The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Lava flowing toward the emergency road along the Puna Coast is shown in this photo by the USGS, which explains in
its weekly Volcano Watch (see below) how scientists measure remotely the temperature of lava.

THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SCORECARD ranked Hawai`i in the top 15 states and graded both of Hawai`i's Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz with ratings of 100 percent. The analysis released Thursday covers the 2016 work of members of Congress.
The Environmental Scorecard is sponsored by the League of Conservation Voters and, since 1970, has been considered the yardstick for measuring responsibility to the environment among elected officials. The lifetime score for Hirono is 94 percent. For Schatz it is 95 percent. After learning of his score, Schatz tweeted: "Let's keep defending clean air and clean water in 2017 and beyond,"
Other Senators earning 100 percent for 2016 were Michael Bennet, of Colorado; Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both of Connecticut; Bill Nelson, of Florida; and Dick Durbin, of Illinois.

The lowest rating was 0 percent, and went to former Senator and new U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby, both of Alabama; Tom Cotton of Arkansas; David Perdue, of Georgia; Dan Coats of Indiana and Joni Earnst of Iowa.
In the House of Representatives, Ka`u's member Tulsi Gabbard earned 100 percent, as did urban Hawai`i's Rep. Colleen Hanabusa.
According to the League of Conservation Voters, "Since 1970, the National Environmental Scorecard has been providing objective, factual information about the most important environmental legislation considered and the corresponding voting records of all members of Congress."

Categories of legislation covered include: Air; Clean Energy; Climate Change; Dirty Energy; Drilling; Lands & Forests; Oceans; Toxics & the Public's Right to Know; Transportation; Water; and Wildlife. An "Other" category covers such issues as overhauling the regulatory process, sweeping funding cuts, the National Environmental Policy Act, federal appointments and nominations, campaign finance reform, trade, and eminent domain issues.

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RECYLE HAWAI`I HAS RELEASED A NEW OUTREACH GUIDE. Included is My Zero Waste Checklist & Tips that encourages everyone to buy in bulk or concentrate; purchase only what is needed; choose products with minimal packaging; and use both sides of paper, including two-sided copies. It encourages people to fight junk mail by removing name and address form mailing lists.

It suggests getting into the habigt of reusing containers by swapping disposables for reusable, refillable, bottles, reusable shopping bags, cloth napkins and personal take out containers. Give gently used items to families, friends, a shelter or garage sale. Take "still good stuff" to a recycling and reuse center.
The guide also details recycling accepted at Hawai`i County Transfer Stations. See more at www.recylehawaii.org.

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REMOTELY MEASURING THE TEMPERATURE OF LAVA from Kilauea Volcano is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch by scientists at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory: If something is hot enough, it emits light in wavelengths that are visible to the human eye. This is called incandescence. If you've ever seen the red-, orange-, or yellow-ish glow from Kīlauea Volcano's lava lake or an active lava flow, then you have observed incandescence.

Color is a rough indication of the temperature of hot materials, including lava. The human eye is remarkably sensitive to subtle color differences, and, with some practice, you can roughly estimate the temperature range of an object based on the color of its incandescent glow.
For example, yellow indicates a temperature of about 1000–1200 degrees Celsius (1832–2192 degrees Fahrenheit). Orange indicates a slightly cooler temperature of about 800–1000 degrees Celsius (1472–1832 degrees Fahrenheit), while red is even cooler, about 600–800 degrees Celsius (1112–1472 degrees Fahrenheit).
A remote sensing instrument that can determine the temperature of distant objects based on their incandescent color is called an optical pyrometer. "Remote sensing" refers to the use of imaging technology that acts as extensions of our eyes, allowing us to see the world in a new light and from different perspectives.
One of the most important characteristics of active lava is its eruption temperature. This information can help determine the lava's composition and flow characteristics. It also provides important hints about the magma's plumbing system, source region, and supply rate, and how far the lava might travel.

U.S. Geological Survey scientist used a custom-built,
high-speed camera to remotely measure the
temperature of spattering lava on the surface
of Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake
(background). This particular experiment,
conducted from the Jaggar Museum
overlook in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National
Park on December 10, 2016, was part of
a NASA-funded research project. USGS photo.

The outer surface of erupting lava cools incredibly quickly when it is first exposed to air—hundreds of degrees per second. Hence, remotely measuring the eruption temperature is an attempt to record something that is visible for only a fraction of a second. Previous work on Kīlauea and other active volcanoes has demonstrated that existing methods of remotely determining lava flow temperatures can have hundreds of degrees of uncertainty.

In early December 2016, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA visited Kīlauea Volcano to experiment with a portable, ground-based camera system for use as an optical imaging pyrometer. The custom-built, high-speed camera can acquire images at more than 50 frames per second in three wavelengths (green, red, and near-infrared). It was calibrated by collecting images of a high temperature callibration oven.

During their field work, the USGS and NASA scientists collected thousands of images of active lava from Kīlauea's two ongoing eruptions. This included breakouts along the 61g lava flow, as well as spattering lava along the edges of the summit lava lake, which was visible from the Jaggar Museum overlook in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

The eruption temperature of Kīlauea lava is well-known— up to about 1170 degrees Celsius (2140 degrees Fahrenheit) at the summit and around 1140 degrees Celsius (2084 degrees Fahrenheit) on the East Rift Zone. Because of this, the volcano is the perfect place to determine how these camera data can be used to retrieve reliable temperatures from the hottest parts of active flows and lava lakes.
The results of this study will establish the validity of a generic data processing method that could be applied to other satellite, airborne, and ground-based remote sensing data sets. The ultimate goal of this NASA-funded research is to design an instrument capable of reliably measuring the temperature of active lava on Jupiter's moon, Io, the only other object in our solar system known to have active, high-temperature volcanism.
Kīlauea Volcano, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, is one of the best places in the world for scientists to conduct their remote sensing research, which is important for future NASA missions to the outer reaches of our solar system, concluded Volcano Watch.

Kīlauea spatter shows a red color, which is cooler than yellow and orange.
Scientists can remotely measure temperature of the lava from
a distance. USGS photo

VOLCANO ACTIVITY UPDATES:
Kīlauea continues to erupt at its summit and East Rift Zone. This past week, the summit lava lake level varied between about 20 and 30 m (66–98 ft) below the vent rim. The 61g flow was still active, with lava entering the ocean near Kamokuna and surface breakouts downslope of Pu'u 'Ō'ō and on the coastal plain about 730 m (about 0.5 mi) inland of the ocean. The 61g flows do not pose an immediate threat to nearby communities.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. During the past week, a few dozen small-magnitude earthquakes occurred beneath the volcano, primarily in the upper Southwest Rift at depths less than 5 km (3 mi), with a few on the volcano's west flank at slightly greater depths. GPS measurements continue to show deformation related to inflation of a magma reservoir beneath the summit and upper Southwest Rift Zone. No significant change in the summit fumarole temperature was noted this past week.

Two earthquakes were reported felt on the Island of Hawaiʻi this past week. On February 17, at 5:33 a.m., HST, a magnitude-4.6 earthquake occurred 23.7 km (14.7 mi) northwest of Kawaihae at a depth of 41 km (25 mi), and, at 5:49 a.m., a magnitude-2.4 earthquake occurred 22.4 km (13.9 mi) northwest of Kawaihae at a depth of 40 km (24 mi).
Visit the HVO website (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov) for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea daily eruption updates, Mauna Loa weekly updates, volcano photos, recent earthquakes info, and more; call for summary updates at 808-967-8862 (Kīlauea) or 808-967-
8866 (Mauna Loa); email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov

Ocean View Community Development Corp. meeting, Fri, Feb 24, 5 p.m., Hawaiian Ranchos office.

Japanese Internment on Hawai`i Island is the subject of the first Coffee Talk at Kahuku, Friday, Feb. 24 at 9:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Center at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Dr. Jade Moniz-Nakamua leads the talk on Japanese held at Kilauea Military Camp during World War II. Free.

Counting whales in Ka`u and beyond this Saturday can be
supported by purchasing tee shirts.
See www.hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov

Sanctuary Ocean Count, Sat, Feb 25, 8 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., various coastal locations, several in Ka`u. Participants count humpback whales and record their behaviors. Registration required. See hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov or 725-5923.

Ka`u Hospital Community Input Meeting, Sat, Feb 25, 1:30 p.m. at the hospital. Kurt Corbin, Chair of the East Hawai`i Regional Board of the Hawai`i Hospital System Corp, which oversees the hospital and clinic operations, said that "Personal conversations and dialogue with our community stakeholders are absolutely essential in helping guide the decisions that the Regional Board must make." Board members and administrators will be on hand and a financial overview and future outlook will be presented. For more information, contact Terry Larson, Regional Board Secretary at 932-3103.

Love the Arts: Singin’ in the Rainforest, Sat, Feb 25, 5 – 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. The annual fundraiser features one-of-a-kind umbrellas painted by Hawai‘i Island artists. Fine wine, a luxurious gourmet buffet, spirited Hawaiian music and live and silent auctions. 967-8222Soil andComposting class at Ka`u Farm School on Sunday, Feb. 26 at Earth Matters Farm on the corner of South Point Road and Kama`oa Roa`oa Road, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Special guests include Rep. Richard Creagan, Chair of the Agriculture Committee of the state House of Representatives and Melanie Willich, Director of the Young Farmers Program at Kohala Center. Free, sponsored by Kohala Center and Hawai`i Farmers Union United. Donations accepted. RSVP to kaufarmschool@gmail.com or call 808-721-6977

Palm Trail Hike, Sun, Feb 26, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. This free, moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop trail provides one of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer.

www.kaucalendar.com

Pacific Biodiesel's plant in Kea`u. The company has been planting test plots on the Big Island and looking for land to
grow sunflower and safflower for food and utility oils. It blessed a sunflower farm on Maui today and Ka`u's Rep.
Tulsi Gabbard and Ka`u's Senator Mazie Hirono attended. Photo from Pacific Biodiesel & Think Tech Hawai`i

PACIFIC BIODIESEL, which operates a biofuel manufacturing plant at Shipman Industrial Park in Kea`au, is getting into the sunflower growing business to make more biofuel and food products. Sunflower and safflower test plots have been grown on the Big Island and a new effort to plant sunflower on 115 acres of former sugar land in central Maui was blessed on Friday. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Sen. Mazie Hirono both attended and gave remarks on the importance of developing more sustainable energy sources throughout Hawai`i.

Pacific Biodiesel founder Bob King with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard at the blessing of a
new sunflower farm to grow oils for food and fuel on Friday.
Photo from Tulsi Gabbard

In 2015 Kelly King, vice president of Pacific Biodiesel, told Pacific Business News that the company wants to grow sunflower crops on tens of thousands of acres as feedstock to make biofuel. Under consideration have been lands owned by Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and private properties on the Big Island.
Funding and research for the expansion into sunflower and possible safflower oils have come with help from University of Hawai`i and the U.S. Office of Naval Research, the Hawai`i Military Biofuels Crop Program an the Hawai`i Natural Energy Institute.
Pacific Biodiesel has a manufacturing location in Shipman Industrial Park in Kea`au where used cooking oil and grease trap waste are the current feedstock for making transportation and utility fuel. The company has assisted with Hawai`i and other counties adopting biofuel to run their vehicles.
King said the Kea`au plant is like a distillery and "exceeds all technology." She said it manufactures what is probably the highest quality biodiesel in the world. She said the number of employees totals at about 35 at Shipman and nearly 80 statewide. She said Pacific Biodiesel is proud to provide a variety of jobs and has hired students from Hawai`i Community College which is teaching technology processing.

Pacific Biodiesel sells its fuel to electric companies, the trucking industry, and for boating, back up generation, farming equipment and passenger cars. Kelly said that it is important to realize that electric cars often use imported oil, which is burned to make the electricity for the power company that provides the electricity when the electric car is plugged in. The electric car is clean when the electricity that it uses comes from solar or other alternative energies like biodiesel, she explained.

Kelly said that she looks forward to not only the biofuel value of sunflower and saflower but also their edible value and the opportunity for the oils to first be used for food, and secondarily to be upcycled into fuel for transportation and for the electric companies. At the Maui Farm, she said, she expects to produce about 100 gallons of fuel per acre per harvest, with three harvests a year.
See more at www.biodiesel.com

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THE U.S. CORAL REEF TASK FORCE met in Washington D.C. this week and Hawai`i Gov. David Ige attended on his way to the National Governors Association Winter Meeting this weekend. The United States Coral Reef Task Force was established in 1998 by Presidential Executive Order to lead U.S. efforts to preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. The USCRTF includes leaders of 12 Federal agencies, seven U.S. States including Hawai`i, Territories, Commonwealths, and three Freely Associated States.

Gov. David Ige attending the Coral Reef Task Force Meeting in
Washington, D.C. on Thursday. Photo from the Governor

The USCRTF helps build partnerships, strategies, and support for on-the-ground action to conserve coral reefs. During the meeting, Dr. Luis Solorzano, of The Nature Conservancy made a presentation on ' Coral Restoration - why we should be hopeful? The organization also released its new Handbook on Coral Reef Impacts: Avoidance, Minimization, Compensatory Mitigation and Restoration.
Within the Hawai`i state government, the Department of Land & Natural Resources works closely with the Coral Reef Task Force, with Robert Nishimoto taking the lead. See more, including Hawai`i's Local Action Strategies for preserving coral reefs at www.coralreef.gov.

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THE FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE IN KA`U is a big part of the discussion between community members, policy makers and staff at Ka`u Hospital tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. The community is invited to attend and give input to the East Hawai`i Regional Board of the Hawai`i Hospital System Corp., which manages Ka`u Hospital and its clinic, as well as the Hilo and Kona Hospitals.

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Na`alehu School children went out for track and competed and
won at Konawa`ena this month. Photo by Bob Martin

NA`ALHEU STUDENTS competed well at an islandwide Track and Field event this month at Konawaena High School. Head Coach Linda Le and assistant coach Bob Martin report that Neiwad Boaz took 2nd place in the girls 11-12 shot put. Anthony Clark won 3rd Place in the boys 11-12 1200m. Layton Ka-ne-Kala took 1st Place in boys 6-8 Standing Long Jump and Ariel Cohen won 1st Place in girls 11-12 1200m.

COUNT THE HUMPBACK WHALES ON SATURDAY along the Ka`u Coast. Register at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov or 725-5923.

Love the Arts: Singin’ in the Rainforest, Sat, Feb 25, 5 – 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. The annual fundraiser features one-of-a-kind umbrellas painted by Hawai‘i Island artists. Fine wine, a luxurious gourmet buffet, spirited Hawaiian music and live and silent auctions. 967-8222

Soil and Composting class at Ka`u Farm School on Sunday, Feb. 26 at Earth Matters Farm on the corner of South Point Road and Kama`oa Roa`oa Road, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Special guests include Rep. Richard Creagan, Chair of the Agriculture Committee of the state House of Representatives and Melanie Willich, Director of the Young Farmers Program at Kohala Center. Free, sponsored by Kohala Center and Hawai`i Farmers Union United. Donations accepted. RSVP to kaufarmschool@gmail.com or call 808-721-6977.

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www.kaucalendar.com

Calm waters, no wind and an overcast sky made for perfect whale counting at Ka Lae on Saturday where 23 breaches were seen
in 15 minutes during the second of this season's Ocean Counts for humpback whales. See story below.
File Photo from NOAA

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION was the opening topic of the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, attended by Hawai`i's Gov. David Ige. The governor told The Ka`u Calendar that "Early childhood education is important." Investment in early childhood education "pays huge dividends in the long term."

"#We the States" is the slogan for the National Governors Association meeting in
Washington, D.C where Gov. David Ige is supporting early childhood education.
Photo by M. Martin Neal

He referred to his budget before the 2017 Hawai`i Legislature, which proposes the most money allocated in history to pay for teaching in Hawai`i's public schools. It includes preschool and other early childhood education funding. In addition, the governor is involved with the Executive Office on Early Learning, which coordinates programs and funding with his administration and the Hawai`i Legislature.
Ige also told The Ka`u Calendar that Hawai`i has benefited from federal early childhood education grants supported by the bipartisan National Governors Association and that the organization has been helpful in gathering, developing and sharing "best practices." The Governors Association members, both Republicans and Democrats, lobby Congress for early childhood education funding, particularly Preschool Development Grants.

Gov. David Ige at the opening of the National Governors Association
meeting in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. Photo from Gov. Ige staff

Said one NGA letter to Congress, "Governors understand that early childhood education is a key component of building a literate, knowledgeable and skilled 21st century workforce. Preschool Development Grants, including expansion grants, enable governors to build on their efforts to promote school readiness by accelerating state-focused innovation to improve access and quality in early childhood education. States use the program to better serve our youngest students, including English language learners and early learners with disabilities; improve the professional development of preschool teachers and administrators; and expand access to early education programs to thousands of students."

During the meeting on early childhood education, Ige and governors of all political persuasions threw in their backing. The chair for the session, Gov. Robert Bentley, of Alabama, said, "The most important education is childhood education" and declared that he wants to make "early childhood education a priority across the nation."
Mike Peters, President and CEO of one of the largest employers in some states, Huntington Ingalls, which builds aircraft carriers and other vessels, told the governors that early childhood education creates a stronger workforce.

Actress Jennifer Garner and Mike Shriver represented the non-profit organization Save the Children, which is dedicated to young people in need. They talked about the "house-visit model" that helps make mothers into educators. Garner focused on education from birth to third grade, the kind of program that is popular in Ka`u, called Tutu & Me.

Many letters of support for early childhood education have been sent from Ka`u to the governor and Hawai`i Legislature to support funding of Tutu & Me. The traveling preschool moves around Ka`u and welcomes grandparents, aunties, uncles and parents to bring the keiki to start learning from birth until they attend public school. Tutu & Me also makes house calls.

Bills in motion at the Hawai`i Legislature include SB1152 and HB500, which would appropriate money to continue funding public prekindergarten classrooms and set up administration of charter school prekindergarden classrooms. HB498 and SB687 would enable the Early Learning Board to appoint the director of the Executive Office on Early Learning.
To read and send in testimony on these early childhood education bills, which are coming before state Senate and House committees next week, click on the bill numbers above. To find related bills, go to the Hawai`i State Legislature at www.capitol.hawaii.gov and type in key words.

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WHALE COUNTING DREW MORE THAN 590 VOLUNTEERS on Hawai`i, O`ahu and Kaua`I Islands on Saturday during the second session of data gathering for the 2017 Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count.

The second SanctuaryOcean Count of humpback whales this season
took place Saturday, sponsored by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback
Whale National Marine Sancturary. Photo from NOAA

There were more whale sightings on Hawai`i Island this Ocean Count compared to last month's. Conditions were generally overcast across the sites with flat, calm waters and little to no wind, which allowed for great whale viewing conditions. Volunteers at South Point, at the Ka Lae Ocean Count site, had quite a show. In 15 minutes, they saw 23 breaches - the acrobatic display where the humpback uses its tail to launch itself out of the water then lands back on the surface with a splash.
Ocean Count serves to promote public awareness about humpback whales, the sanctuary, and shore-based whale watching opportunities. The count is conducted three times per year during the peak whale season and provides a snapshot of humpback whales sightings from the shoreline. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals' surface behaviors during the survey.
Volunteers collected data from 50 sites statewide on Feb. 25. A total of 174 whale sightings were recorded during the 11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period during the day's count.
Preliminary data detailing whale sightings by site location are available at: http://www.sanctuaryoceancount.org/resources/. Additional information is available on the sanctuary's website at http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.

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OCEAN VIEW SATURDAY MARKET was shut down by police about half way through the morning and didn't reopen, according to Mike Alexander, of Ocean View. He said the scare surrounded reports of live ammunition, reportedly being sold at the outdoor venue, which operates like a swap meet, with animals, food, plants, clothing, used furniture and other household goods, and a chiropractor who gives Saturday market adjustments. The ammunition turned out to be cannonballs someone was selling, said Alexander.

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Palm Trail Hike, Sun, Feb 26, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. This free, moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop trail provides one of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer.

www.kaucalendar.com

Ka`u Farm School held its second session on Sunday at Earth Matters Farm at the corner of South Point and Kama`oa Roads.

See story below. Photo by Raina Whiting

GOVERNORS WHO ARE REPUBLICANS AND GOVERNORS WHO ARE DEMOCRATS acknowledged the value of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, during the winter National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. In the governors' session called Ending Childhood Hunger: Improving Lives and Investing in America's Future, they emphasized the importance of SNAP and the federally assisted National School Lunch Program, which provides free and reduced price lunches and breakfasts to help children stay healthy and fit for education. They also discussed the nutritional challenge for children in poverty during times when school is out of session, particularly during summer.

Huge images of children relying on federally funded food programs were projected
at the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C. on Sunday.
Photo by M. Martin Neal

After the day's meetings, the governors headed to the White House to dine with President Donald and First Lady Melania Trump, with Hawai`i Gov. David Ige and First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige among them. During the White House dinner, which Trump called the Governors Ball, the President told the governors and companions that he will meet with the National Governors Association members about health issues on Monday, as they wrap up their three-day event.
The session on childhood hunger was held at the National Governors Association meeting venue, the JW Marriott in downtown Washington D.C. Chef Hugh Acheson, known for his cookbooks, restaurants and for serving as a judge on the television show Top Chef, urged governors to help remove the stigma from children receiving free food at school. He also emphasized the importance of providing children with free breakfasts to give them a head start on each school day.
The First Lady of Virginia, Dorothy McAuliffe, reminded governors that "For the first time, half of all public school children are eligible for free or reduced lunch," supported by the federal government. "Nutrition is an essential tool to help children focus and learn," she said.

Governors were reminded in large graphics that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
assistance in serving breakfasts to children lowers absenteeism at schools.
Photo by M. Martin Neal

In Ka`u, the poverty rate is high enough that Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary and Na`alehu Schools are among the 30 schools in Hawai`i that qualify for all students to receive free federally subsidized meals, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture Community Eligibility Provision.
In addition to working with the federal government to subsidize school meals, Hawai`i's governor and his administration recently launched a Farm to School program to source more locally grown food for school campuses. The fresh food will be served to staff and students who will have the opportunity to learn about farming, ranching and good nutrition. Other programs help establish school gardens on the campuses.
Outside of school, the nutrition situation for children in poverty in Hawai`i is summed up in state Senate Bill 28 that was deferred this session. It says that the Hawai`i Legislature finds that because of Hawai`i's high cost of living and food prices, many low-income families struggle to purchase food. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program - food stamps - " is a crucial means of providing necessary assistance in the purchasing of food for some of Hawai`i's most disadvantaged citizens." However, fewer families sign up for the program than qualify.
Hawai`i secures over $500 million a year in SNAP funding but has ranked third from the bottom among states with the fewest percentage of eligible people enrolled in SNAP, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In March of 2016, for example, 341,802 people in Hawai`i were enrolled in Medicaid, which means they likely qualified for SNAP, but only 165,697 were enrolled in SNAP. If these additional people were enrolled, the state would be eligible to receive an estimated additional $274 million a year, substantially increasing the number of families receiving food subsidies through SNAP in Hawai`i.
The legislators identify the problem as partly due to families being unaware of being eligible for SNAP or how to sign up for it. The legislation would allow health care providers to become involved by questioning their Medicaid patients about receiving SNAP and arrange an outreach. The data would also be reported to the legislature to "create a mechanism in which policy makers can better establish plans to maximize federal funding and fight hunger," the legislation states.
The legislation also reports on the benefit of $247 million of additional SNAP federal funding being injected into the local economy.
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THE SECOND KA`U FARM SCHOOL CLASS on Sunday offered a session on soil and composting and drew an outlook on agriculture by Rep. Richard Creagan. He said that leadership positions in the state administration and in the Hawai`i Legislature are aligned for supporting small farms. He said that Gov. David Ige "wants to double food production, so this is a good time to develop opportunities for small farmers." Said Creagan, "It is very important to get small farmers going if we are going to have a lot of food production." Creagan, who lives in Ka`u, is chair of the state House of Representative Agriculture Committee and said that Sen. Mike Gabbard, who chairs the state Senate Agriculture Committee, and sate Department of Agriculture chief and Board of Agriculture Chair Scott Enright "are all on board."

Rep. Richard Creagan addresses a Ka`u Farm School class on Sunday.
Photo by Raina Whiting

Creagan noted that , "So much of our agriculture in Hawai`i today has nothing to do with food production." He named macadamia nuts and coffee as examples of food that is mostly sold to tourists. "And seed corn (grown to collect seeds for planting corn) goes to the mainland," Creagan said.

He said, "We need to inpower the small farmer with land, water, and capital. For labor, many families could help provide the work to grow the food." Creagan predicted that "food grown for families would ramp up to food for the communities and food for the state."
Creagan said he is also interested in food from forests. He said he plans to introduce a resolution for the state Department of Agriculture and the University of Hawai`i to study the idea of the "a pig forest, where pigs would be wild and eating among trees like macadamia, guava and avocado, but separated out from the native forest and from wild pigs with disease. They would be harvested or hunted as needed." He said there is a good example of growing pigs among trees in Spain.
Raina Whiting, one of the organizers of the Ka`u Farm School, said classes are open to friends, supporters and those interested in learning more about farming, agriculture and growing food in Ka'u. They are sponsored by Hawai`i Farmers Union United and the Kohala Canter, as well as Earth Matters Farm. Make contact through kaufarmschool@gmail.com or 808-721-6977. For future class topics, see www.facebook.com/KauFarmSchool.

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HOVE Road Maintenance board of directors meeting, Tue, Feb 28, 10 a.m. 929-9910

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tue, Feb 28, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

Line Dancing, Tue, Feb 28, 2 – 3 p.m., Kahuku Park. Ages 6 – 12 register Feb 22 – 27. 929-9113

www.kaucalendar.com

Bolo, who is known for his annual presence at the Ka`u Coffee Festival, and Kahikina Ching drum up support for the
annual Feed-A-Thon, which raised over 73,000 lbs in edibles. Photo from Food Basket

GEORGE YOKOYAMA, well known in Ka`u for his work with Hawai`i County Economic Opportunity Council and the dedication of his life to serving the cause of fighting poverty, was recently remembered at the Hawai`i Legislature and at services last week. He is the author of the book Memoir of a War on Poverty in Paradise, published in 2015, and available on Amazon and other outlets.

George Yokoyama remembered at the Hawai`i
Legislature. Photo from Sen. Kai Kahele

Yokoyama, who died at 90 on Jan. 22, raised close to $100 million in state and federal grants for Hawai`i Island in over 45 years. Pahala resident Anna Cariaga worked with Yokoyama and HCEOC for more than 30 years and praised his work in providing housing and electricity assistance for low-income people and for raising money and organizing volunteers to build clubs for youth and seniors. He was a grassroots political and volunteer organizer, who continued his grant writing and other services at the HCEOC office in Hilo until his health finally failed him, she said.

On the floor of the Hawai`i Legislature, Sen. Kai Kahele called Yokoyama "a champion for the underprivileged, the elderly, the disabled. He was such a fantastic individual." Kahele described Yokoyama exemplifying that "one person can make a difference; one person can change the world. He was a big idea type of guy and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Yokoyama worked through Office of Economic Opportunity, a nationwide initiative of Pres. Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. The local program later became Hawai`i County Economic Opportunity Council.

An HCEOC colleague of Yokoyama, Mary Miho Finley, of Volcano, remembered Yokoyama growing programs out of need for youth activities. “There was nothing for the kids or young people in those days,” Finley said. She recalled Yokoyama challenging them, from Na`alehu to Ocean View. “What do you want?” he asked, after police chased them from gathering at the shopping center and parks. Finley remembered more than 150 youth, from eight years old to high school, asking Yokoyama for a place of their own. Yokoyama told them, "You will have to mobilize resources to make this happen."
He helped them look for opportunity and it arose when Punalu`u resort developers planned to demolish an old gentlemen’s clubhouse and offered to give the building to the youth. Yokoyama taught the youth how to coordinate and make it happen: Ka`u Sugar provided land in Na`alehu and Jobs Corps trained the young people with skills to help fix up the building. Kilauea Military Camp and Ka`u Sugar trucks moved the pieces of the building to what is now Na`alehu Park.

Anna Cariaga worked side by side with George Yokoyama to
fight poverty in Ka`u and beyond. Photo by Julia Neal

HPM donated building plans and prepared building permits. Atherton and McInerny foundations and Hilo Kiwanis donated funds. Tommy Ishimaru donated construction of the cesspool. Na`alehu Community Club donated a kitchen sink and pool and ping-pong tables. Community members like the Beck `Ohana, the Kailiawas, Pilipo Kenoi, Adolpho Pascubilio and Joe Tassill helped out. Youth from Keaukaha, Laupahoehoe and Honoka'a traveled to Ka`u to volunteer.

In Pahala, Yokyama and his Ka`u team operated the HCEOC office at an old store building in the old sugar mill camp.

During the recent services for Yokoyama, friends remembered that he could always turn ideas into people coming together to make them happen. They also remembered that while young people were involved in building and using their own club, police reports confirmed that crime went down.

At a rededication ceremony on May 2, 2015, then-Mayor Billy Kenoi, contractor Micheal Tonini, former HCEOC Youth Advisor Anna Cariaga, and former Ka`u District Supervisor Mary Evangelista emphasized the importance of carrying on Yokoyama's tradition of investing in young people. Several former members of the "youth gang" also attended, sharing the recollections of the hard work and challenges of building the clubhouse - the way the place turned their lives around.

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HAWAI`I ISLAND’S FOOD BANKS, including the Food Basket, announced on Monday that it collected over 73,000 pounds of food at Hawai`i Community Federal Credit Union branches, with one in Na`alehu and one in Pahala, and five KTA Super Stores. This year’s Feed-A-Thon from Feb. 8 - 17 far surpassed last year’s event total of 38,348 pounds, the campaign cut short by severe storms.

Record collections in money and food through
Hawai``i Community Federal Credit Union, KTA
and other donation venues.

Kahikina Ching, longtime ambassador of the Food Basket, led the drive and said, “My Hunger Angel provided us with overall a very nice jump start, which gave a boost to the volume raised.” An anonymous donor kicked-off the drive with a donation of 11,156 pounds of food, which helped to lead to one of the highest total volumes of food raised during any Feed-A-Thon in recent years. The community’s dollar-by-dollar and can-by-can heeded Ching’s infamous “one can if can” advice and raised over 62,000 pounds, which rounded out the total poundage. Entertainers volunteered their time, including Bolo, known for his performances each year at Ka`u Coffee Festival and his composition of the song about Ka`u's mysitical mountain Kaiholena.
The Food Basket’s Executive Director En Young said, “This drive brings out a unique opportunity that allows us to connect with our community first-hand. It’s one of the unique aspects of a 10 day, island-wide drive.”
The stated mission of The Food Basket, Inc. is to “feed the hungry in Hawai’i County while attending to the root causes of this critical social problem. The Food Basket will accomplish its mission by preventing the waste of all edible food in Hawai’i County, feeding the hungry with this food, educating the community about local hunger and what can be done to solve this social problem, and collaborating with organizations of partnering missions to eradicate poverty, the root of hunger, and other social ills.”
One in five Hawai`i Island residents are served by The Food Basket through a network of nearly 100 partnering agencies island-wide. With one in three children in Hawai`i County eligible for free or reduced school meals, and many families and kupuna facing high levels of food-insecurity, The Food Basket is in need of community support on a yearly basis, said a statement from the organization. For more information on ways to help feed the hungry on Hawai`i Island year-round, please contact The Food Basket at 808-933-6030 or visit www.hawaiifoodbasket.org

KA`U FOOD PANTRY PICKUP for people in needed nourishment is on Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Showers are also offered. The Food Basket helps by contributing food.

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Andrea Kawabata urges Ka`u Coffee farmers to turn in surveys.
Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U COFFEE FARMERS ARE REMINDED to fill out two surveys being taken by the University of Hawai`i College of Tropical Agriculture. They are due on Tuesday, Feb,. 28. Andrea Kawabata, Associate Extension Agent for Coffee and Orchard Crops, said that farmers taking the surveys can choose to remain anonymous. "Or, you may choose to provide contact information to enter a $15 gift card drawing and for research and extension collaboration consideration." The surveys, she explained, assist researchers to better understand project impacts and interests, and provide direction toward pursuit of future projects and funding to support the coffee industry. The surveys contain questions about the health of the soil and coffee trees, disease, pests and farming practices. Take the survey at the following: 2017 Coffee Survey and 2017 Flat Bark Beetle Survey.

HOVE Road Maintenance board of directors meeting, Tue, Feb 28, 10 a.m. 929-9910.

Line Dancing, Tue, Feb 28, 2 – 3 p.m., Kahuku Park. Ages 6 – 12 register Feb 22 – 27. 929-9113.

Open Mic Night, Wed, Mar 1, 6 – 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Sign up at 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch meeting, Thu, Mar 2, 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-2442 & 928-2015.

Stewardship at the Summit, Mar 3, 10, 18, 25 & 31; 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers clear ginger from park trails. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo.

Girl’s Day Doll Craft, Fri, Mar 3, 2 – 3 p.m., Kahuku Park. Ages 6 – 12 register Mar 1/2. 929-9113.

www.kaucaelndar.com

Janiece McNichols, Chief Financial Officer for East Hawai`i Region; Sherrie Bazin, Director of Nursing for
Ka`u Hospital; Barry Taniguchi, East Hawai`i Regional Board member; and Dan Brinkman, Chief Executive
Officer for the East Hawai`i Regional, view the lana`i and learn about Ka’u Hospital Charitable
Foundation’s fundraising project to add enhance the garden lanai. See story below.

IN ADVANCE OF PRES. DONALD TRUMP'S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS, broadcast Tuesday at 4 p.m., Hawai`i time, Ka`u's Representative in the U.S. House, Tulsi Gabbard, sent out a message:
"Like many of you, I’m deeply concerned about the fundamental principles we hold dear, including protecting the environment and our precious water supplies, protecting civil liberties, protecting and expanding affordable healthcare, ending counterproductive regime-change war, ensuring protections for vulnerable refugees and reforming campaign finance so that our democracy isn’t overshadowed by the vast financial interests of billionaires and corporate elite."
Gabbard stated: "There is an age old strategy that is being waged today on the minds of the American people: divide and conquer. So long as we are fighting amongst ourselves, stoking disdain and resentment against our fellow citizens, we cannot unite against the powerful oligarchy that has wielded disproportionate influence to the detriment of everyday Americans.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard released a statement on protecting the environment and "precious
water supplies," ahead of Pres. Donad Trump's first speech to Congress, and after
she visited the Navy's Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on O`ahu. Gabbard and
the Hawai`i congressional delegation have introduced legislation to help protect the
aquifer from leaks at Red Hill. Photo from Tulsi Gabbard

"Those who seek to maintain the status quo don't want us to take action to create will change.
Gabbard concluded: "What’s happening in Washington is not a true reflection of what’s going on in our communities. There is so much that the vast majority of Americans share in common. We are tired of watching trillions of dollars of taxpayer money disappear on counterproductive regime change wars in the Middle East that cause great human suffering and strengthen terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS. We are tired of being exploited by multinational corporations who have no care for our communities. We are tired of chasing an American Dream pushed farther and farther out of reach by fraud and corruption on Wall Street."
Gabbard stated that she remains "committed to bringing the voice of the people back into government -and that voice is calling for peace, an end to political and corporate corruption and a fair shot at the American dream. We are all in this together."
Trump's first speech to Congress since his inauguration was scheduled to be broadcast live on television and internet beginning at 4 p.m. Hawai`i time.

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"BUSINESS IS BOOMING IN OUR NATIONAL PARKS," said Sen. Mazie Hirono, addressing the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, as she expressed concern for Pres. Donald Trump's nominee Ryan Zenke to run the Department of the Interior. Hirono, who sits on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, pointed out that National Parks nationwide hosted more than 305 million visitors in 2015, a new record, generating $17 billion in economic activity in nearby communities. Even with record numbers of visitors, however, sequestration and a hiring freeze have led to 10 percent fewer rangers and support staff than five years ago. Hirono warned that the Trump administration's new 90-day hiring freeze threatens "nearly 2,000 permanent vacancies that are critical to helping our National Parks function." Hirono also pointed out that despite the National Parks' popularity and economic benefits, there are 12 billion dollars in deferred maintenance at the National Parks.
"We need an Interior Secretary capable of standing up to the President to make preserving our public lands a priority," she proclaimed on the Senate floor. She said her interviews with Zenke and his record did not give her the assurances that would allow her to vote for him.

Sen. Hirono with Ka`u Learning Academy students and ranger at Hawai`i Volcanoes
National Park. NPS Photo by Janice Wei

Hirono said she is also concerned about Zenke's view on the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has been used to help acquire coastal lands in Ka`u for conservation. She called it "an important fund to add protective lands to parks." Hirono said she would like to see permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, saying it has suffered from chronic underfunding during its history.
She also said she is concerned about whether Zenke will be committed to supporting alternative and renewable energy, which she called "important to Hawai`i people." Hirono said she believes that the Trump administration and Zenke are "too wedded to the fossil fuel industry."
The U.S. Geological Survey is another concern of Hirono's. She noted that "USGS lists climate change as one of its top mission areas." Would Zinke try to limit climate change work at USGS? Would he commit to allowing "USGS to continue to make climate change research a priority or to protect the right of these scientists to pursue their research without interference?" Hirono said she worries about the "Trump administration's ongoing efforts to silence our federal workers, including those within the National Park Service for speaking out about the threat of climate change." She characterized the Trump Administration as being "full of climate deniers."
Concerning endangered species, Hirono stated that as a congressman, Zenke voted to block funding for any listed endangered species for which the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service failed to conduct a five-year review. She said incompletion of reviews was caused by cutting necessary funds. Said Hirono, "Cutting funding in this way would devastate conservation and recovery efforts for as many as 850 species across the nation, 137 of which are in Hawai`'i."

Hirono quoted a Big Island constituent who called Zinke "a destroyer, not a fixer, not someone for the environment or the people." Zenke's interest in oil pipelines creates a conflict of interest and could could help move exploration and extraction into formerly closed to exploitation, the constituent wrote.

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OFF THE SHELF IS TWO-PERCENT REDUCED FAT MILK from Meadow Gold Daries, following the state Department of Health issuing a cease and desist order on Monday. Lab tests showed coliform bacteria exceeding acceptable limits. A statement from the DOH sanitation branch said state inspectors are working with Meadow Gold to trace the source of the contamination, correct it and conduct more tests until standards are met to resume sales.

EAST HAWAI`I REGIONAL BOARD, the governing body of Ka`u Hospital and Rural Health Clinic, Hilo Medical Center, Hale Ho`ola Hamakua in Honoka`a, and eight other specialty clinics, held a public forum last Saturday, Feb. 25.
In Ka`u Hospital’s multipurpose day room, members of the community gathered to learn about developments in clinical services, finances and strategic priorities for healthcare in the East Hawai`i Region.

Born in Ka`u Hospital, Rae Yamanaka joined the East
Hawai`i Regional Board last year.

Wayne Kanemoto, Board Member, admires the new clinic
area made ADA compliant by carpentry talents
of Ka`u Hospital's Jay Taganas.

Merilyn Harris, Administrator for Ka`u Hospital and Rural Health Clinic, shared updates on services and personnel at the hospital. She emphasized that the primary goal of the hospital was to provide quality health care services close to home.
“One of the most notable developments at our hospital has been a transition with new nursing staff mainly due to retirements,” said Harris. “Within the last year, we also welcomed an innovative Director of Nursing, Sherrie Bazin, who really wanted to set down roots in Ka`u and care for the community.”
After experiencing some transition in primary care providers, the Ka`u Rural Health Clinic staff has stabilized with Dr. Sarah Howard joining nurse practitioners Susan Field and Megan Lewis.
New patients are being accepted and may call 932-4205 for an appointment.

TAKING CARE OF THE DIETARY HEALTH of patients and staff at Ka`u Hospital is an opportunity for a Ka`u resident needing full time work. Keone Grace, Morgan Dacalio and Stephanie Kawa`auhau could use a hand in the kitchen at the hospital. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are made daily for long-term residents, patients and those who work at Ka`u Hospital and its Rural Health Clinic.
According to Hospital Administrator Merilyn Harris, "It is a good job for someone local to the area."
While a formal education is not required, the employee must have knowledge of preparation of raw and processed food to be cooked; methods, materials, and tools used in cleaning kitchen equipment, appliances and utensils; kitchen safety and sanitation; requirements and personal hygiene. The employee must have the ability to learn quantity cookery; operated kitchen equipment and appliances; measure food servings and serve food: give and receive oral and written instructions; work cooperatively with others, tolerate kitchen heat and noises; and perform heavy lifting, moving and carrying.
To apply, find more information and an application on line at www.kauhospital.org

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Open Mic Night, Wed, Mar 1, 6 – 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Sign up at 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch meeting, Thu, Mar 2, 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-2442 & 928-2015.

Stewardship at the Summit, Mar 3, 10, 18, 25 & 31; 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers clear ginger from park trails. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo.

Girl’s Day Doll Craft, Fri, Mar 3, 2 – 3 p.m., Kahuku Park. Ages 6 – 12

New interpretive signage for the famed Ka`u footprints shows the area well traveled in the 1700's by Hawaiian families
trading and visiting. While walking through Ka`u, wet ash rained down and their footprints became frozen in time.
Painting by John Dawson

THE FAMED KA`U FOOTPRINTS were likely left in the 1700’s by Hawaiian families traveling between Ka`u and Puna, rather than by warriors caught in volcanic ash raining down on the Ka`u Desert. That is the new evidence from the footprints with new educational displays accessible from Manu Iki trail in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The trailhead is makai of Hwy 11 between Pahala and Volcano, between mile markers 38 and 39.

Ranger Jay Robinson feels the texture of the famous Ka'u footprints on the life-size

model, which weighs over 300 pounds. It was created by Joh Geigle from photos

and measurements of the real footprints. It was brought to the shelter by

helicopter last month. Photo by Ann Bosted

The new signage is illustrated by artists John Dawson and Kathleen Kam. Dawson is known for his wildlife paintings at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Visitors Center, on U.S. postage stamps, and in galleries. Kam is known for her wildlife and cultural murals at Ka`u High School, Ka`u Coffee Mill, Keauhou Bird Refuge, Volcano Store, Kamehameha School and in Hilo.
One illustration for the footprints show people traveling along a trail and suddenly being covered with wet ash. The footprints may have been left during two separate ash-falling events in the 1700s.
Near the trail, the park has installed a model of footprints themselves. This prevents visitors from touching the actual Native Hawaiian footprints that were were made in wet ash – not lava - during eruptions from Kīlauea in the 1700s. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park replicated the footprints and visitors can touch the life-size model in order to appreciate them. In addition, several interpretive signs are added to the first quarter mile of the Mauna Iki trail that goes to the footprints, as well as a historic shelter.
Park Ranger Jay Robinson and park volunteer George Jensen were installing interpretive signs along the trail last month. Jensen explained that these are the final touches in a long project that included placing interpretive signs and displays in a structure built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1941.
“The stone protective shelter was originally conceived as a way of conserving some outstanding examples of very old Hawaiian footprints, that were created in freshly fallen wet ash,” explained Jensen. Robinson added that park rangers were able to look at photos of the original protective shelter and restore or mimic many of the original features, but not the original catchment-fed water fountain, which does not conform to modern health standards.

A footprint made in wet volcanic ash in 1790. likely by a male adult. It is one

of 1,773 separate footprints belonging to at least 400 individuals that have been

documented by NPS archeologists, led by Dr. Jadlyn Moniz-Nakamura.

Photo by Ann Bosted

“Protecting the trail’s highlight, the actual preserved footprints, required a completely new approach that would allow them to be viewed, yet not disturbed,” explained Robinson. A newly designed A-frame protective cover was set on a stone wall that dates to 1941. Three glass panels on one side now allow the public to peer in and look down to the ground and see some of the original footprints. “The glass
ensures that visitors can see, but cannot touch the actual footprints in the ground,” explained Jensen.
On the other side is the 300-pound model of the footsteps, created, from photographs and measurements of the footprints. Here, one can look at the exact replica and also touch without destroying the original footprints. This model had to be flown in by helicopter, as the historic shelter is now in a designated wilderness area, so closed to vehicles, including wheelbarrows, which can cause damage. There are three original cabinets for interpretive signs in the shelter, plus space for two new signs near the model. Two of the glass doors were restored by park carpenter Daniel Patao, then all the wood was repainted, making the shelter look as good as new.

Robinson, who has fielded many questions from visitors, explains: “It just seems like for years we had gotten just about everything wrong about the footprints. First of all, the footprints were not made in hot lava! That’s just impossibly crazy! They were made in cool wet ash that quickly hardened like concrete. Secondly, most of the footprints were not made by Keōua’s army. And third, the footprints are along a very busy trail that connected Ka‘ū to Hilo and Puna. There were really a lot of people caught out there in a couple of pretty nasty eruptions. They survived and are the ancestors of many of my Ka‘ū friends, which explains a lot about why they are so tough today.”
The most recent set of footprints were created in 1790 when Kīlauea erupted violently, covering all the land around with one to two inches of wet ash. This event was well documented in Hawaiian oral tradition, and was called Keonehelelei, the Falling Sands. Sand and small, pellet-sized ash were embedded in this ash layer before it hardened. While small and harmless looking, after falling from perhaps several miles high, they would have been extremely painful to encounter.

The explosion of ash that rained down on Ka`u not only left footprints, it
injured and killed many people. Illustration by John Dawson

This, however, is not the same ash layer that is enclosed under the glass. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist, Don Swanson, has discovered that a similar terrifying event took place some decades earlier. The mountain erupted violently, spewing wet ash, on an earlier generation of island residents, immortalizing their footprints on this popular trading route. Again, there are large, man-size prints, others that were likely women, and even smaller prints from children traveling along-side their parents.
Park archeologists, led by Dr. Jadelyn Moniz-Nakamura, have documented 1,773 separate footprints belonging to at least 400 individuals. A layer of gritty black sand can be found below, above and between the two layers. It is likely that the sand erupted from Kīlauea during the caldera collapse of around 1500. As the winds blew the older sands around, they buried much of first ash layer before the second layer fell in 1790 – in some places it is thick, and in others it is non-existent. Today, as the layers erode, the relentless winds of Ka‘ū continue to blow the sands, sometimes covering the footprints, and sometimes revealing them.

One of the many interpretive panels explaining the power of the volcano and
the raining ash that helped form the footprints.
Illustration by John Dawson

When the footprints were first discovered by Ruy Finch of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in 1919, they were thought to be made by the army of Keōuakū‘ahu‘ua, the great war chief of Ka‘ū. As they were returning home from Hilo, they passed near the summit of Kīlauea during an extremely violent eruption. One third of the warriors (as many as 400 people) perished in a scalding pyroclastic surge that swept across them with hurricane force winds. With his army diminished by Pele’s wrath, Keōua never stood to fight again. Within a year he was sacrificed by Kamehameha at the dedication of Pu‘ukoholā Heiau.
“The theory that they were all from Keōua’s army is now considered incorrect as the footprints were not made by people running or even hurrying,” said Robinson. “The footprints show their makers were walking both mauka and makai on a busy trail. Some footprints are made by people walking east and west. Both sets of prints – those made in 1790 and the sets made decades earlier – involve a similar mix of travelers - mostly men, but nearly half were women and children.”
The exhibit artist John Dawson wanted to know what the wet dripping ash would look like. Robinson used himself as a Guinea pig. He mixed ash with water in a bucket and then dripped it over himself. He reported “at first it was cold, heavy, and got into your ears, eyes and other places that were uncomfortable. Most amazingly we found that in less than a 20 minutes, the wet ash had hardened and was unable to take any foot prints. We figured that the preserved footprints were likely made in just a few hours.” Where layers of ash are exposed along the Mauna Iki and Ka‘ū Desert Trails today, they have a rock-like hardness. “For so many footprints to be made in so short a time, the islands population of must have been large,” explains Robinson. (These ash layers are not to be confused with the far thicker and heavier Pāhala ash layers which are from around 16,000-31,000 years ago).
The self-experiment has got Robinson wondering. “I’ve spent many hours just sitting out there near different sets of footprints and thinking about who made them and what they must have gone through. I mean, hundreds and hundreds of people were caught in what must have been absolutely terrifying eruptions. Just imagine, daylight turns to night as dark clouds crack with lighting and dump cold mud on you. Then as things just start to look up, rocks and sand begin falling. Those people must have all survived to have left so many footprints, but what a horrible day . . . and it will probably happen again someday ”.
Now that the protective shelter has been hung with new, lavishly illustrated interpretive panels explaining the footprints, Robinson and Jensen, are erecting interpretive panels along the Mauna Iki trail to explain to visitors the significance of features they are looking at. Two panels explain an epic, but often forgotten, battle fought between the armies of Keōua and Kamehameha in the story of Kaua ʻo Kauaʻawa, the bitter Battle of the ʻAwa Rain. An additional exhibit is set further along the trail near a huge lava ball. The panel explains how lava balls form (they get bigger as they are turned by the flowing lava, in much the same way as snowballs grow) and where they come from.

George Jensen, a long-time National Park Service volunteer, hikes along Mauna Iki

Trail toward a new interpretive exhibit that he and Ranger Jay Robinson installed.

Photo by Jay Robinson

Between the last panel and the shelter, hikers using the Mauna Iki trail make an abrupt change from hiking past younger ‘a‘ā lava from Mauna Loa (200 – 400 years old), to the lower, smoother, pāhoehoe flow from Kīlauea (400 – 750 years old). The Mauna Iki trail can be accessed from the Ka`u Desert Trailhead on Hwy 11, 9.2 miles from the park entrance to Kilauea crater in Volcano. There is pull out parking on the side of the road between mile markers 38 and 39. There is no charge for hiking the trail.
With the improvements by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, hiking in the Ka’ū Desert is further enriched as a learning experience with appreciation of the ancestors of the people of Ka‘ū.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S Joint Address to Congress on Feb. 28 drew the following statement Tuesday evening from the U.S. Senator representing Ka`u. Mazie Hirono: wrote: "With this President, I pay attention to what he does more than what he says because in his first month in office, Donald Trump's actions have not lived up to the clichés he delivered tonight.

"He stands by executive orders that have spread fear and chaos throughout the country. Tonight he called for repealing the Affordable Care Act and replacing it with rhetoric. He also clearly called for school vouchers, and in this he has the right Education Secretary who does not believe in public education. For all his rhetoric about national security and American interests, he had absolutely nothing to say about getting to the bottom of Russian interference with our democracy. No matter what the President said tonight, I remain resolved to resist his dangerous, divisive actions."

On Wednesday morning, Hirono focused on her introduction of Senate Resolution 70, marking the 75th anniversary of the issuance of Executive Order 9066, which led to the internment of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. "S.Res.70 affirms that policies that discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion would repeat the mistakes of the internment."

After Pres. Donal Trump's remarks on immigration during his talk to congress, Sen.

Mazie Hirono pointed to what happened to the Japanese in camps on O`ahu (above)

and at Kilauea Military Camp during World War II.

Said Hirono, “The President can continue to live in a world of alternative facts, but it’s clear that his administration’s policies harken back to the hateful rhetoric that led to the internment of Japanese Americans. This internment of Japanese Americans was deeply wrong, and it set a precedent – that it should never happen again. We will resist any and all attempts that take us back to this dark era.”

Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai`i president and executive director Carole Hayashino wrote, “We stand with Senator Hirono and pledge our commitment to honor the memory of the Japanese Americans incarcerated from Hawai‘i simply because of their ancestry. Whether our wartime imprisonment was a result of martial law or executive order, the government action was based upon ‘race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.’ May we never repeat the mistakes of the past.”

National Council of Asian Pacific Americans National Director Chirstopher Kang wrote, "It has been 75 years since our nation succumbed to fear and shamefully incarcerated 120,000 Japanese Americans. Today, as we sit at a similar precipice in history, we must not forgot the lessons of the past. We must continue to speak out and force our leaders to recognize the harms to our immigrant, refugee and Muslim communities from recent discriminatory policies and executive orders."

More than 120,000 Japanese Americans were

interned in WWII.

Muslim Advocates staff attorney and Head of Program to Counter Anti-muslim Hate, Madihha Ahussain, wrote: "As President Trump attempts to write anti-Muslim bigotry into law, we are reminded of another very dark time in our country's history when race was used as the basis to intern thousands of Japanese Americans. We cannot allow prejudice to divide our communities during this time of concern."

The resolution is supported by more than 30 organizations including: the American Bar Association, American Civil Liberties Union, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Demand Progress, Democracy for America, the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai`i, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, the Japanese American Citizens League, South Asian Americans Leading Together, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Muslim Advocates, the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign, and the Sikh Coalition. Click here to download a copy of the resolution.

PROTECTING MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND SOCIAL SECURITY is the aim of a letter sent to Pres. Donald Trump today from 16 U.S. Senators including Mazine Hirono. They urged the President to keep a campaign promise to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid from drastic cuts and privatization. The Senators’ letter called on the President to issue a public statement saying that he would not sign legislation that makes significant changes to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid through the reconciliation process, and to issue official guidance making clear the President’s support for these programs.

The letter asserts to Trump: "Your appointment for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Price, has authored proposals that would undermine the hard-earned, guaranteed benefits of Medicare by privatizing the system and ending Medicare as we know it. Price has also supported plans to make significant cuts to Medicaid, which would weaken the vital support it provides. As The Washington Post reported after his confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Trump has pledged not to cut Medicaid or Medicare, but Price did not do the same.’

“Simply put, the stakes of rushed, ill-conceived, or ideologically-focused changes to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid on the lives and security of American families are too high to be left ambiguous, particularly as you and our Senate colleagues seek to pursue legislation related to health care.”

In January, Senators Hirono and Joe Donnelly led an amendment to protect Medicare and Medicaid from drastic cuts through the budget reconciliation process.

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch meeting, Thu, Mar 2, 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-2442 & 928-2015.

Girl’s Day Doll Craft, Fri, Mar 3, 2 – 3 p.m., Kahuku Park. Ages 6 – 12.

Hawai`i's Midway Island, now a war memorial and wildlife refuge, was mentioned by Pres. Donald Trump on Thursday, when he
praised the aircraft carriers and the crew that fought there during World War II. Trump promised more aircraft carriers for
the Navy and to spend billions of dollars to build up the military. See story below.
Image from www.Midway-Island.com

ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS recused himself on Thursday from involvement in any U.S. Attorney's Office and U.S. Justice Department investigation into ties possibly linking him to Russia's meddling with the U.S. election and post election activities leading up to Donald Trump's presidency. Sessions denied any wrongdoing, saying that as Senator, it was common for him to speak with Russian officials even before he became involved with the Trump campaign and before his nomination for Attorney General.
Sen. Mazie Hirono weighed in on Tuesday evening: "Just three weeks into Trump’s presidency, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned due to illicit contact with Russia. Now, new information shows Attorney General Jeff Sessions met with the Russian ambassador twice before the election and did not disclose these contacts while under oath at his confirmation hearing.
"Not one -- but two -- of Trump’s most trusted advisors are now known to have met with and misled the public about their meetings with Russia. And my fear is this may just be the tip of the iceberg.
"Join me in calling for an independent investigation of the Trump administration’s ties with the Russian government.
"When the security of our country and the integrity of our democracy are at stake, the President and his administration must be held accountable. I pledge to do that every day, but I need your help. Sign on and support an independent investigation into the administration’s ties with Russia now," urged Hirono.

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WHILE HAWAI`I'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION PROMOTES PEACEMAKING AND INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY and warns of fear fanning the kind of discrimination against minorities that happened in World War II, Pres. Donald Trump on Tuesday, brought up Hawai`i as he promised to spend billions of dollars on readiness for war.

Pres. Donald Trump harkened back to World War II and the Battle of Midway on
Thursday when promising to spend billions of dollars on building up the military.
He praised the Yorktown, Enterprise and Horney aircraft carriers.

The President spoke on the Mainland at the construction site of a new $10.44 billion Navy aircraft carrier named the USS Gerald R. Ford, to be commissioned this summer. Trump used the occasion to announce his plans to spend many billions of dollars in building up the U.S. military, including expanding the number of aircraft carriers to a dozen.

Harkening back to the way countries conducted war and peace 75 years ago during World War II, Trump mentioned Admiral Chester Nimitz, "the great admiral Nimitz" who commanded the Pacific Fleet. Trump quoted Nimitz saying, "It is the function of the Navy to carry the war to the enemy so it will not be fought on U.S. soil." Trump also brought up the Battle of Midway in the Northern Hawaiian Islands, now a wildlife refuge and memorial. Trump praised the three aircraft carriers and crew who fought there in WWII on the Enterprise, Yorktown and Horn. Trump noted that the ships were built by the same company that is constructing the USS Ford. Trump emphasized that additional carriers are now needed to strengthen the Navy.

Trump brought up Admiral Nimitz saying,
"It is the function of the Navy is to carry
the war to the enemy so it will not be
fought on U.S. soil."

Pres. Gerald's Ford's own words about an aircraft carrier named after Nimitz were read during Trump's appearance, as also appropriate for the USS Gerald Ford: "I see this great ship as a symbol of the United States, of our immense resources, and skilled workers and our boundless energy and our military strength. Wherever this ship flies her flag, she will be a symbol of Unites States' strength. Made in America and operated by Americans, whether her mission is one of defense, diplomacy or humanity, this aircraft carrier will command awe and admiration from some, caution from others and respect from all."

Trump added, "America sailors are the best war fighting sailors anywhere in the world and it isn't not even close." He talked about the "great rebuilding of our military might...We will give the men and women of America's Armed Services the resources you need to keep us safe. We will have the finest equipment in the world, planes, ships and everything else." He promised the military "the tools you need to prevent war and, if required, to fight war and only do one thing, Win! Win!"

He described the USS Ford as "four and a half acres of combat power and sovereign U.S. territory, the likes of which there is nothing to compete. There is no competition to this ship." He called it "a monument to American might that will provide the strength necessary to insure peace." He noted that the ship will carry 4,500 personnel and 70 aircraft." Trump said it "will "project American power in distant lands. Hopefully it's power we don't have to use, but if we do, there is big, big trouble."

Trump said that he has asked Congress to eliminate the sequester on the Department of Defense and for Congress to support the "great rebuilding of the United States military and the United States Navy." He said he is calling for "one of the largest Defense spending increases in history." Trump said the Navy is the smallest its been since World War I. "Don't worry, it's going to be the largest."

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A PULSING MAGMA SUPPLY IS DETECTED at Kīlauea. This is the focus of this week's Volcano Watch by scientists at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory: This is the story of how a new concept—slowly pulsing magma supply to Kīlauea—emerged from observations of the Overlook Lava Lake in Halemaʻumaʻu.
"Every weekday volcanic ash is collected from ten buckets near the lava lake. Gas bubbles in the lake pop, and pieces of the skin—such as Pele's hair and tears—fly into the air, and the buckets catch them. The ash is weighed, and an ash accumulation rate is calculated—how many grams of ash fall into the buckets per hour.

"Bubbles are almost always breaking—a process called spattering—but the rate at which ash accumulates in the buckets varies. There are several reasons for this—wind direction, locations of spattering, depth to the lava lake, and more. But, when averaged over a month, such short-term effects tend to cancel, and we see month-to-month variation, with peaks and troughs in ash accumulation lasting several months each. Does this relate to anything else that we can measure?
"Yes. Almost daily, we measure the depth to the lake surface with a laser rangefinder. Lake level rises during summit inflation and drops during deflation. Such changes typically last a day or two, sometimes longer, but not for a month.

A Valentine's Day 2017 view of Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake, here the surface of the lake is about 21 m (69 ft) below
the vent rim.The lake diameter is about 255 m or 840 ft. Careful tracking of the amount of ash emitted by
lake processes suggest an important new into the supply of magma to Kīlauea's summit. USGS Photo

"It turns out that the average monthly lake level and the monthly accumulation of ash track each other. Over a several-month period, lake level and ash accumulation may rise, peak, and fall off. More ash falls in the buckets when lava level is high than when it is low. The closer bubbles are to the buckets, the more ash. Simple.
"But why does the monthly average lake level change over periods of several months? We think we've found an answer—a pulsing rate of magma supply to the shallow storage reservoir under the caldera.
"Generally, magma supply to Kīlauea is considered to be pretty steady. For 3-4 years about a decade ago, the magma supply rate was higher than it is today. This was a long-term change and stood out by its magnitude and duration.
"But now, the rising and falling lava lake over periods lasting only several months suggests a shorter-term variation in the supply rate. How can we check this idea?
"GPS instruments at Kīlauea summit measure elevation change. Close examination of the GPS data, again averaged over month-long periods to minimize short-term effects, shows good correspondence with lake level. Rising lake level indicates faster summit uplift, and dropping lake level slower uplift.
"The simplest explanation for all this is that the rate of magma supply is slowly pulsing over periods of several months. It isn't simply a question of transferring magma from one place in the summit to another, like robbing Peter to pay Paul. The entire summit goes up or down, seemingly reflecting waxing and waning of the magma supply rate to the entire summit reservoir. Only once, in 2012, did the southern part of the reservoir go down when the northern went up—the Peter-Paul effect.
"We've identified about a dozen pulses since the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began in 2008. The pulses may be driven by changes in the rate of melting in the mantle or be induced during transport upward from the mantle to the shallow storage reservoir, an 80-100-km (50-60 mile) distance.
"Without the lava lake and its precisely measured level, we probably wouldn't have detected a pulsing supply rate. And, the only reason that we looked at lake level at this scale was to explain the monthly changes in ash accumulation. Research is full of surprises, and seemingly minor observations can have major ramifications, concludes the writers of Volcano Watch.

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Stewardship at the Summit, Fro., Mar 3, 10, 18, 25 & 31; 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers clear ginger from park trails. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo.

Girl’s Day Doll Craft, Fri, Mar 3, 2 – 3 p.m., Kahuku Park. Ages 6 – 12.

Edible Gardening & Landscaping in the Rainforest, Sat, Mar 4, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Zach Mermel presents this two-part workshop for all gardening & landscaping enthusiasts. $50/$5 VAC members plus $10 material fee. 967-8222

Hawaiian Cordage Workshops, Tue, Mar 7/28, 1 – 4 p.m., Volcano Art Center.
With Gary Eoff. 967-8222

Unforeseen Consequences of Sandalwood Trade, Tue, Mar 7, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Paul Field, park volunteer and retired professor of History at Windward Community College, discusses how the sandalwood trade impacted relations between commoners and chiefs, altered the concept of mana and led to the first official interference of the U.S. government in affairs of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Hawai`i State Teachers Association is calling for a Day of Action next Tuesday. Photo from HSTA

HAWAI`I STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION has called for A Day of Action next Tuesday, March 7. The public teachers union is calling for all teachers, parents and supportive community members, including students, to wear red; wave signs at each school for 15 to 30 minutes before classes begin; and photograph and post on social media the support group in front of the school. "Walk in to the school as a group just before the start of the work day and feel free to chant as you enter," states the HSTA website.
Na`alehu and Ka`u High and Pahala Elementary are expected to draw participants.
The average starting salary of teachers in Hawai`i is $41,027. The average salary is $57,431. The highest paying averages are in New York with $77,957, Massachusetts with $76,981, District of Columbia with $75,810, California with $72,842 and Connecticut with $72,013. Hawai`i ranks eighteenth in teacher salaries but has the highest cost of living. Most other high cost-of-living states and the District of Columbia have higher teacher salaries.

The union is asking for a "fair contract" to be approved at the state Board of Education meeting on Tuesday evening in Honolulu and asking for testimony to submit ahead of time.
According to HSTA, issues include more funding for public schools and approving a proposal for a constitutional amendment to create a steady funding stream for the state Department of Education.
States HSTA, "It is important that we increase education funding so we can attract and retain teachers." The union is calling for "fair and appropriate compensation – teacher pay, health premiums, supplemental pay for hard-to-staff areas; improving the teaching and learning environment with lower class sizes, preparation time, SPED (staffing formula, supports, meeting time), and support for English as a second language students. The HSTA is pushing for "teaching and school empowerment – allowing for more school level decisions, improving the teacher transfer and assignment process and an appropriate teacher evaluation – a supportive, not punitive system of evaluation."
Another concern of HSTA is "protecting and supporting all teachers – equity of treatment for charter teachers, supports and mentors for probationary teachers."
See more at Hawai`i State Teachers Association, www.hsta.org.

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A tiger shark, the kind most likely seen at Punalu`u Beach in Ka`u
on Friday, before the county shut down Punalu`u Beach Park.
Photo from Wikipedia

AN EIGHT FOOT SHARK SEEN IN WATERS NEAR PUNALU`U BEACH on Friday prompted the county to shut down Punalu`u Beach Park. The Hawai`i Fire Department's Ocean Safety Department plans to search for the shark Saturday morning and reopen the beach if no sharks are seen.
In 21016, there were ten shark incidents across the state with most on Maui, including one death. In 2015 there were four on the Big Island, three on O`ahu, two on Maui and one on Lana`i. In 2014, there were six statewide with most on Maui. In 2013 when there were 14, including one death.
Historically, October through December sees the highest rates of shark incidents. The last shark bite recorded at Punalu`u was Dec. 11, 2013 when a tiger shark bit a bodyboarder 20 yards off shore in 8 feet of water at Ninole Horseshoe surf spot around 8 a.m.. The 29 year-old Captain Cook man was paddling out to bodyboard for his second session with two friends when a shark knocked him off his board.
According to police reports, companions of the surfer identified the attacker as a tiger shark about ten to 12 feet long. Friends escorted the victim to Ka`u Hospital where he was treated in the Emergency Room, receiving stitches and released. As a precaution, the lifeguard at Punalu`u posted signs along the waterfront. Swimming, wading, diving and surfing were prohibited until a helicopter flyover the next day resulted in an all-clear announcement.
Punalu`u waterman Guy Enriques said his sons had seen a tiger shark in the bay earlier in the week before the surfer was bitten, when they were diving at Punalu`u. Punalu`u is a favorite spot for sea turtles and hawksbill turtles, a favorite food of tiger sharks.

The state Department of Land & Natural Resources advises everyone to "swim, surf or dive with other people, and don’t move too far away from assistance; stay out of the water at dawn, dusk and night, when some species of sharks may move inshore to feed; realize that sharks, especially tiger sharks, have been known to bite people any time of the day or night; and do not enter the water if you have open wounds or are bleeding in any way."
DLNR reminds everyone that "Sharks can detect blood and body fluids in extremely small quantities."
The DLNR also recommends: "Avoid murky waters, harbor entrances and areas near stream mouths (especially after heavy rains), channels or steep drop-offs; do not wear high-contrast clothing or shiny jewelry." DLNR points out that since sharks see contrast very well, "refrain from excessive splashing; keep pets, which swim erratically, out of the water; do not enter the water if sharks are known to be present and leave the water quickly and calmly if one is sighted. Do not provoke or harass a shark, even a small one. "
Other cautionary measures: If fish or turtles start to behave erratically, leave the water; avoid swimming near dolphins, as they are prey for some large sharks; remove speared fish from the water or tow them a safe distance behind you; do not swim near people fishing or spear fishing; stay away from dead animals in the water; and swim or surf at beaches patrolled by lifeguards and follow their advice.

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HAWAI`I ISLAND HAS THE HIGHEST SIGNIFICANT FIRE POTENTIAL between March and June and Hawai`i Wildfire Management Organization reminds residents that 0.5 percent of Hawai`i's total land area burns annually, much more than the porportion of land that bunes in any other state.
Hawai`i Wildfire Managemnet Organization recently joined a field trip with Pacific Fire Exchange on managing fire risk in native dryland forests on this island. Participants saw the difference between forests overgrown with dense and flammable grasses and shrubs, as well as other invasives such as silver oak trees. Participants also inspected

Land that burned in a year in Hawai`i.
Image from Hawa`i Wildfare Management Organization

native, fire resistant forests with such species as the native lama with its berriesm, and uhiuhi flowers, which require persistent management of fire fuels, like fountain grasses that grow on lava.

Hawai`i Wildfire Management Organization provides services to help people create a Firewise Community by documenting wildfire hazards and teaching firewise practices. Some communities on this island, such as Waikoloa and Puako have planned the development of fuel breaks to stop fires coming toward their neighborhood. The organization also helps communities become Firewise certified. See more at hawaiiwildfire.org.
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Edible Gardening& Landscaping in the Rainforest, Sat, Mar 4, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Zach Mermel presents this two-part workshop for all gardening & landscaping enthusiasts. $50/$5 VAC members plus $10 material fee. 967-8222

Hawaiian Cordage Workshops, Tue, Mar 7/28, 1 – 4 p.m., Volcano Art Center.
With Gary Eoff. 967-8222

Unforeseen Consequences of Sandalwood Trade, Tue, Mar 7, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Paul Field, park volunteer and retired professor of History at Windward Community College, discusses how the sandalwood trade impacted relations between commoners and chiefs, altered the concept of mana and led to the first official interference of the U.S. government in affairs of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Ka`u Rural Health Community Association is asking Ka`u residents to sign up for its annual meeting by next Friday, March 10.
Photo from KRHCA

A CALL TO ACTION CAMPAIGN CONCERNING THE IMPACT OF DRUGS, DOMESTIC ABUSE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE is the headline of Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc.'s 19th Annual Rural Health Conference set for Friday, March 17 at Pahala Community Center. Sign up by Friday, March 10 by calling 928-0101.

KRHCAI's founder Jessie Marques said that the meeting has drawn sponsorships and presentations by the state Department of Health Maternal & Child Health Branch; the Sexual Prevention Program of the Family Health Services Division; the Office of Primary Care & Rural Health; Hawai`i Medical Services Association and Hawai`i Island Rural Health Association.
All Ka`u residents are invited to attend.

KRHCAI operates the Ka`u Distance Learning Center at 96-3126 Pauahi St. in Pahala. The Center hosts the new HMSA-sponsored health care kiosk where resident can access physicians through video. The organization is also working to educate residents on how to use an automated external defibrillator. Through Hilo Medical Center Foundations's Be a Lifesaver Program, a class was given in February.

KRHCAI has co-sponsored and lobbied for studies and education regarding living in a community with vog events from nearby volcanic activity. The organization has partnered local health career students with University of Hawai`i School of Medicine and other research institutions to learn more about vog and public health.

KRHCAI also offers long distance education and onsite classes in the health field. See www.KRHCA.com.

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STATE SEN. KAI KAHELE, whose district is Hilo but supports south Big Island issues and programs, particularly in his family village of Miloli`i, is asking for help with the following bills still alive in the 2017 Hawai`i Legislature. Click on the links to these bills to read more about them and provide testimony directly to the Hawai`i Legislature:

Sen. Kai Kahele

SB1292 SD1 - RELATING TO THE HILO COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DISTRICT. Establishes the Hilo Community Economic District located in East Hawai`i.
SB1162 SD1 - RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI`I PROMISE PROGRAM. Establishes the University of Hawai`i Promise Program to provide scholarships for the unmet direct cost needs of qualified students enrolled at any campus of the University of Hawai`i System.
SB848 SD1 - RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION. Expands the Hawaiian Language College's functions. Authorizes a Hawaiian language medium general education coursework pilot project.
SB849 SD1 - RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT. Reduces the minimum Hawaiian blood quantum requirement of certain successors to lessees of Hawaiian Home Lands from one-quarter to one thirty-second.
SB272 SD1 - RELATING TO RAT LUNGWORM DISEASE. Appropriates funds to the University of Hawai`i at Hilo for programs, studies, and activities related to rat lungworm disease.
SB1290 SD1 - RELATING TO THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX. Adjusts allocation of transient accommodations tax revenues to the tourism special fund.
"If these bills are approved next week, they'll crossover to the State House for further deliberations by our colleagues. In turn, House approved bills will crossover for further deliberation by the Senate," said Kahele.

EAST KA`U SENATOR RUSSELL RUDERMAN'S BILL to establish an agricultural park in Puna, and another to establish a long distance learning center there , is still alive, It passed Senate Ways and Means and goes to the Senate floor this week.

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A WOMEN'S DAY GATHERING, SPONSORED BY WOMEN'S MARCH HAWAI`I, is set for Tuesday, March 8 in Kona. It is a companion event to an International Women's March on the same day in Honolulu, when women and men will march to the Trump International Hotel in WaikiKI. Women's March HawaI`i is the organization that inspired the movement that grew into hundreds of marches across the U.S. including the one in Washington D.C., the day President Donald Trump's inauguration.

Marches in Kona and Hilo drew thousands on Jan. 21.
Photo from Big Island Video News

Organizer Yonghee Overly said the Kona gathering will take place at Pahoehoe Beach Parkat Kahalu`u Bay, 77-6434 Ali`i Drive, at 4 p.m.. There will be an international potluck. She suggested wearing international clothing that represents a home country or favorite country or wear pink. Bring photos of women who have been inspiring. Organizers are asking people for donations for West Hawai`i Food Bank, and clothing for women and children for the Kona Women Shelter.
An announcement about the events says: "Each year on March 8th, women and men around the world celebrate women’s achievements while calling for gender equality. Women’s March - Hawai‘i is partnering with AiKea Movement, UNITE HERE Local 5, and the Hawaii State Teachers Association and organizing an International Women’s Day event to honor the women workers who persisted. The event will include a march to Trump International Hotel Waikiki, rally and program.
“Women and people of color experience higher rates of workplace injury, sexual harassment, unequal pay, and other forms of injustice at higher rates. In fact, International Women’s Day historically has focused on the working conditions of women. We want to send a message to the businesses and policymakers that men and women stand together to defend women’s rights and workers’ rights. This is our way of honoring women workers who persisted.” See www.womensmarch.com.

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PUNALU`U BEACH PARK REOPENED on Saturday morning for ocean activities after being closed on Friday for a shark sighting.

Hawaiian Cordage Workshops, Tue, Mar 7/28, 1 – 4 p.m., Volcano Art Center.
With Gary Eoff. 967-8222

Unforeseen Consequences of Sandalwood Trade, Tue, Mar 7, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Paul Field, park volunteer and retired professor of History at Windward Community College, discusses how the sandalwood trade impacted relations between commoners and chiefs, altered the concept of mana and led to the first official interference of the U.S. government in affairs of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Big lava, small people above the pressurized magma system that let off a swarm
of earthquakes on Sunday. USGS Photo

MORE THAN 30 EARTHQUAKES lightly shook Ka`u and Volcano on Sunday, with a 2.9 temblor two miles south of Pahala giving a jolt at 7:50 p.m. The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported that, starting just before 6 a.m. Sunday morning, a flurry of small earthquakes occurred on Kīlauea Volcano's upper East Rift Zone.
The morning earthquakes were concentrated about three to four miles southeast of Kīlauea's summit in an area between Hi'iaka and Koʻokoʻolau Craters on the Chain of Craters Road in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The sequence consisted of 31 earthquakes over a period of about 42 minutes. The eight largest events had magnitudes ranging from 1.7 to 3.9 and depths of about one to two miles beneath the surface. At least six of the earthquakes were felt Sunday morning on the Island of Hawaiʻi, primarily in the Ka'ū and Puna Districts. The USGS "Did you feel it?" website (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/dyfi/) received more than 30 felt reports within an hour of the largest earthquake, which occurred at 6:13 a.m. Weak to light shaking, with maximum Intensity of IV, has been reported.

More than 30 earthquakes occurred Sunday morning near Volcano
with another in the evening in Pahala. USGS Map

The size and location of this morning's earthquake sequence suggest a source that may be related to the ongoing pressurized magma storage system beneath the Kīlauea summit area. According to Tina Neal, HVO Scientist-in-Charge, the earthquakes caused no significant changes in Kīlauea Volcano's ongoing eruptions. No changes in deformation or ground surface cracks were observed in the area.
For more information on recent earthquakes in Hawaii and Kīlauea eruption updates, visit the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov.

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ALOHA WAS THE MESSAGE AT PROPHET MUHAMMAD DAY on Sunday, with a keynote speaker from Hawai`i. Ka`u's Representative in Congress, Tulsi Gabbard, delivered the address at the Tenth Annual Prophet Muhammad Day event at Rutgers University in New Jersey, hosted by Muslims 4 Peace. According to a statement from Gabbard, the celebration focused on "bringing communities together to celebrate the legacy of compassion, mercy, and justice of the Prophet Muhammad, and to stand together against anti-Muslim rhetoric and policies."

The first Hindu in the U.S. Congress
Photo from Tulsi Gabbard

During her speech, Gabbard pointed to terrorists, saying. "Sadly, as we look around us at the chaos in the world today, we see people who are inflicting violence and terror upon others in the name of religion and identity. On Jan. 29, six people were killed and 19 wounded as they were fired upon while they prayed in a Quebec City mosque. On Feb. 16, an ISIS-affiliated suicide bomber killed at least 75 people while they worshipped at a shrine to the Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Pakistan—a place that was tragically targeted for embracing worshippers of all faiths and sects side by side.
"Since the beginning of 2017, hundreds of tombstones have been toppled at Jewish cemeteries in Philadelphia and St. Louis and nearly 100 bomb threats have been called into Jewish schools and community centers across our nation. In February of last year, ISIS beheaded a senior Hindu priest named Jogeswar Roy at a temple in northern Bangladesh, and injured two others. Just a few months before this, ISIS conducted attacks on Shia mosques and shrines in Bangladesh killing and injuring worshippers.
"The perpetrators of these horrific actions have no connection with the spiritual love that lies at the heart of all religions—the love that has the power to overcome differences and bring people together," she said. "No matter where you're from, no matter what religion you practice, your ethnicity, race, or anything else—what is it that can bring us together as people? It is, what we call in Hawai`i, aloha... sincere, deep love and respect for other people as children of God."
She said, however, that there is "not one place—not even our own nation—that is immune to the poison of religious bigotry. Abraham Lincoln was attacked with accusations that he was not a Christian. When John F. Kennedy ran for President, his political opponents tried to foment religious bigotry against his Catholicism. When Barack Obama ran for president in 2007, people accused him of being Muslim, as if that would somehow disqualify him from becoming president.Said Gabbard, the first Hindu in the U.S. Congress, "When I first ran for Congress, my Republican opponent stated in a CNN interview that I shouldn't be allowed to serve in Congress because my Hindu religion 'doesn't align with the constitutional foundation of the US government.' Last year, my Republican opponent stated that, 'a vote for Tulsi is a vote for the devil,' because of my Hindu faith."

Ka`u's member in the Hawai`i House of Representatives,
Tuslsi Gabbard, speaks at Prophet Muhaamad Day at Rutgers
University on Sunday. Image from Tulsi Gabbard

Gabbard said, "The message in each of these situations was simple: you will be punished politically for being of the wrong religion. Nothing could be more un-American than this.
"The only way to defeat this dark cloud of religious bigotry and hatred is when we stand together in the light of love. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
Gabbard insisted, "We must stand with people of all religions who are committed to pluralism and individual free choice. People like: Mahmoud Al 'Asali who was assassinated for courageously speaking out against ISIS' brutal treatment of Christians in Mosul; Khurram Zaki, a prominent Pakistani journalist and human rights activist who was assassinated because he was one of many Muslims courageously advocating for a pluralistic, tolerant, secular Pakistan; Kenyan Muslims who shielded Christians from the attack of terrorists; Jewish and Christian leaders in Victoria, Texas who opened their synagogue and churches to the Muslim community whose mosque burned down.

"There are countless examples of such love and courage by individuals and communities who embrace and live by the true spiritual principles of peace, love, mercy, and tolerance; who are building coalitions of Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Moslems, atheists, secularists, and more; who are risking their lives, bravely crying out for a peaceful, pluralistic society built on the bedrock of religious freedom. So the challenge for each and every one of us here is—will we elevate and empower these champions of peace and a pluralistic society? Will we do what is necessary to defeat the destructive exclusivist ideology with one of love, aloha, and inclusiveness? Or will we stand by, shake our heads, and do nothing? "We must act," stated Gabbard.

Gabbard met with Muslims, including Rubab
Hasanali at the event to encourage tolerance.
Photo from Rubab Hasanali

"For the sake of our families, our communities, our country, and all of humanity, we must stand with these brave souls, these warriors for peace. Let us stand proudly as Americans, as defenders of our constitution, as defenders of freedom, as defenders of peace, as beacons of love. Let us be brave and forceful in standing up for each other's rights to live and worship freely and let us not be afraid to say that whoever threatens that right for any one of us will have to face all of us together. Let us be inspired by the vision put forward by our nation's founders, and challenge those fomenting religious bigotry to do the same.

"Rather than pour fuel on the fire of darkness, divisiveness, and hatred, let us bring the light found in the aloha spirit to our lives, our country, and the world.
"Let us be inspired as we join hands, working toward the day when everyone—whether they are Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Jew, Muslim, or atheist—can live in peace and free from fear.
"Let us confront hatred with love. Confront bigotry with aloha. Confront fear with courage. Let us truly live aloha in our actions, in our words, and in our hearts."

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ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS is getting a call from Sen. Mazie Hirono to answer more questions about his alleged ties with Russia. She said, "I would welcome Jeff Sessions' resignation as Attorney General, but we need to get to the bottom of Russia's interference in our democracy -- starting with Jeff Sessions coming back to the Judiciary Committee to testify under oath and continuing with an independent investigation."
Hirono sits on the U.S. Senate's Armed Services and Judiciary committees.

Hirono said on MSNBC on Friday, "I find it incredibly inconsistent that candidate Trump kept talking about massive voter fraud with no factual basis for that and yet when there is a factual basis for interference with out elections - Russian interference with our elections, President Trump shows no interest in getting to the bottom of it." In calling for an independent investigation on the matter, Hirono said the Russians have also interfered with elections in France and Germany "and will do it again." She said she questions the ability of the U.S. Attorney General's office to conduct a fair investigation.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard tweeted and posted: "In order to reduce the divisiveness in our country and increase the people's faith in our Justice Department, it would be best if Senator Sessions resigned. The sooner the better." Sessions recused himself from overseeing investigations into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and administration with Russians attempting to interfere in U.S. elections."
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Hawaiian Cordage Workshops, Tue, Mar 7/28, 1 – 4 p.m., Volcano Art Center. With Gary Eoff. 967-8222

Unforeseen Consequences of Sandalwood Trade, Tue, Mar 7, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Paul Field, park volunteer and retired professor of History at Windward Community College, discusses how the sandalwood trade impacted relations between commoners and chiefs, altered the concept of mana and led to the first official interference of the U.S. government in affairs of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Weave Coconut Fronds (Ulana Niu), Wed, Mar 8, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Learn how to weave coconut fronds into useful and beautiful items with local expert Cathy Gouveia. The coconut palm is one of the most useful and important plants in the world. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Jazz in the Forest, Sat, Mar 11, Volcano Art Center. With Jean Pierre Thoma & The Jazztones. 967-8222

The distinctive horn of this quirky-looking reef fish inspired its common name, the unicornfish.

Known as kala in Hawaiian, unicornfish can live for more than 50 years. Kala are popular among

fishermen but its long lifespan makes it vulnerable to overfishing.

Photo from NOAA Fisheries/Kevin Lino

MANY HAWAIIAN REEF FISH ARE OVERFISHED, according to a just-released assessment of their populations. The new study of Hawai`i's coral reef fish shows that 11 of 27 species, including kala and uhu, are experiencing some level of overfishing, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. The researchers report that that other reef fish are “in a much better condition.”

Ulua is the Hawaiian name for Bluefin trevally (Caranx melampygus).

Ulua are among the 11 species that are being overfished.

Photo from NOAA Fisheries/Jeanette Clark

“Typically, fish that live the longest or fish that are highly targeted by fishermen tended to be in poorer condition.” wrote the NOAA researchers. “For example, kala (the bluespine unicorn fish) can live for decades (more than 50 years), are a popular target, and are currently experiencing overfishing. Compare that with species such as weke nono (Pflueger's goatfish) that only live up to six years and are in better condition.”

The study says, “Surgeonfishes and parrotfishes were families with the most vulnerable species, while goatfish populations were generally in better condition. In all, our assessment suggests that ulua, five surgeonfish, two goatfish, and three parrotfish species are doing poorly. Ultimately, this assessment generated management options for a range of overfishing risk levels.”

NOAA researchers used the average length of each species to calculate current fishing mortality rates and combined this information with maximum known age, growth, and maturity data to calculate current stock condition.
“Kala are one of many fish species that inhabit coral reefs around the main Hawaiian Islands and are of great importance socially, culturally, and economically.

A school of yellowfin goatfish (Mulloidichthys vanicolensis).
Photo from NOAA Fisheries/Andrew E. Gray

“Reef fish are a valuable source of food for local fishermen, hold significance in Hawaiian culture, and draw tourists to explore their underwater habitats. Despite their importance to fisheries in Hawai‘i, there was not a lot of information on how populations of certain species were doing. To answer this question for fishery managers, we collected and considered information on fish numbers, sizes, and biology from diver surveys, life history studies, and commercial and recreational catch numbers ,” explained the NOAA researchers.

“We then compared those conditions to well-established sustainability guidelines,” wrote the researchers. “This allowed us to provide information on which reef fish species are currently threatened by overfishing and propose options for future fisheries management. Now, for the first time, we present assessments of 27 different Hawaiian reef fish including kala (bluespine unicornfish), uhu (various parrotfishes), kumu (whitesaddle goatfish), ulua (giant trevally), and many other species.

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MANY TEACHERS WILL WEAR RED TUESDAY at Hawai`i’s state public schools, including Na`alehu, Ka`u High and Pahala Elementary. The plan by organizers is to wear red and wave signs Tuesday morning before school begins to show solidarity and draw attention to teacher contract negotiations. According to the teachers union, the Hawai`i State Teachers Association, key members of the state’s negotiating team have not been present at contract talks, impeding both sides from fully discussing important items.

HSTA has called for a "fair contract" with a pay package that would attracts and retain teachers, which would help end the state’s teacher shortage crisis. Hawai`i's high cost of living and relatively lower teacher pay compared to other expensive places to live is a deterrent for teachers staying here.

The sign waving and walk-in are part of a campaign entitled Schools Our Keiki Deserve.

Teachers in Ka`u plan to wear read Tuesday to bring awareness of their union
contract negtiaions. Hawai`i has the highest cost of living in the country,
but teacher salaries are lower than in other places with similar costs.

Tuesday’s event is sponsored by HSTA, which is the exclusive representative of more than 13,500 public school teachers statewide.

For more on this event and the back story, please read the Ka’u News Briefs of March 3.

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THE NEW TRAVEL BAN ISSUED BY PRES. DONALD TRUMP on Tuesday drew this response from Ka`u's Representative in the U.S. House:
“True to our history and values as a nation, we have served as a place of refuge to the most vulnerable in the world. We should not be putting in place a blanket ban of refugees, especially when we have actively been fueling the counterproductive regime change wars that have caused them to flee their homes. These people would much rather stay in their homes and live in peace. That’s why we must address the cause of this refugee crisis and end the destructive U.S. policy of counterproductive regime-change wars, as we’ve seen most recently in Iraq, Libya, and now in Syria.”

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DAILY DIRECT FLIGHTS TO DENVER FROM KONA will start on June 8. This service, on United Airlines, is currently available weekly.
The flight will leave Kona at 8 p.m. and arrive in Denver around 6:45 a.m. The flight will leave Denver at 11:45 a.m. and arrive in Kona around 3 p.m.
"Starting this summer we're offering more flights, to more destinations at more convenient times than in recent memory," said Scott Kirby, president of United Airlines. "And with bigger and more modern aircraft for many of our flights, we'll be getting you to the moments that matter most - relaxed and ready to go."
United Airlines and United Express operate more than 4,500 flights a day to 339 airports across five continents. In 2016,
United and United Express operated more than 1.6 million flights carrying more than 143 million customers. United operates 737 mainline aircraft and the airline's United Express partners operate 483 regional aircraft.

Hawaiian Cordage Workshops, Tue, Mar 7/28, 1 – 4 p.m., Volcano Art Center. With Gary Eoff. 967-8222

Unforeseen Consequences of Sandalwood Trade, Tue, Mar 7, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Paul Field, park volunteer and retired professor of History at Windward Community College, discusses how the sandalwood trade impacted relations between commoners and chiefs, altered the concept of mana and led to the first official interference of the U.S. government in affairs of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Weave Coconut Fronds (Ulana Niu), Wed, Mar 8, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Learn how to weave coconut fronds into useful and beautiful items with local expert Cathy Gouveia. The coconut palm is one of the most useful and important plants in the world. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Jazz in the Forest, Sat, Mar 11, Volcano Art Center. With Jean Pierre Thoma & The Jazztones. 967-8222

www.kaucalendar.com

Teachers at Ka`u High School, hold signs Tuesday morning on the March 7 Day of Action in support of
all public school teachers in Hawai`i who are asking for fair pay in their negotiations with the state.
Photo by Dave Berry

HAWAI`I WILL BE THE FIRST STATE TO SUE AGAINST THE NEW TRAVEL BAN issued by President Donald Trump. Hawai`i's Attorney General Doug Chin filed a motion in U.S. District Court in Honolulu on Tuesday, stating that the State of Hawai`i and the Muslim Association of Hawai`i will ask for a temporary restraining order to block the ban on travel to the U.S. from six Muslim-majority countries. Chin joined the Muslim Association at its center on O`ahu to make the announcement.
In a statement issued Monday, the AG said, "This new executive order is nothing more than Muslim Ban 2.0. Under the pretense of national security, it still targets immigrants and refugees. It leaves the door open for even further restrictions."

Trump's new Executive Order bars new visas for people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen and shuts down the refugee program administered by the U.S. government. Neal Katyalm, a Washington, D.C. attorney working on the suit with the State of Hawai`i, tweeted today: "Here we go / Proud to stand w/State of Hawai`i challenging Pres. Trump's 'new' Executive Order issued yesterday."
In a statement this evening, Chin said, "The state, together with the Department of Justice, asked Judge Derrick K. Watson for an expedited briefing schedule on a motion for temporary restraining order. If Judge Watson agrees, this schedule will allow the court to hear the state's motion before the new travel ban goes into effect on March 16, 2017."
On Feb. 28, Chin, who led Hawai`i in filing a suit against the first Trump travel ban, questioned Trump during a White House session with Attorneys General from across the country. When Chin asked Trump to explain his thinking behind the executive order and what the President wanted to accomplish, Trump said his goal was to make America safe again and that extreme vetting was part of achieving the goal. Chin said, "The security and safety of our nation is a universal goal. I firmly believe you don't have to target people based on national origin or religion to get there - in fact, doing so harms our nation's security. our Constitution does not allow such discrimination."

"Love Trumps Hate" say members of the Muslim Association of Hawai`i
who joined the State of Hawai`i on Tuesday in announcing the first suit
in the country against the second travel ban placed on residents
of six Muslim majority countries.
Photo from Muslim Association of Hawai`i

Chin reported that after the session with Trump, Vice President Mike Pence told Chin that the administration cared about Hawai`i's concerns.
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RIGHTS FOR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS is another aim of Hawai`i's Attorney General, Doug Chin, who joined an amicus brief, filed with the U.S. Supreme Court and signed by 19 Attorneys General, in support of a transgender student. who is suing a public school for discrimination.

"The Attorneys General argue that discrimination on the basis of gender identity causes real and significant have to both transgender people and the states themselves. the Court will consider whether the Clouscheter County School Board in Virginia's prohibition against transgender boys and girls form using restrooms that other boys and girls use discriminates against transgender students on the basis of sex, in violation of Title IX. Chin said, "This is about protecting civil rights. Period."

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"HOUSING IS HEALTHCARE," a slogan of west Ka`u's state Senator Josh Green, got some legs today as Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 7 crossed over to the House of Representatives. Senate Bill 2 would require all Hawai`i Medicaid providers to cover housing for those suffering chronic homelessness with drug addiction, disability and/or mental illness. Senate Bill 7 would support the state Department of Human Services and Department of Health to study and pursue the provision of housing for homeless people.

Sen. Josh Green on national tv promoting housing for homeless,
which would be prescribed by physicians. Green claims the
program would save government money paid
for ER and other medical services for people without housing.

"Let me be clear," stated Green, a physician. "This is a paradigm shift for the good of society." Senate Bill 2 would classify chronic homelessness as a medical condition and give doctors authority to write patients homeless for more than six months a prescription for housing. "It will allow us to better use Medicaid dollars to help our most vulnerable people improve their lives."

Green said that he has seen the revolving door of chronically homeless people using the Emergency Room for expensive care they might not need as often if they had places to live. A place to live can reduce health care costs by 43 percent, he said, saving the state millions of dollars in Medicaid expenses. Housing 1,800 people could save the state $300 million a year, he predicted.

Green said he has bipartisan support locally and coverage in the mainland and international press.

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MACADAMIA TREE HEALTH INITIATIVE is legislation introduced Tuesday by the Hawaiʻi congressional delegation. The aim is to help fight the macadamia felted coccid, an invasive species destroying macadamia trees and threatening the domestic macadamia nut industry at large. Since the invasive insect was introduced to Hawaiʻi in 2005, it has cost the local macadamia nut industry millions every year, threatening the vitality of one of Hawaiʻi's most important crops.
The Macadamia Tree Health Initiative would authorize highly sought research and development to help fight the invasive insect and establish an Areawide Integrated Pest Management (AIPM) plan in affected areas to help manage the invasive pest in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly, and cost effective way.

Macadamia felted coccid can destroy the trunk of the nut tree.
Photo from U.H. Hilo

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, "The macadamia felted coccid is one of more than 4,300 invasive species that threaten our agriculture industry in Hawaiʻi and across the United States. In Hawaiʻi alone, this pest costs our local farmers, landowners and agriculture industry millions of dollars a year, and puts hundreds of local farms, thousands of local workers, and the future of one of our most important crops at risk. Very little is known about this invasive pest, making it difficult for our farmers and agriculture industry to fight back. The Macadamia Tree Health Initiative will authorize much-needed research and development and establish a comprehensive management plan to help our local agriculture industry combat these invasive, harmful insects."

Sen. Mazie Hirono said, "Our delegation is united in the fight against macadamia felted coccid – which has been ravaging our $46 million macadamia nut industry for over a decade. We need to bring in federal resources to fight this invasive pest and work to protect and support Hawaiʻi agriculture."

Sen. Brian Schatz said, "Hawai'i's tropical climate and constant movement of people and cargo expose our farmers and their crops to pests from all over the world. As we address the macadamia felted coccid, I hope that we can use lessons learned from fighting the coffee berry borer to develop an integrated approach that will be able to turn and fight other pests when they are introduced. Quick, systematic action gives us the best chance to save crops and keep Hawai'i's economy strong."

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LEARNING TO LIVE ON MARS is the subject for the `Imiloa’s Maunakea Skies talk with Brian Shiro, Geology Lead at HI-SEAS. During the presentation on Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m., Shiro will report on the doings in the dome on Mauna Loa where scientists are simulating conditions for humans spending time on the Red Planet. He will explain the Hawai‘i Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) program, aimed at researching issues related to how crews will function on long-duration missions to Mars. HI-SEAS creates missions and recruits crewmembers who live in the Mars-like habitat for periods ranging from four to twelve months, in order to better understand the planet’s living conditions. This is the Hawai‘i Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) program, which is aimed at researching issues related to how crews will function on long-duration missions to Mars. HI-SEAS creates missions and recruits crewmembers who live in the Mars-like habitat for periods ranging from four to twelve months, in order to better understand the planet’s living conditions.

Jazz in the Forest, Sat, Mar 11, Volcano Art Center. With Jean Pierre Thoma & The Jazztones. 967-8222

www.kaucalendar.com

Visitors observe the erupting volcano from the safe overlook in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
NPS Photo

BUSTED, SNEAKING INTO THE ERUPTING VOLCANO's closed area at Halema'uma'u - A tour guide based in France and a tour group of 13 were caught early Monday in off-limits territory of the summit crater of Kīlauea volcano.
National Park Service law enforcement officers spotted the group just after midnight, and issued citations for violating the terms of the closure to all 14 people. The tour guide was issued additional citations for operating a non-permitted business in the park and creating a hazardous condition. All 14 were escorted out of the park.
The 44-year-old male tour guide, affiliated with the French tour company Adventure et Volcans, must make a mandatory court appearance and faces a maximum penalty of $5,000 and six months in jail. His name is being withheld as the investigation continues. The violation of closure citations are $100 each, with a $30 processing fee.
"This is a serious violation," said Chief Ranger John Broward. "Areas surrounding Halema'uma'u Crater are closed because of extremely hazardous volcanic conditions that include high concentrations of toxic gases and particulates, ongoing volcanic explosions and frequent collapses of the crater walls," he said.

Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory provides a legal viewing area.
NPS Photo

Explosions from Halema'uma'u can occur anytime, without warning. Last August, a summit explosion hurled a layer of volcanic rock, lava bombs and molten spatter nearly 300 feet beyond the crater rim, and covered an area about 720 feet wide along the rim. It destroyed the power system of a U.S. Geological Survey instrument that was used for scientific research and monitoring volcanic activity. Last October, two explosions blasted lava spatter, rock and glassy particulates a quarter mile from the crater to the closed portion of Crater Rim Drive. In November, spatter from another lava lake explosion damaged the cable on a USGS webcam located on the rim of the crater.
Halema'uma'u Crater, a 4.7-mile section of Crater Rim Drive, and sections of the Halema'uma'u and Crater Rim trails, have been closed since the most recent summit eruption began in 2008.
"Visitors need to be aware that, while much of the attention lately has been on the hazards of the 61g ocean entry at Kamokuna, the park staff remains very concerned about the ongoing hazards in the vicinity of Halema'uma'u," Chief Ranger Broward said. "Rangers will continue to monitor and take appropriate action to reduce the occurrence of risky behavior in both areas."
Since July 2016, rangers have issued 35 citations for closure violations at Halema'uma'u, and nearly 100 citations at Kamokuna.

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Black-footed albatross practice their courting on Midway Island.
Photo by Eric VanderWerf/Pacific Rim Conservation

FIFTEEN THREE-WEEK-OLD BLACK-FOOTED ALABATROSS chicks made history by flying before they can fly. Before they could become victims to rising sea levels and storm surges, they were collected by conservationists, boxed and flown from Midway Atoll to Honolulu. They are now at their new home at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, on the north shore of Oʻahu. Partners on the project to relocate the chicks include Pacific Rim Conservation, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
The small, fluffy chicks are part of a pioneering effort to establish a new black-footed albatross colony on the main Hawaiian Islands. Black-footed albatross build nests on low-lying islands so are now at risk of losing their nesting habitat to encroaching waves.
Affectionately known as Gooney Birds, albatross can have wingspans up to 11 feet, and can weigh up to 22 lbs. The black-footed albatross, however, is smaller (with a wingspan of up to 7.2 feet) and has black plumage, a dark beak and dark feet.

The chicks safe at their temporary indoor home at
James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge.

Photo by Lindsay Young/Pacific Rim Conservation

“We are thrilled that the Refuge can provide a safe place and a new home for this species on Oʻahu,” said Joseph Schwagerl the Refuge Manager at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge. “This translocation is the first step toward creating a new colony of black-footed albatross in the main Hawaiian Islands and ensuring the albatross will be protected for future generations.”
Besides a few small colonies on volcanically active islands near Japan and one colony on the small islet of Lehua near Kauaʻi, black-footed albatross currently nest only on low-lying islands in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
“We know that sea level rise and increased storm surges are a threat to this species, and many others,” said Eric VanderWerf of Pacific Rim Conservation. “We have an opportunity to do something to mitigate that threat now, before it becomes an emergency.”
Midway Atoll, Laysan Island and Tern Island, which support 90 percent of the world's breeding population, all have very low elevations and are predicted to be highly susceptible to sea-level rise and storm surges in the coming century.
“Midway Atoll is home to one of the largest black-footed albatross populations in the world. As conservation managers, it is important we use good science to evaluate other options that might protect these seabirds into the future,” said Midway Atoll Refuge and Memorial Project Leader Bob Peyton in a statement. “Refuges like Midway Atoll and James Campbell provide the healthy habitat that black-footed albatross, and other seabirds, need to thrive.”

A diet of fish and squid for black-footed albatross.

Photo by Eric VanderWerf/Pacific Rim Conservation

The chosen translocation site at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge is high enough that they are less at risk from rising sea-levels and increasing storm surges. Additionally, birds nesting within the predator-free enclosure will be protected from non-native predators that are common in the main islands such as mongooses, rats, and feral cats and dogs.
The chicks are hand fed a diet of fish and squid and will be closely monitored by biologists for four to five months, until they are able to fly out to sea and feed themselves. Black-footed albatross chicks imprint on their birth colony at about one month of age and they will return to breed at the same colony as adults. By moving the chicks at this critical one-month period, they will imprint on their new home at the refuge. Then they will go out to sea and will stay there for the next four to five years. When they return as adults, to raise their own chicks, they will become the pioneers of a new colony.
“We won’t know if this project works until they come back and breed at six to nine years old,” VanderWerf said. “They’ll probably pick a mate from the group they came from Midway with.”

Twenty-five more black-footed chicks will be flown in from Midway each year, for the next two years.

Chicks could be overwashed and perish
on low-lying islands with rising sea waters.
Photo by Pete Leary/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The black-footed albatross mates for life. After fledging the birds return to the colony after about five years, and spend two years building nests, dancing and being with prospective mates, a behavior that probably evolved to ensure maximum trust between the birds. They will start reproducing after about seven years. Nests are simple depressions scraped in the sand, into which one egg is laid. The egg is incubated for about 65 days. Both birds incubate the egg, the male incubating more as the female leaves soon after hatching to recoup reserves used for egg-laying. The average time spent on incubating shifts is 18 days. However, mates can wait up to 38 days to be relieved, and if something happens to the mate the other has been recorded incubating for 49 days without food or water.
The chick is brooded for 20 days by its parents, after which both parents leave the nest and return to feed the chick. The chick is fed regurgitated food by sticking its bill inside that of its parent. Fledging occurs after 140 days.
The black-footed albatross is considered vulnerable because it is unintentionally killed by longline fishing. Instead of fishing with nets, fleets trail long lines from their ships – some lines can be over 60 miles long. Baited hooks are set at intervals, in order to snare large predatory fish, such as swordfish, tuna and halibut. But birds are also attracted to the bait, often with fatal consequences - especially for juvenile birds. An estimated 6,150 birds are killed each year by fishing fleets. It is also vulnerable to oil and ingestion of floating plastics, which reduces the space in the stomach available for food to be brought to the chick.

Scientific instruments to collect climate change

and air quality data on board Hawaiian

Airlines. Photo from IAGOS

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HAWAIIAN AIRLINES PLANS TO COLLECT CLIMATE CHANGE DATA, beginning in April, to become the first U.S. carrier to join an international scientific project with participating airlines worldwide. Hawaiian partnered with the In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System (IAGOS) venture to equip one Airbus A330-200 aircraft with an atmospheric monitoring tool that will collect data on air quality and climate throughout the airline’s network covering the Pacific, Asia and North America.
Hawaiian’s A330 aircraft, bearing registration N384HA, arrived at Honolulu International Airport in late February after spending weeks in Brisbane, Australia, where technicians installed IAGOS instruments under its cockpit that will be attached to probes in the front-left fuselage. The probes will autonomously perform atmospheric air samples from take-off to landing and record key high-altitude greenhouse gas measurements. They will also retrieve information about icing conditions that may be useful in aircraft safety studies. The system is expected to be operational following FAA certification.
“We are honored to lend our support to IAGOS and help assess the health of our atmosphere and measure climate change,” said Captain Ken Rewick, Hawaiian’s vice president of flight operations.
“We are excited to see Hawaiian Airlines becoming a partner in IAGOS. Instrumenting commercial airliners is a cutting-edge approach and cost-effective for obtaining large amounts of high quality data about our atmosphere,” said James Butler, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Global Monitoring Division, and chairman of the IAGOS Science Advisory Board. “Scientists around the world will increasingly use data from IAGOS flights to help improve weather forecasts, climate models, and our overall understanding of the Earth system. This is a great step forward for science.” Scientists expect Hawaiian’s system to produce valuable metrics thanks to the carrier’s unique central Pacific location and network of non-stop flights extending from Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa,

Probes on Hawaiian Airlines plane that will sample
the atmosphere and share the data with scientist.
Photo from IAGOS

and Tahiti in the South Pacific, to China, South Korea, Japan and the United States (including ten western U.S. gateways and New York) in the North Pacific. According to IAGOS, commercial aircraft are uniquely positioned to collect highly relevant observations on a scale and in numbers impossible to achieve via dedicated research aircraft or satellites. All information will be transmitted after each flight to the IAGOS data center in France and shared with the scientific community within a few weeks.
Based in Brussels, the European-funded IAGOS is a not-for-profit association whose members include leading research organizations, universities and weather services from Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The program observes atmospheric data to better understand transcontinental pollution and validate air quality and climate models. Its information is used by about 200 universities or institutes in Europe, the United States, Japan, South America, India and China.
A statement from Hawaiian Airlines says the company's "participation in IAGOS aligns with the carrier’s ongoing commitment to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment." Hawaiian is also investing in fuel efficient aircraft by adding 18 new A321neos to its fleet starting later this year. Last year, the airline also conducted two demonstration flights to Honolulu from Brisbane and Auckland using a series of gate-to-gate environmental best practices outlined by the Asia and Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions. See more at iagos.org.

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KA`U HIGH SCHOOL BEAT PARKER SCHOOL Wednesday night in boys volleyball at the new Ka`u gym. In jayvee play Ka`u won the first 25-14 and 25-23. In varsity play, the Ka`u Trojans won, with 55-15, 25-14 and 28-4.

IN GIRLS SOFTBALL, KA`U HIGH lost to Waiakea on Tuesday at the Pahala ball field. the final score was Waiakea 17 and Ka`u 7. Outstanding Ka`u players were Sheri Freitas and Shailei Penera who each hit singles. Pitching for Ka`u were Lei Chun Galban and Kin In.
JAZZ IN THE FOREST, Saturday, March 11, Volcano Art Center. With Jean Pierre Thoma & The Jazztones. 967-8222

SUNDAY CLAY: High Fire, Sundays, March 12 – May 7, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. or 2:45 –5:45 p.m. at Volcano Art Center. $185/$166 VAC members plus $13 materials fee. 967-8222

KAUAHA`AO CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH in Waiohinu, will host a Turkey Dinner Fundraiser on Tuesday, March 28, from 4 p.m. -7pm. Plates can be either taken out or eaten at the church hall. There will be live entertainment during that time. Dinner plates are selling at $7 each plate, or 4 plates for $25. Plates will include: Kalua Turkey, Rice or Mash Potatoes, Butter Corn, Cake.

Church member are pre-selling tickets. To purchase a ticket, call 929-9997. Dinner plates can also be purchased at the fundraiser.

www.kaucalendar.com

Peter Anderson captured this sunset on March 7 at South Point where fishermen traditionally lifted their catch on a hoist after
bringing their boats close to the Ka Lae cliffs.

DISMANTLING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, as planned by Pres. Donald Trump, is a major concern of Sen. Mazie Hirono who took to the U.S. Senate floor on Thursday to protest. She said that President Barack Obama and the Democratic party "have been fighting to make sure everyone has access to affordable, quality health insurance. Pres.Trump and his allies in congress do not share this committment. Instead of debating how best to expand access they are fighting with each other to see just how many people they can kick off insurance roles, all in a crusade, apparently, to save some people money," stated Hirono.

Hirono opposed Trump Care and Trump's appointment
to run Medicare, Medicaid and insurance markets.

"This is not a crusade to improve the lives of as many people as possibl," she said. "It is a crusade to serve their radical, anti-government ideology. In fact," said Hirono, "ideology over people is a useful shorthand to describe the first two months of the Trump administration." She said that "people are left out of the debate."
Hirono contended that under the plan being debated this week to repeal the Affordable Care Act, "20 million people in our country will be without health insurance, without health care." She said she understands the fear of not having health insurance. When her mother came to Hawai`i as an immigrant with her and her two brothers, her mother's first job did not provide health insurance. As a child, said Hirono, her greatest fear was that her mother would become sick and unable to work for food and rent for the family.

Seema Verma

She noted that 20 million previously uninsured people gained health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. "Millions will be hurt by Trump Care," she said, contending that it would end the "Medicaid expansion that millions of people depend on," and that also keeps hospitals in rural and underserved communities from closing down. She said Trump Care would provide less funding for Medicaid and would be particularly devastating in Hawai`i where the number of people on Medicaid has grown 20 percent under the Affordable Care Act. "Reducing access to Medicaid is wrong," testified Hirono.
She also testified that Trump Care would charge older persons five times more for health insurance than younger people. It also "would also zero out funding for Planned Parenthood." She pointed to a new mobile application for Planning Parenthood that reaches rural Hawai`i.
After taking away health insurance and services to millions of people, said Hirono, Trump Care would benefit the "wealthiest of the wealthy, with a big tax cut."
Hirono said she would vote against Trump's nominee to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees benefits to seniors and low income persons and oversees the Affordable Care Act insurance markets. Hirono called Seema Verna unqualified to oversee its $1 trillion budget. Verma is founder of a health care consulting firm and has that worked with the state of Indiana and Gov. Mike Pence.
The Senate ended debate Vema's nomination on Thursday and will likely vote on the confirmation next week.
"I will fight tooth and nail against Trump Care," said Hirono.

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Hawai`i Attorney General Doug Chin talks to the Muslim
Association of Hawai`i, whose Imam is a plaintiff with
the State of Hawai`i in opposing the federal travel ban.
Photo from Muslim Association of Hawai`i

"DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE BASED ON NATIONAL ORIGIN OR RELIGION IS A VERY DARK PATH we must never accept," said Hawai`i Attorney General Doug Chin on Wednesday. He filed the first case in the country against Pres. Donald Trump's second Executive Order - this one banning travel to the U.S. from six Muslim majority countries. The State of Hawai`i filing in federal court argues that Trump's revised Executive Order "is another attempt by the Administration to enact a discriminatory ban that goes against the fundamental teachings of our Constitution and our immigration laws, even if it is cloaked in ostensible neutral terms. Strikingly, The Executive Order even admits that these changes were designed to 'avoid litigation.'"

Muslm Association of Hawai`i reminds the public that
Hitler was elected and legalized atrocities.
Photo from Muslim Association of Hawai`i

The Attorney General contends that "Nothing of substance has changed" with the Administration's rewrite of its travel ban. "There is the same blanket ban on entry from Muslim-majority countries (minus one), the same sweeping shutdown of refugee admissions (absent one exception), and the same lawless warren for exceptions and waivers. The court did not tolerate the Administration's last attempt to hoodwink the judiciary, and they should not countenance this one," stated Chin, who also filed against Trump's first travel ban attempt.
The filing notes that "Hawai`i is the most ethnically diverse State, and is home to more than 250,000 foreign-born residents. More than 100,000 of Hawai`i's foreign-born residents are non-citizens." As of 2010, 22 percent of Hawai`i business owners were foreign born and Hawai`i had the fifth-highest percentage of foreign-born workers of any State.
The co-plaintiff is Dr. Ismail Elshikh, Imam of the Muslim Association of Hawai`'i. Defendants listed are: Pres. Donald Trump; U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its Secretary John Kelly; U.S. Department of State and its Secretary Rex Tillerson; and the United States of America and "all government agencies and departments responsible for the implementation of the INA (Immigration and Nationality Act), and for detention and removal of non-citizens from Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and Yemen who arrive at air, land and sea ports across the United States, including Honolulu International Airport and Kona International Airport."

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NEW VOICES HOSTS REP. RICHARD CREAGAN this Sunday, March 12 at 1 p.m. for a talk story a the upper pavilion of Punalu`u Bake Shop in Na`alehu. The new organization formed in Ka`u after the Women's March in January to monitor and respond to the the new U.S. President's first 100 days in office. Laurie Boyle is the facilitator for Ka`u Voices.

In addition to addressing the national political scene, the Ka`u Voices and Creagan will talk about the status of legislation in the state House of Representatives and Senate following the recent cross over of bills from one chamber to another.

For more information, call Melissa Wheeler at 808-785-2643.

RECENT COLLAPSES IN NEW VOLCANIC LAND at the Kamokuna ocean lava entry underscore the on-going hazard. This is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch from scientists at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory:
Since its initiation on July 26, 2016, the Kamokuna ocean entry has drawn thousands of visitors eager to witness the creation of new land. The interaction of hot lava and cold seawater produces beautiful and powerful displays that can only be observed on Hawai`i Island.

As seen in late January, the interaction of molten lava and cold seawater

at the Kamokuna ocean entry produces an explosion, sending hot fragments

and steam high into the air. The sea cliff in this image is about 15 meters

(50 feet) high. USGS photo

But the ocean entry also represents a unique set of hazards. As detailed in a July 28, 2016, Volcano Watch article, these hazards include explosions that send debris and molten spatter into the air, toxic gases in the steam plume, and collapse of the newly created land and adjacent sea cliff. Repeated collapses around the ocean entry since New Year's Eve of 2016 have underscored the danger of this last hazard. As soon as the 61g lava flow entered the ocean last summer, it began forming new land, called a lava delta. The lava delta grew seaward, forming a broad, flat shelf. By the end of the year, it had grown to cover an area roughly the size of 18 football fields.
Lava deltas are inherently unstable. They are typically built on top of loose rock fragments that form when the incoming lava hits cold ocean water and shatters. As the lava delta grows, this poor foundation cannot support the added weight, and partial or wholesale collapse sends chunks sliding into the sea.
This was the process at work on Dec. 31, 2016, when almost the entire 23-acre lava delta and 4 acres of the older sea cliff slid into the ocean piece by piece over the course of the afternoon and into the evening.
Small explosions accompanied many of these collapses when newly exposed hot rock came into contact with cold seawater. These sent rocks, steam, and molten lava fragments flying into the air. Large waves were also generated when sections of the lava delta and adjacent sea cliff crashed into the water; some were reported to have splashed as much as 9 meters (30 feet) above the 15-meter (50-foot) cliffs east of the delta.
Since the events of New Year's Eve, the area has continued to be unstable and large cracks have been observed on top of the cliff behind the ocean entry. In early February, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) staff working in the area noted gentle swaying of the ground – similar to standing in a treehouse on a gusty day – at a distance of up to 200 meters (650 feet) away from the entry!

New land cracks and eventually falls into the sea. USGS photo

The exact cause of this ground motion felt so far away is not known, but it was a clear warning of instability. Sure enough, on February 2nd, 2017, HVO geologists witnessed a large section of the sea cliff behind the ocean entry falling into the ocean.
They had entered the closed area to deploy equipment for monitoring the ocean entry and the gradually widening crack on the sea cliff. Within a minute of HVO geologists reaching the site and just after setting up a camera, the sea cliff seaward of the crack collapsed with no warning. Fortunately, they were far enough away to be unharmed.
The newly placed camera recorded dramatic video of the collapse which you can find along with photographs on the HVO web site. (https://tux.wr.usgs.gov/multimedia/uploads/multimediaFile-1629.mp4). Afterwards, in the video, a remaining section of the surrounding sea cliff sways back and forth for several seconds before coming to a rest. Several hours later, most of this piece of the sea cliff also collapsed.
While the most hazardous sections of the sea cliff are no longer standing as of this writing in early March, the sea cliff near the ocean entry remains unstable and further collapses could occur at any time. Visitors should heed the rope line established by Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park at all times and maintain a safe distance when viewing by boat. More information about the hazards associated with ocean
entries is available on the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/hazards/oceanentry/main.html).

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EARTHQUAKE UPDATE: Five earthquakes were reported felt in Hawai`i in the past week. On Sunday, March 5, four earthquakes were felt in the span of 11 minutes between 6:06 and 6:17 a.m. HST. These earthquakes, ranging in magnitude from 3.8 to 3.1 occurred in Kīlauea's Upper East Rift Zone between 5.8 km (3.6 mi) and 4.1 km (2.6 mi) southeast of the Kīlauea summit at depths of 2.7 km (1.7 mi) to 2.1 km (1.3 mi). On Thursday, March 9 at 3:03 a.m. HST a magnitude 4.2 earthquake occurred 64.8 km (40.2 mi) northeast of Kaunakakai, Moloka`i at a depth of 17.0 km (10.6 mi).

MURDER ON THE NIILE is Kilauea Drama & Entertainment Network's third Agatha Christie murder mystery, which will open Friday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Kilauea Theater in Kilauea Military Camp.
The story takes place on a paddleboat steamer going down the Nile between Shellal and Wadi Halfa in Africa.

Simon Mostyn and his rich, beautiful wife Kay are on their honeymoon. Simon's former love, Jacqueline has been following them throughout their journey. The bevy of memorable characters, including Kay's guardian, Canon Pennefather, all play a part in the mystery. When Jackie gets hysterical and shoots Simon in the leg, an audacious conspiracy is revealed, everything is questioned, and eventually the criminals are caught.
"Agatha Christie is so much fun to do. There are so many twists in the plot and one must pay very close attention to understand the ending. Having done so many Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, we realized her mysteries are a lot like Gilbert and Sullivan without music," says director Suzi Bond.
The cast is led by Hayley Pereira and Stephen Bond as Kay and Simon Mostyn, with Stephanie Becher as Jacqueline, and Ray Ryan as Canon Pennefather. Supporting characters are Lezleigh Bignami as Aunt Helen, Erin Smith as Christina, Mark Rawlings as Smith, Barbara Johnson as Louise and Steve Peyton as Dr. Bessner. Also appearing in the show are Lowden Borgens, Carol Denecker and Roch Jones.
Performances are March 17 – April 2, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets prices are $15 general, $12 seniors and students and $10 for children 12 and under. Tickets are available at Kilauea General Store, Kea'au Natural Foods, the Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo and at the door. For reservations and more information call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.

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JAZZ IN THE FOREST, Saturday, March 11, Volcano Art Center. With Jean Pierre Thoma & The Jazztones. 967-8222

SUNDAY CLAY: High Fire, Sundays, March 12 – May 7, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. or 2:45 –5:45 p.m. at Volcano Art Center. $185/$166 VAC members plus $13 materials fee. 967-8222

www.kaucalendar.com

NOAA and Sea Grant work with University of Hawai`i to provide scientific information and
develop programs regarding climate, natural disasters and environment. Sea Grant faces elimination
and NOAA faces severe budget cuts in the new Trump administration's proposal to Congress.
Photo from NOAA

ELIMINATING THE SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM at University of Hawai`i and in other states is one of Pres, Donald Trump's budget cuts, according to a statement from Sen. Mazie Hirono and a story in TheWashington Post.

“The Sea Grant College Program has been serving coastal communities and economies through the provision of science based information, tools and technologies for more than 50 years. Based at universities in 33 coastal and Great Lakes states as well Puerto Rico and Guam, Sea Grant serves as NOAA's link to University research and the communities they serve,” said Dr. Darren Lerner, Director of the University of Hawai`i Sea Grant College Program.
Hirono pointed out that in 2015, University of Hawai`i received more than $2 million in federal funding for the Sea Grant Program.

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NOAA'S GOES WEST satellite provide information for disaster
preparedness and daily weather forecasts in Hawai`i. Photo form NOAA

DRASTIC BUDGET CUTS TO NOAA'S SATELLITE PROGRAM are proposed in Pres. Donald Trump's budget.

NOAA provides critical imagery and forecasting information for community disaster preparedness, response and recovery and for U.S. military navigation.

Sen Mazie Hirono and Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, wrote a bipartisan letter to the Trump administration, saying: “In 1992, Hurricane Iniki struck Kaua`i, Hawai`i, causing six deaths and $1.8 billion (1992 USD) in damage. If communities had not been warned about the hurricane in advance, the death toll could have been much higher. Deep cuts to NESDIS’ monitoring equipment and activities will directly increase coastal states’ vulnerability to hurricanes and other natural events that can threaten our communities and run counter to NOAA’s building of a Weather-Ready Nation.”

The letter was also signed by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Angus King (I-Maine), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai`i).
“The NOAA IOOS program provides the real-time data that we need to understand and adapt to changing ocean conditions. The system is critically important to our team members and the coastal communities where we operate,” said Ronald K. Lau, Operations Manager of Kona Coast Shellfish, LLC- Pacific Seafood Group.

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NOAA' Mauna Loa Baseline Atmospheric Observatory recorded a fifth straight year of record CO2 in
the atmosphere. Photo from NOAA

A RECORD INCREASE IN CARBON DIOXIDE in the atmosphere was recorded for 2016 at the Mauna Loa Baseline Atmospheric Observatory, according to a statement on Friday from NOAA. C02 levels rose by 3 parts per million to 405.1 parts per million (ppm) in 2016, an increase that matched the record jump observed in 2015.
The two-year, 6-ppm surge in the greenhouse gas between 2015 and 2017 is unprecedented in the observatory’s 59-year record. And, it was a record fifth consecutive year that carbon dioxide (CO2) rose by 2 ppm or greater, said Pieter Tans, lead scientist of NOAA's Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network.
“The rate of CO2 growth over the last decade is 100 to 200 times faster than what the Earth experienced during the transition from the last Ice Age,” Tans said. “This is a real shock to the atmosphere.”
Globally averaged CO2 levels passed 400 ppm in 2015 — a 43-percent increase over pre-industrial levels. In February 2017, CO2 levels at Mauna Loa had already climbed to 406.42 ppm.

NOAA has measured CO2 on site at the Mauna Loa observatory since 1974. To ensure accuracy, air samples from the mountaintop research site in Hawaii are shipped to NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, for verification. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, which first began sampling CO2 at Mauna Loa in 1956, also takes independent measurements onsite.
Emissions from fossil-fuel consumption have remained at historically high levels since 2011 and are the primary reason atmospheric CO2 levels are increasing at a dramatic rate, Tans said. This high growth rate of CO2 is also being observed at some 40 other sites in NOAA’s Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network. Carbon dioxide is one of several gases that are primarily responsible for trapping heat in the atmosphere. This “greenhouse effect” maintains temperatures suitable for life on Earth. Increasing CO2 levels trap additional heat in the atmosphere and the oceans, contributing to rising global average temperatures.

Atmospheric CO2 averaged about 280 ppm between about 10,000 years ago and the start of the Industrial Revolution around 1760. Track CO2 concentrations at Mauna Loa and other global locations online.

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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, making the regime change pitch at the
National Press Club, is joined by Sen. Rand Paul with
legislation in the U.S. Senate.

THE STOP ARMING TERRORIST BILL, sponsored by Tulsi Gabbard in the U.S. House of Representatives, has a champion in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Rand Paul introduced the measure into the U.S. Senate on Friday. The bipartisan legislation (H.R.608 and S.532) would prohibit any federal agency from using taxpayer dollars to provide weapons, cash, intelligence, or any support to al-Qaeda, ISIS and other terrorist groups, and it will prohibit the government from funneling money and weapons through other countries who are directly or indirectly supporting terrorists.

The legislation is currently cosponsored by Reps. John Conyers (D-MI), Scott Perry (R-PA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tom Garrett (R-VA), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Walter Jones (R-NC), Ted Yoho (R-FL), and Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and endorsed by Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), Veterans for Peace, and the U.S. Peace Council.

Said Gabbard, “For years, the U.S. government has been supporting armed militant groups working directly with and often under the command of terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda in their fight to overthrow the Syrian government. Rather than spending trillions of dollars on regime change wars in the Middle East, we should be focused on defeating terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda, and using our resources to invest in rebuilding our communities here at home. The fact that American taxpayer dollars are being used to strengthen the very terrorist groups we should be focused on defeating should alarm every Member of Congress and every American. We call on our colleagues and the Administration to join us in passing this legislation.”
Senator and physician Rand Paul said: “One of the unintended consequences of nation-building and open-ended intervention is American funds and weapons benefiting those who hate us.” This legislation will strengthen our foreign policy, enhance our national security, and safeguard our resources.”

Gabbard provided the following background: The Stop Arming Terrorists Act prohibits U.S. government funds from being used to support al-Qaeda, ISIS or other terrorist groups. In the same way that Congress passed the Boland Amendment to prohibit the funding and support to CIA backed-Nicaraguan Contras during the 1980’s, this bill would stop CIA or other Federal government activities in places like Syria by ensuring U.S. funds are not used to support al-Qaeda, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, ISIS, or other terrorist groups working with them. It would also prohibit the Federal government from funding assistance to countries that are directly or indirectly supporting those terrorist groups. The bill achieves this by:
· Making it illegal for any U.S. Federal government funds to be used to provide assistance covered in this bill to terrorists. The assistance covered includes weapons, munitions, weapons platforms, intelligence, logistics, training, and cash.
· Making it illegal for the U.S. government to provide assistance covered in the bill to any nation that has given or continues to give such assistance to terrorists.
· Requiring the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to determine the individual and groups that should be considered terrorists, for the purposes of this bill, by determining: (a) the individuals and groups that are associated with, affiliated with, adherents to or cooperating with al-Qaeda, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, or ISIS; (b) the countries that are providing assistance covered in this bill to those individuals or groups.
· Requiring the DNI to review and update the list of countries and groups to which assistance is prohibited every six months, in consultation with the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees, as well as the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
· Requiring the DNI to brief Congress on the determinations.

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JAZZ IN THE FOREST, Saturday, March 11, Volcano Art Center at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. with Jean Pierre Thoma & The Jazztones. See www.volcanoartcenter.org. 967-8222

SUNDAY CLAY: High Fire, Sundays, March 12 – May 7, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. or 2:45 –5:45 p.m. at Volcano Art Center. $185/$166 VAC members plus $13 materials fee. 967-8222

REP. RICHARD CREAGAN SPEAKS AT THE NEW VOICES MEETING on Sunday, at Punalu`u Bake Shop at noon. The public meeting will be held in the upper pavilion. Creagan will review activities of the 2017 Hawai`i Legislation which has reached mid session and also discuss the national situation with the new President's administration. For more information, call Melissa Wheeler at 808-785-2643.

www.kaucalendar.com

The public visited the hula heiau between Pahala and Na`alehu in May of 2016 and is invited
to learn about the recent archaeolgical inentory on April 1. Photo by Jasmine Cronin

A PRESERVATION PLAN FOR THE HULA HEIAU in the mountains above Punalu`u, called 'Imakakaloa Heiau, will be presented to the public on Saturday, April 1 at Pahala Community Center at 12:30 p.m. Kalaho`ohie Mossman, who works with stewards of the heiau, the Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation, said that everyone is invited to the community gathering.

"We have completed the Archaeological Inventory Survey as well as the preservation plan and would like to share our findings with the community," said Mossman. "We would like to present the preservation plan for your review. Please feel free to make any suggestions on this draft plan which will guide the future treatment of this sacred place. Although the plan currently only addresses the two-acre area where the heiau is located, we are hoping to expand the area of preservation to include important view planes from the site. We value your input and look forward to seeing you all on the first. Please feel free to share this message with others who may be interested."

John Stokes described the hula heiau in his survey of
Hawai`i Island heiau, published by Bishop Museum

A meeting was held on March 19, 2016 at Pahala Community Center, drawing many people who talked about the hula heiau and other cultural sites in need of preservation in Ka`u.

Kanaka`ole Foundation representatives discussed the possibility of the heiau becoming a focal point for community and cultural outreach, with possible programs coordinated with schools.

On May 14, 2016 the public was invited to visit the heiau and gave input toward it preservation and community use.

The heiau is on land owned by Edmund C. Olson Trust. Olson Trust land manager John Cross recalled that John Replogle, of The Nature Conservancy, asked about the location of the heiau after Olson bought the property from the old Ka`u sugar company, and ranchers planned to clear more land in the area for cattle.

Cross said he knew of the heiau from the Bishiop Museum archaeological survey Heiau of the Island of Hawai`i by John F.G. Stokes, published in 1991. Stokes described the heiau as “a series of enclosures with walls sometimes broadened into platforms. The ground declines to the southeast, but the earth floors of the enclosure have been approximately leveled as though by cutting and filling. The large enclosure on the southeast is said to have been for the chiefs and kahuna, the stone pavement shown being the kuahu.

"Outside and adjoining the wall of this enclosure on the west is a platform one foot high. To the north of the latter is another platform 4.5 feet high, an extension of the walls. This last is said to have been the hale o Papa. The second largest enclosure is said to have been for the hale hula. There was no information regarding the smallest enclosure.”

Public input on the hula heiau was welcomed by the Edith
Kanaka`ole Foundation last year in Pahala.
Photo by Julia Neal

The late Pele Hanoa, long involved in historic, cultural and land preservation in Ka`u, also informed Olson Trust about the general location of the heiau, and several crews unsuccessfully hiked the area to find it. Ka`u cattleman Al Galimba bumped into a heiau rock wall as he was clearing for pastures and paddocks. He contacted Cross, and they identified it as the hula heiau, buried deep in a tangle of Christmasberry, cat’s claw and a large monkeypod tree. The location is makai of Ka`alaiki Road - the old cane haul route - between Pahala and Na`alehu. Galimba withdrew cattle from the area and helped clear brush away from the heiau, followed by an Olson Trust team using small equipment to clear and protect it, fencing off about 1.5 acres around the site. Additional conservation has been accomplished through the Kanaka`ole Foundation.

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HAWAI`I ATTORNEY GENERAL DOUG CHIN will take the state’s complaint against President Donald Trump’s second Executive Order travel ban to court next week.

Chin said this week on NBC News that the travel ban is "setting up as a system in where there are certain races that are going to be presumptively in a second class type of environment and there will be a superior race that is running everything."

He said Jeff Sessions' speech last week, to U.S. Attorney Generals from around the country, meeting in Washington, D.C. was that "crime is on the uprise...It is being committed by people who are unlawfully in this country, so if we remove people who are unlawfully in this country, then crime will go down."

Hawai`i Attorney General Doug Chin on NBC News

Said Chin, "When you layer on those statements, which is actually part of what we do in this argument, we are saying there are so many statements from this administration that are going in a bad direction. That's another reason we can find this discriminatory in intent."

In a press conference, Chin said, “This is the first time a President has made such a broad sweeping kind of Executive Order that bans people purely based upon their nationality.

"It is saying if you are from one of these six countries - now six (first travel ban named seven countries) - you are presumptively a terrorist. This is over-assertion of power by the President. The President is not a king. He is not a dictator. We all learned that in social studies growing up. The concern about this Executive Order, even though it is just for 120 days, is that it can be easily renewed. It can be renewed for another 120 days and just become permanent or perpetual,” said Chin.

Chin said that “We here in the state of Hawai`i care about the security of our state, but don’t bring us back to a time that occurred prior to the 1960s.
Chin said he doesn't see the objection to the travel ban "as a Democrat thing or an agenda thing. I see it as if Hawai`i doesn’t speak up about discrimination by national origin, we are dishonoring and we are disrespecting what our past generations have gone through.”

Hawai`i will argue its case before U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson on Wednesday, March 15, the day before the ban is set to go into effect.

Omar Adwat, Director of American Civil Liberties Union Immigrants’ Rights Project, said the ACLU also filed a complaint. He said the “revised travel ban has the same problems as the original travel ban, which is that it’s religious discrimination. President Trump can’t follow through on his threat without running straight into the Constitution.”

The new travel ban does not favor Christian over other religions for entry to the U.S, as did the first travel ban that was stopped by the courts. The new travel ban also exempts those with Green Cards. It changes the ban to affect travelers from six instead of seven Muslim-majority countries, exempting Iraq. All refugees from the six countries would be banned for 120 days.

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A STATEWIDE SEARCH FOR KILLERS OF A MONK SEAL on Kaua`i on Feb. 23 near `Ele`ele has been launched with a $10,000 award. The monk seal tagged R4DP was found dead on the beach. She was 15 years old and familiar to monk seal researchers and Kaua`i residents.

Tipsters can call the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and provide information to be held in confidence to 855-DLNR-TIP (855-356-7847). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement is also investigating, along with DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.
The reward is sponsored by the Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Council for Hawai`i, the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust.

Punishment for killing an endangered monk seal can bring fines of up to $50,000 and imprisonment for up to a year, or both. The seals are protected under state and federal laws.

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SUNDAY CLAY: High Fire, Sundays, March 12 – May 7, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. or 2:45 –5:45 p.m. at Volcano Art Center. $185/$166 VAC members plus $13 materials fee. 967-8222

REP. RICHARD CREAGAN SPEAKS AT THE NEW VOICES MEETING on Sunday, at Punalu`u Bake Shop at noon. The public meeting will be held in the upper pavilion. Creagan will review activities of the 2017 Hawai`i Legislature, which has reached mid session. He will also discuss the national situation with the new President's administration. For more information, call Melissa Wheeler at 808-785-2643.

A flag from the Hawaiian Kingdom will be auctioned in France in April.
Photo from Auguttes auction house

RARE HAWAIIAN ARTIFACTS, reputed to be the biggest collection outside the Bishop Museum, will be auctioned in France next month. The 1,100 items from the Rainer Werner Bock collection, including a spear described as acquired by Capt. James Cook circa 1779 and worth about $80,000, will be auctioned over three days in Neuilly-sur-Seine from April 5 through 7. Other items include an 8-inch black, red and yellow feather ornament, a war helmet, a flag from the Kingdom of Hawaiian, fishhooks, and a pahu (war drum).

The items were collected by Bock, who was born in Germany and has lived on Maui. He was one of the world’s leading dealers in Pre-Columbian art, who had hoped to open a museum in Maui. He compiled this unique collection of Hawaiian tribal art, including 18th century bowls, regalia, drums, fishing equipment, necklaces in feathers or hair, spears, lances, pestles and many other fascinating objects over a period of 20 years.
In a promotional brochure, which he sent to The Ka’u Calendar, Julian Roup, a spokesman for the French auction house, Aguttes, described the collection, which also includes items from New Zealand, the Marquesas Islands, and the Solomon Islands.
“Never before have so many Hawaiian objects been brought together outside of the Bishop Museum in Honolulu,” wrote Roup. “The collection includes some 500 items that speak to us of the daily lives of the people of Polynesia, inhabited for centuries, unknown to the European world until the arrival in 1778 of Captain James Cook.”

A Nineteenth Century
rain mantle from Hawai`i
will be auctioned off in
France. Photo from
Aguttes auction house

The Ihe Laumeki (barbed wooden spear) was collected by Captain Cook during his third expedition to Hawai’i in 1779- 1780, according to the auction house description, which says it is one of only four such spears to exist in private collections and is valued at about $72,000 to 80,000. A silk flag, which could date from 1845, is a rare remnant of the Hawaiian Kingdom and is valued at $12,000 to 16,000, according to the auction literature.
The sale contains works never before seen at auction. A war helmet, which was part of a collection assembled by one of the first French scientific expeditions to Hawai’i, was formerly displayed by a French University. Its value is estimated at about $58,000 to 70,000.
Roup explained that gathering boat models has always been a “highlight, even a cornerstone, of all great collections of Oceanian art. Bock’s collection, which was originally meant for a private or public museum, features some 30 boat models plus two full-scale canoes.
“As to R.W. Bock’s selection of fishing hooks, it perfectly captures the art of halieutics, with each piece having been carefully chosen for its shining, polished mother-of-pearl, which bears great significance in Oceanian fishing traditions. Oceania comprises the civilizations that, over the centuries, developed the most brilliant mother-of-pearl techniques.

A bowl in netting is one of the
auction items. Photo from
Aguttes auction house

“Fishhooks are called “special” when they were kept for ritual fishing, such as a spoon lure for herring bait. Wood was also used in fashioning large hooks for catching shark in particular,” stated Roup.
Roup calls Brock’s collection “a fantastic voyage from island to island.” His assessment is that the collection “represents the formidable eye of this internationally esteemed art dealer, whose collection of Hawaiian art adds considerably to the world’s knowledge of Polynesia. Rainer Werner Bock, a German who later immigrated to the USA, has always been a tireless traveler and art lover. He fulfilled his dream when he moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he built up the largest-ever private collection of Hawaiian art.
“Eager to share his childhood vision with as many people as possible, he worked hard to open a museum on Maui Island, but, regrettably, was not supported by local politicians,” contended Roup.
Other items in the sale include: A Pahu (war drum), from the Nineteenth Century, with estimated value or $12,000 to 16,000; a Nineteenth Century feather ornament, measuring about 8 inches in diameter with a $9,000 to $10,000 value; a bowl in a hanging net valued at $7,000 to $8,000; a Nineteenth Century rain mantle made from lauhala, with value of $2,500 to $3,200.
The items will be on exhibit at Neuilly-sur-Seine, a suburb west of Paris, for a week prior to the three-day auction. This event will be documented by a multiple volume catalog that itself will become collectible and will be an important reference for years to come, said event organizers.
For more information, contact Julian Roup of Bendigo Communication acting for Aguttes at info@bendigopr.co.uk.

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Nene, Hawai`i's State Bird, are benefited by programs to restore and
enhance critical wetlands on agricultural lands. Photo from USDA

GRANTS TOTALING $15 MILLION FOR CONSERVATION PARTNERS are being offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help voluntarily protect, restore and enhance critical wetlands on agricultural lands.

"Restored wetlands improve water quality downstream and improve wildlife habitat, while also providing flood prevention and recreational benefits to communities," says a statement from Acting Deputy Agriculture Secretary Michael young.
Funding will be provided through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership, part of the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, a Farm Bill conservation program. The partnership is administered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the leading federal agency for wetland conservation on private lands. Through WREP, states, local units of governments, non-governmental organizations and American Indian tribes collaborate with NRCS through cooperative and partnership agreements. These partners work with tribal and private landowners who voluntarily enroll eligible land into easements to protect, restore and enhance wetlands on their properties.

Ka`u Coffee benefits by good practices in taking care of adjacent
gulches and streambeds. Photo from USDA

“These strong, locally led partnerships help improve water quality, prevent flooding, enhance wildlife habitat and provide landowners the financial resources needed to voluntarily conserve our lands,” Young said.
Easements enable landowners to adopt a variety of conservation practices that improve the function and condition of wetlands. The voluntary nature of NRCS' easement programs enables effective integration of wetland restoration on working landscapes, providing benefits to farmers and ranchers who enroll in the program, as well as benefits to the local and rural communities where the wetlands exist.
This year, NRCS is encouraging partners to propose projects that focus on improving water quality as well as habitat on working landscapes in high-priority areas. Proposals must be submitted to NRCS state offices by April 24. More information is available on the ACEP webpage.

Hula Performance, Wed, Mar 15, 6:30 – to 8 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Under the direction of Kumu Hula Ab Kawainohoikala‘i Valencia, Hālau Hula Kalehuaki‘eki‘eika‘iu ma Kīlauea performs. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Thursday Night at the Center, Mar 16, 7 – 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Susan Scott and Wally Johnson present their book, Hawai`i’s Kolea, the Amazing Transpacific Life of the Pacific Golden-Plover. 967-8222

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Buffet, Fri, Mar 17, 5 – 8 p.m., Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Corned beef & cabbage, lamb stew, shepherd’s pie & more. $19 adults; $10 children 6 – 11 years. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356

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www.kaucalendar.com

Na`alehu Theatre as featured on a website called Abandoned USA. See story below.
See http://www.abandoned-usa.info/abandoned-naalehu-theatre-hawaii.php

THE KAWA DRAFT RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN will be the subject of a public meeting on Wednesday, March 15 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The public is invited to give opinions on the plan, which can be read on the County of Hawai`i website
at http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/browse.aspx?dbid=1&startid=13770&cr=1

The 136-page draft plan includes, maps, a history of Kawa land, cultural sites and endangered species and the statement: "It is crucial that this special place be protected and preserved for its historic and cultural significance as well as for the role it plays in the overall ecosystem of the island."
The Kawa parcels are located on the makai side of Hwy 11 between Honu`apo - Whittington Beach Park and Punalu`u. The acreage, now owned by the county, consists of 785 acres purchased with county Open Space and Natural Resource Preservation Commission funds as well as money from the state Department of Land & Natural Resources Legacy Land Conservation Program and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Recovery Land Acquisition program.
The management plan points to the nearby Honu`apo Park, purchased for preservation in 2006, stating that the County "now has the opportunity - and the responsibility - of planning for and managing approximately 1,000 acres of coastal Ka`u lands."See more in Tuesday's Ka`u News Briefs.

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NA`ALEHU THEATRE AND ITS FUTURE is the subject of a Hawai`i Tribune Herald story on Monday morning. Ivy Ashe writes, “The southernmost theater in the country sits abandoned as it has for more than a decade. It is unclear what the future of the Na`alehu Theater, the plantation-era building known to passing drivers for its still-vibrant paint job, will hold, but many residents aren’t optimistic.”

Hawai`i Tribune Herald quotes Joe DeMoruelle, who managed Na`alehu Theatre with Sandra DeMoruelle from 1980 to 2006. They hosted a radio station, films, concerts, hula performances, guitar and `ukulele classes and television and film production courses for area students. George Na`ope who founded the Merrie Monarch Festival; Steppenwolf; and Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring the star of The Rose, a Broadway show about Janis Joplin, were among the acts playing Na`alehu Theatre. There was a food concession for a period of time.

Na`alehu Theatre Photo by Julia Neal

Much community organizing and political support, from mayors to County Council members and legislators, during the last two decades supported leasing Na`alehu Theatre and restoring it. The owners turned down repeated proposals.
However, in 2011, developers of a proposed Nani Kahuku `Aina resort on more than a thousand acres makai of Ocean View said they had a lease on Na`alehu Theatre. As they aimed for permits from government to approve their resort, they proposed a board of local residents to oversee Na`alehu Theatre. They said they would pay to restore the theater as part of their community involvement. When the development plans were put on hold, the restoration planning for Na`alehu Theatre paused as well.

Na`alehu Theatre sits idle and unrepaired, remaining a colorful backdrop
(this photo in 2012) for Fourth of July and other parades. Na`alehu
Theatre represents a long history as venue for entertainment
and education. Photo by William Neal

Hawai`i Tribune Herald writes about the bones of Na`alehu Theatre. "The theater building went up in 1925, constructed by the Hutchinson Sugar Company. Its 10,237 square feet contain three separate sections." The article also reports on its ownership: “The theater property is owned by 300 Corporation, a division of the Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Foundation. The parent foundation is a nonprofit that is a major landowner in Hawai i. Its offices are based in Honolulu and Maryland.

The projection room and classroom. See Abandoned USA

“According to the nonprofit database GuideStar, 300 Corp’s mission statement is 'to acquire, hold title to, and collect income from properties, remitting the entire amount of such income, less expenses, to its stockholder, which is an organization exempt from income tax under section 501(A) of the internal revenue code.'”

Reporter Ashe writes, “It is unclear how the theater property is collecting income, as it is no longer leased out. A message left with the Hawai`i offices of the Weinberg Foundation was not returned.”
Ashe interviewed Joe Demoreulle who told her: “I don’t think they’ll rent it to anybody now. I don’t think anything will happen there.”
The reporter states that “an attempt to list the theater as a historic property was made in 2005.

The main theater with roof tiles fallen and the theater seats
side by side. See Abandoned USA

At the time, representatives from the state historic preservation division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources visited the site and determined that it was eligible for listing. However, reports Hawai`i Tribune Herald, “in June 2005, Alvin Awaya, president of 300 Corp, sent State Historic Preservation Officer Peter Young a letter stating that the company ‘respectfully objects’ to the listings and would request a contested case hearing if the listings was not rejected.’ In 2010, Honolulu Magazine listed the theater as one of Hawai`i’s Most Endangered Historic Sites,” reports Hawai`i Tribune Herald.
See much more on this story at www.hawaiitribune-herald.com. Also see photos of the abandoned exterior and interior and a story on the Na`alehu Theatre's history at http://www.abandoned-usa.info/abandoned-naalehu-theatre-hawaii.php

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THE AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, which represents Ka`u Hospital, Hilo Medical Center, Kona Community Hospital and nearly 5,000 hospitals across the U.S., has posted concerns about the proposed American Health Care Act. The proposal before Congress would replace the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.

Ka`u Hospital is a critical care hospital, dependent on
Medicaid and other federal programs.
Painting by Davenport

On Monday, the Congressional Budget Office released its analysis of the proposed changes to health insurance law, saying that it would lead to the loss of health insurance for 24 million Americans and increase the cost of insurance premiums for at least two years. Medicaid enrollment would decrease by 14 million people, saving the federal government money, reducing the federal deficits by $337 billion over the next decade, the federal Budget Office predicted.

The American Hospital Association's letter to Congress, sent before the release of the Budget Office report, asked for Congress to review the proposed changes in light of patients and caregivers depending on Congress "to make continued coverage a priority. We believe that any changes to the ACA must be guided by ensuring that we continue to provide health care coverage for the tens of millions of Americans who have benefitted from the law. The AHA asks for careful evaluation

regarding its impact on both "individuals and the ability of hospitals and health systems which are the backbone of the nation's health care safety net in terms of our ability to care for all of those who walk through our doors." Other organizations that have issued statements of concern include the American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, AARP and the American Health Care Association.

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NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT IMMIGRANTS drew responses Monday from Hawai`i Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, as well as leading Republicans, including the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. They reacted to U.S. Rep. Steve King's tweet on Sunday regarding a right wing Dutch politician. King said the politician "understands that culture and demographics are our destination. We can't restore our civilization with someone else's babies." King went further on a CNN interview, saying he "meant exactly what I said...I'd like to see an America that's so homogenous that we look a lot the same."

The response from House Speaker Paul Ryan said: "The Speaker clearly disagrees and believes America's long history of inclusiveness is on of its great strengths." A response from Republican Jeb Bush said, "America is a nation of immigrants. The sentiment expressed by Steve King doesn't reflect our shared history or values."

Hawai`i Sen. Brian Schatz tweeted: "Sigh , in Hawai`i no one looks the same, even in our families. And it's pretty great."

Hawai`i Sen. Mazie Hirono sated that "Steve King has always been on the fringe with his views on immigration and what this country looks like." She went further to include President Donald Trump and his cabinet: "We are talking about a President who is targeting immigrants."

She said, "King talked about, for example, an electrified fence, across our borders and that's how we deal with livestock. So I don't think we should give much credence to Steve King except that as it exemplifies some of the more outrageous things that this Administration has already done, and I say, will continue to do."

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Hula Performance, Wed, Mar 15, 6:30 – to 8 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Under the direction of Kumu Hula Ab Kawainohoikala‘i Valencia, Hālau Hula Kalehuaki‘eki‘eika‘iu ma Kīlauea performs. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Thursday Night at the Center, Mar 16, 7 – 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Susan Scott and Wally Johnson present their book, Hawai`i’s Kolea, the Amazing Transpacific Life of the Pacific Golden-Plover. 967-8222

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Buffet, Fri, Mar 17, 5 – 8 p.m., Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Corned beef & cabbage, lamb stew, shepherd’s pie & more. $19 adults; $10 children 6 – 11 years. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356.

www.kaucalendar.com

The mouth of Hilea Stream at Kawa beach. Photo by Julia Neal

THE DRAFT COUNTY PLAN FOR Kāwā, which goes to a public meeting on Wednesday, March 15 at Na`alehu Community Center at 7 p.m., covers a lot of ground. It addresses the past and future of 785 acres on the Ka`u Coast between Punalu`u and Honu`apo. It covers the very special assets of this popular open space – its surfing and fishing beaches, fishponds, streams, wildlife and cultural resources and the plethora of moʻolelo – the stories rich in oral tradition of people and events of days gone by.

The draft plan enumerates the many problems that are facing this strip of shoreline, which is one of properties closest to Highway 11 along the Ka`u Coast.

After the property was placed for sale on the real estate market, the county purchased the four parcels in 2008 and 2011, using funds from the Public Access, Ocean Space and Natural Resources Commission, and leveraged funds from the state Department of Lands & Natural Resources Legacy Land Conservation Program and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Recovery Land Acquisition program.
The Kāwā Resources Management Plan is a condition of the funding from the RLA program. The draft plan investigates options for restoring the more important endangered species of fauna, as well as restoring the “sense of place” while preserving the attachments that families have built, over the generations, with the ‘aina.
“It is crucial that this special place be protected and preserved for its historic and cultural significance as well as for the important role it plays in the overall ecosystem of the island,” states the planning consultancy Townscape, Inc., author of the draft plan.
“This Resources Management Plan inventories the vast array of natural and cultural resources at Kawa; outlines specific management strategies and actions to ensure resources within the County’s property are properly cared for, particularly habitat for native, threatened, and endangered plants and animals; and discusses a management framework for Kāwā and other PONC lands.
“The overall management theme for Kāwā is that this very special place must be protected for future generations and should not be developed; these lands should remain open and wild,” recommend the authors.

Kawa is close to Hwy 11 between Punalu`u and Honu`apo, Photo by Julia Neal

The goal of the plan is stated succinctly: “The desired outcome is a safe environment for all to use and enjoy. The sense of place that is uniquely Kāwā is maintained. The demand for recreational areas is balanced with the need to protect the natural environment from overuse. Native plants and animals are protected and can exist in harmony with human activities. Cultural practices and knowledge are perpetuated, existing landscape and view planes are intact, and natural and cultural resources are cared for,” states the authors of the County plan.

The orange-black Hawaiian damselfly.
Photo from Kawa Resources Management Plan

A list of animals in Appendix C documents nine species observed at Kāwā, and a further 22 species that could or should be at Kawā. The report prioritizes four endangered species, the Hawksbill sea turtle, the Green sea turtle, the Hawaiian coot, and the Orange- black Hawaiian damselfly. The plan explores ways to not only protect these four, but to enhance and restore Kāwā so that it can provide a quality habitat for the priority species.
The draft plan discusses ways that the habitat can become degraded, listing large groups of people “using the area for surfing, swimming, fishing, camping, etc. often results in disturbed habitats, littered beaches, and contamination of the environment, ultimately affecting all four species. Fishing gear such as nets and lines left along the shoreline can entangle hawksbill and green turtles.  
“Off-road driving can damage hawksbill nests and hatchlings and compact the sand, making nesting more difficult for females and emergence more difficult for hatchlings.” The USFWS calls unmanaged vehicular traffic a “serious problem” for hawksbills.

A meeting on the future of Kawa held by the county in
Na`alehu in 2013. Photo by Julia Neal

“Artificial lights from vehicular traffic, campers’ flashlights, lanterns, and campfires disorient nesting females and hatchlings, increasing the risk of stranding, injury, and death.  
“Predation by feral cats, mongooses, and rats is one of the greatest threats to the Hawaiian coot. Domestic dogs are known to prey on birds, including the Hawaiian coot, and may pose risks to other species as well. The abundance of human food and trash can increase the populations of all of these predators” writes the authors.  
The draft plan explores various ways in which predators can be controlled – with various traps and fencing. Table 6 summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of the various predator control methods described in this plan.
The report discusses the options in controlling crowds of people.

Kawa was a popular place for camping.
Photo by Julia Neal

“Ideally, vehicular access should be completely prohibited throughout the property because of the presence of sensitive natural resources and cultural sites found at Kāwā. However, there are several rights of way easements on the County’s property whereby vehicular access must be provided to the general public. Civil No. 4590 Judgement dated Oct. 14, 1980 states that the “general public are entitled to reasonable access to Kāwā Bay and the adjacent shoreline” via a 10-foot wide vehicular, equestrian and pedestrian easement along the Corral Gate Road.”
The report also explores other ways of minimizing human damage in Kāwā, when the authors write: “Educate the public about the sensitive resources present at Kāwā and the value of conserving threatened and endangered species.
“The community should be actively engaged in restoration and preservation efforts in order to promote a greater sense of respect for the place. Educational outreach could include: installing interpretive educational signs to raise public awareness about the significance of suitable habitat areas for priority species and the presence of cultural sites at Kāwā; conducting a series of talk story events in the community; partnering with local schools; and/or providing volunteer opportunities at Kāwā to restore and maintain the place”.

The County and community will discuss the carrying capacity of
Kawa for people and their pets. Photo by Julia Neal

The impact of pigs and dogs in Kāwā are thought to not be significant, but the draft plan suggests three tiers of management – firstly have a hui monitor dogs and hunt pigs. If that fails, then install fences for Kāwā and Kaʻiliʻili beaches. A third step would be to install “a predator-proof fence to exclude all mammalian predators, including mice, rats, mongooses, cats, dogs, and pigs”.
Additional management actions specifically to protect cultural resources from inadvertent disturbances and intentional looting, and to perpetuate cultural knowledge and practices are discussed by the authors: “This management plan was developed based on field visits and consultations with Kaʻū community members and kūpuna who are knowledgeable about the place, and with agencies and organizations involved in the management of resources specific to Kāwā.
“At Kāwā, there are numerous groups consisting of lineal and cultural descendants and community organizations that care deeply about Kāwā and have expressed interest in long-term stewardship of the place. These groups share common goals of restoring, caring for and protecting the natural and cultural resources. Some of the current activities by these groups include: maintenance of house sites by lineal and cultural descendants; vegetation maintenance and restoration work by Na Mamo o Kāwā, a local community group; and removal of invasive plant species at Kāwā Pond by Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund. These undertakings have also served as educational tools by involving and engaging the larger community and student groups”.

Kawa has long been a gathering place for Ka`u families.
Photo by Julia Neal

A large section of the report focuses on the wahi pana (sacred places), moʻolelo (stories), cultural practices, resources, and archaeology of the property. The authors write: “In addition to the diverse plants and animals present, the landscape at Kāwā is rich in cultural resources including burials, heiau, house sites and other archaeological features. More than 300 iwi, petroglyphs, and kōnane (board game) boards have been found at Kāwa.”
Appendix A, covering roughly 20 pages, presents the cultural historical significance of Kāwā through interviews and oral histories. The page-turning material is organized under headings such as “Value of Kāwā”, “Wahi Pana, Mo‘olelo, and Sense of Place”, “Vision”, “Cultural Resources”, “Cultural Practices”, “Natural Resources”, “Endangered Species”, and other headings. The authors of the report interviewed a wide range of Hawaiians who felt connected to the land and organized their thoughts, memories, opinions and stories into logical areas of concern.
The report also suggests nominating Kāwā as a Historic District to the State and National Historic Places registries. “Formalizing nominations to the Hawai‘i and/or the National Register of Historic Places may provide an additional layer of protection for archaeological sites,” write the authors.

Kawa is the most popular surf spot in Ka`u. Photo by Julia Neal

The final conclusion of the draft plan’s authors is that the success of the management plan hinges on “the County’s ability to strictly enforce rules and to maintain control of these lands, especially if human use is anticipated to increase in the future.
“Regarding on-going management of the land and water resources of Kāwā, as well as management of other PONC lands, it is recommended that a new Branch or Office within the County’s Finance Department be created to provide staff support for the PONC program, administer and manage the maintenance fund, and actively maintain and preserve lands and easements acquired by the PONC fund.
“Implementation of management strategies identified in this plan will require partnership amongst state and county agencies, community organizations, and lineal descendants to carry out many of the actions outlined. A collective effort is key to successfully execute the actions described in this plan, as it is a task beyond the capacity of just one organization or government agency,” concludes the authors of the draft resources management plan.

Public testimony is being accepted on paper and verbally at Wednesdays meeting. See the plan at http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/browse.aspx?dbid=1&startid=13770&cr=1

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

Thursday Night at the Center, Mar 16, 7 – 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Susan Scott and Wally Johnson present their book, Hawai`i’s Kolea, the Amazing Transpacific Life of the Pacific Golden-Plover. 967-8222

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Buffet, Fri, Mar 17, 5 – 8 p.m., Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Corned beef & cabbage, lamb stew, shepherd’s pie & more. $19 adults; $10 children 6 – 11 years. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356.

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