JAN. 24

Old Style Pau Hana Mele & Hula ‘Auana, Friday, Jan. 24 – fourth Friday, monthly – 4-5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Held outdoors, weather permitting. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

Palm Trail, Saturday, Jan. 25, 9:30-12:30p.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, relatively difficult, 2.6-mile, hike. Bring snack and water. nps.gov/havo

MONDAY, JAN. 27

Cultural Understanding Through Art & the Environment: Kapa Aloha ʻĀina, the fabric of Hawaiʻi with Puakea Forester, Monday, Jan. 27 – fourth Monday, monthly – 2:30-4:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Pre-registration required; class size limited. $10 per person supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.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.

KUPU, which has offered numerous youth training and stewardship programs involving Kaʻū, received
special recognition in Gov. David Ige's State of the State address today. Photo from KUPU

"A NEW URGENCY FOR THE ʻĀINA" was proclaimed today by Gov. David Ige in his State of the State address. "Like our host culture, we sustain our environment by protecting it," said the governor, speaking at the state Capitol. More from his speech:
"Stewardship of the ʻāina has always been a central part of public policy here in Hawaiʻi. It is embedded in our state motto and in the awareness of our children from an early age. The life of our lands has always depended on right thinking and a love of this place we call home.
"But there is a new danger threatening the ʻāina, and it comes from climate change. No one need tell us how global warming is directly impacting our lives or the lives of: Families who live along the North Shore of Oʻahu, or those who suffered from recent historic storms on Kauaʻi, or the people of West Maui, who were affected by unprecedented high tides, or those affected by devastating wildfires on The Valley Isle."
Ige pointed out that "recently, Time Magazine named Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg its Person of the Year for 2019. She is a passionate and compelling youngster who believes we all have a part to play in preventing climate change. She sets an example for all of us. "
Ige challenged "our own young students to think about Greta's message to us. The adults in this room often talk about sustainability and the future. But for those under 21, it is more about your future than ours. It is never too early to take ownership of it.
"Because it's as much about everyday activities as it is about large or sweeping public policy. We can work with the Legislature to permanently set aside 10,000 acres in conservation under the State's Legacy Land program, as we have over the last year and a half. We can mandate 100-percent clean energy usage by 2045. But without your involvement, public policy is just that: a policy written on a piece of paper. It is your support and daily participation that transforms those policies into meaningful actions.

The state's Legacy Land Conservation Program, which has helped to conserve many thousands of acres in Kaʻū,
was mentioned by Gov. David Ige today as he declared, "A New Urgency for the ʻĀina."
Image from Legacy Land Conservation Program

The governor gave the example of KUPU, the nonprofit youth organization "dedicated to making a difference in their communities," which has participated in many land and ocean stewardship projects in Kaʻū. He thanked John Leong, Director of KUPU, and asked a group from KUPU to
"stand and be recognized for their contributions to making a difference in Hawaiʻi."
He said the KUPU volunteers "are only a few years older than those of you who are still in school. The future will be here faster than you think. But you don't have to wait for that day to come. These young folks have shown how you can make a difference right now."
The governor began his speech by reminding everyone that on Jan. 1, "We welcomed the dawn of not only a new year, but a new decade. For those under 30, that may not seem like a big deal. But for those who grew up without the internet — when The Lord of the Rings was a book you read and not a movie you watched — time has a way of sneaking up on us.
"Could any of us have imagined the changes and discoveries that have already taken place in this century? Smart phones, 3-D printers, Facebook, and self-driving cars. And it seems that each year, change happens faster and faster.

The transition from sugar to small farms in Hawaiʻi received mention in the State of the State
address today. This Kaʻū Coffee Farm was started by local coffee pioneers Francis and
Trinidad Marques. Photo by Julia Neal

"How do you keep up with it all? If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit, we can't. We go along with the flow and hang on for dear life.
"But the issues that concern our families haven't changed for as long as I can remember: Finding a job that pays the bills, dealing with Hawaiʻi's high cost of living, and taking care of our family."
The governor praised ALICE, the study sponsored by the Aloha United Way, which reported that a family of four in Hawaiʻi needs a combined annual income of $77,000 "just to survive... to pay for food, housing, health care, childcare, and taxes.
"If you asked working families in Hawaiʻi whether they make $77,000 a year, many would answer, 'no.' If you asked families who made $77,000 whether that was enough, I suspect the answer would still be, 'no,'" said Ige.
The governor detailed the 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature package of bills that is based on the ALICE Report. See yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs for the story.
The governor cautioned, however, that "Great things do not happen overnight. To paraphrase Robert Kennedy, they begin with a vision to see things, not as they are, but as they might be."
He talked about transformation of agriculture in Hawaiʻi, saying that "large plantations that exported sugar and pineapple to smaller more diversified farms that grow food for local consumption is such a vision. But it has taken a while.
"The transition of our visitor industry from a sector that focuses on growth to one that embraces sustainability is just beginning. It, too, will take time. In fact, the shift to sustainability in many of the things we pursue—including energy, economic development, and the environment—will continue long after we are gone. That is why we cannot lose sight of those broader goals, no matter the obstacles, changes in administration, or how long the process."
See more on the State of the State in tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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Veteran farmers marketer Millie Akau, who sells at the Ace Hardware site until the end of January.
Photo by Julia Neal

ʻO KAʻŪ KĀKOU WILL HOST A FARMERS MARKET on Wednesdays in Nāʻālehu, beginning Feb. 5, on its open land on the mauka side of Hwy 11 that formerly hosted Nāʻālehu Fruit Stand. The operation will be managed by Sue Barnett. The purpose of the farmers market, according to OKK, is to provide a large space for the community to sell and buy produce and to help raise money for the planned senior housing at the location. The start-up of the new farmers market will follow the closure of the market at the Ace Hardware location in Nāʻālehu at the end of January.

Contact Barnett at kaufarmer@aol.com of 808-845-9374.

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.

See monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed., Jan. 22 @HPA

Tue. and Wed., Jan. 28 and 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Mon., Jan. 27 @Kamehameha

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed., Jan. 22 and Sat., Jan. 25 Girls BIIF

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kamehameha

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kona Community Aquatic Center

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22

FRIDAY, JAN. 24

Old Style Pau Hana Mele & Hula ‘Auana, Friday, Jan. 24 – fourth Friday, monthly – 4-5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Held outdoors, weather permitting. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

Palm Trail, Saturday, Jan. 25, 9:30-12:30p.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, relatively difficult, 2.6-mile, hike. Bring snack and water. nps.gov/havo

MONDAY, JAN. 27

TUESDAY, JAN. 28

After Dark in the Park – Seismicity of the 2018 Kīlauea Volcano Eruption, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 7-8p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. HVO seismologist Brian Shiro recounts the 2018 earthquake story, including how HVO adapted its techniques to monitor the events, and describes current levels of seismicity and HVO’s ongoing efforts to improve seismic monitoring. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

H.O.V.E. Road Maintenance Corp. Board Mtg., Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 10a.m., H.O.V.E. RMC office, 92-8979 Lehua Lane, Ocean View. 929-9910, hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Lava Tubes of Ocean View, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at OceanViewCommunity Center. Presented by Peter and Annie Bosted, it will include presentation of images of the underground in the Ocean View area – especially an extensive system in the Kahuku Unit of the HawaiiVolcanoesNational Park, which abuts HOVE– and Hawaiian lava tubes in general. Those who want to know more about what's going on under their feet, and those curious about lava tubes are invited to the free presentation, along with family and friends, said the Bosteds.

ONGOING

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The State of the State, presented in the Hawaiʻi Capitol on Tuesday. See story below and in
Tuesday's Kaʻū News Briefs. Photo from Hawaiʻi House of Representatives

A FLU VACCINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THIS YEAR with the threat of the novel coronavirus (2019nCOV), according to the state Department of Health. DOH issued a statement today, advising physicians statewide to be alert for patients who traveled from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. DOH provided a detailed medical advisory to healthcare providers on reporting, testing, specimen collection, and interim healthcare infection control recommendations. DOH advised providers to notify DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division immediately if a patient meets the case criteria.

Coronavirus advisory was issued today by the state Department
of Health. Photo from WebMd

DOH advises everyone (six months and older), especially those who travel, to receive a flu vaccination. Dr. Sarah Park, state epidemiologist, said, “With the current flu activity, there will likely be crossover in clinical presentation so the more people vaccinated against flu, the more helpful that will be.”
DOH promised to closely monitor the outbreak of 2019-nCoV in China and to regularly coordinate with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition to issuing the Medical Advisory, DOH is coordinating with Emergency Medical Service personnel/first responders, the Department of Transportation, and infection control partners in medical facilities throughout the state. DOH is also monitoring its respiratory surveillance network which reviews flu activity in the state. Online resources for the 2019-nCoV are posted at health.hawaii.gov/prepare/cdc-issues-warning-about-pneumonia-cases-in-wuhan-china-caused-by-novel-coronavirus/.
The outbreak of a 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China has been developing since December 2019. At lease 300 confirmed infections and several deaths in China are confirmed along with cases in Thailand, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and U.S. with one case in Washington state. While human-to-human transmission appears limited, the situation

New Conovirus spread from China to Thailand, Korea, Japan,
and U.S. State Department of Health recommends the flu shot.
Map from Center for Disease Control

continues to evolve. Nearly all travelers from China enter the state from other U.S. or international ports of entry that are being monitored, stated the DOH statement.
DOH recommends for anyone who traveled to Wuhan and feels sick: Seek medical care right away. Before going to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and report recent travel and symptoms. Stay home. Except for seeking medical care, avoid contact with others. Do not travel while sick. Cover your mouth and nose with tissue or sleeve (not hands) when coughing or sneezing.
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
For more information, including information for clinicians and public health professionals, please go to the following CDC and WHO webpages:
wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/watch/novel-coronavirus-china
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/novel-coronavirus-2019.html
www.who.int/csr/don/05-january-2020-pneumonia-of-unkown-cause-china/en/

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AGRICULTURE AND SELF SUFFICIENCY were addressed by Gov. David Ige in Tuesday's State of the State. He gave special recognition to Kaʻū's members of the state House of Representatives - Rep. Richard Creagan, who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, and Rep. Richard Onishi, who serves on it.
Ige said, "Perhaps the longest transition we have experienced recently has been the transformation of our agricultural industry from large-scale farming to more diversified farms. But there is one important difference in today's efforts from yesterday's, and that's technology. As in other fields, we have seen the rise of technology change the face of everything in society. In agriculture, it too has been a game changer. It has enabled farmers to produce higher yields in the field and more precise targeting strategies in the marketplace. Consequently, we are seeing a greater willingness to invest in local agricultural endeavors."

Rep. Richard Onishi serves east
Kaʻū and on the Agriculture
Committee. Photo from Onishi

The governor pointed to recent agricultural start-ups. "Mahi Pono, which bought 41,000 acres of former sugar cane land, is raising potatoes in central Maui. And they want to plant another 120 acres of citrus trees and 20 acres of non-GMO papayas. Their plans also include growing avocados, bell peppers, guava, lilikoi, oranges, lemons and limes.
"Sensei Farms is transforming agriculture on Lanaʻi by using a mix of proven and innovative technology to power its hydroponic greenhouses on former pineapple fields. This mix of traditional farming and new technology is the wave of the future for agriculture throughout the state." En Young of Sensei Farms attended the State of the State with recognition from Ige.
Ige contended that "More than at any other time in our history, local farmers have it within their grasp to make a difference in our drive toward self-sufficiency."
Sustaining the economy and lifestyle was another topic in the governor's address: "You know, we can initiate a host of activities to encourage local food production, stimulate our economy, and protect our environment. But the key has always been whether we are able to keep those initiatives going. And so sustainability has been an integral part of our efforts.
"How do we sustain our economy, our lifestyle and our natural environment? We do it first by developing clean energy sources. With a flurry of commercial solar projects in the pipeline and local homeowners' enthusiasm for residential solar power, we will meet our 2020 energy goal of attaining 30 percent of our energy needs from renewable sources."

Dr. Richard Creagan serves
West Kaʻū, leads Committee
on Agriculture.

The governor insisted that "The significance of this initial pivot to clean and renewable energy cannot be overstated. We have become a leader in this effort, and our actions have inspired other states to follow. Since we set a goal to become carbon negative by 2045, four other states have followed our lead. So far, we have successfully reduced our greenhouse gas emissions and will meet our goal for 2020. And our utilities are meeting our clean electricity goals faster and at record low prices.
He gave some examples: "Today, 37 percent of Oʻahu's single-family residences have rooftop solar. On certain days, Kauaʻi is already achieving 100 percent of electricity from clean energy sources, decades ahead of when we thought this would be possible.
"We will continue to aggressively engage in actions that will continue to de-carbonize our economy and make our environment whole.
"Sustaining our economy has replaced the old mantra of growing the economy," proclaimed the governor. He pointed to a "shift in focus in our biggest industry. In 2019, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority shifted its priorities from increasing visitor arrivals to improving the visitor experience, while supporting the quality of life for residents. Through HTA's Aloha ʻĀina program, 28 nonprofit and government agencies were given funding for programs to help protect Hawaiʻi's natural resources.
"For example, the authority is working to repair and improve hiking trails like those at Mānoa Falls. Through its Kūkula Ola program, the authority has funded 28 programs this year and committed to fund 43 more programs in 2020 that perpetuate Hawaiian culture. The beneficiaries are programs and groups like the Lānaʻi Culture & Heritage Center, Hula Hālau O Molokai, Hana Arts, the Edith K. Kanakaʻole Foundation, the Kalihi-Palama Culture & Arts Society, and so many more."

The governor said that small diverse farming is more likely now than
ever and praised Mahi Pono, which delivered 30,000 pounds of
potatoes grown in Hawaiʻi to the Food Bank this month.
Photo from Food Bank

The governor also gave his latest view on Maunakea. "While we are on the subject of Native Hawaiian culture, let me digress for just a moment and speak on the Thirty Meter Telescope and Mauna Kea. Emotions have run high on both sides. The arguments are strong on both sides, and that's what makes the situation so difficult. There is no easy answer or quick solution. We will have to work hard if we want to resolve this conflict. But I truly believe it can be resolved, if we put our heads and our hearts together.
"There are some who have encouraged me to take strong measures against those who are protesting on Mauna Kea. That would have been the easier course. But it is not just the authority of the law that is at stake. It is much more than that.
"What is also at risk is the glue that has always bound us together: our sense of aloha. It is the thing that underpins our laws and gives them meaning and an ethical foundation. That trust in each other is also sacred. And I will not break that bond, no matter how convenient or easy.
"At the heart of our dilemma is both the history of wayfinding and discovery and the future of wayfinding and discovery. If we have lost our way, we must find our way back."

"To do this, we must be open hearted, as well as open minded. We must listen, as well as speak with conviction, and we must have aloha for each other, in spite of our differences. I am of that mind, and I ask all to join me in continuing to look for a way forward. I stand ready to work with any and everyone who refuses to let this issue divide us. Let us together find a way forward," said the governor in concluding his speech.

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Group shot of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park volunteers and supervisors taken Jan. 22. NPS photo/Janice Wei

VOLUNTEERS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE MISSION OF HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK; the Park would have a tough time fulfilling its mission without its corps of dedicated volunteers, says a statement released today.

Last year, 651 park volunteers contributed 27,568 hours of their time helping the Park. They worked in museum collections and archives, led hikes and answered countless visitor questions, monitored the backcountry, restored native forest, maintained trails, helped save native animals like honu‘ea (hawksbill turtles) and other endangered species, and so much more. Their invaluable effort is equal to 13.25 full-time equivalent employees working 40 hours a week, or $701,000, according to Park estimates.

Kupono McDaniel
Photo by Julia Neal

On Wednesday, the park and its non-profit partners, the Friends of Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association, hosted a lunch and appreciation party for the volunteers. Volunteer coordinator Kūpono McDaniel told volunteers that the park could not fulfill its mission without their invaluable efforts.

McDaniel said, "On behalf of the entire park, we are deeply humbled by all that you do. When more than 600 people are willing to do my job for free, I am reminded how powerful and far-reaching our work really is. Volunteers are the true philanthropists, the people who give their most valuable commodity, their time, to ensure our parks are here for the next generation."

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.

Anyone interested in volunteering at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park can visit volunteer.gov/gov, or contact Kūpono McDaniel at (808) 985-6015 or kupono_mcdaniel@nps.gov.

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TROJANS TASTED VICTORY on Monday during both Junior Varsity and Varsity games. The Boys Basketball teams traveled to Honokaʻa, where JV scored 68 points over the Dragons' 35. In the Varsity game, the Trojans scored just once more point over Honokaʻa, ending the game 56 to 55.

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.

See monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Jan. 28 and 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Mon., Jan. 27 @Kamehameha

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Sat., Jan. 25 Girls BIIF

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kamehameha

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kona Community Aquatic Center

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, JAN. 23

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, Jan. 23 and 24, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, Jan. 23, 3-4 p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for community members. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP to Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584 or domingoc1975@yahoo.com.

Ka‘ū Farmers United meeting at Pahala Plantation House, 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23.

FRIDAY, JAN. 24

Old Style Pau Hana Mele & Hula ‘Auana, Friday, Jan. 24 – fourth Friday, monthly – 4-5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Held outdoors, weather permitting. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

Palm Trail, Saturday, Jan. 25, 9:30-12:30p.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, relatively difficult, 2.6-mile, hike. Bring snack and water. nps.gov/havo

MONDAY, JAN. 27

TUESDAY, JAN. 28

H.O.V.E. Road Maintenance Corp. Board Mtg., Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 10a.m., H.O.V.E. RMC office, 92-8979 Lehua Lane, Ocean View. 929-9910, hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

THURSDAY, JAN. 30

Ka‘ū Food Basket, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Pāhala Community Center. 928-3102

The Next Mauna Loa Eruption and the 2018 Kīlauea Eruption talk, Thursday, Jan. 30, 6p.m., Ocean View Community Center, 92-8924 Leilani Circle. To close out 11th annual Volcano Awareness month, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge Tina Neal and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno will talk about the current status of Mauna Loa, hazards of future eruptions, experiences from Kīlauea 2018 eruption, preparing for next Mauna Loa eruption, and how communities can stay informed. The meeting is free and open to public. More info at "HVO News" at volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/, (808) 967-8844, or askHVO@usgs.gov.

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 4-6p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Additional packaged goods to take home for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

ONGOING

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Mauna Loa's last eruption was in 1984 and the USGS is asking people to always be prepared for the next one.

See more below. USGS Photo

ADOPTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE at Tuesday's Hawaiʻi County Council meeting, given Mayor Harry Kim's signature, means the beginning of tougher construction codes. The county Department of Public Works issued a statement today to explain that state law requires Hawaiʻi County to undertake a "phased overhaul of energy, building, electrical, plumbing, and outdoor lighting codes to meet modern construction standards."
Bill 126, approved Tuesday, was one of many steps. It adopts amendments that apply to Hawaiʻi Island to the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code into Chapter 5 of Hawaiʻi County Code. The bill next goes to the Mayor for approval.
"Using the lessons learned from the adoption of the IECC, there will be a series of bills introduced over the next six months to completely overhaul the building review process," said a statement from Public Works Director David Yamamoto and County Council member Sue Lee Loy.
Soon after Bill 126 becomes law, its amendments will be restructured into a new bill (internally called the "Administration Code bill") that will allow the consolidation of the other Public Works codes under a new Chapter 5. The existing Chapter 5 (Building Code), Chapter 9, (Electrical Code), and Chapter 17 (Plumbing Code), will all be repealed and its provisions will be placed in the new Chapter 5, so that future updates to the codes will be consistent with each other, using the same definitions, and will be easier to update. This bill is expected to reach the Public Works and Mass Transit Committee in the first half of 2020, depending on the timing of future public engagements and adjustments in response to those meetings.

Modernize building codes move forward with adoption of Hawaiʻi County's version of the International
Energy Conservation Code at Tuesday's County Council meeting. Photo from Hawaiʻi Energy Office

New sub-chapters will be created to hold administrative provisions, commercial building codes, residential building codes, existing building codes, electrical codes, energy conservation codes, plumbing codes, and possibly also outdoor lighting codes.
Once that bill is in place, additional bills coming later in 2020 will fill in or update those codes, with additional County amendments.
State codes are based on the fire code, the Uniform Plumbing Code, the International Building Code, the International Residential Code, the International Energy Conservation Code, and the National Electrical Code.

Hawaiʻi County Public Works Director David Yamamoto said there will
be more opportunity for public input into revamping the electric
plumbing, building and residential codes.
Photo from Big Island Video News

Public Works pointed out that "This year, the County faces deadlines, imposed by state law, of August 21, 2020, in adopting the 2017 National Electrical Code (the Hawaiʻi State Electrical Code) and the 2012 Uniform Plumbing Code (the Hawaiʻi State Plumbing Code). The County also faces deadlines of November 13, 2020, to adopt the 2012 International Building Code (the Hawaiʻi State Building Code) and the 2012 International Residential Code (the Hawaiʻi State Residential Code).
According to Public Works, "Additional rounds of public engagement are anticipated, as was done prior to the introduction of Bill 126, but unlike that bill, these new codes will come with additional restrictions. The Department is cautioning that it will not accept compromised building standards that jeopardize the public's health and safety."
Acting Building Division Chief Robyn Matsumoto said, "We remain steadfast on sharing this with the community and using the topic-focused briefings to alert all stakeholders and helping the design professionals adjust to these series of code revisions and adoption timelines."
Lee Loy said, "This comprehensive policy overhaul will complement the framework needed to moving us toward a one-permit system. This legislative package pours the foundation for providing efficient services to the entire construction industry and strengthening our island's pathway to economic opportunities."

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ATTEND THE RESCHEDULED SOLID WASTE MEETING on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at Nā‘ālehu Community Center. The Jan. 14 meeting was cancelled due to storm activity. Hawaiʻi County's Public Information Meeting by the Department of Environmental Management's Solid Waste Division will include discussion on improvements and changes at the county's transfer and recycling stations where people take their trash.
Visit hawaiizerowaste.org or call the Solid Waste Division Office at 961-8270 for more.

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One keiki attendee of the Ocean View skatepark meeting drew this colorful concept art of of a future skate park for
Ocean View. Photo by Travis Aucoin

A SKATEPARK FOR OCEAN VIEW is in the works. In a meeting Dec. 28 sponsored by the community organization Kalani Hale, members, advocates, and kids supported building a park for skate boarding, skating, scooters, and more.
Travis Aucoin, a driving force behind the project, told The Kaʻū Calendar that many ideas came out of the meeting. "Kids made cool drawings of skateparks." Aucoin said he is on a roll to meet with county Parks & Recreation on design, location, and size. He said that Evergreen Skateparks is willing to work on design with the group, which also seeks a licensed contractor.
Aucoin said more community workshops are planned to hone down the design. One idea is a Flow Park, "with lots of room and area for the Advanced Tech Skaters, and more experienced Park Users." He noted that skateboarding is an Olympic sport. "Lots of skateboarders travel to compete in professional contests." During the public meeting, "We watched videos of all kinds of skateparks and took notes on lots of different size ramps, a Pump Track Street Course, and a nice Bowl that beginners could learn to ride."
The group also viewed videos of skateboarding contests, one with a Hawaiian skateboarder taking first at an X Games in China.
Aucoin said the he plans to meet with Hawaiʻi Department of Parks & Recreation on Monday, Feb. 3.
Interested in supporting the skateboard park? Contact Aucoin at 808-345-2588.

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Lava from Mauna Loa hits the water at Hoʻopula Village, near Miloliʻi in
1929. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory urges people to be prepared
anytime for another Mauna Loa eruption. Photo by Ta Sung

MAUNA LOA ERUPTION PREPAREDNESS is encouraged as January's Volcano Awareness Month wraps up. A presentation on the status of the Volcano where much of Kaʻū District is seated, will be held at Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park in the amphitheater on Wednesday, Jan. 29 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Frank Trusdell will present the current status of Mauna Loa, discuss potential volcanic hazards based on past eruptions, and describe how HVO is preparing for the next eruption of Earth's largest active volcano.
A statement from USGS asks, "What will you do when Earth's largest active volcano erupts? In 2019, the Volcano Alert Level for Mauna Loa was elevated from NORMAL to ADVISORY due to increased seismicity and deformation at the volcano. This alert level does not mean an eruption is imminent, but it is a fact that Mauna Loa, which has erupted 33 times since 1843 (most recently in 1984), will erupt again. What will you do when it does?"
The 1929 Mauna Loa eruption wiped out the village of Hoʻopuloa near Miloliʻi.
Mauna Loa is not erupting, but the update about the volcano from HVO today states that seismometers recorded 99 small magnitude earthquakes beneath the upper elevations of the volcano during the past week. The strongest was a 3.1 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Most earthquakes occurred at shallow depths of less than 5 km (~3 miles) beneath the volcano's surface.
Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements show continued slow summit inflation, consistent with magma supply to the volcano's shallow storage system. Gas concentrations at the Sulphur Cone monitoring site on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable. Fumarole temperatures as measured at both Sulphur Cone and the summit have not changed significantly.
For more information on current monitoring of Mauna Loa Volcano, see: volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna_loa/monitoring_summary.html.

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ʻO KAʻŪ KĀKOU'S 12TH ANNUAL FISHING TOURNAMENT AND CANNED FOOD DRIVE will be held Saturday, Feb. 22. Registration is open through Wednesday, Feb. 19 at noon. Tournament check-in is 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Welcome and rules announcement is 9 a.m. Poles, gear, and bait are handed out at 9:30 a.m. Fishing time runs from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free lunch is provided for all attendees, no matter the age, from noon to 12:30 p.m. Awards and prizes are handed out at 1 p.m.; keiki must be present to win. Each child receives a prize, chosen during registration, in the order they register; register early. Special prizes are awarded to the top three largest catch in each of five categories: Largest Kupipi, Largest Po‘opa‘a, Largest Hinalea, Largest Āholehole, and Most Caught.
The free tournament, held each year at Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park Pavillions, is a huge draw for Kaʻū residents. Whole families make a day of it. Keiki as young as one year old up to age 14 can register online at okaukakou.org, or pick up a registration form at Nāʻālehu Elementary School, Nāʻālehu Ace Hardware, Pāhala Elementary School, Mizuno Superette in Pāhala, Wiki Wiki Mart in Nāʻālehu, Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View, and Ocean View Auto Parts. For more information, contact Guy Enriques at 808-217-2253 or Wayne Kawachi at 808-937-4773.
All attendees are encouraged to bring canned or non-perishable food to the event. "One can, if can. If no can, no can."
Fishing guidelines are: a parent or legal guardian must accompany keiki at all times; handpole fishing with barbless hooks only; personally owned hand poles are allowed; hand poles, gear, and bait are provided; no chumming or using palu (bread, mackerel, etc.) allowed; all fishing is catch and release.
Last year's tournament had over 275 keiki entrants, and the shores held almost 1,000 participants and volunteers. Those fishing in the ocean catch, measure, and release their catches.
Other sponsors of the event include Department of Land and Natural Resources Enforcement Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Barbless Circle Hook Project, Marine Wildlife Program, County of Hawaiʻi, S. Tokunaga Store in Hilo, and Suisan Company, Ltd.

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.

See monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Jan. 28 and 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Mon., Jan. 27 @Kamehameha

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Sat., Jan. 25 Girls BIIF

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kamehameha

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kona Community Aquatic Center

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, JAN. 23

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, Jan. 23 and 24, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

FRIDAY, JAN. 24

Old Style Pau Hana Mele & Hula ‘Auana, Friday, Jan. 24 – fourth Friday, monthly – 4-5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Held outdoors, weather permitting. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

Palm Trail, Saturday, Jan. 25, 9:30-12:30p.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, relatively difficult, 2.6-mile, hike. Bring snack and water. nps.gov/havo

MONDAY, JAN. 27

TUESDAY, JAN. 28

H.O.V.E. Road Maintenance Corp. Board Mtg., Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 10a.m., H.O.V.E. RMC office, 92-8979 Lehua Lane, Ocean View. 929-9910, hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Public Information Mtg. by County of Hawai‘i Department of Environmental Management's Solid Waste Division, Wednesday, Jan. 29 at Nā‘ālehu Clubhouse, 95-5635 Māmalahoa Hwy, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend and give input. The Solid Waste Division will be discussing the facilities' operating days and the possibility of modifying the current schedule for transfer stations. Visit hawaiizerowaste.org or call the Solid Waste Division Office at 961-8270 for more.

Lava Tubes of Ocean View, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Presented by Peter and Annie Bosted, it will include presentation of images of the underground in the Ocean View area – especially an extensive system in the Kahuku Unit of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which abuts HOVE – and Hawaiian lava tubes in general. Those who want to know more about what's going on under their feet, and those curious about lava tubes are invited to the free presentation, along with family and friends, said the Bosteds.

THURSDAY, JAN. 30

Ka‘ū Food Basket, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Pāhala Community Center. 928-3102

FRIDAY, JAN. 31
Kahuku Coffee Talk – Makahiki: A Celebrated Season, Friday, Jan. 31 – last Friday, monthly – 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

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.

USGS HVO geochemist measuring gases released from Kīlauea's summit lava lake surface to measure volcanic-gas
composition, before the 2018 eruption, with a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer.
See Volcano Watch below. USGS photo/Janet Babb

THE LAST DECADE FOR SELLING GAS-ONLY POWERED CARS in Hawaiʻi would begin this year if state Rep. Takashi Ohno's bill passes the Legislature. House Bill 2593 would allow the sale of only electric, hydrogen, or hybrid vehicles by car dealerships starting in 2030. Re-sale of gas-powered, used vehicles as well as purchase of large commercial vehicles or buses would still be allowed. "Seeing young leaders take the lead to protect our planet inspired me to make a strong

statement on how Hawaiʻi can be a model of clean energy," said Ohno. "Future visitors to our state will see Hawaiʻi's roads full of green cars and understand how deeply our community cares for the planet we all share."
Hawaiʻi remains the most fossil-fuel and dependent state. The Hawaiʻi Clean Energy Initiative seeks to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2045, including reducing the state's overall ground transportation fossil fuel use by 385 million gallons per year.

Rep. Richard Creagan said he thinks it is a positive and bold idea, and will be studying the bill and such aspects as tax credits to help purchase the green vehicles, and availability of charging station that will be needed to carry it out, especially on the Big Island where travel distances are longer and charging stations are few.

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.

ATTRACTING MORE PHYSICIANS TO HAWAIʻI is the aim of Sen. Mazie Hirono's support of bipartisan, bicameral legislation to increase the number of residency slots available through Medicare.
The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 (S. 348) would create 15,000 new residency training slots across the country over five years. The bill would prioritize increasing positions in states like Hawaiʻi with hospital training programs in rural areas, hospitals that focus on community-based training, new medical schools, hospitals already training resident physicians over their cap, hospitals that partner with VA medical centers, and hospitals that focus on community-based training.

Hirono said today that the bill would help address Hawaiʻi's physician shortage by expanding residency opportunities that would help support and retain local talent in the medical field and expand access to care, particularly in rural and high need areas across the state. "With more and more Hawaiʻi physicians either retiring or leaving the state, we must do more to improve physician recruitment and retention in the islands. This legislation is one important way we can ease pressures on the current health care system, expand access to care, and support training for new physicians in Hawaiʻi."

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States is expected to face a shortage of about 120,000 primary care and specialty physicians by 2030. In Hawaiʻi, the physician workforce experienced an eight percent drop in 2019, with the highest shortages in primary care. According to the latest Hawaiʻi physician workforce data, there are currently 3,484 practicing physicians serving in civilian settings statewide. At the end of last year, Hawaiʻi had 245 physician vacancies as doctors retired, left the islands, or cut their hours. However, simply replacing these doctors will not meet Hawaiʻi's current health care needs. It is estimated that upwards of 820 primary care doctors, specialists, and other physicians are needed to ensure people across all islands receive quality health care.

Hilton Raethel, President and CEO of Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi, said, "We know that if we train providers here in Hawaiʻi, there is a higher probability that they will remain in the state and practice. This legislation will enable the state to attract and retain more physicians at a time when a number of young people are leaving the state, and offer more educational opportunities for students who are interested in medical school. We appreciate Senator Hirono's continued leadership and support in helping to ensure a strong healthcare workforce to treat our Hawaii residents."

Jerris Hedges, MD, Dean of the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine, said, "There are not enough slots in the required post-graduate training programs for the number of medical school students graduating every year to enter. That slows down the pipeline for providing fully trained doctors into the communities where they are badly needed, including Hawaiʻi. The country, and Hawaiʻi, needs more Resident training programs so that our citizens can have access to the best trained health care providers in our clinics and hospitals, the physicians."

During her time in the Senate, Hirono has called for additional doctors, including a particular focus on veterans in Hawaiʻi. In 2014, Hirono chaired a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee field hearing at the Oʻahu Veterans Center, in which she called attention to the shortage of doctors staffing VA facilities in Hawaiʻi and beyond.

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.

LOVE THE ARTS, the 16th annual fundraiser for VolcanoArtsCenter, will be held Saturday, Feb. 8 from 5 p.m.to 9 p.m. at the Niʻaulani Campus in VolcanoVillage. The gala is the main event to raise funds for VolcanoArtCenter which offers classes, exhibits, workshops, and creative arts experiences "in a uniquely inspiring environment," states the announcement.

This year's theme celebrates The Roaring 2020s, highlighted by "unique decorations, decadent food, fine wines and beer, and of course dancing!" states the announcement.

The evening also features appearances by members of Harmony on Tap and opera singer D'Andrea Pelletier. Live and silent auctions will provide attendees an opportunity to bid on artwork, jewelry, hotel stays, restaurants, local products, services, and gift certificates to businesses and attractions.

Tickets are $70, $65 for VAC Members, and can be purchased at VAC's Niʻaulani Campus in the village or Gallery in Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park, online at volcanoartcenter.org/classes-and-workshops/purchase-tickets-to-vac-events, or by calling (808) 967-8222.

Love The Arts tickets also provide free admission to the LTA Valentine's Day Dance held the following weekend on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Learn the Charlestonand the Lindy Hop while enjoying live music by the Tin Pan Alleycats. Tickets for this event can also be purchased for $15, $10 VAC Members.

More info at volcanoartcenter.org.

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MAKAHIKI: A CELEBRATED SEASON will be discussed at this month's Coffee Talk at the Visitor Center of Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Friday, Jan. 31, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Kahakaʻio Ravenscraft works at Puʻuhonua o HōnaunauNationalHistoricalParkthrough their partner Hawaii Pacific Parks Association, providing cultural demonstrations for visitors to the Park's "royal grounds." He dedicates his work to perpetuating ‘ike Kupuna (ancestral practices) through the study of kālai kiʻi (sculpture), moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy), and moʻoʻōlelo (story-telling), as well as malama ‘iwi kupuna (care of traditional burial practices). Through his endeavors, Kahakaʻio seeks to empower others to connect to ancestral wisdom and become stewards of their place with the values of aloha ‘āina and mālama honua, states the announcement.

Coffee Talk at Kahuku is an opportunity to get to know the Park and neighbors, and join an informal conversation on a wide variety of topics. Bring coffe or purchase Kaʻū coffee from HPPA at the event. Entrance to Kahuku Unit is located on Hwy 11 near mile marker 70.5, on the mauka (mountain) side of the road.

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.

GAS GEOCHEMITSRY – and the accompanying smell – is the focus of this week's Volcano Watch, a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. This article is third in a series of articles about HVO people and jobs during Volcano Awareness Month 2020. Next week, another HVO team will write about its work. Today's article is by HVO research geologist and gas geochemistry team member Patricia Nadeau:

HVO people and jobs, Part 3: Gas geochemistry work stinks!

As many residents of the Island of Hawaiʻican attest, volcanic gases can stink – literally. But for those of us at the USGS HVO who are lucky enough to study those gases, our jobs are actually pretty amazing.

Volcanic gases give clues about volcanic processes, even when no lava is erupting. This is because, similar to a bottle of soda with dissolved bubbles, magma contains dissolved gases that escape as it rises to the surface. Ratios of escaped gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) can tell us magma depth. The total amount of SO2 released also reflects the amount of magma or lava that is degassing.

As fissure 8 erupts on Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone in June 2018 (left), a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer measures
gas emissions from the lava fountains. At right, HVO gas geochemistry team members collect a sample of gas from Sulphur Banks
in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photos

No one single device or technique provides all the gas information we need to monitor Hawaiian volcanoes. We use a variety of methods to track gas emissions from Mauna Loa and Kīlauea, including direct measurements and indirect techniques called remote sensing.

One of our most frequent measurements is the SO2 emission rate – how many tonnes are emitted per day. For this, we don't interact directly with the gas. Instead, we drive or walk under the gas plume with a tool called an ultraviolet spectrometer. SO2 absorbs ultraviolet light, so when more SO2 is present overhead, less ultraviolet light reaches the spectrometer.

In the current low-emission era at Kīlauea, these measurements are made once every 2-4 weeks. But during the 2018 eruption, we attempted to measure emission rates at least every other day. When Kīlauea's summit lava lake was present, we had a network of ground-based spectrometers that calculated the SO2 emission rate every few seconds! There is no similar network at any other volcano in the world.

Another measurement we rely on is the ratio of CO2 to SO2. The relative amounts of those gases give us information about the depth of magma, as explained in our February 21, 2019, Volcano Watch, volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=1400.

CO2 does not absorb ultraviolet light like SO2, so we measure CO2 directly. To do this, we use sensors placed right in the volcanic gas. One such instrument – dubbed a 'MultiGas'– was designed by colleagues at the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory. The MultiGas pumps in gas and determines concentrations of CO2, SO2, H2S (hydrogen sulfide), and water vapor. We then calculate their ratios and track changes that might indicate magma rising within the volcano.

We have three types of MultiGas at HVO: permanent stations on Kīlauea and Mauna Loa that send data to HVO in real-time; a portable MultiGas, which is the size of a large briefcase and gives us flexibility to check gas chemistry in many places; and a miniaturized MultiGas mounted on UAS (Unoccupied Aircraft Systems, or drones) to measure gas in hazardous or inaccessible sites volcanoes.usgs.gov/obser vatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=1415.

An HVO scientist collects a volcanic gas sample from a fumarole on

the rim of Halema‘uma‘u Crater within Kīlaueacaldera. USGS photo

There are additional gases in volcanic plumes that are not present in large amounts but still provide information about volcanic behavior. To measure those minor gases, including chlorine, fluorine, and helium, we use remote and direct methods.

Many volcanic gases absorb infrared radiation, so during eruptions we can use remote sensing of infrared energy emitted by lava. A device called a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer detects different wavelengths of infrared and measures absorption by numerous gases simultaneously. This gives us many gas ratios that help us to understand degassing processes during eruptions.

Another way to measure multiple volcanic gases at once is to collect a bottle of gas and send it to the lab for chemical analysis. For this, we use a specialized glass bottle with tubing inserted into a degassing vent called a fumarole. This kind of sampling is currently done once every three months at Sulphur Banks in the Park to track long-term changes in gas chemistry.

That's a lot of instrumentation, so the gas geochemistry team works closely with HVO technicians and IT specialists to make sure that all our equipment functions properly. We also spend time at our computers to process, interpret, and write up our data. This often involves exchanging ideas with other USGS colleagues, local partners, and scientists around the world to ensure that we understand our volcanoes and hazards as best as we can from the gas geochemistry perspective.

All that makes for a busy and exciting job, whether the gas stinks or not.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL.

Kīlauea monitoring data showed no significant changes in seismicity and ground deformation. Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain low. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly expand and deepen.

Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption is certain.

This past week, 99 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa; the strongest was a M3.1 on Jan. 21. Deformation indicates continued slow summit inflation. Fumarole temperature and gas concentrations on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable.

One earthquake with three or more felt reports occurred in the Hawaiian Islands this past week: a magnitude-3.1 quake 18 km (11 mi) northwest of Kalaoa at 38 km (24 mi) depth on Jan. 19 at 9:07 p.m.

Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvofor past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. 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.

See monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Jan. 28 and 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Mon., Jan. 27 @Kamehameha

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Sat., Jan. 25 Girls BIIF

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kamehameha

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Sat., Jan. 25 @Kona Community Aquatic Center

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

Palm Trail, Saturday, Jan. 25, 9:30-12:30p.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, relatively difficult, 2.6-mile, hike. Bring snack and water. nps.gov/havo

MONDAY, JAN. 27

TUESDAY, JAN. 28

H.O.V.E. Road Maintenance Corp. Board Mtg., Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 10a.m., H.O.V.E. RMC office, 92-8979 Lehua Lane, Ocean View. 929-9910, hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Lava Tubes of Ocean View, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Presented by Peter and Annie Bosted, it will include presentation of images of the underground in the Ocean View area – especially an extensive system in the Kahuku Unit of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which abuts HOVE – and Hawaiian lava tubes in general. Those who want to know more about what's going on under their feet, and those curious about lava tubes are invited to the free presentation, along with family and friends, said the Bosteds.

THURSDAY, JAN. 30

Ka‘ū Food Basket, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Pāhala Community Center. 928-3102

FRIDAY, JAN. 31
Kahuku Coffee Talk – Makahiki: A Celebrated Season, Friday, Jan. 31 – last Friday, monthly – 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

The selected intern will assist with the development of education curriculum for Kīpukapuaulu and Pu‘u Loa trails in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

For more information, contact Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Education Specialist Jody Anastasio by email at j ody_anastasio@nps.gov. To apply go to go.nps.gov/mosaics or
mosaicsinscience.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.

Learning to Grow, a program of University of Hawaiʻi, is also the name of an agency, proposed at the Hawaiʻi Legislature this year. It would replace the Executive Office on Early Learning, transferring it from Department of Education to Department of Human Services. See more below. Photo from Learning to Grow.

REAL ECONOMIC BENEFIT FOR WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES and individuals is the aim of eight bills in the 2020 state Senate and House of Representatives' joint legislative package. They were introduced yesterday with details provided:
HB2541 and SB3102 seek to help working families. The legislation would make the state earned income tax credit refundable and permanent, and increase and amend the refundable food/excise tax credit by basing the amount of the credit on a taxpayer's Hawaiʻi earned income, rather than federal adjusted gross income. The bills would Increase the minimum wage rate to $11 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2021, $12 beginning Jan. 1, 2022, $12.50 beginning Jan. 1, 2023, and $13 beginning Jan. 1, 2024. Read details at HB2541 and SB3102.

HB2542 and SB3104 relate to land development. They would authorize the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp. to lease real property for a period not to exceed 99 years for the development of projects that include affordable housing. They would require HHFDC to submit a report to the legislature that identifies all state lands that may be developed for multi-unit dwellings.
The legislation would authorize issuing $75 million in general obligation bonds, with proceeds used for affordable housing infrastructure in Hawaiʻi County and other counties with a resident population of 500,000 or less. The bills would authorizes a state or county department or agency to petition the appropriate county land use decision-making authority, rather than the Land Use Commission, for a change in the boundary of a district involving land areas between 15 acres and 25 acres where the majority of the development would be for affordable housing. Read the details at HB2542 and SB3104.
The bills would also authorize the state Historic Preservation Division to delegate responsibility of historic preservation project reviews to the impacted county. The bills would establish the Office of the Housing Ombudsman. The bills would also remove the existing statutory cap on the amount of conveyance tax revenues that are deposited into the rental housing revolving fund each fiscal year.

HB2543 and SB3101 relate to access to learning. The bills would transfer the Executive Office on Early Learning from the Department of Education to the Department of Human Services and rename it Learning to Grow Agency. The legislation would focus the jurisdiction of the agency to children who are 3 to 4 years old, or who will be eligible for kindergarten within two years, with access to learning through an early learning program by the year 2030. Funding would be appropriated. Read more at HB2543 and SB3101.

HB2543 and SB3101 would create a School Facilities Agency to be responsible for all public school development, planning, and construction, related to capital improvement projects assigned by the Legislature, Governor, or Board of Education. The bills would transfer statutes pertaining to the Hawaiʻi 3R's and 3T's programs to a new School Facilities Agency statutory subpart. The legislation would place management of school impact fees with the agency. Appropriates funds. Learn more at HB2543 and SB3101.
The links above also provide a portal for citizens to submit testimony.

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TULSI GABBARD RANKS IN TOP FIVE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE POLLS among Democrat candidates for President, states her campaign staff. Her staff announced today that it calls for CNN to invite Gabbard to one of its televised New Hampshire Town Hall Meetings, since other candidates who rank lower than Gabbard are scheduled.
On Friday, CNN announced candidates invited for Wednesday, Feb. 4: Former Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, businessman Andrew Yang, and businessman Tom Steyer.

For Thursday, Feb. 6, candidates invited are: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders; former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.
Gabbard's campaign statement says, "Here are the facts: Our campaign in New Hampshire is stronger than ever, and now the establishment media is going to extreme lengths to shut Tulsi out. First they ignore us, then they smear us as Russian assets and bots, and now CNN is flat-out denying Tulsi a New Hampshire Presidential Town Hall despite her polling among the top five in the state."
The Gabbard campaign message states that those invited include Steyer, "the billionaire spending more than all the other candidates combined on early state ads, and Deval Patrick, both of whom are polling 5-7 points lower than Tulsi."

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Foster Hair Design owner Kady Foster applies highlights to a client's hair.

Foster Hair Design is an Aveda-exclusive salon and retailer.
Photo from the Fosters

FOSTER HAIR DESIGN in Nāʻālehu moved to a larger location in the Kaʻū Realty Building. Kady and Drew Foster opened their shop in October 2018. Kady, a hairdresser since 2013, mentor her husband as he works as her apprentice; he expects to be licensed in March or April.
Drew is offering $10 men's and boy's haircuts throughout February. The couple has provided free haircuts to those in need at St. Jude's every six weeks for the past year.

The Fosters moved to Ocean View in February 2018. Drew's family has been in Ocean View since 1997. Drew graduated from Konawaena High School and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He spent almost ten years as a newspaper reporter and editor in Wyoming, Washington state and Asia. He owned and operated a small marketing and writing business from home for the past few years, and has decided to move on to barbering.

From Long Beach, Washington, Kady graduated from Stylemasters with a certificate in cosmetology in 2013. She worked at Azure Salon in Ilwaco, WA, for five years. Her continuing education includes L'Oréal Professional Expert Network program; balayage certifications; and Aveda color and product education courses.

The Fosters offer men's, women's and children's haircuts; hair coloring; smoothing treatment; beard trims; up-dos; blow-dry styling; and wash-blowdry styling. Kady is available Saturdays through Tuesdays. Drew is available Saturdays through Mondays. They run an Aveda-exclusive salon and barbershop, using and selling products by Aveda, "an environmentally- and socially-focused company that makes very high-quality hair products," states Kady. Book online at FosterHair.com.

Rayco Nielsen, 13 years old, gets his hair cut

by Drew Foster. Photo from the Fosters

Kady told The Kaʻū Calendar, "I've loved every minute of living in Kaʻū. I have a ton of gratitude for the acceptance I've received from the community and the friendships I am making. I enjoy my job quite a lot. I find much joy in providing a service that allows me to be creative and makes people happy. Hair has been a passion of mine since I was a teenager. I did all my friends' hair in high school, and I remember my hairdresser telling me I'd be a hairdresser one day. My dad taught me, 'If you love what you do you will never work a day in your life.' I think he was on to something. My husband and I had our first baby a few months ago. As we prepared for our daughter's arrival in November I can't even begin to explain the generosity and love we received from my clients and the Kaʻū Realty team. Both my husband and I look forward to expanding our volunteer services and diving deeper into our communities. We're having a lot of fun."

Drew told The Kaʻū Calendar, "I'd been working from home for several years and I liked the ease and lifestyle, but I missed being in the community and getting to know people. I wanted to get out of the office, out from behind the computer. I was considering going back to school and learning a trade when Kady proposed a barbering apprenticeship. The idea grew on me – we could work together, I wouldn't have to go back to school, I could operate my old business while I learned to cut hair. Now it's all coming together. I spent most of my professional life as a newspaper journalist, and the thing I miss most is talking to people about their lives, their journeys, their plans, their families, their history. Now, as a barber, I get to do that all day long, and I don't have to worry about taking notes or turning around an article. It's good. It's exciting. I've met many wonderful people in the Kaʻū community since joining Kady and I'll get to meet many more."

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KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP activities for February have been announced. Located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more information call 967-8365 after 4 p.m.:

Grand Slam Band, Saturday, Feb. 1, Lava Lounge, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.$5.00 cover charge.

Super Bowl Party, Sunday, Feb. 2, Lava Lounge. Doors open at 11 a.m.with kick-off at 1:30 p.m., 'til pau. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

SoulTown Band, Saturday, Feb. 8, Lava Lounge, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. $5.00 cover charge.

Valentine's Day Buffet, Friday, Feb. 14, Crater Rim Café, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Main entrees are Prime Rib Au Jus, Lemon Butter Fish with Tropical Salsa and Vegetable Alfredo Pasta Bake. Adults $35.95, $17.95 children 6 to 11 years old. Military ID card holders and in-house guests: Adults $28.76, $14.36 children 6 to 11 years old. No reservations required.

Pupule Papales Band, Saturday, Feb. 15, Lava Lounge, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. No cover charge.

Blue Tattoo Band, Saturday, Feb. 22, Lava Lounge, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. $5.00 cover charge.

Blackwater Railroad Company, Saturday, Feb. 29, Lava Lounge, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. No cover charge.

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VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL traveled to the other side of the island to play against Parker yesterday. Kaʻū fought hard, scoring 32. The Bulls took the game with 39 points.

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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.

See monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Jan. 28 and 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Mon., Jan. 27 @Kamehameha

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

MONDAY, JAN. 27

TUESDAY, JAN. 28

H.O.V.E. Road Maintenance Corp. Board Mtg., Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 10a.m., H.O.V.E. RMC office, 92-8979 Lehua Lane, Ocean View. 929-9910, hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Lava Tubes of Ocean View, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Presented by Peter and Annie Bosted, it will include presentation of images of the underground in the Ocean View area – especially an extensive system in the Kahuku Unit of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which abuts HOVE – and Hawaiian lava tubes in general. Those who want to know more about what's going on under their feet, and those curious about lava tubes are invited to the free presentation, along with family and friends, said the Bosteds.

THURSDAY, JAN. 30

Ka‘ū Food Basket, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Pāhala Community Center. 928-3102

FRIDAY, JAN. 31
Kahuku Coffee Talk – Makahiki: A Celebrated Season, Friday, Jan. 31 – last Friday, monthly – 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

The selected intern will assist with the development of education curriculum for Kīpukapuaulu and Pu‘u Loa trails in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

For more information, contact Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Education Specialist Jody Anastasio by email at j ody_anastasio@nps.gov. To apply go to go.nps.gov/mosaics or mosaicsinscience.org.

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Chinese New Year came to Kaʻū last night with parties and fireworks in neighborhoods. In Hilo, David Corrigan of Big
Island Video News documented the Lion Dance for this Year of the Rat. See the video. Image from Big Island Video News

A THIRTEEN DOLLAR AN HOUR MINIMUM WAGE BY 2024 "is not a 'good first step.' It's actually a step backward," says Gary Hooser, founder of Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action and the Pono Initiative. The former state Senator released a statement this past week, saying, "Anyone working 40 hours a week deserves to earn a wage sufficient to provide a dry and safe place to sleep, three meals a day, and basic health care." Hooser was referring to the joint state Senate, House of Representatives, and Governor's proposal calling for stepping up the minimum wage from $10.10 per hour over time.
He noted that the state Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism "has determined that for a single person without children the hourly wage needed to simply subsist is approximately $17.50 per hour (plus or minus depending on the island, etc). Note this is the State of Hawaiʻi's official subsistence wage and includes no-frills whatsoever… just the basics of staying alive."
Hooser linked the wages to Hawaiʻi suffering the second-highest homeless rate per capita in
the United States. "Our current minimum wage sits at $10.10 per hour and nearly 50 percent of our residents live on the very edge of poverty. Almost everyone is working two jobs or more, simply etching out a life devoid of the extras, so many of us take for granted. Thank god we have our warm weather and beautiful natural environment to help get us through the days."

Former state Sen. Gary Hooser says a $13 an hour minimum
wage by 2024 would nothelp enough in uplifting working people
living in poverty in Hawai`i. Photo from GaryHooser.com

Hooser pointed out that the Governor, House, and Senate, with much fanfare, announced as a "good first step" their plan to increase Hawaiʻi's minimum wage to $13 per hour by 2024. Hooser said, "Let's do the math. In their own press release, the Legislature and the Governor talk of studies that show how single individuals and families are struggling to make $28,296 to $77,052 a year.
"Unfortunately, the $13 an hour they propose by 2024 doesn't actually add up to helping anyone get even to that lowest threshold; $13 an hour, 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, adds up to only $27,040. The inadequacy of the $13 per hour offer is even more apparent when you calculate the inflation which will accrue between now and 2024.
"Remember, a subsistence wage now is $17.50 per hour and nearly half of our population lives on the edge of poverty. And here we are listening to the magnanimous offer of $13 – in 2024." Hooser said that the most recent "position" of the Hawaiʻi Senate (via House Bill 1191 SD2) was $15 per hour by 2023. "So no, $13 per hour in 2024 is not a good first step - unless, of course, the intent is to step backward. And no, the other elements of the package (tax credits and housing initiatives) do not replace the basic need to pay people fair wages for a fair day's work.
"A 'good first step' is allowing legislators to publicly vote on what a clear and strong majority have said they publicly support, which is at least $15 per hour. An even better first step would be passing a measure that reaches the $17 target and includes annual cost of living increases. That is the step Hawaiʻi's working families need and the only step that will ensure they eventually achieve a true living wage."
Concerning small businesses that fear negative impacts from having to increase their workers' wages, Hooser said they "need only look at the recent history in Hawaiʻi for reassurance.When Hawaiʻi's minimum wage was increased from $7.25 to $10.10, there were no increases in bankruptcy, no increases in unemployment, and no increases in inflation (outside the normal trend). It is well past the time that everyone in Hawaiʻi who works 40 hours a week can afford a dry, safe place to live, eat three meals a day, and go to the doctor when they are sick. Anything less is immoral and unacceptable."
Hooser suggests contacting legislators. State Senators list and contact info is here. State Representatives list and contact info is here. Visit Living Wage Hawaiʻi and Raise Up Hawaiʻi.

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THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE RAT, with Hawaiʻi residents of Chinese ancestry visiting family members and giving out gifts in red packages. Fireworks sounded across Kaʻū. Some traveled to Hilo for a Lion Dance.
Rats are known for wisdom, intelligence, ability to adapt, their quick wit, charm, sociable personalities, and even artistic talents. People born in 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, and and 2020 came into this world in the Year of the Rat.

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VOLCANO ART CENTER AND GALLERY activities for February have been announced. VAC is a non-profit educational organization created in 1974 to promote, develop, and perpetuate the artistic and cultural heritage of Hawai‘i's people and environment through activities in the visual, literary, and performing arts. Visit volcanoartcenter.org.

VAC's newest series of monthly programs, Cultural Understanding Through Art & the Environment, features classes on block printing, lauhala weaving, ti leaf lei making, and more. A free guided Cultural Forest Tour, and a Mele and Hula ‘Auana performance are also slated. Visit the website events calendarfor the full lineup.

The VAC Gallery exhibit, Sharp Turns – The Creative Art of Woodturning, featuring the works of Aaron Hammer and Mark and Karen Stebbins, continues through Feb. 16. A live woodturning demonstration at the Gallery happens on Saturday, February 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Try indigo dyeing in the Indigo Fundamentals workshop with Wai‘ala Ahn and Justin Tripp on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12:30 p.m.

Want to learn some native plants, help restore a beautiful rainforest, and get some exercise? Tim Tunison leads Forest Work Day and Plant Identification Training on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Hula Voices at VAC Gallery on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 5:30 p.m.to 7 p.m., presents an engaging, intimate talk story session with Hawai‘i Island kumu hula and features Volcano musician Joe Camacho.

The 16th annual Love the Arts fundraiser gala on Saturday, Feb. 8, will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.The theme this year is The Roaring 2020s, highlighted by unique decorations, decadent food, fine wines and beer, and dancing. The evening also features appearances by members of Harmony on Tap and opera singer D'Andrea Pelletier. Live and silent auctions will provide attendees an opportunity to bid on artwork, jewelry, hotel stays, restaurants, local products, services, and gift certificates to businesses and attractions. Tickets are $70, $65 for VAC Members, and can be purchased at VAC's Niʻaulani Campus in the village or Gallery in Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park, online at volcanoartcenter.org/classes-and-workshops/purchase-tickets-to-vac-events, or by calling (808) 967-8222. Gala tickets also provide free admission to the LTA Valentine's Day Dance held the following weekend on Saturday, Feb. 15 – see info below.

Get back to the basics in the Zentangle: Basics workshop with Ellen O'Dunn on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Paint Your Own Silk Scarf with Patti Pease Johnson returns on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Enrolling a loved one in the class or the finished scarf itself that you'll create in class makes a great Valentine's Day gift, states the announcement.

Valentine's Dance on Saturday, Feb. 15 will be held from 6 p.m.to 10 p.m. Learn the Charleston, the Lindy Hop, and more.

This month's Hula Kahiko performance at 10:30 a.m.happens on Saturday, Feb. 15 with Kumu Hula Keala Ching with Nā Wai Iwi Ola and Nā Mea Hula with Loke Kamanu & ʻOhana from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at VAC Gallery.

Join Claudia McCall for the Fused Glass Basics workshop on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 11 a.m.

Learn Mixed Media Photo Encaustic techniques with Mary Milelzcik on Saturday, Feb. 29 at 10 a.m. The class is slated for beginner to intermediate students.

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.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Jan. 28 and 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Mon., Jan. 27 @Kamehameha

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

MONDAY, JAN. 27

TUESDAY, JAN. 28

H.O.V.E. Road Maintenance Corp. Board Mtg., Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 10a.m., H.O.V.E. RMC office, 92-8979 Lehua Lane, Ocean View. 929-9910, hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Lava Tubes of Ocean View, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Presented by Peter and Annie Bosted, it will include presentation of images of the underground in the Ocean View area – especially an extensive system in the Kahuku Unit of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which abuts HOVE – and Hawaiian lava tubes in general. Those who want to know more about what's going on under their feet, and those curious about lava tubes are invited to the free presentation, along with family and friends, said the Bosteds.

THURSDAY, JAN. 30

Ka‘ū Food Basket, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Pāhala Community Center. 928-3102

FRIDAY, JAN. 31
Kahuku Coffee Talk – Makahiki: A Celebrated Season, Friday, Jan. 31 – last Friday, monthly – 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

SATURDAY, FEB. 1

Nāʻālehu Farmers Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays beginning Feb. 1, 7 a.m. at the future Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site.

Stewardship at the Summit, Saturday, Feb. 1 and 15 and Friday, Feb. 7, 21, and 28. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Free; Park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Indigo Fundamentals Workshop, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12:30p.m. Indigo dyeing with Wai‘ala Ahn and Justin Tripp. volcanoartcenter.org

Forest Work Day and Plant Identification Training with Tim Tunison, Saturday, Feb. 1, 1-3p.m. Learn some native plants, help restore a beautiful rainforest, and get some exercise. volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, FEB. 2

Super Bowl Party, Sunday, Feb. 2, Lava Lounge at Kīlauea Military Camp. Doors open at 11 a.m. with kick-off at 1:30 p.m., 'til pau. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more information call 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

ONGOING

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An upwelling of orange lava from a lower level flowed over a stream of darker red lava on the floor of this lava
tube. Spectacular lava tubes are the subject of a talk in Ocean View this Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at Ocean View
Community Center. See more below. Photo by Peter and Annie Bosted

PROPERTY TAXES FLOWING DIRECTLY TO EDUCATION is the goal of a bill submitted to the sate legislature today by Speaker of the House Scott Saiki. He introduced HB 2671, a constitutional amendment proposing that the Board of Education hold concurrent real property tax authority to fund teacher compensation. "Concurrent" means the counties would share real property tax authority with the BOE.
Said Saiki, "HB 2671 addresses the question of how to fund increased teacher compensation. The general public and business community must weigh in on whether taxes should be raised to increase
teacher salaries, and, if so, whether a real property tax is an appropriate source of revenue. If approved by the Legislature, HB 2671 will be placed on the 2020 general

election ballot and voters will have the opportunity to ratify it." The ballot would read: "Shall the Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi be amended by repealing the counties' exclusive jurisdiction over real property taxation and providing instead that the taxation of real property shall be under the concurrent jurisdiction of both the board of education and counties, thereby allowing the board of education to levy real property taxes to fund teacher compensation?"
A separate bill, HB 2662, was introduced to statutorily implement the constitutional amendment if it is ratified. HB 2662 is a "short form" bill that requires the Legislature to insert statutory implementation language. The bill has been referred to its committees for public hearings.

In most places on the mainland, school districts are funded within borders of cities, towns, and neighborhoods. Higher property taxes bring in more money for schools in wealthier neighborhoods.

In Hawaiʻi, the school district covers the entire state, aiming to treat all children equally in quality of education. Some critics state that separating school funding from property taxes has created an underfunded public education system in Hawaiʻi. This is one of the reasons Hawaiʻi boasts the lowest property taxes in the country, making it a draw for outside investors in real estate.

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AN ANTIDISCRIMINATION BILL FOR REFUGEES AND ASYSLUM-SEEKERS was lauded today at rally in Washington, D.C. featuring Sen. Mazie Hirono. Today, on the third anniversary of the announcement of President Trump's Muslim Ban, the U.S. Senator joined Congressional Democrats, faith leaders, and civil rights advocates urging swift passage of S. 1123, the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act. "If passed, the legislation would permanently end the Administration's discriminatory policy," said a statement from Hirono.
Hirono said, "The Muslim Ban is sadly only one part of the Trump Administration's virulent and cruel anti-immigrant agenda. In addition to the Muslim Ban, there was the separation of children at the border, the detention of families with no end in sight, and many more harmful policies. Every day, Stephen Miller and others in the Trump Administration find new ways to hurt immigrants in our country. We must stand together in opposing these discriminatory policies."
In addition to members of Congress, leaders from Muslim Advocates, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Women's Law Center, Bend the Arc Jewish Action, National Council of Jewish Women, and NAACP Washington Bureau participated in the rally.

Sen. Mazie Hirono at today's rally on a law to end discrimination of
refugees and asylum-seekers. Photo from Hirono

The statement from Hirono said that the NO BAN Act "underscores America's commitment to protecting refugees and asylum-seekers. The bill is supported by more than 250 members of Congress; over 400 national security, civil rights, faith, and community organizations; 19 state attorneys general; and more than 50 immigration law professors."

As the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on The Constitution, Senator Hirono has been a persistent and vocal critic of the Muslim Ban. In 2017, she called for President Trump to rescind the Muslim Ban. In 2018, she joined 30 Senators in signing an amicus brief in support of the state of Hawaii in Trump v. Hawaii, a case challenging the Muslim Ban. Senators Hirono and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to release same-day audio in Trump v. Hawaii.

See video of today's rally.

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PRELIMINARY RESULTS FOR THE WHALE COUNT ALONG THE KA‘Ū COAST last Saturday were released today. Local residents and visitors joined the Sanctuary Ocean Count and Great Whale Count to observe humpback whales from the shores of Hawai‘i Island, Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, and Maui. The site for counting in Ka‘ū was Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach, where volunteers documented six whale sightings in the nearshore waters.
More than 550 volunteers gathered data from the 53 sites across all the main Hawaiian Islands. They recorded 279 whale sightings during the 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day's count. The next whale county will be Saturday, Feb. 29. To sign up to watch from Ka Lae, Punalu‘u, and Miloli‘i, go to oceancount.org.
Conditions varied but the majority of sites were beautiful, clear and sunny with low wind, great weather for spotting whales. High surf, haze, and rain were present at several sites with unfavorable conditions for spotting whales. Turtles, sea birds, flying fish, and spotted/spinner dolphins revealed themselves across the main Hawaiian Islands. Some volunteers saw Hawaiian monk seals.

Whale watching at Punaluʻu on Saturday contributed to the official Sanctuary Ocean Count. Photo by Michelle Nason

Ocean Count promotes public awareness about humpback whales, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, and shore-based whale watching opportunities. Volunteer participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals' surface behavior during the survey, which provides a snapshot of humpback whales activity from the shorelines of O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i islands. The humpbacks winter in Hawaiian water to give birth before heading north to summer feeding grounds.
The Maui event is the annual Great Whale Count by Pacific Whale Foundation, which brings volunteers together to count whales from shore as part of a long-term survey of humpback whales, with 12 survey sites along the shoreline of Maui. This event provides a snapshot of trends in relative abundance of whales and is one of the world's longest-running citizen scientist projects.

A humpback whales seen last Saturday during the Sanctuary Ocean Count. Photo by Dawn Graham

Both counts take place three times during peak whale season: the last Saturdays in January, February, and March.
Preliminary data detailing Sanctuary Ocean Count whale sightings by site location and volunteer sign-up are available at oceancount.org. Additional information will be available on Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary's website at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.
The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, administered by NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the State of Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources, protects humpback whales and their habitat in Hawaiian waters where they migrate each winter to mate, calve, and nurse their young.
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, established in 2000, is the official non-profit partner of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The Foundation directly supports national marine sanctuaries by protecting species, conserving ecosystems and preserving America's maritime heritage through on-the-water conservation projects, public education and outreach programs, and scientific research and exploration.

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Colorful splatters from a long-ago lava flow are still in

evidence on the walls of this lava tube on Hawaiʻi Island.

White mineral deposits cover some of the splatters,

but have peeled away from the surface of others.

Photo by Peter and Annie Bosted

LAVA TUBES IN HAWAI‘I will be topic of a show at Ocean View Community Center this Tuesday starting at 6:30. p.m. The show will be presented by veteran cavers, Peter and Annie Bosted, who have explored and photographed caves all over the world. They will explain why Hawai‘i Island has the world's longest and best lava tubes, and show photos of the wide variety of lava tubes on this island, from ice caves high on Mauna Loa to water and ocean-filled caves at the shores. Their photos will reveal unusual sights in lava tubes, from tiny cave-adapted bugs the size of a grain of rice, to highly colorful splatters of lava, and curtains of ‘ōhi‘a tree roots.

Lava tubes that are open to the public and cave conservation organizations will also be discussed. The Bosteds will explain what it takes to map a 20-mile-long lava tube system, a project that they, with other cave explorers, have undertaken in the Kahuku Unit of the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

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HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK EVENTS for February continue the sharing of Hawaiian culture, stewardship programs, and opportunities to explore the main and Kahuku Unit portions of the Park. Events are free, but Park entrance fees may apply. Some programs are co-sponsored by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association:
Spotlight on Artist Diana Miller, Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. This program will highlight the works of local artist and part-time park ranger, Diana Miller. From her early days as an art major, to her career with the U.S. Air Force painting nose-art on aircraft, to her works celebrating native Hawai‘i, learn what inspires this local artist. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series.

The American Wild Ensemble will perform at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National

Park on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Photo courtesy of Geoff Shiel

Music in the American Wild, Tuesday, Feb. 11; seating begins at 6:30 p.m., concert starts at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. The American Wild Ensemble was formed to celebrate and tour America's national parks. They've performed in unconventional venues, from caves to mountaintops, commissioning new works and performing them in site-inspired and site-specific locations. Attend the evening concert with ensemble directors Emlyn Johnson (flute) and Daniel Ketter (cello) as they present a contemporary classical program featuring new works by Hawai‘i resident and Hawai‘i-born composers. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series.
Ki‘i Carving Demonstration, Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center lanai. Hawaiians carved ki‘i (statues) to represent forces of nature, gods, guardians and the spirit world. Acclaimed artist James Kanani Kaulukukui, Jr. will share his expertise and the essential role these ki‘i played in Hawaiian society. With a carrot, you'll learn how to make your own ki‘i. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes'‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops.

Untitled painting by local artist Diana Miller, who will

be in the spotlight on Tuesday, Feb. 4.

Photo courtesy of Diana Miller

Concert with Christy Lassiter & Friends, Wednesday, Feb. 19; seating begins at 6:30 p.m., concert starts at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. This talented trio plays traditional Hawaiian music and have performed together for several years. They are devoted to the perpetuation of the old Hawaiian songs they grew up hearing in their homes. The use of guitar, ‘ukulele, bass and three-part harmonies create a memorable and enjoyable musical experience. Part of the Nā Leo Manu (Heavenly Voices) Hawaiian music concert program.
Hū (Kukui Nut Top) Demonstration, Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center lanai. Early Hawaiians devoted much of their time to games, amusements and relaxing. Top spinning was an absorbing activity for children and making hū (kukui-nut top) was equally engaging. Join rangers and staff from Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association as they share their knowledge and love of one of the most popular traditional arts of Hawai‘i. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes'‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops.
Stewardship of Kīpukapuaulu, every Thursday at 9:30 a.m., Feb. 6, 13, 20, and 27. Meet at the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11 in the Park. Help remove troublesome plants at Kīpukapuaulu, home to diverse native forest and understory plants. 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 at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

Christy Lassiter & Friends will perform at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium
on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Photo courtesy of Christy Lassiter

Stewardship at the Summit, Saturday, Feb. 1 and 15 and Friday, Feb. 7, 21, and 28. Meet at 8:45 a.m. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Visit nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm for additional planning details.

A Walk into the Past with Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, every Tuesday, Feb. 4, 11, 18, and 25 at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. Each performance is about an hour. Meet at Kīlauea Visitor Center. Walk back to 1912, and meet the founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar,

Living history actor Dick Hershberger portrays Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar,

founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, in a free program held

on Tuesdays in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. NPS photo/Janice Wei

at the edge of Kilauea Volcano. Dressed in period costume, Ka‘ū actor-director Dick Hershberger brings the renowned geologist to life. Dr. Jaggar will take you on a tour of his tiny lab located below the Volcano House to see original seismograph equipment and other early instruments. You'll 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 your free ticket at the 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 (KDEN).
Explore Kahuku. The Kahuku Unit is free, and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Take a self-guided hike, or join rangers on weekends for a two-hour guided trek at 9:30 a.m. 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, rain gear, sun protection, and a snack are recommended for all hikes.

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.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Jan. 28 and 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

TUESDAY, JAN. 28

H.O.V.E. Road Maintenance Corp. Board Mtg., Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 10a.m., H.O.V.E. RMC office, 92-8979 Lehua Lane, Ocean View. 929-9910, hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, Jan. 28 – last Tuesday, monthly – 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Lava Tubes of Ocean View, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Presented by Peter and Annie Bosted, it will include presentation of images of the underground in the Ocean View area – especially an extensive system in the Kahuku Unit of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which abuts HOVE – and Hawaiian lava tubes in general. Those who want to know more about what's going on under their feet, and those curious about lava tubes are invited to the free presentation, along with family and friends, said the Bosteds.

THURSDAY, JAN. 30

Ka‘ū Food Basket, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Pāhala Community Center. 928-3102

FRIDAY, JAN. 31
Kahuku Coffee Talk – Makahiki: A Celebrated Season, Friday, Jan. 31 – last Friday, monthly – 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

SATURDAY, FEB. 1

Indigo Fundamentals Workshop, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12:30p.m. Indigo dyeing with Wai‘ala Ahn and Justin Tripp. volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, FEB. 2

ONGOING

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Big signage and bright white crosswalks are being painted by the county road crew this week in
Pāhala. The corner of Pikake and Kamani Streets are the busiest in the village, with entrances
to school, shopping center and a bus stop. Photo by Julia Neal

GOOD SAMARITANS PULLED A WOMAN OUT OF THE WATER at GreenSandsBeachon Monday, Jan. 27 at about 1:33 p.m. When they brought her to shore, she was unresponsive. However, according to Hawaiʻi Fire Department, by the time its crew arrived, the 40 year old was sitting up. Rescue firefighters helped her to the top of GreenSandsBeach trailhead where Chopper #2's flight medical crew assessed her, treated her and transported her to KonaCommunityHospital. Eight units and three additional personnel were involved in the rescue.

Green Sands, Mahana Bay, is a popular place for both locals and tourists. Photo from DHHL

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THE ANNUAL HOMELESS POINT IN TIME COUNT will be conducted in Kaʻū and across the nation. It is the census of people experiencing homelessness on a given night. This week, volunteers will canvas local parks, beaches, parking lots, and other areas individuals and families are believed to be living. Volunteers will ask, "Where did you sleep on January 26th?" The survey, which is federally mandated, requires that anyone who slept on the street, in a car, or in other substandard conditions, be counted.

On Hawaiʻi Island, HOPE Services has taken the lead in facilitating Point In Time Count. Last year's count found 690 people experiencing homelessness on Hawaiʻi Island, down 50 percent from 1,394 in 2016. "While there are fewer people on the street, we have more and more people becoming homeless for the first time every year," says Brandee Menino, CEO of HOPE Services. While the count provides insight into the enormity of the problem, the agencies working to end homelessness face an uphill battle, she said.

"Rents are rising but wages are stagnant," said Menino. "The minimum wage is $10.10 per hour, but you'd need to work 103 hours a week at that wage to afford a 2 bedroom apartment on Hawaiʻi Island. Unless we see major shifts in prioritizing affordable housing, the number of people entering homelessness is expected to grow."
While the count comes short of capturing every person experiencing homelessness, it does provide a one-night snapshot of the greater picture of homelessness. The data collected provides a benchmark that can be compared county to county and year to year, which can help illustrate the effectiveness of homeless services, or explain the impact of events such as the Kīlauea eruption. Ensuring accuracy is important, as it helps communities advocate for state and federal resources, Menino explained.
The surveys include demographic data, which also helps service providers to decide how to focus resources in order to most effectively serve the population, said Menino.

Menino said that homeowners can help end homelessness by offering rental housing, including bedrooms and studios, or by participating in HOPE's new Master Leasing program, where HOPE pays 100 percent of fair market value rent, and assumes liability for tenants. To inquire about this program, call Taylor Quanan at 808-765-8655 (West Hawaiʻi) or Kehau Fontes at 808-936-8705 (East Hawaiʻi), or email info@hopeserviceshawaii.org.

Many homeless people live away from towns on Hawaiʻi Island. Volunteers organized by Hope Services will
try to count them and ask them where they slept on Jan. 26 to estimate a census of the number of homeless
on this island. It's called the Point in Time Count. Photo from Hope Services

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JOIN THE 2020 U.S. CENSUS TEAM. A hiring workshop will be held at Pāhala Gym Multipurpose room on Thursday, Feb. 20 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dinner and light refreshments will be provided. Census takers will be paid $20 per hour, and gas is reimbursable. Eligible applicants will be at least 18 years old, have a valid Social Security Number, and pass a criminal and background check. Those with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will not have their Census income counted as exempt. See https://2020census.gov/en/jobs.html for more and to apply.

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HANA LAULIMA LĀHUI O KAʻŪ, a grassroots non-profit, plans to revive its Prince Kūhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa, beginning this March 28. The group invites the community to attend its next membership drive and informational meeting on Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m. at the Nāʻālehu Community Center.

Prince Kūhio will be honored by a
Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday, March 28.

The rebirth Prince Kūhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa take place on Saturday, March 28 at Nāʻālehu Park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature music and hula, food, arts and crafts, and Hawaiian cultural activities. Anyone wanting to be a vendor, host a booth, and become a member is invited to the meeting. The annual membership dues are $10 per person or organization.

Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū was first established in the 1990's by husband and wife team Terry-Lee and Dane Shibuya, Sr. and other community members to create a Hawaiian cultural center for Kaʻū. Hana Laulima hosted five successful hoʻolauleʻa, with the last one held in the early 2000s. The organization was on the cusp of making the cultural center a reality, with architectural plans and environmental assessments in place, before unforeseen circumstances put their dream on an indefinite hold.

However, as Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū president, Terry-Lee Shibuya, told The Kaʻū Calendar, "Imua Kaʻū! The waʻa is moving forward again," referring to the cultural center plans. "Hana Laulima is focused on the upcoming generation, and supporting the development of a new economic base for Kaʻū, while preserving Kaʻū's rich cultural heritage and respect for the ʻāina (land).

"Please come out, get involved and make a difference for our Kaʻū keiki's future, which is really everybody's future. We must stand together as one Kaʻū ʻohana for the future generations of Kaʻū," said Shibuya.

For more information on membership, contact Shibuya at terrylshibuya@gmail.com or treasurer Kehau Ke at hunneygurl15@gmail.com.

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AN UNPAVED EMERGENCY ROUTE IS CLOSED in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park for two to four weeks, starting today. The closure on Escape Road between Highway 11 and the comfort station at Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube) is to repair a faulty electrical line. The replacement line will be placed underground after the area is trenched. Most visitors will not notice the closure, which is necessary to complete the last big step towards the reopening of Nāhuku, stated the announcement from the Park.

Although there isn't an exact date, the Park is making steady progress to reopen the popular lava tube in the next few weeks, barring any unforeseen circumstances, stated the announcement.

Nāhuku has been closed since May 2018 due to hazards caused by the destructive Kīlaueaeruption and summit collapse that include loose rocks and new cracks in the cave's ceiling. Since its closure, NPS geomorphologists and engineers have surveyed the lava tube, installed crack monitors, and removed loose rocks. Park staff have improved standing water issues by rerouting drainage and adding gravel to the cave floor, and overgrown vegetation and downed branches along the trail will be cleared by opening day.

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AN ORGANIZATION CALLED NEW POLITICS HAS ENDORSED SEN. KAI KAHELE FOR CONGRESS. An announcement came from the campaign of the Hilo state senator, who is running for the seat Tulsi Gabbard is leaving in the U.S. House of Representatives. The statement said that New Politics is "dedicated to changing politics by recruiting and supporting leaders who have committed their lives to serving our country, either through the military or national service."

With an endorsement from New Politics come strategic advising and training in all aspects of a candidate's campaign, such as fundraising, communications, organizing, hiring, and team building. In 2018, New Politics helped raise over $7M for its chosen candidates.

Emily Cherniack, Executive Director and Founder of New Politics, said , "From the Air National Guard to the state Senate, Sen. Kahele has dedicated his life to public service and to putting Hawaiiand our country first. We are proud to endorse him because he embodies the service values we need in our politics, and we can't wait to see him bring the Aloha spirit to Congress."

Kahele is a commercial pilot, 18-year combat veteran, and a commissioned officer in the Hawaiʻi Air National Guard, where he still serves as a Lieutenant Colonel. Kahele previously served as executive director for a non-profit that served rural native Hawaiian families at Miloli`i.

Kai Kahele said, "I'm honored to earn New Politics' endorsement and join their nationwide movement to bring servant leadership to Washington. Service has always been central to my life, and it would be the greatest privilege to continue giving back to my community in Congress. We are all in this together, and we deserve leadership that will move Hawaiʻi forward."

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Sulphur Cone at Mauna Loa. USGS photo

HOW TO PREPARE FOR MAUNA LOA'S NEXT ERUPTION is the focus of a free public program in Thursday, Jan. 30, 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center, 92-8924 Leilani Circle. U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge Tina Neal and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno will talk about Mauna Loa's current status, hazards of future eruptions, and how communities can prepare for the volcano's next eruption. An update on Hawaiʻi County's Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan and an opportunity to sign up to receive emergency messaging will also be provided.

Details are posted on the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website – in the "HVO News" corner – at https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/. For more information, email askHVO@usgs.gov or call 808-967-8844.

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.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. Jan. 29 BIIF @Civic

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, JAN. 30

Ka‘ū Food Basket, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Pāhala Community Center. 928-3102

FRIDAY, JAN. 31
Kahuku Coffee Talk – Makahiki: A Celebrated Season, Friday, Jan. 31 – last Friday, monthly – 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

SATURDAY, FEB. 1

Nāʻālehu Farmers Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays beginning Feb. 1, 7a.m. at the future Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site.

Stewardship at the Summit, Saturday, Feb. 1 and 15 and Friday, Feb. 7, 21, and 28. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45a.m. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Free; Park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Indigo Fundamentals Workshop, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12:30p.m. Indigo dyeing with Wai‘ala Ahn and Justin Tripp. volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, FEB. 2

Super Bowl Party, Sunday, Feb. 2, Lava Lounge at Kīlauea Military Camp. Doors open at 11a.m. with kick-off at 1:30p.m., 'til pau. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more information call 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

Spotlight on Artist Diana Miller, Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. This program will highlight the works of local artist and part-time park ranger, Diana Miller. From her early days as an art major, to her career with the U.S. Air Force painting nose-art on aircraft, to her works celebrating native Hawai‘i, learn what inspires this local artist. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

Sharp Turns – The Creative Art of Woodturning, Volcano Art Center Gallery exhibit, featuring the works of Aaron Hammer and Mark and Karen Stebbins, continues daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Feb. 16. A live woodturning demonstration at VAC will be held on Saturday, Feb. 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Aloha Kidney in Kaʻū, Thursday afternoons, 1-3:30p.m., through Feb 20, Kaʻū Resource Center, 96-3126 Puahala St. in Pāhala. The free class series on Chronic Kidney Disease lead by retired kidney doctor Ramona Wong. Bring a pen and whomever cares/cooks/shops for the person(s) with CKD. See alohakidney.com. Call (808) 585-8404 to enroll.

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30a.m.-2:30p.m. or 2:45-5:45p.m. 8-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Hawaiʻi International Music Festival, Sunday March 8, 6:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. The concert will feature music that will celebrate native plants of the Kaʻū Dryland Forest and will raise funds for Hoʻomalu Kaʻū. Performers will include: Maya Hoover, Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa faculty; Jonathan Korth, Hawaiʻi based pianist from UH-Mānoa; Joshua Nakazawa, Cellist from Hawaiʻi Symphony. They will be joined by the three HIMF co-founders: Amy Shoremount-Obra, Soprano with the Metropolitan Opera; Virutuoso Violinist Eric Silberger; and Carlin Ma, Pianist. Tickets will be available soon and information on tickets will soon be found on the HIMF website: himusicfestival.com.

Cultural Understanding Through Art & the Environment, features classes on block printing, lauhala weaving, ti leaf lei making, and more. A free guided Cultural Forest Tour, and a Mele and Hula ‘Auana performance are also slated. Visit the website events calendar for the full lineup. volcanoartcenter.org

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Risa and Yasubei Hirano and their son George posed in front of an American flag. Risa is holding a photograph of her

son Shigera in uniform. The Hiranos were held at the Colorado Rivercamp, and this image "captures both the

patriotism and the deep sadness these proud Japanese Americans felt," states the National Park Service caption.

See more below. Public domain via National Archives

THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT will be overhauled and Hawaiʻi's Congressional delegation is asking for a deadline extension for public comments. Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Brian Schatz, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, and Rep. Ed Case are among more than 150 members of Congress asking for the extension.

In calling for the White House's Council on Environmental Quality to extend the comment period, they noted that over the last five decades, NEPA has set rules for environmental impact assessments

conducted by federal government agencies regarding actions that the federal government proposes to fund, execute, or permit. "This process ensures that potential negative consequences to the environment due to proposed federal activities are considered, and that input from the affected communities are considered before final approval," says a statement from the group.

The Trump Administration proposes significant changes like removing the requirement that cumulative impacts be assessed, which removes consideration of climate change impacts. The proposed rule makes a series of other changes that "would significantly harm the environment and open the door to corporate influence. These dramatic changes, if finalized, will result in one of the biggest overhauls of NEPA in its history, and is yet another example of the Trump Administration favoring special interests over the environment and public health," according to a statement from Hirono's office.

In the letter, the members of congress wrote, "We urge you to extend the comment period to a duration commensurate with the scope and gravity of changes that CEQ proposes. Given that this is an unprecedented rewrite of the existing regulations and will impact proposed federal agency decisions for years to come, any public comment period less than six months would be unreasonable.

"The sweep of changes proposed in this rulemaking necessitates a long conversation about the proposed rule and the best way forward, if there is any, given the weaknesses in the rulemaking process and policy considered to date." The letter can be downloaded here.

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Satellite imagery shows the slow reinflation of Kīlauea and
the East Rift Zone. Photo from Big Island Video News

KILAUEA'S SUMMIT AREA AND THE EAST RIFT ZONE ARE REFILLING WITH MAGMA, according to Tina Neal. The U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge gave an update on the volcano last night during After Dark in the Park.
Neal said that an interferogram, from radar satellite imagery, showed how Kīlauea and "a broad region in the middle-east rift zone [is] inflating or reflecting this accumulation underground."

She said gas emissions from Kīlauea are "at the lowest level they've been in a long time. Just last week, we've measured only 40 tons a day of sulfur dioxide coming out of the summit. In the lava lake time, the numbers were up around 5,000 tons per day. So, the magma is deep enough that we're not seeing a lot of sulfur dioxide at the surface."

Photo from Big Island Video News

Neal said the green body of water and volcanic elements in Halemaʻumaʻu crater is now a football field wide (about 160 feet or 53 yards), two football fields long (about 720 feet or 240 yards), and more than 75 feet deep. She said HVO scientists think "at this point, we won't have explosions from magma/water interaction unless magma rises very rapidly into the lake. We have seen no sign of that happening and we would expect to see changes before that happens, and even then we're not sure – given the geometry and the volume – that there would actually be explosions, but it is a possibility we have to consider.

"Especially after the New Zealand eruption a few weeks ago," said Neal, referring to the unexpected eruption of Whakaari volcano on Dec. 9 which killed more than 20 people and severely injured at least 25, "people have asked if that could happen here and our answer is that it's a very different system here. This is a much leakier volcano. There's no sign that the system is sealing and pressurizing under some sort of impermeable cap, like happened at that WhiteIsland volcano in New Zealand."

Tina Neal said the water in Halemaʻumaʻu is expected to rise to the blue circle, above. Photo from Big Island Video News

Neal explained that the lake in Kīlauea is not at sea level, giving the possible interaction "a different composition. The rocks are of a different chemistry, so the minerals precipitating are not high in silica and they're not likely to clog up the pore spaces in the same way.

"So the short answer is we don't think we have a WhiteIsland situation developing here, but we can't completely rule out the possibility that there will be sudden steam explosions at some point. So this is something we're considering as we go forward."

Neal says it is "possible we'll have many years of quiet before the next eruption. Many years. A year; five years. Its hard to say. Based on past patterns, following big events like 2018 it's most likely that the next eruption would be in the summit area. That's about all we can say with certainty."

See the presentation at Big Island Video News.

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Members of the Mochida family wait in Hayward, California, for their

"evacuation" bus. Each wears an ID tag. The family operated

a nursery and five greenhouses in Hayward. Photo from

National Archives, Dorothea Lange, May 8, 1942

THE SHORT FILM MINIDOKA: AN AMERICAN CONCENTRATION CAMP will be shown at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The special After Dark in the Park program on Japanese American internment during World War II will be held at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

"Most people are unaware that Kīlauea Military Camp in the Park was also used as a Japanese internment camp during World War II," states the announcement. The newly released 30-minute film "reveals how unconstitutional imprisonment not only turned lives upside down but continues to ripple through generations and serves as a warning today.

"On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which led to the exclusion and unjust incarceration of 120,000 Japanese American citizens and legal residents of Japanese ancestry living in the United Statesduring World War II. Today, the National Park Service protects and collaboratively manages some of the former internment camps including Manzanar, Tule Lake, Minidoka, and Honouliuli."

Contemporary photo of Minidoka National

Historic Site entrance. NPS photo

Following the movie, National Park Service Archeologist Dr. Jadelyn Moniz-Nakamura will discuss the experience and subsequent detention of Japanese Americans here following the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor.

From the National Park Service website: "This was all the time Japanese American families had to pack all their belongings. Forced from their homes, they could only bring what they could carry. They had no idea where they were going or for how long. The National Park Service preserves the places where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. Follow the stories of their relocation, internment, and resettlement." For more information on Japanese American confinement during World War II, visit nps.gov/subjects/internment/index.htm.

After Dark in the Park is one of many programs sponsored by the Friends of Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park.

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THE LAND & WATER CONSERVATION FUND is under attack, according to League of Conservation voters. The organization notes that the fund brings in $900 million annually to the federal government to support land and water conservation from revenue generated from offshore oil and gas projects. League of Conservation Voters

released a statement today saying money that's supposed to go to national and locally managed parks, "ends up being siphoned into other projects. Last year, Congress only approved using $495 million of it. It should be a scandal."
The League announced that it is "hearing that members of the House are organizing for a floor vote to secure mandatory funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. If this passes it's huge — it's permanent funding for parks around the country."
However, "We're not sure we have the votes. Environmental groups are organizing to push for full funding. We're mobilizing to flood House and Senate offices with letters. We're organizing activists in key states. The group suggests contacting U.S. Senators and House members immediately. See https://p2a.co/IjGRmwt?p2asource=C4GAWMNEPA

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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.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, JAN. 30

Ka‘ū Food Basket, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Pāhala Community Center. 928-3102

FRIDAY, JAN. 31
Kahuku Coffee Talk – Makahiki: A Celebrated Season, Friday, Jan. 31 – last Friday, monthly – 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

SATURDAY, FEB. 1

Stewardship at the Summit, Saturday, Feb. 1 and 15 and Friday, Feb. 7, 21, and 28. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45a.m. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Free; Park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Indigo Fundamentals Workshop, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12:30p.m. Indigo dyeing with Wai‘ala Ahn and Justin Tripp. volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, FEB. 2

Super Bowl Party, Sunday, Feb. 2, Lava Lounge at Kīlauea Military Camp. Doors open at 11a.m. with kick-off at 1:30p.m., 'til pau. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more information call 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5
OKK Farmers Market in Nāʻālehu, Wednesdays beginning Feb. 5, 8a.m.-2p.m. at the future Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site. Contact Sue Barnett for vending, 808-345-9374.

ONGOING

The internship is open to U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents ages 18-30, and to military veterans up to age 35. Funding is provided under a cooperative agreement for youth conservation activities as part of the Public Lands Corps program, which mandates that these age ranges are followed.
The selected intern will assist with the development of education curriculum for Kīpukapuaulu and Pu‘u Loa trails in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

For more information, contact Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Education Specialist Jody Anastasio by email at j ody_anastasio@nps.gov. To apply go to go.nps.gov/mosaics or mosaicsinscience.org.

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30a.m.-2:30p.m. or 2:45-5:45p.m. 8-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.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.

Makahiki season in Kaʻū will be discussed at the Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park tomorrow
at 9:30 a.m. Photo by Nohea Kaʻawa

RISK OF THE 2019 NOVEL CORONAVIRUS IS LOW in Hawaiʻi, even thought the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency and the U.S. government recommended refraining from travel to China. The government also confirmed the first case of transmission of the virus from one person to another inside this country. The New York Times reported that Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "We understand that this may be concerning. But our assessment remains that the immediate risk to the American public is low."
The office of Governor David Ige, issued a statement today, saying there are "no reported cases" of 2019-nCoV in Hawaiʻi. Hawai‘i Department of Health is working with state, county, and federal partners – including the medical community and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – to actively prepare for possible cases, reads the statement.

2019-nCoV originated in Wuhan, China, and there are more than 6,000 cases with 132 confirmed dead in China. At least 17 countries have reported illness, with at least five reported cases in the U.S., among people who traveled to China, says the governor's statement.

Yesterday, the CDC reported that active airport screening of all incoming passengers from Wuhan, Chinais being expanded from five major U.S.airports – SFO, LAX, JFK, ATL, and ORD – to all 20 U.S.airports with CDC quarantine stations. This includes DanielK.InouyeInternationalAirport in Honolulu, with its quarantine station managed by the CDC and Customs and Border Protection.

The governor's office advises those who have become sick after travel to China, particularly HubeiProvince, do the following:

Seek medical care right away. Before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.

Stay home. Except for seeking medical care, avoid contact with others.

Do not travel while sick.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.

Wash hands often with clean soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

State Health Director Bruce Anderson said, "The Hawai‘i Department of Health is working closely with our emergency response network to put proactive measures in place to protect our residents and visitors. Because Hawai‘i is a major travel destination, planning and preparing for possible outbreaks is an ongoing activity. The emergence of the 2019 coronavirus in Wuhan and its potential to spread to areas outside of China poses an increased threat to travelers and Hawai‘i residents and we've ramped up our efforts.

Andersonsaid DOH advises that people not travel to China"at this time. Various areas in Chinahave been placed under quarantine by the Chinese government, and travel within the country is either completely prohibited or significantly curtailed to prevent the spread of this disease."

Dr. Sarah Park, State Epidemiologist, said, "We investigate all reports of persons with potential 2019 novel coronavirus infection to quickly identify persons with likely infection as well as those who may have been exposed to them." She said testing is only available at CDC in Atlanta, Georgia.

DOH also recommends that everyone get vaccinated for influenza to reduce the number of flu cases in Hawai‘i clinics and hospitals. "This will help reduce confusion as persons with influenza will have signs and symptoms like 2019-nCoV. DOH strongly recommends that residents six months and older protect themselves against flu by receiving the seasonal influenza vaccination," reads the statement.

National Public Radio reported that, since October, more than 8,000 people in the U.S. have died from influenza viruses already recognized, and that the 2018-2019 flu season saw more than 34,000 deaths.

For more information on public health preparedness activities in Hawai‘i visit health.hawaii.gov/prepare/about-us/office-of-public-health-preparedness/. For information on the 2019-nCoV outbreak, including information for clinicians and public health professionals, visit the following websites:

health.hawaii.gov/docd/advisories/novel-coronavirus-2019/

cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/watch/novel-coronavirus-china

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.

Sen. Brian Schatz

"FRAUGHT WITH REAL PERIL" is how Sen. Brian Schatz described a statement from Pres. Donald Trump's attorney Alan Dershowitz during the impeachment hearings this week. Dershowitz said, "If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment."

Said Schatz, "It is sometimes difficult to separate the daily noise from the truly dangerous stuff. But this idea is fraught with real peril.

"They are saying that abuses of power in order to get re-elected could be considered in the national interest and therefore not impeachable. If that doesn't worry you I just don't know what to say.

"On the one side, the House Managers established that the President abused his power to coerce a foreign government to announce a fake investigation into his political opponent. The other side asserts that such an abuse of power is not impeachable. So, both sides!"

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.

BE SAFE AND DON'T BREAK THE LAW WITH DRUNKEN DRIVING this Super Bowl weekend, is the message from Hawaiʻi Police Department:

"When Super Bowl LIV kicks off, will you be prepared? The Hawaiʻi Police Department will be. Whether you're cheering for the San Francisco49ers or Kansas City Chiefs, every Super Bowl party must start with a game plan that prevents drunk driving.

Breathalyzers can help indicate if someone has had too much
alcohol to drive.

Drunk driving kills. In 2019, there were 25 fatality crashes on Hawaiʻi Island, and impairment was a factor in twelve of them. You know that many Super Bowl parties will involve alcohol, so play it smart by having a winning game plan in place to not drink and drive.
We will all win on Super Bowl Sunday if we follow these keys to the game:

Know the Rules: It's illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. When it comes to drinking and driving, law enforcement doesn't throw a yellow flag; they throw the book at you. You'll get pulled over, arrested, and prosecuted. Your wallet takes a big hit, too: the average DUI court case costs approximately $10,000.

Play It Safe: Defenses win championships; your best defense is to plan a safe ride. Have a sober friend or family member drive you home. Call a cab, ride a bus, or contact a rideshare program. Just be a winner and choose a safe ride and take it to the house.

Be a Party MVP: Volunteer to be a designated driver. Let your team know that you’ll be there for them when the party's over with a safe, sober ride home.

If You've Been Drinking, You're Benched: There's no place on the road for anyone who has been drinking. If someone tries to drive after drinking, tell them to ride the bench until you help them find a sober ride home. If you're hosting the party, you're the head coach. Make the right call: take their keys before they drink and drive.

We're all on the same team when it comes to preventing drunk driving. And, however you or your guests travel on Super Bowl Sunday, always buckle up. Your seat belt is your best defense in any vehicle crash.

We hope it's a great game and that you enjoy it — safely — with friends and family. Remember: Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk.

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 RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION will hold its 21st annual Health Conference and General Membership Meeting on Friday, Feb. 28 at Pāhala Community Center from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

This year's theme is A Kaʻū High School Student Perspective on Resiliency. The keynote speaker will be Derick Kurisu, Vice President of KTA Stores Hawaiʻi. Kaʻū High School Youth will speak. Invited guests include Hawaiʻi County Mayor Harry Kim, Lt. Gov. Josh Green, and Kaʻū's County Council Member Maile David.

At the event, there will be student art exhibits, an auction, free health screenings, informational booths, and door prizes.

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.

MAUNA LOA VOLCANO is not erupting. The mauna's Alert Level is ADVISORY and Aviation Color Code is YELLOW. Rates of deformation and seismicity have not changed significantly over the past week and remain above long-term background levels.
     During the past week, HVO seismometers recorded 107 small magnitude earthquakes beneath the upper elevations of the volcano; the strongest was a magnitude-2.3 earthquake on January 23. Most earthquakes occurred at shallow depths of less than 5 km (~3 miles) beneath the volcano's surface.
     Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements show continued slow summit inflation, consistent with magma supply to the volcano's shallow storage system. Gas concentrations at the Sulphur Cone monitoring site on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable. Fumarole temperatures as measured at both Sulphur Cone and the summit have not changed significantly.
     For more information on current monitoring of Mauna Loa Volcano, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna_loa/monitoring_summary.html.

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.

MAKAHIKI: A CELEBRATED SEASON will be discussed at this month's Coffee Talk at the Visitor Center of Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Friday, Jan. 31, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

A Makahiki relay, to open the season, takes runners around
the island each year. Photo by Clarissa Pua

Makahiki is recognized and observed by many as a time to revel in Hawaiian culture with games, competition, and ceremony, and has come to be regarded as a time of peace and rejuvenation, states the announcement from the Park. In addition, Makahiki held immense importance as a method of time keeping, and was a major influence on the practices of farming, fishing, the division of resources, and even the political workings of the ruling chiefs.
Kahakaʻio Ravenscraft works at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park through their partner Hawaii Pacific Parks Association, providing cultural demonstrations for visitors to the Park's "royal grounds." He dedicates his work to perpetuating ‘ike Kupuna (ancestral practices) through the study of kālai kiʻi (sculpture), moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy), and moʻoʻōlelo (story-telling), as well as malama ‘iwi kupuna (care of traditional burial practices). Through his endeavors, Kahakaʻio seeks to empower others to connect to ancestral wisdom and become stewards of their place with the values of aloha ‘āina and mālama honua, states the announcement.
Coffee Talk at Kahuku is an opportunity to get to know the Park and neighbors, and join an informal conversation on a wide variety of topics. Bring coffe or purchase Kaʻū coffee from HPPA at the event. Entrance to Kahuku Unit is located on Hwy 11 near mile marker 70.5, on the mauka (mountain) side of the road.

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.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

FRIDAY, JAN. 31

Kahuku Coffee Talk – Makahiki: A Celebrated Season, Friday, Jan. 31 – last Friday, monthly – 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

SATURDAY, FEB. 1

Stewardship at the Summit, Saturday, Feb. 1 and 15 and Friday, Feb. 7, 21, and 28. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45a.m. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Free; Park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Indigo Fundamentals Workshop, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12:30p.m. Indigo dyeing with Wai‘ala Ahn and Justin Tripp. volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, FEB. 2

Super Bowl Party, Sunday, Feb. 2, Lava Lounge at Kīlauea Military Camp. Doors open at 11a.m. with kick-off at 1:30p.m., 'til pau. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more information call 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5

OKK Farmers Market in Nāʻālehu, Wednesdays beginning Feb. 5, 8a.m.-2p.m. at the future Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site. Contact Sue Barnett for vending, 808-345-9374.

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

Hula Voices, Thursday, Feb. 6, 5:30-7p.m. Presents an engaging, intimate talk story session with Hawai‘i Island kumu hula and features Volcano musician Joe Camacho. volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING

The selected intern will assist with the development of education curriculum for Kīpukapuaulu and Pu‘u Loa trails in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

For more information, contact Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Education Specialist Jody Anastasio by email at j ody_anastasio@nps.gov. To apply go to go.nps.gov/mosaics or mosaicsinscience.org.

Beginning Improv for Adults, Thursday, through Feb. 13, 1-3p.m. "Learn to live more in the moment, think on your feet, let go of self-judgment, bring more joy in your life, and recapture your playful spirit in the 6-week workshop series with improv legend Keli Semelsberger." Attendance to all 6 classes is not required – classes may be attended individually. No prior experience is necessary. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Sharp Turns – The Creative Art of Woodturning, Volcano Art Center Gallery exhibit, featuring the works of Aaron Hammer and Mark and Karen Stebbins, continues daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Feb. 16. A live woodturning demonstration at VAC will be held on Saturday, Feb. 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30a.m.-2:30p.m. or 2:45-5:45p.m. 8-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.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.

The impeachment trial of U.S. Pres. Donald Trump takes place in the U.S. Senate, where it was voted today to disallow
witnesses in proceedings which are expected to conclude by next Wednesday. Photo from PBS

REACTIONS TO FRIDAY'S U.S. SENATE VOTE TO EXCLUDE WITNESSES from next week's impeachment trial of Pres. Donald Trump sparked reactions from Hawaiʻi's senators.

Sen. Mazie Hirono said, "We are witnessing the coronation of @realDonaldTrump, with Mitch McConnell holding the crown and Republicans holding his train. Our country is in great danger. @realDonaldTrump already had few constraints on his behavior and now there will be even fewer. He's been let off the hook by Republicans. But he's not going to be set free by the American people." She said Trump is "focusing on: attacking immigrants, cutting Social Security, [and] getting rid of protections for those with pre-existing conditions. Stay tuned as he becomes more emboldened than ever."

Sen. Brian Schatz said, "No witnesses means no exoneration. If John Bolton has something to say it needs to be said before Wednesday at 4 p.m., when Republicans vote to acquit the President without conducting a trial."

Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, but the trial to remove him is conducted in the U.S. Senate, with the Supreme Court Chief Justice overseeing the procedure. With Republicans dominating the Senate, the vote is expected to leave Trump in office. with the decision on whether to keep him in office left up to voters in the 2020 election.

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.

SAFETY FOR SENIORS AND HELPING ELDERLY TO AGE AT HOME with support services are top priorities of the state House-Senate package of bills submitted this session by Kūpuna Caucus. Kūpuna Caucus consists of 54 House and Senate members and community organizations, government agencies, and individuals concerned about well-being of seniors in Hawaiʻi communities.

Rep. Gregg Takayama, House co-convener of the Kūpuna Caucus, said, "These measures are aimed at meeting the increased needs of our seniors, who this year comprise fully one-fifth of our state population. We're also concerned about a seeming increase in crimes against senior citizens, the most vulnerable members in our community."
Sen. Sharon Moriwaki, Senate co-convener of the Kūpuna Caucus, said, "Our package, while continuing to support programs to keep our kūpuna healthy and aging in their own homes, also aims at helping our most vulnerable – caring for those with dementia, supporting the Long-Term Care Ombudsman serving 15,000 elders in long term care facilities, and stiffening penalties for those who would attack or exploit our seniors."
Kūpuna Caucus measures can be read through links below with opportunities to submit testimony:
HB 1874 , SB 2334 - Increases penalties for violent and financial crimes against elderly. Standardizes definition of elderly as age 60.

HB 1873, SB 2340 - Establishes outreach program to inform medical professionals that care planning services for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is a covered benefit under Medicare.
HB 1865 , SB 2339 - Requires Health Department to establish an Alzheimer's disease and related dementias training program for care workers who deal with patients and clients.
HB 1866, SB 2335 - Requests $550,000 to continue the Health Aging Partnership program to improve the health and well-being of kūpuna.
HB 1867, SB 2342 - Requests $2 million to continue implementation of the Kūpuna Caregivers program to assist working family caregivers.
HB 1868, SB 2338 - Lowers the age a person can be exempt from jury duty from 80 years of age to 75.
HB 1869, SB 2341 - Allows a disability parking permit for persons with a disability that requires special accommodations to enter and exit their vehicle but does not impair the ability to walk.
HB 1870, SB 2336 - Requires the 30-day lapse or termination notices for long-term care policies to be sent by certified mail or commercial delivery service instead of first-class mail.
HB 1872, SB 2337 - Requests funds for the office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman for six full-time specialists; two each on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi, and one each on Kauaʻi and Maui.
HB 1871, SB 2333 - Requests $100,000 to update the five-year comprehensive long-term care plan issued in 2012.
Read the Kūpuna Caucus Package Report. See State Executive Office on Aging. Connect with the Hawai`i State Health Insurance Program that helps people with Medicare.

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.

HAWAIʻI INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL will be held Sunday March 8, 6:30 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation House. The concert will feature music that celebrates native plants of the Kaʻū Dryland Forest and will raise funds for Hoʻomalu Kaʻū , an organization dedicated to "perpetuating, protecting, and conserving the lands, health, knowledge, culture, and history of Kaʻū and its people."

Performers will include: Maya Hoover, Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano at Professor at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Jonathan Korth, Hawaiʻi based Pianist and Professor at UH-Mānoa; and Joshua Nakazawa, Cellist from Hawaiʻi Symphony. They will be joined by the three HIMF co-founders: Amy Shoremount-Obra, Internationally Acclaimed Metropolitan Opera Soprano; Eric Silberger, Internationally Acclaimed Prize-Winning Virutuoso Violinist; and Carlin Ma, Multi-Media Artist and Pianist.

Tickets are $30 and are available at kauconcert.bpt.me. See himusicfestival.comfor 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.

RURAL HOMEOWNERS are encouraged to apply to Habitat for Hawaiʻi Island for home repairs or improvements. The non-profit was awarded funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Services through the 2019 Housing Preservation Grant. Habitat Hawaiʻi Island will use funds to remove health or safety barriers, perform critical home repairs, and/or improve accessibility for a family member with a dis

ability of rural homeowners on Hawaiʻi Island. Hilo town homeowners are not eligible.

Apply for assistance by contacting Jane Mireles, Family Services Manager, at (808) 331-8010 or jane.mireles@habitathawaiiisland.org. Applications are due by Saturday, February 29.

Habitat for Humanity Hawaiʻi Island, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, is an equal opportunity housing provider and employer.

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.

STEAM VENTS IN HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES will be without a parking lot Monday, Feb. 3 from 8 a.m. to noon for little fire ant treatment. Only the Steam Vents parking lot and the trail from the parking lot to Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff) will be closed; Wahinekapu and Crater Rim Trail will remain open. If it rains, a backup date is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5 at the same time.

Invasive Little Fire Ants are on their way to being eradicated from Hawaiʻi
Volcanoes National Park. NPS photo

LFA detections have decreased by at least 99 percent at Steam Vents since the park began treating the area in February 2019. In 2018, LFA were abundant and readily observed on vegetation and along the edge of the parking lot. In September 2019, park pest control workers found LFA on just 0.1 percent of bait stations.
Park Ecologist David Benitez said, "We are making great progress, and only small, isolated LFA populations remain. Our work will continue until LFA are no longer found, and we will continue to monitor this and other high risk sites throughout the park to detect and remove newly arrived LFA before they spread. We are thankful for the public's support, and remind visitors to help by checking their gear and vehicles for LFA before coming to the park."
Pest control workers will treat Steam Vents every four to six weeks and the park will announce the temporary closures in news releases, on the park website, nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes, and via social media. The goal is to completely eliminate the ants from the area. This will be the ninth treatment cycle at Steam Vents.
For more information on LFA, how to control them and how to prevent spreading them, visit littlefireants.com.

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

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.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

SATURDAY, FEB. 1

Stewardship at the Summit, Saturday, Feb. 1 and 15 and Friday, Feb. 7, 21, and 28. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45a.m. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Free; Park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Indigo Fundamentals Workshop, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12:30p.m. Indigo dyeing with Wai‘ala Ahn and Justin Tripp. volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, FEB. 2

Super Bowl Party, Sunday, Feb. 2, Lava Lounge at Kīlauea Military Camp. Doors open at 11a.m. with kick-off at 1:30p.m., 'til pau. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more information call 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5
OKK Farmers Market in Nāʻālehu, Wednesdays beginning Feb. 5, 8a.m.-2p.m. at the future Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site. Contact Sue Barnett for vending, 808-345-9374.

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

Hula Voices, Thursday, Feb. 6, 5:30-7p.m. Presents an engaging, intimate talk story session with Hawai‘i Island kumu hula and features Volcano musician Joe Camacho. volcanoartcenter.org

FRIDAY, FEB. 7
Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū - Community Mtg. and

Membership Drive

, Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30p.m. at the Nāʻālehu Community Center. Topics include revival of annual Prince Kūhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa, to be held Saturday, March 28 at Nāʻālehu Park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature music and hula, food, arts and crafts, and Hawaiian cultural activities. Anyone wanting to be a vendor, host a booth, and become a member should also come to the meeting. The annual membership dues are $10 per person or organization. Contact Terry-Lee Shibuya at terrylshibuya@gmail.com or treasurer Kehau Ke at hunneygurl15@gmail.com.

ONGOING

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30a.m.-2:30p.m. or 2:45-5:45p.m. 8-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.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.

Hawaiian petrels hatch from eggs in burrows high on Mauna Loa. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park will monitor them
by helicopter from elevations of 5,500 feet to 9,000 feet this Tuesday, Feb. 4 and Wednesday, Feb. 5. See more below.
Photo by Andre Raine from American Bird Conservancy

HELP IN EXPANDING HEART AND CANCER TREATMENT CENTERS is sought by Hilo Medical Center which serves Kaʻū Hospital. When the 2020 Hawaiʻi State Legislative session opened on Wednesday, Jan. 15, representatives of the health care facilities made the rounds at the Capitol to thank legislators for their support and inform them of funding needs to expand the cancer center and cardiology services. This session, the Kaʻū and Hilo hospital staff is following Senate Bill 2535, introduced by Sen. Kai Kahele, and is asking for community support through testimony to the Legislature. The measure would appropriates funds to improve health care services related to cardiac care at Hilo Medical Center.
Last year, more than 400 cardiac catheterizations were performed by the Hilo team of cardiologists. See the YouTube video making the case for a second cath lab. See Senate Bill 2535 with its link to give testimony.

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FEBRUARY IS HEART MONTH. Kaʻū Hospital and Hilo Medical Center support the campaign to encourage people to become as familiar with their blood pressure as they are with their height and weight.
Community First and Japanese Chamber of Commerce recently featured interventional cardiologist, Dr. Jamison Wyatt, and Director of the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Program and Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, Marisa Salmoiraghi. They shared health implications of high blood pressure, and explained cardiology services provided at Hilo Medical Center through its facilities and through Kaʻū Hospital.

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.

CHECKING UP ON PETRELS, the endangered Hawaiian ʻuaʻa - seabirds that fish in the ocean and nest in the lower alpine and subalpine slopes of Mauna Loa at elevations as high as 9,000 feet, is one of the missions of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in February.
This Tuesday, Feb. 4, and Wednesday, Feb. 5, a crew will monitor petrels by helicopter at elevations of 5,500 feet to 9,000 feet between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. The crew will look for burrows where petrels nest after years out at sea. Scientists estimate they can fly and forage more than 6,000 miles in two weeks before returning to their nests.
Other Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park flight plans for February 2020:
Monday, Feb. 3, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., to fly transects above the Kahuku Unit in Ka‘ū between 1,800-ft. and 5,000-ft. elevation to monitor Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death and take aerial imagery of cultural landscape structures.
Tuesday, Feb. 4; Wednesday, Feb. 5; and Wednesday, Feb. 19, between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., for fence equipment and material transport to the Kahuku – Ka‘ū Forest Reserve boundary between 5,000- and 5,500-ft. elevation.

Hawaiian petrel, the ʻuaʻa. Photo by Jim Denny from American Bird Conservancy

Tuesday, Feb. 18 and Thursday, Feb. 20, between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., to haul camp gear to and from the university Volcano Research Station and ‘Ōla‘a-Koa Unit for ungulate monitoring and control between 3,500- and 4,000-ft. elevation.
Tuesday, Feb. 18, between 8 a.m. and noon, to survey and control invasive Guinea grass along Keauhou trail, from the coast to 2,000-ft. elevation.
In addition, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct flight operations over Kīlauea and 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. A statement from the Park says its management 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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THE FINAL INSTALLMENT OF VOLCANO AWARENESS MONTH'S VOLCANO WATCH stories covers the jobs of seismologists. It is written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory seismologist Brian Shiro:

People and Jobs at HVO, Part Four: The Shaky Work of HVO Seismologists

When I was seven years old, I won my county's earthquake safety poster contest. I remember going to a special award luncheon with the mayor, who complimented my work and gave me an "Earthquake in a Can" toy. Little did I know how much that event would influence my life.

Flash forward to almost 35 years later. I am now part of the seismic team at USGS HVO. As a professional seismologist, I monitor and study earthquakes to understand volcanoes and help keep people safe. It's a profoundly rewarding job.

Geophysicist Brian Shiro, manager of the USGS HVO seismic network, was

part of HVO's team that installed several new stations on Kīlauea Volcano's

lower East Rift Zone to monitor earthquakes during the 2018 eruption.

The station they installed here, ERZ1, was eventually overrun by

lava, but it provided important data while it lasted. USGS photo

HVO seismologists take turns being on-call each week. The on-duty seismologist tracks earthquake activity each day and must be ready to respond to hazardous earthquakes or to significant changes in seismic activity at our volcanoes.

A typical response might involve an alarm that goes off in the middle of the night for a Hawaiʻi earthquake that is magnitude-4 or greater. As part of the local community, I am just as affected by seismic hazards as any resident, so I quickly roll out of bed, communicate with colleagues, and get to work analyzing the earthquake.

Although computers automatically detect earthquakes, a human must review the data to ensure accurate characterization of the event. With many data streams to check, the duty seismologist spends up to an hour reviewing data before updating the earthquake solution online. This is why the magnitude and location for an earthquake can sometimes change from the initial posting. See our past Volcano Watch article about this for more info, volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=458.

A seismometer records earthquake activity. USGS photo

It's important to get earthquake information accurate as quickly as we can, especially if an event poses a shaking or volcanic hazard. During Kīlauea's 2018 eruption, I was glued to my chair analyzing earthquakes in near-real time as magma moved eastward towards Leilani Estates and later erupted from multiple fissures. The reviewed earthquake locations helped us pinpoint where eruptions were more likely – and less likely – to occur.

The day-to-day office work between volcanic crises varies depending on each seismologist's particular responsibilities and the current volcanic or seismic activity. Some of us primarily analyze and publish earthquake information, while others are mainly involved with interpretation and research.

HVO seismic analysts spend most of their time sifting through the earthquakes that occur each day, manually evaluating them, and publishing them to the USGS online earthquake catalog, earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/search/. It takes a keen eye to "pick" the arrival times of the P- and S-waves recorded at each seismic station and re-calculate the hypocentral parameters (location, depth, and magnitude) for each earthquake.

Over HVO's decades-long history, the way seismologists have gone about this task has evolved a lot. My pre-computer forebearers measured seismic wave arrival times and amplitudes on paper seismograph records and figured out the location of earthquakes on a map using a ruler and string. Although the physics has not changed, our tools certainly have. We've traded paper and rulers for computer monitors and mice.

Earthquakes can cause small to major damage. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National
Park is still recovering from the quakes during the 2018 eruption.
USGS photo

The art of "timing" earthquakes in this fashion develops over years of experience. It forms from a combination of knowing how seismic waves travel through the Earth, acquiring requisite computer skills, and practicing to consistently identify signals properly. I first learned how to do this 20 years ago in graduate school but am always learning new things as science progresses.

In my role as HVO's seismic network manager, I also monitor the state of health of the seismic stations operating in the field. If a station goes down, I try to figure out why and address the problem. As a manager, I also spend a lot of time on administrative tasks like planning, writing reports, purchasing equipment, and coordinating with outside partners.

Being part of a multidisciplinary team monitoring dynamic volcanoes is both challenging and exciting for me. As the field of volcano seismology continues to develop, we continually learn new things to advance our understanding and improve public safety.

Just as our tools have changed with time, our methods continue to evolve. In the future, artificial intelligence algorithms will likely help us characterize earthquakes, but there will always be a seismologist to develop and implement these tools.

Perhaps a seven-year-old child today will be that future seismologist.

Every dot represents earthquake activity. Each one is reviewed by a
seismologist. USGS image

This article is the fourth in a series of articles about HVO's people and jobs during Volcano Awareness Month 2020. Next week, HVO geologists write about their work.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. Kīlauea monitoring data showed no significant changes in seismicity and ground deformation. Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain low. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly expand and deepen.

Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption is certain.

This past week, 107 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa; the strongest was a M2.3 on Jan. 23. Deformation indicates continued slow summit inflation. Fumarole temperature and gas concentrations on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable.

Four earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in the Hawaiian Islands this past week: a magnitude-3.3 quake 15 km (9 mi) southeast of Volcano at 5 km (3 mi) depth on Jan. 30 at 1:51 a.m.; a magnitude-3.8 quake 16 km (10 mi) southwest of Leilani Estates at 6 km (4 mi) depth on Jan. 29 at 12:23 p.m.; a magnitude-2.8 quake 14 km (9 mi) southeast of Hōnaunau-Nāpō‘opo‘o at 5 km (3 mi) depth on Jan. 25 at 10:22 a.m.; and a magnitude-2.8 quake 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Pāhala at 34 km (21 mi) depth on Jan. 24 at 4:52 a.m.

HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa for any signs of increased activity. Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. 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 Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise,
meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

SUNDAY, FEB. 2

Super Bowl Party, Sunday, Feb. 2, Lava Lounge at Kīlauea Military Camp. Doors open at 11a.m. with kick-off at 1:30 p.m., 'til pau. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more information call 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

Spotlight on Artist Diana Miller, Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. This program will highlight the works of local artist and part-time park ranger, Diana Miller. From her early days as an art major, to her career with the U.S. Air Force painting nose-art on aircraft, to her works celebrating native Hawai‘i, learn what inspires this local artist. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5
OKK Farmers Market in Nāʻālehu, Wednesdays beginning Feb. 5, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., mauka on Hwy 11 at the old Nāʻālehu Fruit Stand and future home of the Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site. Contact Sue Barnett for vending, 808-345-9374.

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

Hula Voices, Thursday, Feb. 6, 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Presents an engaging, intimate talk story session with Hawai‘i Island kumu hula and features Volcano musician Joe Camacho. volcanoartcenter.org

FRIDAY, FEB. 7
Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū - Community Mtg. and

Membership Drive

, Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m. at the Nāʻālehu Community Center. Topics include revival of annual Prince Kūhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa, to be held Saturday, March 28 at Nāʻālehu Park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature music and hula, food, arts and crafts, and Hawaiian cultural activities. Anyone wanting to be a vendor, host a booth, and become a member should also come to the meeting. The annual membership dues are $10 per person or organization. Contact Terry-Lee Shibuya at terrylshibuya@gmail.com or treasurer Kehau Ke at hunneygurl15@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

16th Annual Love the Arts Volcano Arts Center Fundraiser Gala, Saturday, Feb. 8, 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Theme is The Roaring 2020s, highlighted by unique decorations, decadent food, fine wines and beer, and dancing. Features appearances by members of Harmony on Tap and opera singer D'Andrea Pelletier. Live and silent auctions: bid on artwork, jewelry, hotel stays, restaurants, local products, services, and gift certificates to businesses and attractions. Tickets $70, $65 VAC Members. Purchase at VAC's Niʻaulani Campus in the village or Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, online at volcanoartcenter.org/classes-and-workshops/purchase-tickets-to-vac-events, or (808) 967-8222. Gala tickets provide free admission to LTA Valentine's Day Dance on Saturday, Feb. 15. volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING

Beginning Improv for Adults, Thursday, through Feb. 13, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. "Learn to live more in the moment, think on your feet, let go of self-judgment, bring more joy in your life, and recapture your playful spirit in the 6-week workshop series with improv legend Keli Semelsberger." Attendance to all 6 classes is not required – classes may be attended individually. No prior experience is necessary. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Sharp Turns – The Creative Art of Woodturning, Volcano Art Center Gallery exhibit, featuring the works of Aaron Hammer and Mark and Karen Stebbins, continues daily, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., through Feb. 16. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Aloha Kidney in Kaʻū, Thursday afternoons, 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., through Feb 20, Kaʻū Resource Center, 96-3126 Puahala St. in Pāhala. The free class series on Chronic Kidney Disease lead by retired kidney doctor Ramona Wong. Bring a pen and whomever cares/cooks/shops for the person(s) with CKD. See alohakidney.com. Call (808) 585-8404 to enroll.

Register for a Free CERT Basic Training Course, four Saturdays starting Feb. 22 through March 14 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team encourages community participation and provides support to emergency response organizations when the need arises. Four consecutive classes are a 27-hour FEMA certification course. Sign up by emailing hawaiicert@gmail.com. Bill Hanson, 808-937-2181, hawaiicounty.gov/departments/civil-defense/hawai-i-county-cert.

Register for ʻO Kaʻū Kākou's 12th Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament and Canned Food Drive through Wednesday, Feb. 19 at noon. Event takes place Saturday, Feb. 22, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Poles, gear, and bait, and lunch for all, provided. Each child receives a prize, chosen during registration, in the order they register; register early. Keiki one to 14 years old register online at okaukakou.org, or pick up form at Nāʻālehu Elementary School, Nāʻālehu Ace Hardware, PāhalaElementary School, Mizuno Superette in Pāhala, Wiki Wiki Mart in Nāʻālehu, Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View, and Ocean View Auto Parts. Bring one can per person for food drive. For more information, contact Guy Enriques at 808-217-2253 or Wayne Kawachi at 808-937-4773. okaukakou.org

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. or 2:45-5:45 p.m. Eight-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Performers will include: Maya Hoover, Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano at Professor at Universityof Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Jonathan Korth, Hawaiʻi based Pianist and Professor at UH-Mānoa; and Joshua Nakazawa, Cellist from Hawaiʻi Symphony. They will be joined by the three HIMF co-founders: Amy Shoremount-Obra, Internationally Acclaimed Metropolitan Opera Soprano; Eric Silberger, Internationally Acclaimed Prize-Winning Virutuoso Violinist; and Carlin Ma, Multi-Media Artist and Pianist.

Tickets are $30 and are available at kauconcert.bpt.me. See himusicfestival.com for more.

T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511

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.

Livestock husbandry would be included in the new farmer training program proposed in the Hawaiʻi Legislature.
See more below. Photo from Hubbles Hog Heaven

CHINA-HAWAIʻI FLIGHTS ARE SUSPENDED. Lt. Gov. Josh Green, formerly a physician in Kaʻū, made the announcement today for the State of Hawaiʻi. He said that all direct flights are canceled. However, on Friday, the federal government announced that Oʻahu's Daniel K. Inouye Airport will be one of seven locations in the U.S. where flights will be redirected to check people showing symptoms of Coronavirus. Passengers would be examined and quarantined on Oʻahu, where the federal Center for Disease Control plans to conduct health screenings.

China Eastern Air is stopping the only direct flights
between China and Hawaiʻi, starting Monday.
Photo from China Eastern Air

Green said state government "is prepared. We will be spending 24/7 on this to make sure that whatever steps are necessary to be taken, to keep our people safe, we will do." He said that a military base will likely be chosen for quarantines of about two weeks.
Republican state Rep. Gene Ward said the federal government is playing "Russian Roulette" with Hawaiʻi's economy by making it a stopover to check for passengers for Coronavirus. He said it could encourage fear in people who would refrain from vacationing in Hawaiʻi, even though there have been no cases here. "Half of our economy gets decimated if we have just a handful of tourists."
The only direct flights between China and Hawaiʻi are on China Eastern Air six days a week. The last flight before the suspension arrives Monday.

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NEW FARMER TRAINING is the aim of a bill in the Hawaiʻi Legislature, supported by two of Kaʻū's legislators and Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United. SB2709 would fund a five-year beginning farmers training program to be administrated by the state Department of Agriculture. It was introduced by east Kaʻū Sen. Russel Ruderman and colleagues. Its companion bill in the state House of Representatives, HB1894, was introduced by west Kaʻū's Rep. Richard Creagan and colleagues.

Hawaiʻi Farmers Union encourages testimony to the Hawaiʻi Legislature to support new farmer training.
Photo from Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United

The bill says the legislature find it is necessary to support beginning farmers by partnering with nonprofit organizations, to provide training opportunities. "The legislature further finds that applicable nonprofit organizations, especially those in rural areas, lack sufficient resources to expand existing training programs. The legislature believes that a beginning farmer training program could increase farming in the state, ensure the continued use of well-developed farming methods, and provide for the cultivation of new farming methods."
The justification for the bill contends that "new and aspiring farmers face a myriad of challenges, including acquiring adequate production, and business knowledge and skills, and accessing the tools necessary to evaluate their resources and develop feasible farming and business plans. However, the State lacks qualified farming method teachers and funding for beginning farmer training. Further, although the United State's Department of Agriculture provides funding for beginning farmers, this funding is limited and unreliable.
"The legislature believes that the future of the state's farming industry, food supply, and agriculture is reliant upon increasing and diversifying the number of new farmers in the state; introducing regenerative farming methods into the state; enhancing the long-term viability of farm businesses; utilizing and building upon existing beginning farmer training methods; providing opportunities for potential farmers who are socially or financially disadvantaged; and increasing support for beginning farmers who already own or manage a farm, and have farmed for five years or less."

Skills in planting, tending harvesting, and the business of farming would be taught through the new program.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

The plan calls for implementing "strategies to increase the number of new farmers in the state, with a focus on recruiting low-income persons, disabled persons, and military veterans." It would assist qualified farmer training providers seeking federal and county funding to expand their training offerings.
The bill defines a beginning farmer as one who is "eligible for training for a maximum of one year; qualifies for Hawaiʻi resident tuition or provides proof that the beginning farmer has been farming for no more than five years; maintains satisfactory academic progress; and demonstrates an interest in pursuing a career in the state's agricultural industry."
Trainees would learn skills in planting, tending, cultivating, and harvesting various types of crops; and raising livestock and poultry. The training program would teach soil health; agricultural business operations, including workforce issues, regulatory compliance, and general operations; and industry analysis of the agricultural industry and related markets.
To testify, link to the Senate Bill SB2709 and the House Bill HB1894.

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GIVE INPUT ON A RESOLUTION TO REDUCE HERBICIDE USE in Hawaiʻi County on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 9 a.m.Hawaiʻi County Council's Committee on Agriculture, Water, Energy, and Environmental Management will hear testimony and hear a progress report from County Administration in the Hilo Council chamber, 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1401. Interested members of the public are encouraged to testify in person in Hilo, or via videoconference at the Council's courtesy sites in Nā‘ālehu, Pāhoa, Kapa‘au, Waimea, and Kona.

The legislation is introduced "In an effort to reconcile the expressed public priority of reducing herbicide use," after Bill 101, to stop use of 23 herbicides on county land, was vetoed last year by Mayor Harry Kim. The council did not have enough votes to counter the veto. Resolution No. 475-20 would "move toward eliminating herbicide exposure to the public by reducing its use on land managed by the County."

2019 Mosaics in Science intern MyLynn Phan displays

her curriculum in Washington, D.C. NPS Photo

The new approach proposed "encourages the establishment of a vegetation management advisory commission that could investigate solutions, generate ideas for workable legislation that balances risks and benefits, and would draw on a wide variety of expert advice to help the Council and the Administration make good decisions," states the announcement from the council.

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TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY TO APPLY for Mosaics of Science, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's 12-week paid summer internship position. The internship is designed to engage university students and recent graduates with on-the-ground work experience in the National Park Service. A $4,800 stipend is provided and all travel costs are covered, including a week-long career workshop in Washington, D.C. to meet with NPS managers.

The selected intern will assist with the development of education curriculum for Kīpukapuaulu and Pu‘u Loa trails in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

A 4.2 earthquake south of Volcano and a small quake at
Pāhala shook the communities this evening.
USGS map

For more information, contact Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Education Specialist Jody Anastasio by email at j ody_anastasio@nps.gov. To apply go to go.nps.gov/mosaics or mosaicsinscience.org.

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A 4.22 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE shook southeast Hawaiʻi Island at 8:37 p.m. Sunday. The epicenter was 4.35 miles south of Volcano Village. Depth was 4.3 miles. Shaking was felt as far away as North Kona. Immediate "Felt" reports indicated the quake was "light to moderate." No damage nor tsunami alerts were reported as of 9:20 p.m.
Numerous earthquakes have been shaking the Pāhala and Volcano areas during the last two weeks. See volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_earthquakes.html.

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 Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise,
meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

Spotlight on Artist Diana Miller, Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. This program will highlight the works of local artist and part-time park ranger, Diana Miller. From her early days as an art major, to her career with the U.S. Air Force painting nose-art on aircraft, to her works celebrating native Hawai‘i, learn what inspires this local artist. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5

OKK Farmers Market in Nāʻālehu, Wednesdays beginning Feb. 5, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., mauka on Hwy 11 at the old Nāʻālehu Fruit Stand and future home of the Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site. Contact Sue Barnett for vending, 808-345-9374.

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

Hula Voices, Thursday, Feb. 6, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Presents an engaging, intimate talk story session with Hawai‘i Island kumu hula and features Volcano musician Joe Camacho. volcanoartcenter.org

FRIDAY, FEB. 7
Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū - Community Mtg. and

Membership Drive

, Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m. at the Nāʻālehu Community Center. Topics include revival of annual Prince Kūhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa, to be held Saturday, March 28 at Nāʻālehu Park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature music and hula, food, arts and crafts, and Hawaiian cultural activities. Anyone wanting to be a vendor, host a booth, and become a member should also come to the meeting. The annual membership dues are $10 per person or organization. Contact Terry-Lee Shibuya at terrylshibuya@gmail.com or treasurer Kehau Ke at hunneygurl15@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

16th Annual Love the Arts Volcano Arts Center Fundraiser Gala, Saturday, Feb. 8, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Theme is The Roaring 2020s, highlighted by unique decorations, decadent food, fine wines and beer, and dancing. Features appearances by members of Harmony on Tap and opera singer D'Andrea Pelletier. Live and silent auctions: bid on artwork, jewelry, hotel stays, restaurants, local products, services, and gift certificates to businesses and attractions. Tickets $70, $65 VAC Members. Purchase at VAC's Niʻaulani Campus in the village or Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, online at volcanoartcenter.org/classes-and-workshops/purchase-tickets-to-vac-events, or (808) 967-8222. Gala tickets provide free admission to LTA Valentine's Day Dance on Saturday, Feb. 15. volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, FEB. 9

Kaʻū Clean-Up with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, Sunday, Feb. 9, and Saturday, March 21. Volunteer spaces limited. RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

ONGOING

Aloha Kidney in Kaʻū, Thursday afternoons, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., through Feb 20, Kaʻū Resource Center, 96-3126 Puahala St. in Pāhala. The free class series on Chronic Kidney Disease lead by retired kidney doctor Ramona Wong. Bring a pen and whomever cares/cooks/shops for the person(s) with CKD. See alohakidney.com. Call (808) 585-8404 to enroll.

Register for a Free CERT Basic Training Course, four Saturdays starting Feb. 22 through March 14 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team encourages community participation and provides support to emergency response organizations when the need arises. Four consecutive classes are a 27-hour FEMA certification course. Sign up by emailing hawaiicert@gmail.com. Bill Hanson, 808-937-2181, hawaiicounty.gov/departments/civil-defense/hawai-i-county-cert.

Register for ʻO Kaʻū Kākou's 12th Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament and Canned Food Drive through Wednesday, Feb. 19 at noon. Event takes place Saturday, Feb. 22, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Poles, gear, and bait, and lunch for all, provided. Each child receives a prize, chosen during registration, in the order they register; register early. Keiki one to 14 years old register online at okaukakou.org, or pick up form at Nāʻālehu Elementary School, Nāʻālehu Ace Hardware, PāhalaElementary School, Mizuno Superette in Pāhala, Wiki Wiki Mart in Nāʻālehu, Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View, and Ocean View Auto Parts. Bring one can per person for food drive. For more information, contact Guy Enriques at 808-217-2253 or Wayne Kawachi at 808-937-4773. okaukakou.org

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. or 2:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. 8-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Performers will include: Maya Hoover, Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano at Professor at Universityof Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Jonathan Korth, Hawaiʻi based Pianist and Professor at UH-Mānoa; and Joshua Nakazawa, Cellist from Hawaiʻi Symphony. They will be joined by the three HIMF co-founders: Amy Shoremount-Obra, Internationally Acclaimed Metropolitan Opera Soprano; Eric Silberger, Internationally Acclaimed Prize-Winning Virutuoso Violinist; and Carlin Ma, Multi-Media Artist and Pianist.

Tickets are $30 and are available at kauconcert.bpt.me. See himusicfestival.com for more.

T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 pm, ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511

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 the drone footage taken by University of Hawaiʻi researchers with a permit from NOAA, showing a humpback
whale calf shortly after birth. Video from University of Hawaiʻi.

AN ABUNDANCE OF HUMPBACK WHALE MOTHERS AND CALVES in Hawaiian nearshore waters was reported today by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, which notified ocean users to keep a safe distance.
Humpback whale season in Hawaiʻi runs from about November through May, although whales may be encountered in limited numbers during other months. Thousands of humpback whales return to Hawaiian waters each year to breed, give birth, and nurse their young.
With recent reports of multiple mother/calf pairs in Hawaiʻi, ocean users are reminded to keep a safe distance from these annual visitors. Collisions with vessels are a risk to both the animals and humans.
Boaters are reminded to post a lookout at all times throughout the year, not just when whales are visiting Hawaiian waters. An extra set of eyes scanning the waters ahead and to the side of a boat can prevent collisions with marine life, obstructions, divers, and other vessels. Slower speeds may also reduce the risk of collisions with the animals.

Humpback mother and calf within 20 minutes of birth last year, as
captured by a crew from University of Hawaiʻi.
Photo from University of Hawaiʻi

Humpback whales are protected in Hawaiʻi. Federal regulations prohibit approaching within 100 yards of whales when on the water, and 1,000 feet when operating an aircraft. These and other regulations apply to all ocean users, including vessel operators, kayakers, paddle boarders, windsurfers, swimmers, and divers throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
Ed Lyman, Natural Resources Specialist for Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, said, "Ocean users are a great resource in helping monitor the humpback whales in the sanctuary and nearby waters. By locating distressed animals, reporting, and providing the initial documentation and assessment on the animal, ocean users are the foundation of our conservation efforts."
The National Marine Sanctuary staff urges those who come across an injured or entangled marine mammal to maintain the required safe distance and call the NOAA Marine Mammal Hotline at 1-888-256-9840 immediately, or the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF channel 16. If reporting a suspected approach zone violation, call the NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline at 1-800-853-1964. Additional guidelines and safety tips can be found at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.
The sanctuary is administered by a partnership of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the State of Hawaiʻi through the Division of Aquatic Resources. The sanctuary works to protect humpback whales through research, education, conservation and stewardship. See Facebook.

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Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park will receive a half million dollar upgrade in
its air cleaning, cooling, and heating system, with installation from March into summer. NPS photo

CLIMATE CONTROL FOR Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will be improved, the project running from March into summer. The $571,450 contract, with funding from entrance fees, is awarded to Regal Service Co. It includes a major air conditioning system installation to improve the comfort and safety of visitors and employees inside the busiest facility in the park.
Work on the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) project is scheduled to start in early March with a completion date in summer 2020, although dates are subject to change. Visitors and tour operators will

experience some disruption in services, but Kīlauea Visitor Center will remain open, and the Park and its non-profit partner, Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association, are working to minimize impacts.
Tentative dates are below with updates on the park website:
March 4 – 25, 2020: The Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association park store in Kīlauea Visitor Center will close and relocate to an alternate location nearby. Details such as location and operating hours will be shared once they are finalized.
March 16 – 20: New front doors will be installed, visitors may be directed to enter and exit Kīlauea Visitor Center through the auditorium door.
March 26 – June 30: The auditorium will be closed, but the visitor center will remain open. Park films, including Born of Fire, Born of the Sea, will not be shown. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will continue to be shown on a television in the exhibits area, and is available online for free download. Some After Dark in the Park and other special auditorium programs will be rescheduled, or relocated to Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus.
In addition to providing a comfortable temperature in the most-visited facility in the park, the new HVAC system will be equipped with air purifiers that reduce sulfur dioxide and other harmful volcanic gases when Kīlauea erupts again.

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Infographic from ballbearingsmag.com

ADDRESSING THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF BULLYING by servicing needs of the homeless and LGBTQIA+ communities is the focus of three bills introduced into the 2020 Hawai‘i Legislature. Rep. Ryan Yamane introduced the following:

HB2038 would establishes a two-year mobile facilities pilot program for the Department of Human Services to purchase, staff, and operate mobile facilities on Department of Education property to provide services including laundry, showers, oral hygiene, and food for homeless children and their family members. The bill passed the House Human Services & Homelessness and Lower & Higher Education committees last Thursday.

HB2483 is about bullying and requires all entities that provide educational or recreational activities to youths to establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures on bullying, harassment, and retaliation, and provide staff with appropriate annual training, regardless of whether the entity receives any government funding. The bill passed the House Human Services & Homelessness and Lower & Higher Education committees last Thursday.

HB2037 establishes the Hawaiʻi State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission and the Hawaiʻi State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission Trust Fund. The bill passed the House Committee on Human Services & Homelessness on Wednesday.

Yamane said, "My commitment to tackling the issue of bullying has led me to discover that the two groups most frequently targeted in these acts are members of the homeless population and of the LGBTQ+ community. We have talked to students and community members who share our deep concerns of the impact of bullying on our children. I hope these measures will help ensure our children have a safe place to learn, play, and grow.

Michael Golojuch, Jr., Chair of the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, said, "Far too often when people look at bullying it is only addressed after the fact but with these bills they look at how to try to stop bullying before it starts and address the causes. They address the needs of Hawaiʻi's most vulnerable community the homeless to LGBTQIA+ community. We at the LGBT Caucus are really appreciative of Representative Yamane's leadership in introducing these bills."

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The inaugural Volcano's Ōhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon donated a potion of its proceeds to research on Rapid Ōhiʻa Death
and The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences. Photo from Volcano's ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon

REGISTRATION FOR VOLCANO'S ʻŌHIʻA LEHUA HALF MARATHON and shorter races is open. Competitors can sign up online through Wednesday, July 22. The second annual event will be held on Saturday, July 25. Added to the half are a 10K, 5K, and Keiki Dash. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to University of Hawaiʻi for furthering research of Rapid ‘Ōhiʻa Death and The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences.

The Half Marathon will start at 7 a.m., with the other distances to follow shortly after. The Keiki Dash will begin at 10 a.m. on the grounds where the other races begin. The race cut-off time for the Half Marathon is four hours. The races will begin and end in VolcanoVillageat The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences. Run through a beautiful ‘ōhiʻa forest with scenic views of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.
Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.

Baby ʻōhiʻa were given as prizes to overall and age group winners at
last year's race. Photo from Volcano's ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon

Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Half Marathon registration is $70 through May 24, $80 May 25 through July 22, and $90 for late registration. Registration for the 10K is $50 through May 24, $55 May 25 through Jul 22, and $60 for late registration. Registration for the 5K is $35 through May 24, $40 May 25 through July 22, and $45 for late registration. Keiki Dash registration is $10.

All registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Packet pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 in Hilo; Friday, July 26 in Volcano; and Saturday, July 27, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. at the race start.

Last year, overall and age group winners won baby ʻōhiʻa trees as their prizes.

See webscorer.com/register?raceid=206844&fbclid=IwAR3oW9xsDz-C-e9yba1vSHNLczaaL86d2osh__CkWrJKdGnCkc5piQEL2kUto register.

The race is held the same weekend as the second annual Experience Volcano Festival, which hosts an array of events spanning the whole of Volcano Area, from AkatsukaOrchidGardensto the Volcano Winery, with a concentration of activities in the heart of historic VolcanoVillage. Experience art, nature, food, music, and more. See 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 Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise,
meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

Spotlight on Artist Diana Miller, Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. This program will highlight the works of local artist and part-time park

ranger, Diana Miller. From her early days as an art major, to her career with the U.S. Air Force painting nose-art on aircraft, to her works celebrating native Hawai‘i, learn what inspires this local artist. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

FRIDAY, FEB. 7
Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū - Community Mtg. and

Membership Drive

, Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m. at the

Nāʻālehu Community Center. Topics include revival of annual Prince Kūhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa, to be held Saturday, March 28 at Nāʻālehu Park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature music and hula, food, arts and crafts, and Hawaiian cultural activities. Anyone wanting to be a vendor, host a booth, and become a member should also come to the meeting. The annual membership dues are $10 per person or organization. Contact Terry-Lee Shibuya at terrylshibuya@gmail.com or treasurer Kehau Ke at hunneygurl15@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

SUNDAY, FEB. 9

Kaʻū Clean-Up with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, Sunday, Feb. 9, and Saturday, March 21. Volunteer spaces limited. RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

ONGOING

Register for ʻO Kaʻū Kākou's 12th Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament and Canned Food Drive through Wednesday, Feb. 19 at noon. Event takes place Saturday, Feb.

22, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Poles, gear, and bait, and lunch for all, provided. Each child receives a prize, chosen during registration, in the order they register; register early. Keiki one to 14 years old register online at okaukakou.org, or pick up form at Nāʻālehu Elementary School, Nāʻālehu Ace Hardware, PāhalaElementary School, Mizuno Superette in Pāhala, Wiki Wiki Mart in Nāʻālehu, Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View, and Ocean View Auto Parts. Bring one can per person for food drive. For more information, contact Guy Enriques at 808-217-2253 or Wayne Kawachi at 808-937-4773. okaukakou.org

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. or 2:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. 8-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Performers will include: Maya Hoover, Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano at Professor at Universityof Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Jonathan Korth, Hawaiʻi based Pianist and Professor at UH-Mānoa; and Joshua Nakazawa, Cellist from Hawaiʻi Symphony. They will be joined by the three HIMF co-founders: Amy Shoremount-Obra, Internationally Acclaimed Metropolitan Opera Soprano; Eric Silberger, Internationally Acclaimed Prize-Winning Virutuoso Violinist; and Carlin Ma, Multi-Media Artist and Pianist.

Tickets are $30 and are available at kauconcert.bpt.me. See himusicfestival.com for more.

T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 pm, ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511

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.

Kauahaʻao Congregational Church will host a bicentennial celebration at the Henry ʻOpukahaʻia Memorial Chapel
above Punaluʻu Beach on Sunday, Feb. 16. See more below.

THE STATE OF THE UNIONfrom Pres. Donald Trump today drew comments from most of the Hawaiʻi congressional delegation:
Sen. Brian Schatz said, "Tonight the president had an opportunity to bring people together during this dark time. Unfortunately, what we heard was the same divisiveness that has defined his presidency. While there may be a chance for compromise on infrastructure, the address offered no real solutions to the challenges we face. Nevertheless, I will continue to look for common ground in the Senate, and fight the administration when they undermine American values."

Sen. Mazie Hirono said, "The current #StateofHealthCareis under attack. @realDonaldTrumphas used all three branches of government to sabotage our health care system and threaten coverage for vulnerable Americans. Health care is a right, not a privilege for the wealthy.”

Rep. Ed Case said, "I yearned for the speech of a President to a divided nation recognizing deep disagreements, acknowledging differing views and offering a united way forward, but instead I heard the stump speech of a candidate chasing votes at the expense of even deeper division."

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Render of the 2019 novel coronavirus by scientificanimations.com

HAWAIʻI COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE SENT OUT A CORONAVIRUS ALERT at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, confirming there are no cases in Hawaiʻi but stating the county is "working closely with key agency partners to ensure timely and accurate information about the coronavirus." An informational pamphlet will be available Friday.

There are no more direct flights between China and Hawaiʻi after today, but Honolulu International Airport is one of seven selected U.S. airports to receive flights with people who need quarantine for the virus. Lt. Gov. Josh Green, a physician who practiced years ago in Kaʻū, said, "Hawaiʻi did not volunteer HNL to be a designated airport for U.S. citizens returning from China… We don't like it any more than anybody else. The federal government decided that because we have CDC capacity at our airports and because we are strategically located in between Asia and the mainland U.S. that we should be one of the seven… Nonetheless, we worked diligently over the weekend to prepare and continue to do so.

"We will only be seeing returning people to the United States. Of course, anybody that lives in Hawaiʻi, we're going to welcome them home, but if they've been in the region they will have to be quarantined for two weeks," possibly in their own homes, Green said. "We're putting a lot of different safety areas and safety plans in place so I don't want people to be too concerned. But we will be totally transparent so people will know what's going on as far as any planes that come here, exactly if we've had any cases, which we have not had any, and exactly what people need to do to avoid contamination or exposure to any virus."

Republican state Rep. Gene Ward said he is reaching out to the White House to request that Hawaiʻi be taken off the of the list of locations designated to for diversion of flights from China in order to screen passengers. He said it could hurt Hawaiʻi's tourism industry.

CDC reminds the public to "Wash hands, cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, stay home from work or school if sick, avoid close contact with sick individuals, and see your doctor if feeling ill."

Daily updates on 2019-nCoV issues that may affect those in Hawaiʻi will be provided by Civil Defense. For more info, call Civil Defense at 935-0031, or DOH at 974-6001 and after-hours at 211.

Red areas show where the 2019-nCoV is confirmed. Hawaiʻi is a small, light pink spot in the middle, on the far left.
CDC map

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A HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IS IN THE WORKS AND KAʻŪ RESIDENTS ARE SOUGHT TO HELP WITH INPUT, according to a release from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense today. The county has developed developed Survey for Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan 2020. The survey is anonymous and will be used to develop portions of the plan. Fill out the survey at surveymonkey.com/r/HawaiiCountyHMP.
The county statement says that public participation and feedback "are a vital part of the hazard mitigation planning process." The survey closes Friday, Feb. 14. The Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan is the County's hazard and risk assessment for natural disasters. The plan will include proposed projects to mitigate potential loss of life and property.
The Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan is required to be eligible for FEMA funds and must be updated every five years. The Plan is designed to be closely related to and influence the County's General Plan and the Emergency Operations Plan. To keep up to date with the project, sign up for event notifications, visit hawaiicounty.gov/departments/civil-defense/multi-hazard-mitigation-plan-2020.
For further information, call the Civil Defense Agency at 935-0031.

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THE BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF KAUAHAʻAO CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH is announced for Sunday, Feb. 16 at the Henry ‘Opukahaʻia Memorial Chapel, Hokuloa Church, in Punaluʻu. The celebration will begin at 10 a.m., followed by pot-luck fellowship at 11:30 a.m. in the large pavilion at Punaluʻu Black Sands Beach Park. For more information and to RSVP With the number of people attending, contact Debbie Wong Yuen, Kahu at Kauahaʻao Church, at 808-928-8039.

Dedication plaque inside the Henry ʻOpukahaʻia Memorial Chapel above Punaluʻu Beach.

Guest speaker at this bicentennial celebration will be Pastor Kaʻeo Decoite from Maui. Descendant of Henry ‘Opukahaʻia, Deborah L. Lee - who followed the dreams she repeatedly had that Henry wanted to come home to his homeland, and brought ‘Opukahaʻia 's remains back to Hawaiʻi in 1993 - will also share in the celebration. ‘Opukahaʻia was reinterned at Kahikolu Congregational Church in Napoʻopoʻo.

The celebration will focus on the commemoration of 200 Years of Christianity in Hawaiʻi. The celebration will also be held in remembrance of ‘Opukahaʻia, the first Christian from Hawaiʻi, who was born in 1792 near Ninole. He died on Feb. 17, 1818 in Cornwall, Connecticut, before he had the chance to return to his homeland to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was ‘Opukahaʻia who inspired the American Protestant Mission to come to Hawaiʻi to share the Gospel. On April 4, 1820, the Thaddeus arrived and anchored in Kona. The ninth ABCFM company arrived on May 21, 1841, on the Gloucester. On board was Rev. John Davis Paris, who founded Kauahaʻao Congregational Church in Waiʻōhinu in November of 1841.

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DON'T BREAK YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISE is the message from 38 U.S.Senators, including Sen. Mazie Hirono. In a letter to Pres. Donald Trump, senators asked Trump to retract comments he recently made at an international meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Trump said he could support cutting such earned benefits as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

Hirono said Trump's comments "could pave the way for massive cuts to retirement income and health care benefits that workers have earned and paid into throughout their careers." She said the cuts would have a "major impact" in Hawaiʻi: 19.1 percent of residents receive benefits from the Social Security Administration, 21.2 percent are enrolled in Medicaid, and 18.9 percent are enrolled in Medicare.
The senators wrote: "As a presidential candidate, you promised the American people that you would not cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid. In fact, you criticized your political opponents for failing to make the same promise. Not only have you broken that promise, you have waged an all-out assault on Medicaid. Attempting to make up the trillion-dollar deficit created by your tax law on the backs of hard-working Americans would be a betrayal to all who consider these programs a lifeline. American workers who for decades have paid into Social Security and Medicare should not be forced to relinquish their health and retirement security to pay for your tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations."

Sen. Mazie Hirono speaking in Washington, D.C. about
healthcare last year. Photo from Hirono

In 2019, Hirono reintroduced the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act for the fifth time. The legislation would "restore fairness in contributions, while also increasing benefits for seniors and others," according to Hirono. She said the bill would phase out the cap on contributions into Social Security from wealthy Americans, so that everyone pays into the program at the same rate for the entire year. She said it would extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund nearly 20 years, to 2053, while also allowing for a change in how benefits are calculated that better reflects the costs that seniors face and thereby increasing monthly benefits.

In 2017, Hirono lobbied for an amendment cosponsored by 32 of her colleagues to that year's budget resolution that sought to prevent major changes to Medicare or Medicaid without a supermajority in the Senate. While the amendment received bipartisan support, it failed on a 49-47 vote. She listed harmful amendments as raising the eligibility age, modifying eligibility requirements, or privatizing and voucherizing the program. Social Security is already protected by a similar provision in law.

Hirono and 15 other Senate Democrats also introduced the Medicare and Medicaid Protection Act, modeled on her budget amendment, that would permanently set a supermajority voting threshold in law "in order to provide additional guards to these vital health care programs against Republican attacks during the budget reconciliation process," said a statement from Hirono's office.

Download the signed letter to Trump here.

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 NEW FARMERS MARKET IN NĀʻĀLEHU has drawn more than 20 vendors for its inaugural day, tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 5, reports its manager Sue Barnett. She said the vending will focus on Kaʻū products, with mushrooms from the new farm in Nāʻālehu, and fresh breads, along with vegetables, fruits, and other products. She said ʻO Kaʻū Kākou, which sponsors the market on its land mauka of Hwy 11 in Nāʻālehu, may offer music in the future and acquire picnic tables for market goers. The hours are each Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.Barnett said there is room for more vendors - up to 36. Call Barnett at 345-9374.

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.

HAWAIʻI ISLAND FRUIT GROWERS will head to a statewide conference from Sept. 28 to Oct. 3. The 30th Hawaiʻi International Tropical Fruit Conference, Keeping It Local, marks three decades of promoting sustainable fruit production in the AlohaState. The conference will be held at the Maui Economic Opportunity building in Wailuku and continues with five gatherings: on Hawaiʻi Isalnd in Hiloand Kona, and on Molokai, Oʻahu, and Kauaʻi.

Geared to farmers, educators, orchard managers, and proponents of sustainable agriculture, the multi-day conference is presented by the statewide Hawaiʻi Tropical Fruit Growers and open to the public.

The 2020 conference offers a lineup of visiting researchers and agricultural experts sharing information and breakout sessions on a variety of topics.

ʻUlu, breadfruit, will be the focus of a presentation by HTFG Exec. Dir.
Ken Love. Photo from ʻUlu Co-Op

Gabriel Sachter-Smith will give the keynote titled Global Banana Diversity with Dr. Noa Kekuewa Lincoln. HTFG Executive Director Ken Love will offer presentations on Breadfruit in Hawaiʻi - Past and Present and New Fruit Cultivars, Varieties, and Species for Hawaiʻi.

Also in the works are farm tours.

The conference is made possible with the support of Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Hawaiʻi County Department of Research and Development.

Registration forms and fee schedule are available at HTFG.org or by contacting Love at kenlove@hawaiiantel.net or Mark Suiso at suiso@aloha.net.

Marking its 31st year, HTFG was incorporated in 1989 to promote tropical fruit grown in Hawaiʻi. It is a statewide association of tropical fruit growers, packers, distributors and hobbyists dedicated to tropical fruit research, education, marketing and promotion. See HTFG.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 Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise,
meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Wed., Feb. 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

FRIDAY, FEB. 7
Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū - Community Mtg. and

Membership Drive

, Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m. at the Nāʻālehu Community Center. Topics include revival of annual Prince Kūhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa, to be held Saturday, March 28 at Nāʻālehu Park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature music and hula, food, arts and crafts, and Hawaiian cultural activities. Anyone wanting to be a vendor, host a booth, and become a member should also come to the meeting. The annual membership dues are $10 per person or organization. Contact Terry-Lee Shibuya at terrylshibuya@gmail.com or treasurer Kehau Ke at hunneygurl15@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

SUNDAY, FEB. 9

Kaʻū Clean-Up with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, Sunday, Feb. 9, and Saturday, March 21. Volunteer spaces limited. RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

TUESDAY, FEB. 11

ONGOING

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. or 2:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. 8-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Performers will include: Maya Hoover, Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano at Professor at Universityof Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Jonathan Korth, Hawaiʻi based Pianist and Professor at UH-Mānoa; and Joshua Nakazawa, Cellist from Hawaiʻi Symphony. They will be joined by the three HIMF co-founders: Amy Shoremount-Obra, Internationally Acclaimed Metropolitan Opera Soprano; Eric Silberger, Internationally Acclaimed Prize-Winning Virutuoso Violinist; and Carlin Ma, Multi-Media Artist and Pianist.

Tickets are $30 and are available at kauconcert.bpt.me. See himusicfestival.com for more.

T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 pm, ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511

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.

Sister School sisters from Nakaminato Senior High in Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan have fun with a Kaʻū High student
yesterday during a gathering of students, administrators, and sponsors. See more below. Photo by Julia Neal

COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE SENT OUT TEXTS AND ROBO CALLS TODAY regarding the new coronavirus that has many people quarantined across the globe. The message confirmed, once again, no cases in Hawaiʻi and said the Centers for Disease Control "does not currently recommend use of facemasks among the the general public."
A coronavirus informational pamphlet is expected to be distributed starting Friday to schools, senior centers, libraries, and county offices.

"An inaccurate claim of an infected person at Hilo Medical Center was posted on social media on Tuesday," states the Civil Defense message. "Help us prevent the spread of misinformation."
Phone numbers listed to confirm information are Civil Defense at 935-0031, state Department of Health at 974-6001, and Department of Health After-hours line at 211.
International news services report that in China, the death toll from coronavirus passed 560, with the number of infections reaching more than 28,018 victims. Outside of China, coronavirus reached 260 victims in 31 countries, with two deaths.

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.

NAKAMINATO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS received a warm welcome at sister Kaʻū High School on Tuesday, with lei, gifts, and words of friendship. Organizer Myra Jean Sumida, a Kaʻū High alumnus, said that students from Nakaminato are staying in Kaʻū family homes for three nights, with another three nights at condominiums at Sea Mountain at Punaluʻu.

The visitors come from a three-year high school about 80 miles north of Tokyo in the coastal community of Ibaraki Prefecture. Their school has 50 teachers and an enrollment of 500 students. Their visit is designed as a Hawaiʻi Island cultural and educational tour.

Calligraphy is a cultural exchange with Nakaminato High.
Photo by Julia Neal

In exchange, 15 Kaʻū High students will visit Japan from May 30 to June 9, to be hosted by the students from Nakaminato High. Kaʻū High students, led by teacher Aina Akamu, will travel by plane, train, and bus. It is the third year of student exchange with Nakaminato.

The exchange has grown from Nakaminato students staying one night to six nights in Kaʻū.

Wayne Kawachi, President of ʻO Kaʻū Kākou, one of the sponsoring organizations, said he too traveled to the sister school.

Kaʻū students have been raising money for their trip to Japan through culinary activities, selling food at community events, and seeking donations.

The Sister Schools Agreement says that "Kaʻū High School and Pāhala Elementary School in the United States of America and Nakaminato School in Japan make agreements for becoming sister schools in order to build friendship between both schools.

"We hope that this agreement strengthens the ties of our friendship more than before, and that it does much to promote a better mutual understanding between the United States of America and Japan.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi helped to organize the student
exchange between Kaʻū and Japan. A student trip to Japan will be
led by Kaʻū High teacher Aina Akaum (left).
Photo by Julia Neal

"Both schools will make efforts to contribute to friendly relationships between the United State of America and Japan. ... will continue to exchange materials such as letters, works of students, and photographs or anything that promotes mutual understanding. Both schools will continue to communicate with each other and make further efforts to bring about the development and happiness of both schools. Both schools will make efforts to strengthen the ties of friendship through mutual visiting of teachers, students, and parents, if they have a chance to do so."

Students who traveled here from Nakaminato Senior High School are: Miho Kawasaki, Miku Murata, Tomonoshin Shiba, Rune Nakazawa, Ai Tsururta, Nonoka Sueyasu, Riara Sugiyama, and Konoka Hagiya. Faculty from Nakaminao traveling with the students are Vice Principal Kazuhiro Shoji, business teachers Masato Naritomi and Naoyuki Toyama, and English teacher Maiko Suzuki.

To donate, contact Wayne Kawachi of ʻO Kaʻū Kākou at 808-937-4773.

Eight visiting Japanese students and their mentors received lei and gifts from Kaʻū students. 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.

Tūtū and keiki plant a seedling in an egg shell.
Photo by Barbara Sabrin

AN ORGANIZATION, CALLED SOMETHING GOOD IN THE WORLD, AND TŪTŪ & ME are are brining garden-based workshops to preschoolers in Nāʻālehu.

On Jan. 27, Auntie Barbara Sarbin, Educational Program Director of Something Good, led a workshop with children and caregivers, to bring alive the theme of Kokua, by showing how eggshells and calcium help the soil to make healthy vegetables. Each child planted a seedling in an eggshell, and decorated the eggshell with a face. Every family got to take home the seedling to transplant, within the eggshell, into the soil at home.

Sarbin told The Kaʻū Calendar, "By eating healthy herbs and veggies that have absorbed calcium through their roots, the children can also grow healthier, as calcium helps them to build stronger bones and teeth. To demonstrate how strong eggshells are, students piled heavy books on top of eggshells and created their own 'eggsperiment,' estimating how many books it would take to turn the shells into a mosaic."
Sarbin said she is looking forward to February's collaboration on Monday the 10th, when she will bring "the wonder of honeybee products" to share with Tūtū & Me keiki and caregivers. Sign up with Tūtū & Me to participate.

Tūtū & Me participants learn how to plant a seedling.
Photo by Barbara Sabrin

Something Good in the World is a nonprofit, charitable, children's educational organization. Something Good's mission is to provide a safe and enhancing environment wherein children may be promoted to achieve their highest potential in learning and development, and to prepare them toward becoming responsible human beings ready to take on the challenges of life. Something Good's funding comes primarily from family foundations and individual contributions, as well as national garden grants. Grants for its work in Hawai'i allow the group to offer periodic farm and garden-based workshops for children, teachers, and families free of charge. Tūtū & Me, PāhalaElementary School, Nāʻālehu Elementary School, and The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences are all examples of places that have welcomed Something Good's workshops in the past few years. The group has also led workshops for the homeschooling co-op that is based at OceanViewCommunity Center. See somethinggoodintheworld.org.

A father and his keiki plant a seedling in an egg
shell as part of January's Tūtū & Me collab with
Something Good in the World.
Photo by Barbara Sabrin

Tūtū & Me is a free service to Kaʻū families with keiki, birth to five years old, through Partners in Development, a non-profit focused on using traditional Hawaiian values in contemporary settings in underserved communities to help meet developmental needs of pre-school-aged children and support grandparents and other care-givers in that task. See more in Ongoing Events about local program offered by Tūtū & Me. See pidf.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 SPRING SPORTS SEASON BEGINS THIS WEEKEND, with the first of two Junior Varsity Softball Jamborees at Konawaena.
Girls Softball, Boys Baseball, and Boys Volleyball run through May and have a mix of "home" and "away" games. Judo and Track run through April, and have only "away" events.
See the full schedule:

Kaʻū Spring Sports Schedule

Girls Softball

Saturday, Feb. 8, 11 a.m., JV Jamboree at Konawaena

Saturday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m., JV Jamboree at Konawaena

Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m., @Waiakea

Wednesday, March 11, 3 p.m., @Konawaena

Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m., host Kealakehe

Tuesday, March 17, 3 p.m., host Pāhoa

Saturday, March 21, 11 a.m., @Keaʻau

Saturday, March 28, 11 a.m., host Hilo

Wednesday, April 8, 3 p.m., @Honokaʻa

Saturday, April 11, 11 a.m., host Kamehameha

Saturday, April 18, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Wednesday, April 22, 3 p.m., host HPA

Wednesday, April 29, 3 p.m., BIIF Div II Semi Finals

Saturday, May 2, BIIF DIV II Finals

Wednesday-Saturday, May 13-16, HHSAA

Boys Baseball

Wednesday, March 4, 3 p.m., host HPA

Saturday, March 7, 1 p.m.. @Waiakea

Tuesday, March 10, 1 p.m., @Konawaena

Saturday, March 14, 1 p.m., host Kealakehe

Wednesday, March 18, 3 p.m., @Pāhoa

Saturday, March 21, 1 p.m., @Keaʻau

Saturday, March 28, 1 p.m., host Hilo

Tuesday. April 7, 3 p.m., @Honokaʻa

Saturday, April 11, 1 p.m., host Kamehameha

Saturday, April 18, 1 p.m., host Kohala

Friday, May, 2 p.m., BIIF DIV II Semi Finals

Saturday, May 2, 2 p.m., BIIF DIV II Finals

Wednesday-Saturday, May 13-16, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball

Friday, Feb. 21, 4:30 p.m., Preseason at Christian Liberty

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m., host Christian Liberty

Wednesday, March, 6 p.m., @Hilo

Tuesday, March 10, 6 p.m., host Makualani

Friday, March 13, 6 p.m., host Konawaena

Tuesday, March 24, 6 p.m., host Kamehameha

Tuesday, March 31, 6 p.m., @Kohala

Thursday, April 2, 6 p.m., host Keaʻau

Tuesday, April 7, 6 p.m., @Honokaʻa

Friday, April 10, 6 p.m., @Ehunui

Friday, April 17, 6 p.m., host Kealakehe

Wednesday, April 22, 6 p.m., @Waiakea

Friday, April 24, 6 p.m., host HPA

Monday, April 27, 6 p.m., BIIF Div II First Round

Tuesday, April 28, 2:30 p.m., BIIF Div II Semi Finals

Wednesday, April 29, 5 p.m., BIIF Div II Finals

Thursday-Saturday, May 7-9, HHSAA on Oʻahu

Judo

Saturday, Feb. 29, 10:30 a.m., @Kealakehe

Saturday, March 7, 10:30 a.m.. @Kealakehe

Saturday, March 14, 10:30 a.m., @Hilo

Saturday, March 21, 10:30 a.m., @Konawaena

Saturday, March 28, 10:30 a.m., @Waiakea

Saturday, April 4, 10:30 a.m., @Keaʻau

Saturday, April 11, 10:30 a.m., BIIF at Kona

Saturday, April 18, 10:30 a.m., BIIF at Hilo

Track

Saturday, March 14, 9 a.m., @Waiakea

Saturday, March 21, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

Saturday, March 28, 9 a.m., @Waiakea

Saturday, April 4, 9 a.m., @HPA

Saturday, April 11, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Saturday, April 25, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

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 Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise,
meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA

Boys Basketball

Wed., Feb. 5 BIIF at Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri., Feb. 21 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

FRIDAY, FEB. 7
Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū - Community Mtg. and

Membership Drive

, Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m. at the Nāʻālehu Community Center. Topics include revival of annual Prince Kūhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa, to be held Saturday, March 28 at Nāʻālehu Park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature music and hula, food, arts and crafts, and Hawaiian cultural activities. Anyone wanting to be a vendor, host a booth, and become a member should also come to the meeting. The annual membership dues are $10 per person or organization. Contact Terry-Lee Shibuya at terrylshibuya@gmail.com or treasurer Kehau Ke at hunneygurl15@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

Tickets $70, $65 VAC Members. Purchase at VAC's Niʻaulani Campus in the village or Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, online at volcanoartcenter.org/classes-and-workshops/purchase-tickets-to-vac-events, or (808) 967-8222. Gala tickets provide free admission to LTA Valentine's Day Dance on Saturday, Feb. 15. volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, FEB. 9

Kaʻū Clean-Up with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, Sunday, Feb. 9, and Saturday, March 21. Volunteer spaces limited. RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

TUESDAY, FEB. 11

Attend an evening concert with ensemble directors Emlyn Johnson (flute) and Daniel Ketter (cello) as they present a contemporary classical program featuring new works by Hawai‘i resident and Hawai‘i-born composers. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 12

Ki‘i Carving Demonstration, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center lanai. Hawaiians carved ki‘i (statues) to represent forces of nature, gods, guardians and the spirit world. Acclaimed artist James Kanani Kaulukukui, Jr. will share his expertise and the essential role these ki‘i played in Hawaiian society. With a carrot, you'll learn how to make your own ki‘i. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes'‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

Beginning Improv for Adults, Thursday, through Feb. 13, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. "Learn to live more in the moment, think on your feet, let go of self-judgment, bring more joy in your life, and recapture your playful spirit in the 6-week workshop series with improv legend Keli Semelsberger." Attendance to all 6 classes is not required – classes may be attended individually. No prior experience is necessary. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

RSVP for the Bicentennial celebration of Kauahaʻao Congregational Church, Sunday, Feb. 16 at the Henry ‘Opukahaʻia Memorial Chapel, HokuloaChurch, Punaluʻu. Celebration begins at 10 a.m.; pot-luck fellowship at 11:30 a.m. in large pavilion at Punaluʻu Black Sands Beach Park. For more information and to RSVP with the number of people attending, contact Debbie Wong Yuen, Kahu at Kauahaʻao Church, at 808-928-8039.

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. or 2:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. 8-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Performers will include: Maya Hoover, Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano at Professor at Universityof Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Jonathan Korth, Hawaiʻi based Pianist and Professor at UH-Mānoa; and Joshua Nakazawa, Cellist from Hawaiʻi Symphony. They will be joined by the three HIMF co-founders: Amy Shoremount-Obra, Internationally Acclaimed Metropolitan Opera Soprano; Eric Silberger, Internationally Acclaimed Prize-Winning Virutuoso Violinist; and Carlin Ma, Multi-Media Artist and Pianist.

Tickets are $30 and are available at kauconcert.bpt.me. See himusicfestival.com for more.

T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511

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.

King Kamehameha's Golf Ball, the Doppler Radome along Kalaʻaiki Road between Nāʻālehu and Pāhala,
on the ground today for replacement of its pedestal. Photo by Julia Neal

THE SOUTH SHORE HAWAIʻI DOPPLER RADAR IN KAʻŪ that collects critical information for NOAA weather forecasts, FAA flight management, and the Department of Defense, received a major upgrade today. The radome was lifted by a giant crane from its pedestal and lowered to the ground. A crew from TSS Solutions and Hawaiian Crane replaced the pedestal and lifted the radome back on its perch in the paturelands along Kalaʻaiki Road between Nāʻālehu and Pāhala on the slopes of Mauna Loa.

Young Brothers shipped the crane from
Honolulu to work for one day to drop and lift
the Radome and pedestal at the Doppler site
between Nāʻālehu and Pāhala.
Photo by Julia Neal

A message from the National Weather Service said that starting on Monday, Feb. 3, the Nāʻālehu Radar "will be down for an extended period. The outage involves the replacement of the pedestal or the stem that holds the antenna dish, and other associated hardware components. To get to the pedestal, the protective covering, or the radome, will be removed first. This is a labor intensive and delicate process. At this time, the return-to-service date is slated for [Saturday] Feb. 22."
National Weather Service noted that inclement weather could delay the return-to-service date for the doppler radar in Kaʻū. However, the dropping of the radome, the replacement of the pedestal and the lifting of the radome into position went smoothly this morning, with barely a breeze under misty skies.
The giant Hawaiian Crane will be on its way to Hilo on Friday to ride a Young Brothers barge to return to its home base on Oʻahu and the old pedestal will be shipped to the mainland for refurbishment.

An oiler and crane operator from Hawaiian
Crane assisted with the operation today at the
Doppler site in Kaʻū. Photo by Julia Neal

NOAA, FAA, and the Department of Defense are cooperating to refurbish and upgrade Doppler sites around the nation and in foreign countries where the U.S. operates them. Replacing the pedestals with refurbished ones and upgrading the electronics, communications, and other Doppler site components are expected to give the Doppler units at least another 20 years of service at a much lower cost than installing new ones.
Following completion of the renovation of the Kaʻū Doppler system over the next two weeks: the crews will move to the Kohala site and on to Doppler stations on Kauaʻi and Molokaʻi. Once the Kaʻū Doppler is returned to service, its work can be seen at radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar.php?rid=hwa.

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 crew from TSS Solutions, which is refurbishing Doppler
sites operated by the federal government, removed the old
pedestal and installed the new one along Kalaaiki
Roadin Kaʻū today. Photo by Julia Neal

THE END OF THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL of Pres. Donald Trump led to both of Hawaiʻi's senators making statements. Trump was acquitted Wednesday by the U.S. Senate, with votes of 52 to 48 on charges of abuse of power and 53 to 47 on charges of obstruction of Congress.
Voting stayed mostly to party lines. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, running for Democratic nominee in the 2020 Presidential race, voted Trump "guilty" on both articles of impeachment. All Democrats voted Trump guilty. Sen. Mitt Romney was the only Republican to vote Trump "guilty" of the abuse of power accusation. Romney said, "With my vote I will tell my children and their children that I did my duty. What the president did was wrong. Grievously wrong."

     Before the vote, Sen. Brian Schatz spoke of "The American experiment" as a "radical" notion for its promise of "equal justice" and "equal protection" under the law. "It imagined a cumbersome system in which tyranny could be avoided by the constant struggle between elected and appointed leaders, and it intentionally sacrificed speed, efficiency, and convenience to avoid abuses of power.
     "And so it is with unending regret that I see what is happening. I grieve for the Senate, an institution both hallowed and flawed, an elite place in the worst sense of the word, and yet still the main place where American problems are to be solved."
     He said millions of Americans "have formed a basic expectation about how a trial is to function, based on hundreds of years of law, and based on commonsense. And so, make no mistake, what the Senate did was an affront to the basic idea of a trial." He accused Republicans in the Senate trial of turning the impeachment process into "a cover-up."

Sen. Brian Schatz

Said Schatz, "As I look at the Republican side of the Chamber, I know this moment in history has made their particular jobs extraordinarily difficult – requiring uncommon courage. They have to risk the scorn of their voters, their social circle, their colleagues, and their president, in order to do the right thing. And they didn't.
     "On one level, I knew this would be the likely outcome. But the bitter taste of injustice lingers in my mouth. And on behalf of everyone who couldn't get away with an unpaid traffic fine, is in jail for stealing groceries to eat, who can't get a job because of medical debt – I say – shame on anyone who places this president – any president – above the law. The president is not above the law, no one is above the law. The president is guilty on both counts."
     He said the Constitution "gives extraordinary powers to the President under Article II – and that makes sense because without a powerful magistrate the government couldn't function," but that the president "could be controlled, to greater or lesser degrees, by the legislature, the judiciary, and the voters. But the framers [of the Constitution] didn't contemplate this level of polarization, when even in the face of the overwhelming evidence of high crimes, one party would not just exonerate him for it but in fact ratify these crimes.
     "I do not think we are in danger of the impeachment process becoming routine. I think we are in much greater danger of making the impeachment process moot. And if so, God help us all. But all is not lost. We remain a government of, by, and for the people. If people across the country find this as odious to our basic values as we do, in eight months, the American public can render its own verdict on the United States Senate."

Sen. Mazie Hirono

After the vote, Schatz said, "Thank you, Mitt. You have restored my faith in the Senate and the idea that putting country over party is still possible." Schatz remarked that Romney "reminds us that it is not impossible to do the right thing, it's just hard. That putting country over party isn't just a slogan, it's our solemn obligation. That individuals who have courage and conviction can change history, and have an obligation to try.
Schatz said he is "Proud to be a Democratic Senator today. Grateful to the people of Hawaiʻi for letting me perform these duties. Happy that Mitt Romney was a profile in courage. For everyone out there feeling awful – I understand, and I do too. We just need to win the election. It was always that."
Watch his whole speech here: facebook.com/SenBrianSchatz/videos/483458019271358/.
Sen. Mazie Hirono said, in a speech on the floor of the United States Senate, before the vote, " I will vote to convict and remove President Donald Trump for abusing his power and obstructing Congress. It's time for the Senate to uphold its Constitutional responsibility by convicting this president and holding him accountable.

Sen. Mitt Romney

"Donald Trump was already a danger to this country. We've seen it in his policy decisions – from taking away health care from millions of Americans – to threatening painful cuts to Social Security and Medicare – to engaging in an all-out assault on immigrants in this country.
"Today, we're called to confront a completely different type of danger – one that goes well beyond the significant policy differences I have with this president. If we let Donald Trump get away with extorting the president of another country for his own personal, political benefit, the Senate will be complicit in his next corrupt scheme. Which country will he bully or invite to interfere in our elections next? Which pot of taxpayer money will he use as a bribe to further his political schemes?"
She said that, in normal times, "the Senate – conscious of its awesome responsibility – would meet this moment with the appropriate sobriety and responsibility to conduct a full and fair trial. That includes calling appropriate witnesses and subpoenaing relevant documents – none of which happened here. In normal times, the Senate would have weighed the evidence presented by both sides and rendered impartial justice. And in normal times, having been presented with overwhelming evidence of impeachable acts, the Senate would have embraced its Constitutional responsibility to convict the president and remove him or her from office.
"But as we've learned too often over the past three years, these are not normal times. Instead of fulfilling its duty later today, the United States Senate will fail its test at a crucial moment for our country by voting to acquit Donald J. Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress."
Watch her whole speech here: twitter.com/maziehirono.

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Concrete helps protect native soil and plants from being swept away with flood waters. Photo from Kaʻū Soil & Water

KEEP DEBRIS OUT OF WATERWAYS is the message from Kaʻū Soil & Water Conservation District. Kaʻū Soil & Water recently conducted its annual inspection of the Nāʻālehu Flood Control Watershed Project. Kaʻū Soil & Water works in partnership with Hawaiʻi County Department of Public Works Highways Division and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The flood structure was constructed to convey floodwaters through the village of Nāʻālehu to a disposal area on the porous lava formations in the range lands below the highway. Before this watershed project was constructed, "devastating flash flooding" was seen throughout the Nāʻālehu community, Jennifer Lopez Reavis, District Supervisor and Conservation Aide of Kaʻū Soil & Water, told The Kaʻū Calendar.

Members of Kaʻū Soil & Water Conservation District inspect the Nāʻālehu
Flood Control Watershed Project. Photo from Kaʻū Soil & Water

"This project not only protects the homes in the community, but also prevents soil erosion and washing out of agricultural crops and infrastructure that are important to the farming and ranching community of Kaʻū," said Reavis.

Kaʻū Soil & Water conducts annual inspections of the project to reassure the community of its safety and asks citizens to "be mindful of where they dispose their trash, green waste cuttings, logs, and any other waste. Unlawful dumping in any intermittent waterway – gulch, stream, etc. – will likely cause obstruction in the watercourse and could potentially accumulate at culverts and bridges, resulting in the clogging of these water control structures, therefore preventing the natural water flow and further resulting in flooding and erosion."

This dry gulch helps direct flood waters away from homes and businesses.
Photo from Kaʻū Soil & Water

The flood control structure was developed in the mid 1960s. It is located mauka of Highway 11, above Punaluʻu Bake Shop off of Kaʻalaiki Road, and makes its way down between the lower Nāʻālehu subdivision and Nāʻālehu Park. The project consists of a concrete chute, debris basin, reinforced concrete-lined channel, transition section, and 840 feet of unlined channel.

Reavis said she would like to thank the Department of Public Works Highways Division, USDA National Resources Conservation Service and Kaʻū Soil & Water Conservation District directors and staff "for their dedication, support, and annual operations and maintenance of this watershed project."

Contact Reavis at 808-933-8350 with questions.

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NEW COMMUNITY GROUP FRIENDS OF THE KAʻŪ BATS will hold a Count Our Bats to Save Our Bats potluck party on Saturday, Feb. 29, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at ManukaState Park. The bat monitoring party's purpose is to count endangered Hawaiian Hoary Bats at dusk, when they are active and visible. In a recent email, Kaʻū Resident Sandra Demoruelle stated the count will help save the endangered species.

Open to the public, for all ages. Bring potluck dish. BBQ refreshments, "batty" games, and door prizes on offer. Contact Linda Morgan, Friends of the Kaʻū Bats Community Coordinator, at 808-785-2058.

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A BROCHURE ADDRESSING CORONAVIRUS FOR HAWAIʻI ISLAND, expected Friday, was released early by county officials. Download a PDF of the four-page brochure at hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/coronavirus.

The brochure details information already addressed by official channels, like what the 2019-nCoV virus is - as far as is known, as it is a newly identified virus. How the virus spreads, symptoms, how to protect from getting the virus, and what to do if showing symptoms is detailed. Also included is what the government is doing to protect the community.

New information addresses the virus' vaccine status: there is no vaccine, as the virus is too new to science.

Also addressed is if pets are susceptible to or able to carry 2019-nCoV. The virus, states the brochure, is believed to have originated with animals, crossed to humans, and is now being transmitted between humans. "There is no reason to believe animals or pets in Hawaiʻi or elsewhere in the U.S.might be spreading the virus."

Addresses of online resources, and the 211 Aloha United Wayinfo line, are also provided.

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MAUNA LOA VOLCANO is not erupting. The mauna's Alert Level is ADVISORY, Aviation Code is YELLOW. Rates of deformation and seismicity have not changed significantly over the past week and remain above long-term background levels.
     During the past week, HVO seismometers recorded 134 small magnitude earthquakes beneath the upper elevations of the volcano; the strongest was a magnitude-2.4 earthquake on Feb. 3. Most earthquakes occurred at shallow depths of less than 5 km (~3 miles) beneath the volcano's surface.
     Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements show continued slow summit inflation, consistent with magma supply to the volcano's shallow storage system. Gas concentrations at the Sulphur Cone monitoring site on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable. Fumarole temperatures as measured at both Sulphur Cone and the summit have not changed significantly.
     For more information on current monitoring of Mauna Loa Volcano, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna_loa/monitoring_summary.html.

Mauna Loa's Southeast Rift Zone this afternoon. USGS webcam image

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See Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise,
meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA

Boys Basketball

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri., Feb. 21 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

Kaʻū Spring Sports Schedule

Girls Softball

Saturday, Feb. 8, 11 a.m., JV Jamboree at Konawaena

Saturday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m., JV Jamboree at Konawaena

Boys Volleyball

Friday, Feb. 21, 4:30 p.m., Preseason at Christian Liberty

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m., host Christian Liberty

Judo

Saturday, Feb. 29, 10:30 a.m., @Kealakehe

UPCOMING

FRIDAY, FEB. 7

Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū - Community Mtg. and

Membership Drive

, Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m. at the Nāʻālehu Community Center. Topics include revival of annual Prince Kūhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa, to be held Saturday, March 28 at Nāʻālehu Park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature music and hula, food, arts and crafts, and Hawaiian cultural activities. Anyone wanting to be a vendor, host a booth, and become a member should also come to the meeting. The annual membership dues are $10 per person or organization. Contact Terry-Lee Shibuya at terrylshibuya@gmail.com or treasurer Kehau Ke at hunneygurl15@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

SUNDAY, FEB. 9

Kaʻū Clean-Up with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, Sunday, Feb. 9, and Saturday, March 21. Volunteer spaces limited. RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

TUESDAY, FEB. 11

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 12

ONGOING

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. or 2:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. 8-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Performers will include: Maya Hoover, Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano at Professor at Universityof Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Jonathan Korth, Hawaiʻi based Pianist and Professor at UH-Mānoa; and Joshua Nakazawa, Cellist from Hawaiʻi Symphony. They will be joined by the three HIMF co-founders: Amy Shoremount-Obra, Internationally Acclaimed Metropolitan Opera Soprano; Eric Silberger, Internationally Acclaimed Prize-Winning Virutuoso Violinist; and Carlin Ma, Multi-Media Artist and Pianist.

Tickets are $30 and are available at kauconcert.bpt.me. See himusicfestival.com for more.

T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511

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