The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

"We won the Olympics!!!" tweeted Kripps, right, with teammate Alexander Kopacz, celebrating their Olympic gold
medal in two-man bobsleigh at PyeongChang Winter Olympics in Korea Monday morning. Photo fromJustin Kripps

IT'S AN OLYMPICS GOLD MEDAL FOR KAʻŪ-BORN JUSTIN KRIPPS in two-man bobsleigh. Kripps piloted the Canadian sled with teammate Alexander Kopacz Monday morning. They tied with Germany, and the two teams will share the gold. This is the second gold medal, ever, for Canada in Olympics two-man bobsleigh. Canada tied with Italy in 1998.
On Sunday, Kripps' team ended the first day of two runs just 0.10 seconds behind Germany. On Monday, the first race put Canada first with four other sleds within 0.13 seconds behind, creating an incredibly tight field. The fourth race saw the Kripps' sled fall behind at the start, then rally back to tie for gold. Canada and Germany each posted a total time of 3:16.86 over the course of the four runs.
Kripps comes and goes from Kaʻū, visiting family and friends, and enjoys pig hunting.

Justin Kripps right, with his teammate and the Germans, all
sharing the gold medal in two-man bobsleigh Sunday morning.
Photo from Team Canada twitter

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A NEW SPACE PORT PROPOSAL FOR KAʻŪ, THIS ONE IN MINIATURE, may be in the planning, possibly near Pohuʻe Bay, which is famous for its anchialine ponds, a remote sandy beach, and endangered hawksbill turtle nesting sites.
Scouts for a company in Sunnyvale, California, called SpinLaunch, are looking at Hawaiʻi Island as a possible space port. Unlike big space launch facilities with huge rockets, the SpinLaunch spaceport would use small technology to sling small packages into space. SpinLaunch is searching for about 8 acres with thousands of acres for a buffer around the prospective launch facility. SpinLaunch would send small satellites into space using a launch mechanism only about 20 feet long. The technology would drastically reduce the cost of sending up small packages, like tiny satellites the size of a dog carrier, and supplies for space stations.

SpinLaunch has approached legislators on Oʻahu to provide incentives for investors through authorizing $25 million in special purpose revenue bonds, to be sold to investors in exchange for tax-exempt interest. Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald writer Tom Callis reported on Sunday that Sen. Glenn Wakai of Oʻahu "visited the company's office in Sunnyvale, Calif., last October and described the launch mechanism under development as a centrifuge. He said he saw a 'very small scale version of it.'" The senator told the Tribune Herald that the SpinLaunch team contends that each launch would be no more noisy than a plane taking off.
According to the Tribune Herald story, Wakai described the model, saying, "It's like a big water tank with an arm on the end. The arm is like the rocket. It spins up to 5,000 miles per hour and launches out of a chute into space." The newspaper also quoted Waikai as saying the SpinLaunch idea is "very doable." He issued the bill in the senate for the funding.
Scouts from an unknown company came to Kaʻū during the last six months and looked at the 16,000 acres above Pohuʻe Bay. They have long been for sale, and eyed by Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and conservation organizations. Both the scouts and Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald report that other locations are also being considered.
See more in tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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VACATION HOME OWNERS ARE ON THE OUTLOOK AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE for bills that would restrict them, prevent them from representing themselves when renting their properties, and further tax them, according Rental By Owner Awareness Association.

Senate Bill 2963, around since 2015, "has mutated into something quite frightening," says a statement from RBOAA. The bill could make both AirBnB and the owner liable for all taxes, so that if AirBnB fails to remit the correct amount, the owner would be "potentially on the hook."
The bill would require AirBnB to provide details of: how many nights were rented; rates per night; and address, name and phone number of the local contact - and this information could be made available to the counties. The County of Honolulu has asked for this for years to help assure compliance with complex permitting, which requires all operators to provide proof of compliance with all zoning, land use and tax laws.

The bill also includes an amnesty program for those who have been lax with Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and zoning permits. RBOAA states, "We have been asking for this provision for year, so good to see it is finally on the table."

Concerning a provision in the bill to require owners to provide proof of compliance with tax and zoning laws, RBOAA has some questions. "How do you prove you are legal in every regard?" asks RBOAA. "The Counties have no system to accommodate this." Failure to comply with any tax or zoning law is considered a Class C Felony (more than one year in prison). The bill provides for seizure of the property and all income earned from operating a vacation rental. Finally, the bill allows counties to phase out all transient accommodation in any zone, for any reason.

"RBOAA is actively opposing this bill, but we need to warn you that the legislators want this bill to pass, and have cleared away a lot of procedural steps to ensure that it does go through. This bill has already cleared the Senate." It now goes to the House.

Another bill, SB2641, requires all local contacts to be real estate agents or brokers. RBOAA says, "This is the fight we fought a number of years ago. Frankly, we are surprised that the topic has returned."

Another bill affecting vacation rentals, SB2922, brought forward by Hawai‘i State Teachers Association, would enact a Constitutional Amendment to require the TAT to be increased, in order to fund education in the State of Hawai‘i. "We saw this one go right to the bitter end last year before ultimately failing, so that the TAT could be increased to pay for the Honolulurail system," states RBOAA. "It is hard to get a read on the support, or lack thereof, for this bill at the Legislature, but taxing visitors is politically popular in an election year as most of them don't vote."

A few more bills are being considered. One would change the way properties owned by non-residents are taxed upon sale. RBOAA states, "The original draft displayed a surprising lack of understanding as to how the tax system works and so is currently deep in re-writes. This one may not come back until next year."
Another bill would clarify that all amounts charged to transient vacation rental guests are subject to TAT. "It seems some hotels are charging a resort fee but not collecting tax on the resort fee," says RBOAA.
RBOAA closes their statement with: "We will continue to work with the legislators on your behalf and hopefully any legislation which does pass is fair and balanced. We have a pretty strong track record over the past six years."
For more, contact info@rboaa.orgor www.rboaa.org.

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Walk into the past with Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar
next month. Photo from National Park Service

A WALK INTO THE PAST WITH DR. THOMAS A. JAGGAR, supported by the Kīlauea Drama Entertainment Network, will take place three times in March, announces Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar founded the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in 1912.

The guided walk features actor-director Dick Hershberger, dressed in period costume in an effort to "bring the renowned geologist to life," states the event description.
"Dr. Jaggar" takes participants on a tour of his tiny lab located below the Volcano House to see original seismograph equipment and other early instruments. Learn what motivated Dr. Jaggar to dedicate his life to the study of Hawaiian volcanoes, and how his work helps save lives today.
To find out more about this living history program, visit the park website: nps.gov/hav /planyourvisit/walk _into_the_past.htm. To join the walk, meet at Kīlauea Visitor Center on Tuesdays, Mar. 6, 20, and 27, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. Each performance lasts about an hour.

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KOHALA CENTER'S RURAL AND COOPERATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES suggests a long list of opportunities:
● Hawai‘i-based food producers can register with the Hawai‘i Agriculture & Food Products Database at hawaiiagrproducts.hawaii.gov, which helps buyers all over the world to find suppliers. Free; read informational flyer or call Anissa Estrella at 973-9595 for assistance.
● Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Producers Cooperative is sourcing breadfruit to supply Hawai‘i Dept. of Education, to serve public schools statewide. Drop off locations are open in Hilo (Sweet Cane Café) and Kona (Honalō Marshaling Yard). Learn more online at eatbreadfruit.com/feed-the-keiki, or contact info@eatbreadfruit.com or 238-8869.

Breadfruit is a tropical superfood and a cooperative on this island
is looking for suppliers. Photo from NPR

● East-Hawai‘i Island Grant Resource Training & Policy Forum, presented by The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, in partnership with Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly and Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Saturday, Feb. 24, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center, 79 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo. Potential funding opportunities and how to prepare successful grant applications. Free. For more information, contact Cassandra Ohelo at info@hawaiiancouncil.org or 596-8155, or view/download flyer.
● USDA Women in Agriculture Initiative is a resource for women as they continue to rise to leadership roles on and off the farm. Visit newfarmers.usda.gov/women-in-ag to learn more.
● Learn how to use visual indicators to evaluate soil health and management practices. This short video by National Center for Appropriate Technology shows dramatic differences in aggregate stability, which result from different management practices of the exact same soil type.

For more information about services, upcoming events, microloan programs, and other resources, go to kohalacenter.org/business.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com
/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,
weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

TUESDAY, FEB. 20

BASKETBALL CAMP AT KAHUKU PARK IN HOVE, sponsored by Ocean View Baptist Church, open to keiki in grades 1-6, runs through Fri., Feb. 23, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Space is limited - register on Ocean View Baptist Facebook page or sign up at the park by calling Teresa Anderson at 929-9113.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 BY FEB. 20 FOR A PRESIDENT'S DAY STAR HANGING arts and crafts activity, Wed., Feb. 21, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Free; call Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY PAPER FLOWER CLASS from Feb. 20 to 27, for keiki grades K-8 Wed., Feb. 28, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102. For more about these and other recreation programs - hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEES MEET TUES., FEB. 20, with a full Council meeting taking place the following day, Wed., Feb. 21. Both meetings occur in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21

HAWAI‘I COUNTY FULL COUNCIL MEET WED., FEB. 21. Meetings occurs in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

THURSDAY, FEB. 22

KA‘Ū COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S COUNCIL meets at Punalu‘u Bake Shop Thurs., Feb. 22, from noon to 1 p.m. The council meets on the fourth Thursday of each month - ccco.k12.hi.us.

BASKETBALL CAMP AT KAHUKU PARK IN HOVE, sponsored by Ocean View Baptist Church, open to keiki in grades 1-6, runs through Fri., Feb. 23, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Space is limited - register on Ocean View Baptist Facebook page or sign up at the park by calling Teresa Anderson at 929-9113.

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY PAPER FLOWER CLASS through Feb. 27, for keiki grades K-8 Wed., Feb. 28, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at PāhalaCommunity Center. Call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102. For more about these and other recreation programs - hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

FRIDAY, FEB. 23

JOIN PARK RANGERS FOR COFFEE TALK, an informal conversation on a variety of topics. Fri., Feb 23, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., Kahuku Park, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Ka‘ū coffee, tea, and pastries available for purchase. Free - nps.gov/HAVO.

LAST DAY OF BASKETBALL CAMP AT KAHUKU PARK IN HOVE, sponsored by Ocean View Baptist Church, open to keiki in grades 1-6, Feb. 23, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Space is limited - register on Ocean View Baptist Facebook page or sign up at the park by calling Teresa Anderson at 929-9113.

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Fri., Feb. 23, 9 p.m., at Pāhoa Lava Shack; Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m., luau in Kona at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel courtyard; and Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

SATURDAY, FEB. 24

LA‘AU LAPA‘AU, BEGINNER LEVEL CLASS, at Ka‘ū District Gym, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 24. Free; to register or for more details, call 969-9220 and ask for the Traditional Health team - hmono.org to learn more about the organization.

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat, Feb 24, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. This moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit’s newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack for the talk story segment of this hike.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING is held Saturday, Feb. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy a free luncheon while learning about what's coming up for the organization, and be involved with the election of new board members. Luncheon is complimentary, registration is required; register and get more info at fhvnp.org/events/annual-membership-meeting-luncheon-2018/.

ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BONSAI AND HOW TO GROW THEM, with Sensei Bill Newton, Volcano Garden Arts, Saturday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. $36 per person per class, space is limited - 985-8979 or volcano
gardenarts.com.

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY PAPER FLOWER CLASS through Feb. 27, for keiki grades K-8 Wed., Feb. 28, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala
Community Center. Call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102. For more about these and other recreation programs - hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

14TH ANNUAL LOVE THE ARTS fundraiser gala at the Ni‘aulani Campus, Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets, and sponsorship and artist donation forms, online at volcanoartcenter.org, or in person at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus, Volcano Art Center Gallery, and Basically Books in Hilo - $55 per VAC member, $65 for non-members.

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m., luau in Kona at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel courtyard; and Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

SUNDAY, FEB. 25

Join a Sunday hike in Kahuku along Palm Trail. Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

TRAVERSE SCENIC PASTURES ALONG AN ANCIENT CINDER CONE, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer, Sunday, Feb. 25, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Moderately difficult, guided, 2.6-mile hike along the Palm Trail in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Free - nps.gov/HAVO.

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

MONDAY, FEB. 26

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY PAPER FLOWER CLASS through Feb. 27, for keiki grades K-8 Wed., Feb. 28, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at PāhalaCommunity Center. Call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102. For more about these and other recreation programs - hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

UPCOMING

SUPPORT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB locations at Pāhala and Ocean View by purchasing tickets and sponsoring persons to attend the annual Youth of the Year celebration, Friday, Mar. 2, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, in the Moku Ola Ballroom. For 66 years, its outreach to the Island has provided a safe and educational place for children after school.

To purchase tickets, contact Ka‘ū Boardmember Julia Neal at 928-9811 or mahalo@aloha.net. To purchase an ad in the Gala program, become a Gala sponsor, make a financial donation, or to donate an auction item, contact Gail Hamasu at 961-5536 or gail@bgcbi.org.

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Ranchers and farmers of Kaʻū sent in testimony to support state House Bill 2115, which calls for the state Department of
Labor and Industrial Relations to operate Agricultural Workforce Development in public schools. Above is Aikane
Plantation which raises cattle, horses and coffee, operated by Merle and Phil Becker. Phil is President of Kaʻū
Farm Bureau, and sent in supportive testimony. Photo from Kaʻū Coffee Festival

TRAINING IN AGRICULTURE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS is a bill in the Hawaiʻi Legislature and it goes to public hearing on Thursday. House Bill 2115 would appropriate funds to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for the operation of the K-l2 Agriculture Workforce Development Pipeline Initiative.

The bill was approved by the House Committee on Education and is headed for the Finance Committee. The hearing will be at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday at the State Capitol. See testimony on the bill already posted.

The average age of farmers in Hawaiʻi, like Merle and Phil Becker, is over 60. Ranchers and
coffee growers are calling for more training of young people. Photo from Aikane Plantation

Phil Becker, of Aikane Plantation between Pāhala and Nāʻālehu, is a Kaʻū Coffee farmer, rancher, and President of the Kaʻū Farm Bureau. He wrote that the average age of commercial farmers in Hawaiʻi is over 60. "We need a new generation of farmers and ranchers equipped to assume the task of growing crops and livestock. This is critical to achieving Hawaiʻi's goal of increased self-sufficiency and sustainability."

President of the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Randy Cabral, who owns a ranch here and retired from macadamia management in Kaʻū, pointed to the work of former state Chair of Agriculture, Russell Kokubun. Kokubun, who has farmed in Volcano, met with farmers, ranchers, educators, and other stakeholders. Cabral named the top theme of Kokubon's Hawaiʻi Agriculture Skill Panel Report as "increasing youth education and training." Cabral called the bill "an important step toward the future of agriculture in Hawaiʻi."

Scott Enright, Chair of the state Department of Agriculture, wrote supportive testimony and noted that the average age of farmers in Hawaiʻi is 63 year of age.

Corey Rosenlee, President of the state teachers union wrote, "We need to restore the balance in our public educational system in Hawaiʻi. Hawaiʻi's Career and Technical Education programs need to be expanded to provide greater opportunity to prepare young people to design their own futures." She

School gardens are seasonal on Kaʻū canoyses, like this one
for taro planting at Nāʻālehu in 2014. Photo by Nalani Parlin

called for "training on all islands for teachers and school administrators, and students in agricultural self-sufficiency." She also noted that there is a common misconception "that farming is a low-paying, low-skilled job." She urged "developing ideas for innovation that are critical components to the growth and expansion of the agricultural industry in Hawaiʻi."

John Cross who has managed agricultural start-ups in Kaʻū and local rancher Michelle Galimba also submitted testimony supporting the bill.

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Oʻahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, Maui County Farm Bureau, Kona Chapter Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United, Beyond Organic Consulting Inc., Hawaiʻi Crop Improvement Association, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United Farm Apprentice Mentoring Program, and numerous concerned individuals, support the measure.

To submit testimony, go to the Hawaiʻi Legislature portal.

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The HI-SEAS space travel experiment is expected to
resume on Mauna Loa. Photo from HI-SEAS

HI-SEAS SPACE TRAVEL SIMULATION, which began last week, has been postponed following minor injury to a crew member who spent several hours at Hilo Medical Center. According to University of Hawaiʻi, the dome at 8,300 feet on Mauna Loa will be inspected, and any repairs made, before the eight-month long isolation of crew members to simulate life on Mars and traveling in space will resume. See more on the HI-SEAS experiment on the Feb. 16 Kaʻū News Briefs.

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AN ALL HAZARDS PREPAREDNESS IMPROVEMENT ACTION PLAN was released Tuesday by Gov. David Ige and Brig. Gen. Kenneth Hara, Deputy Adjutant General of the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Defense. The plan was initiated by the governor's Executive Order, following the mistaken nuclear missile alert that put people in fear from Kaʻū to Niʻiahu on Saturday, Jan. 13. The forward to the report says the false alert "confused, angered, and panicked the public." The 38-minute delay in sending out the retraction "severely degraded the public's trust of the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Administration and the systems used to notify the public of impending dangers."

Read the report on the false nuclear missile alert and plan for
improvement to deal with all hazards.

According to Ige, the Action Plan reviews current emergency response systems, including notifications and warnings, and makes recommendations for improvement. "We are moving forward with a strategic vision that enables emergency managers in Hawaiʻi to identify gaps and vulnerabilities for handling all hazards. I’ll be asking the Legislature for more than $2 million right now to build capacity. It’s all about the safety and security of the people of Hawaiʻi," said the governor.

Hara called the plan "a roadmap for emergency management planners. It could be used as a guide to help reshape how emergency management is organized and how resources are prioritized and allocated to respond to any hazard efficiently and effectively."

A statement from the governor's office says the report focuses on: preparations for any disaster, not only ballistic missile threats; identifies the need to prepare a Strategic Plan for Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency and update the All Hazards Catastrophic Plan to include a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Annex; recommends including all emergency management stakeholders in the planning process to address gaps and vulnerabilities that exist today; and confirms and agrees with findings from the recent investigative report.

The statement notes that "a complete comprehensive annex or plan to address the Ballistic Missile Preparedness threats had not been fully developed prior to commencement of missile alert siren testing and internal missile alert drills, nor had a risk assessment been conducted." It says that there is "a misconception that Gov. Ige and other elected officials are primarily responsible for timely warning and notification. The responsibility to identify requirements for the existing alert system and rapid notification remained with HI-EMA."

The many communities involved in emergency preparedness are shown in the new
All Hazards Preparedness Improvement Action Plan.

The report says that the "State Warning Point's established Ballistic Missile Alert Checklist did not have a step to notify the HI-EMA Public Information Officer. The missing key step to notify the PIO contributed to the delay in rapidly informing the media and public." The investigative report also states that, "Observations point to the improper management of HI-EMA. HI-EMA senior leadership lacked awareness of personnel issues within the SWP."
The plan recommends the following: Conduct comprehensive review and assessment of organizational roles and performance; make needed improvements in technological capabilities; enforce current statutes and executive orders dealing with emergency management; develop and deliver training and education programs for the public, government leaders, and EM employees.

The report also recaps previous, worst-case threat analyses that would impact Hawaiʻi's response and recovery efforts to a catastrophic event. View the full report at http://dod.hawaii.gov/blog/news-release/fma-final-report/.

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The summit lava lake at Halema‘uma‘u Crater, which has been active since

March 19, 2008, is the focus of an After Dark in the Park presentation

on March 6. See story, right. Photo by Matt Patrick, USGS

THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF KĪLAUEA VOLCANO'S SUMMIT ERUPTION is the subject for After Dark in the Park on Tuesday, Mar. 6 at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The free presentation begins at 7 p.m. at the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium; park entrance fees apply.
March 19 marks the 10th anniversary of the volcanic vent that opened within Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea. During the past decade, the eruption has consisted of continuous degassing, occasional explosive events, and a fluctuating lava lake in an open crater that is now 640 ft. by 840 ft. in area, and still growing. Join USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Matt Patrick as he recounts the first 10 years of Kīlauea Volcano's ongoing summit eruption, including an overview of what scientists have learned from it, and the new techniques they use to monitor the lava lake and associated volcanic processes. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21

HAWAI‘I COUNTY FULL COUNCIL MEETS WED., FEB. 21. Meetings occurs in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

THURSDAY, FEB. 22

KA‘Ū COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S COUNCIL meets at Punalu‘u Bake Shop Thurs., Feb. 22, from noon to 1 p.m. The council meets on the fourth Thursday of each month - ccco.k12.hi.us.

FRIDAY, FEB. 23

JOIN PARK RANGERS FOR COFFEE TALK, an informal monthly conversation on a variety of topics. This month: Did you know Ka‘ū Forest Reserve is part of the largest and most intact expanse of native forest in the state? Long-time Ka‘ū resident and conservationist John Replogle will talk about its unique ecosystems and species, value as a watershed, impact of Hawaiian culture, and benefit as a public use area. Fri., Feb 23, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., Kahuku Park, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Ka‘ū coffee, tea, and pastries available for purchase. Free; occurs every last Friday of the month - nps.gov/HAVO.

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Fri., Feb. 23, 9 p.m., at Pāhoa Lava Shack; Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m., luau in Kona at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel courtyard; and Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

SATURDAY, FEB. 24

LA‘AU LAPA‘AU, BEGINNER LEVEL CLASS, at Ka‘ū District Gym, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 24. Free; to register or for more details, call 969-9220 and ask for the Traditional Health team - hmono.org to learn more about the organization.

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat., Feb. 24, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. This free, moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit’s newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack for the talk story segment of this hike.

Count humpbacks this weekend at four locations; see above for details. Photo from sanctuaries.noaa.gov

14TH ANNUAL LOVE THE ARTS fundraiser gala at the Ni‘aulani Campus, Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets, and sponsorship and artist donation forms, online at volcanoartcenter.org, or in person at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus, Volcano Art Center Gallery, and Basically Books in Hilo - $55 per VAC member, $65 for non-members.

SUNDAY, FEB. 25

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

HOVE Road Maintenance Monthly Meeting, Tue., Feb 27, 10 a.m., RMC Office in Ocean View. hoveroad.com, 929-9910.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY, Tue., Feb 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

TALES OF EARLY RANCHING IN HUMU‘ULA, Tue., Feb 27, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. Free, suggested donation of $2; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

UPCOMING

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The 16,355 acres above Pohuʻe Bay lands may be under consideration for a mini space launch facility. The real estate listing describes the property as the largest piece of land for sale across the state.
Sales price is $18 million. Photo from LuxuryBigIsland.com

LEGISLATION TO ISSUE $25 MILLION IN SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS to a company that wants to build a mini space port on Hawaiʻi Island goes to hearing Friday, Feb. 23, at 10 a.m., at the State Capitol. Senate Bill 2703, submitted by Sen. Glenn Wakai of O‘ahu on Jan. 19, "Authorizes the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds to assist SpinLaunch Inc., with the financing of the planning, design, and construction of a satellite launch system" on Hawai‘i Island. Apparently, one possible location is in Ka‘ū. The 16,455 acre Pohuʻe Bay property, for sale for $18 million, could be on the SpinLaunch radar. Submit testimony online for SB2703.

Harold Clarke, of Luxury Big Island, which represents the Pohuʻe Bay property owners, said Wednesday that he has heard for years of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park's interest in the property. He said others have shown interest, but not anyone representing themselves as SpinLaunch, itself.

Pohuʻe Bay is known as an endangered hawksbill turtle site,
and for its anchialine ponds. Photo by Peter Bosted

Luxury Big Island by Harold Clarke real estate company promotes Pohu‘e Bay lands on its website as a "true sanctuary" and the largest piece of land for sale in the state. The "crowning jewel" is the bay itself. "People come to Hawai‘i for several reasons: the beauty of the environment, the slower pace of life, the ability to be in your own world, the rich history." With six miles of southwest-facing Pacific Ocean frontage and private white-sand beach, lush greenery, expansive lava fields, rich marine ecosystem, and ancient cave drawings/petroglyphs, it is listed as "a once-in-a-lifetime oasis found south of the Kaʻū Forest Reserve and the Mauna Loa volcano." The listing targets resort investors or conservationists, more than an aerospace launching installation. Pohuʻe Bay is known for nesting of the endangered hawksbill turtle and also for its anchialine ponds.

In terms of its search for the right property, SpinLaunch states that it needs about eight acres, with thousands of acres around it as a buffer zone. The mechanics of the launch facilities are under wraps, as the company is still reportedly seeking patents, but the spaceport would use a launching mechanism only about 20 feet long, that would spin at more than 5,000 miles an hour, to sling small packages and satellites - about the size of a microwave oven - into low orbit.
The companion bill, House Bill 2559, introduced Jan. 24 solely by state Rep. Cindy Evans, who represents the other side of the island, reads similarly to the Senate bill.

The bills state the legislature finds that "support for the development of a small satellite launch system is in the public interest." It confirms that SpinLaunch proposes to construct an "electrical small satellite launch system on the Island of Hawaiʻi." And that the "issuance of special purpose revenue bonds to assist SpinLaunch Inc. in constructing a portion of its electrical small satellite launch system will make the development of such a system more economically feasible and provide numerous benefits." The bill names: the creation of "a market and a landmark for the first non-rocket based orbital launch technology in the world." The bill also states this would, "eliminate the need for chemical rocket fuel first stage propulsion and the resulting atmospheric pollution" and "reduce cost access to space and operating costs compared to conventional rocket launch programs."

The bills state SpinLaunch would use, "abundant, infinite, renewable energy resources - solar energy and regenerative braking - to provide electrical loading,""generate millions of dollars in construction project spending and create long-term technical jobs relating to the operation of the launch facility," and contribute to growth in the space industry in general.

While testimony for the state Senate can be submitted online for SB2703, the House of Representatives measure, HB2559 is yet to accept testimonies, as no hearing is scheduled.

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RECENT HEAVY RAINS DAMAGED THE SOLID WASTE TRANSFER STATION in Wai‘ōhinu. A portion of the retaining wall adjacent to the disposal chute was impacted. As a result, the county Solid Waste Division orders vehicles to keep away, and that users hand-carry refuse from vehicles to the disposal chute. Backing vehicles directly up to the disposal chute is prohibited until repairs are completed.
The Division is asking that users of this site not overload their trashbags, so that they are easier to carry, and to bag all greenwaste, so that it can be carried to the disposal chute.

A statement from Solid Waste says, "

Please pardon this temporary inconvenience," and the public is asked to take precautions when entering the Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station. "The Solid Waste Division would like to thank the public for their patience and kōkua during the construction and improvements taking place at the Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station."

The Division is in the process of bidding out for the construction of a new facility in Wai‘ōhinu. Construction is not expected to be completed for at least nine or ten months.

For additional information, call 961-8270 or email SWD@hawaiicounty.gov.

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OFF FOSSIL FUELS FOR A BETTER FUTURE ACT continues to gain momentum, as it has added 28 Congressional cosponsors and over 400 endorsements from clean energy, climate change, and environmental organizations, says co-sponsor Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
In a statement Wednesday, she said the OFF Act, H.R. 3671, is designed to develop a national 100 percent clean energy economy by 2035.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, for OFF Act, H.R. 3671.

"For too long, our nation has failed to take action on climate change, putting the future of our people and our planet in danger. This inaction has led to record-breaking sea levels that are eroding our infrastructure, rising ocean temperatures that are dramatically altering marine life and destroying our coral reefs, and exacerbating natural disasters. All people deserve to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and believe in the promise of a bright future. We must build upon the momentum growing at the federal, state, and local levels, and pass the OFF Act to end our addiction to fossil fuels and transition the country to a 100% clean energy economy by 2035. This bill lays the foundation for a just and economic pathway toward a cleaner, more secure future for all."
May Boeve, executive director of 350.ORG, notes that "'Keep it in the ground' has become a rallying cry for climate activists around the world. The OFF Act does exactly that: it keeps fossil fuels in the ground. In the fight to stop the greedy fossil fuel industry from wrecking our climate, seeing members of congress standing firmly on the side of 100% renewable energy gives our movement hope."
Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY) states, "It is imperative that the United States breaks its addiction to fossil fuels. Clean energy is a better economic investment in our future and will ensure families are healthy, safe, and secure for generations to come. I'm proud to join Rep. Gabbard's effort to keep fossil fuels in the ground and invest in renewable energy."
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) contends that, "Climate change is real. We can already see its effects on communities across the United States, and the Earth is rapidly approaching a tipping point that threatens global health and security. To protect our planet for today and for tomorrow, we must reduce carbon emissions and embrace a sustainable energy future. That's why I'm proud to co-sponsor the OFF Act, which puts our country on a pathway to replace fossil fuels with clean energy."

Photo from foodandwaterwatch.org

People's Action Institute deputy policy director Jessica Juarez Scruggs says, "Low income communities, communities of color and indigenous communities have paid the biggest price for pollution, for the climate crisis and for decades of disinvestment. The Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act is an important step forward because it takes bold action that will help the hardest hit communities: creating good jobs, ending fossil fuel extraction, cleaning up our communities and setting us on the path to a clean energy future we can all share."
Jean Ross, RN, co-president of National Nurses United, says her organization applauds members of Congress who have cosponsored the Off Fossil Fuels for a Healthy Future Act, HR 3671. "As registered nurses, we see the negative health consequences of pollution and climate injustice when we care for patients at the bedside. We must act immediately to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels and slow the warming climate and environmental pollution that is threatening our patients. We urge every member of Congress to stand with us to protect patients, our communities, and our planet."
Donna Smith of Progressive Democrats of America says, "The science is clear. There is no time to spare. We must move decisively to protect the planet through healthy energy policy. The Off Fossil Fuels For a Healthy Future Act, HR3671, sets the course forward by assuring that by 2035 we will rely on renewable energy sources. Progressive Democrats of America strongly urges Congressional members to stand on the side of science, health, and the well-being of future generations."
Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, states, "The OFF Act is the only legislation that prioritizes both environmental justice and a swift transition away from fossil fuels on a timeline that will give us a fighting chance to avoid runaway climate chaos. We applaud these members of Congress who share Rep. Gabbard's vision for tackling the greatest threat we face, even if it is a poke in the eye to the powerful fossil fuel industry."
Those who want to be involved, can look here. Read the whole bill here.

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Learn about Kainani Kahuanaele, five time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award
winner, in Volcano during a "talk story" moderated by Desiree Moana Cruz
during Hula Voices on Mar. 1. Photo from Volcano Art Center

VOLCANO ART CENTER'S HULA VOICES FEATURES KAINANI KAHAUNAELE, five time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner, on Thursday, Mar. 1, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., held at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Kahaunaele is passionate about all things Hawaiian, working primarily through Hawaiian language revitalization and music. Her solo CD recordings, Naʻu ʻOe (2003) and ʻŌhai ʻUla (2010), feature mostly original compositions of Hawaiian poetry that have made their way into the repertoire of many fellow musicians, hālau hula, and music enthusiasts around the world. She is a teacher of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, music, and haku mele (composing) at Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language and Literature at UH Hilo. She is a wife, and mother of three budding musicians.

Desiree Moana Cruz moderates Hula Voices Mar. 1. Photo from gohawaii.com

Hula Voices, moderated by Desiree Moana Cruz, features engaging, intimate “talk story” sessions with Hawai‘i's hula practitioners. Hear from kumu hula, musicians, long time haumana (students) and artisans, whose lives are centered around the practice of hula and its associated arts. Join Volcano Art Center for an engaging, informative, and fun hour as they share their hula genealogy, including the traditions, protocols, experiences, inspirations for songs, chants, and Hawaiian choreography based in antiquity.
Hula Voices is supported in part by a grant from the County of Hawai‘i, Dept. of Research and Development and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

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‘IMILOA ASTRONOMY CENTER CELEBRATES TWELFTH ANNIVERSARY with a free birthday pā‘ina open to the public on Sunday, Feb. 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ‘Imiloa is "a world-class center for informal science education," located on the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo campus. Its centerpiece is a 12,000 sq. ft. exhibit hall, showcasing astronomy and Hawaiian culture as parallel journeys of human exploration, guided by the light of the stars. The visitor experience is amplified with programming using ‘Imiloa's full-dome planetarium, and 9 acres of native landscape gardens. The center welcomes approximately 100,000 visitors each year, including 10,000+ schoolchildren on guided field trips and other educational programs.
A statement from ‘Imola says the theme of the pā‘ina, Celebrating ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i, will feature "exciting outdoor and indoor activities for the entire ‘ohana, centered around the theme of Hawaiian Language. ‘Imiloa is thrilled to team up with organizations from across the island to share Hawaiian language and practices of Hawaiian culture that thrive in our community. ‘Imiloa is very grateful to KTA Super Stores for sponsoring this event and allowing the center to be open free of charge for this fun filled day!"
Birthday offerings will include free birthday cake to the first 1,000 visitors, scavenger hunts, hula lessons, games, native garden activities, engaging activities in ‘Imiloa's exhibit hall, special shows for family and kids in the planetarium, science explorations, various displays and activities hosted by community partners, such as UH Hilo College of Hawaiian Language, Maunakea Observatories and much more. KTA Super Stores will offer a food tent with "‘ono food and beverage options" available for purchase throughout the day.
"It is ‘Imiloa's hope that everyone who visits the Center during this special Birthday Pā‘ina will leave having learned new Hawaiian words, the names of native plants and more about Hawai‘i's rich culture. As a bilingual center, ‘Imiloa strives to share our ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian Language) with both visitors and locals alike through our exhibits, interactions and programming. We're thrilled to observe our 12th year of exploration at ‘Imiloa with the theme of ‘Celebrating ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i’ - which is dedicated to recognizing and honoring Hawaiian Language," says Ka‘iu Kimura, Executive Director of ‘Imiloa. "'We send our warmest mahalo to KTA Super Stores for sponsoring ‘Imiloa's 12th Birthday Celebration. KTA Super Stores continues to play a significant role in supporting ‘Imiloa's cultural and educational outreach, and has been a huge supporter from the very beginning."

‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, at UH Hilo Science and Technology Park.

"Happy 12th Birthday ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center! Twelve years of ground-breaking, cutting-edge discoveries have enriched our Hawai‘i island community and inspired generations of explorers and innovators," says Toby Taniguchi, President and Chief Operating Officer of KTA Super Stores. "KTA Super Stores is delighted to support such an advanced and state-of-the-art center focused on life-long learning."
As a special birthday gift to the community and for one day only, ‘Imiloa will be offering $10 off all levels of membership, both for new and renewing members. This will be reserved for memberships purchased on-site on Sunday, February 25. Current members are welcome to take advantage of this discount and renew their memberships early. ‘Imiloa is located at 600 ‘Imiloa, at the UH Hilo Science and Technology Park. For more information, visit ImiloaHawaii.org, follow ‘Imiloa's Facebook, or call 932-8901.

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A FREE KA‘Ū MEET-AND-GREET CANCER SUPPORT EVENT, sponsored by Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi, will be this Saturday, Feb. 24, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Ka‘ū District Gym in Pāhala. The organization invites the public to come talk story with other cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers, and meet members of Mālama Ka Pili Paʻa - the Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi cancer support group established in 2011. For more details call 969-9220.

HUI MĀLAMA OLA NĀ ‘ŌIWI ANNOUNCES A GROW YOUR OWN LA‘AU CLASS, presented by Matthew Kaho‘ohanohano, to take place, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 24, at Ka‘ū District Gym in Pāhala. The free two hour class focuses on teaching participants how to grow plants beneficial to ones health, such as olena, lemongrass, mamaki, and others. To sign-up, visit HMONO.org/classes or call 808-969-9220.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

THURSDAY, FEB. 22

KA‘Ū COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S COUNCIL meets at Punalu‘u Bake Shop Thurs., Feb. 22, from noon to 1 p.m. The council meets on the fourth Thursday of each month - ccco.k12.hi.us.

FRIDAY, FEB. 23

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Fri., Feb. 23, 9 p.m., at Pāhoa Lava Shack; Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m., luau in Kona at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel courtyard; and Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

SATURDAY, FEB. 24

SANCTUARY OCEAN HUMPBACK WHALE COUNT, Sat., Feb 24, 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; arrive 30 min. prior for orientation. Four locations near/in Ka‘ū: Miloli‘i Lookout, Ka Lae Park, Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park, and Ka‘ena Point - hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov for directions; park entrance fees apply. Bring sun protection, water, snacks, and a cushion to sit on. Pre-registration required: sanctuaryoceancount.org.

LA‘AU LAPA‘AU, BEGINNER LEVEL CLASS, at Ka‘ū District Gym, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 24. Free; to register or for more details, call 969-9220 and ask for the Traditional Health team - hmono.org to learn more about the organization.

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat., Feb. 24, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. This free, moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit’s newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack for the talk story segment of this hike.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING is held Saturday, Feb. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy a free luncheon while learning about what's coming up for the organization, and be involved with the election of new board members. Luncheon is complimentary, registration is required; register and get more info at fhvnp.org/events/annual-membership-meeting-luncheon-2018/.

ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BONSAI AND HOW TO GROW THEM, with Sensei Bill Newton, Volcano Garden Arts, Saturday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. $36 per person per class, space is limited - 985-8979 or volcano gardenarts.com.

SUNDAY, FEB. 25

TRAVERSE SCENIC PASTURES ALONG AN ANCIENT CINDER CONE, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer, Sunday, Feb. 25, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Moderately difficult, guided, 2.6-mile hike along the Palm Trail in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Free - nps.gov/HAVO.

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST is Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

TALES OF EARLY RANCHING IN HUMU‘ULA,
event details to the left. Photo from nps.org/Peter Mills

HOVE Road Maintenance Monthly Meeting, Tue., Feb 27, 10 a.m., RMC Office in Ocean View. hoveroad.com, 929-9910.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY, Tue., Feb 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

TALES OF EARLY RANCHING IN HUMU‘ULA, Tue., Feb 27, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. Free, suggested donation of $2; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

KUPU, HAWAIʻI YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS SUMMER PROGRAM open to young adults 17 and up; deadline to apply Wed., Feb. 28. Kupu program lasts seven weeks, during June and July, is 40 hours per week. For info and to apply: http://www.kupuhawaii.org/hycc-summer/.

HFS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM open to Big Island seniors planning for a two or four-year degree at a College, University, or Vocational-Technical school in the 2018-19 academic. Applications due Wed., Feb. 28, available at hfsfcu.org/news/2018Scholarship or at any branch location: Kea‘au, Hilo, and Kona.

LEI HAKU, a method of lei making that involves braiding materials into a base of leaves, has been announced by Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park as part of the ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. The free demonstration takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the KīlaueaVisitorCenter lānai. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

NOMINATIONS FOR COUNTY ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY through the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission, due Wednesday, Feb. 28, no later than 4:30 p.m.Download application here, then email to the Commission Secretary, Maxine Cutler, at maxine.cutler@hawaiicounty.gov.

UPCOMING

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Wisdom the Laysan albatross, the world's oldest known breeding wild bird, hatched a new chick, with mate Akeakamai, on Midway Atoll, February 6. See full story, below. Photo by B. Peyton/USFWS

PRES. DONALD TRUMP'S recently released budget "is yet another attempt to fund massive tax breaks for the rich at the expense of our struggling families. But Congress is responsible for making these decisions, not the President," says Sen. Brian Schatz, in a statement to constituents this week.

Sen. Brian Schatz

"As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue fighting to protect programs that make our communities stronger, but I cannot do it alone. We need a Congress that will stand up to Trump's cruel budge proposal," proclaimed Schatz, pointing to his opposition to Trump for:

● Slashing Medicaid by $1.4 trillion dollars.

● Cutting $17 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps low income families afford groceries.

● Eliminating the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

"The federal budget is a moral document that showcases our values as a country. So, when Trump releases a budget that takes food, housing, education, and health care away from the poor and middle class families, he is sending a clear message that this administration only cares about the wealthiest people in this country," said the Senator.

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Sen. Mazie Hirono talks story with clients who have benefited

from HealthCenterservices. Photo from Hirono

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO BACKS AMERICORPS AND SENIOR CORPS, after visiting health care workers in Hawawi`i this week. She said the experience reinforced her advocacy for funding for CommunityHealthCenters and the Corporation for National and Community Service, which administers AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs. AmeriCorps provides teachers to Ka‘ū's public schools.

"AMERICORPS AND SENIOR CORPS SERVICES are important to schools and health care centers; critical federal funding is needed to continue providing services to communities across Hawai‘i," Sen. Mazie Hirono stated on Thursday.

Derrick Ariyoshi, Hawai‘i State Program Director for the Corporation for National & Community Service, said, "In Hawai‘i, we are proud that more than 2,300 people of all ages and background have committed themselves to national service programs like AmeriCorps and Senior Corps. The DNA and footprint of their service can be found in the many efforts to address Hawai‘i's most pressing community issues such as housing, kupuna services, food security, education, and healthcare accessibility. In this, we appreciate and value the support of Senator Hirono to find innovative community solutions utilizing the talents and passions of our citizens."

Sen. Mazie Hirono with health care workers. Photo from Hirono

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WISDOM, THE WORLD'S OLDEST MOTHER BIRD, welcomed a new chick on Feb. 6, after she and her mate Akeakami incubated the egg for about two months, says a statement from NOAA. The 67-year-old Laysan albatross and her mate live on Midway Atoll in the Northern Hawaiian Islands.

NOAA and partners manage Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, at the far northern end of the Hawaiian archipelago. Midway provides a critical nesting habitat for three million birds, including the largest albatross colony in the world, and the most successful breeding colony for black-footed albatross, Phoebastria nigripes, and Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis. Thirty-six percent of all black-footed albatross and 73 percent of all Laysan albatross, as well as the endangered short-tailed albatross, Phoebastria albatrus, return to the atoll to breed in late October, and by the end of November, nearly every available nesting space on Midway Atoll is claimed by a breeding pair. A single egg is laid, and incubated for a little over two months. After the chick hatches, it will still be another five months before it will leave the nest. In that time, Wisdom and her mate, like all albatross parents, take turns incubating the egg or caring for the chick, while the other forages for food at sea.

Wisdom and her newest chick. Photo credit L. Sullivan/USFWS

Wisdom has successfully raised at least 30-36 albatross chicks over the course of her life. Because Laysan albatross don't lay eggs every year, and raise only one chick at a time when they do, the contribution of one bird to the population makes a huge difference. Wisdom's recent addition has expanded her albatross family and contributes to the continued health of the Laysan albatross population overall.

"Midway Atoll's habitat doesn't just contain millions of birds, it contains countless generations and families of albatrosses," said Kelly Goodale, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge Biologist. "If you can imagine when Wisdom returns home she is likely surrounded by what were once her chicks and potentially their chicks. What a family reunion!"

"Laysan albatross and other seabirds depend on the habitat protected by Midway Atoll and other remote Pacific wildlife refuges," said Bob Peyton, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge Manager for Midway Atoll Refuge and Memorial. "Albatross invest an enormous amount of resources to raise their chicks. (They) choose Midway as their home because it's a safe place. Thanks to the hard work of staff and volunteers, we are restoring the native habitat that the birds need for nesting sites, ensuring a future for these seabirds."

Midway Atoll is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Papahānaumokuākea is cooperatively managed to ensure ecological integrity and achieve strong, long-term protection and perpetuation of NorthwesternHawaiianIslandecosystems, Native Hawaiian culture, and heritage resources, for current and future generations. Four co-trustees - the Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior, State of Hawai‘i and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs - protect this place, the first mixed (natural and cultural) UNESCO World Heritage Site in the United States, inscribed in July 2010. For more information, visit www.papahanaumokuakea.gov. For photos and video, visit https://goo.gl/6vZMP9or https://goo.gl/r5Jx7N. For more details and shareable social media about Wisdom, visit https://goo.gl/qwcgCt. To learn more about Midway Atoll, visit https://www.fws.gov/refuge/midway_atoll/.

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A PRARIE HOME COMPANION REPLACEMENT ON PUBLIC RADIO, heard in Ka‘ū on HPR-1 at 89.1 FM will be American Routes, beginning Saturday, March 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The two-hour weekly program presents a broad range of American music - blues and jazz, gospel and soul, old-time country and rockabilly, Cajun and zydeco, Tejano and Latin, roots rock and pop, avant-garde and classical. For the last 20 years, it has been hosted and produced by Nick Spitzer, a folklorist and a professor of anthropology and American studies at TulaneUniversity.

On March 3, New Sounds, another Sunday evening program currently on HPR-2, at 91.3 FM, billed as "weird and wonderful music from artists, composers and traditional musicians - all gleefully oblivious of their genres," will migrate to HPR-1 aT 89.1 FM (Saturdays, midnight).

Updated program schedules are available online and for download at hawaiipublicradio.org.

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FREE LEGAL SERVICES FOR SENIORS are available through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i's Kōkua Kupuna Project, at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View, on the last Wednesday of every month, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Feb. 28 is the next upcoming event. Those who are 60 years and older seeking free legal services should contact Hawai‘i County Office of Aging at 961-8626, Monday through Friday, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to obtain a referral.

All others seeking legal services from Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i should call their intake line on O‘ahu at 1-800-499-4302, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Paralegal Tahisha Depontes of Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i says, "Most common legal assistance we provide is helping our Kupuna prepare an Advance Health Care Directive, Durable Financial Power of Attorney, and Simple Wills. In a lot of cases, especially in remote areas like Ka‘ū or Miloli‘i, transportation is a major issue and individuals are not able to make it in to our Kona or Hilo office. To make access to justice possible for these individuals we are able to offer home visits. Legal Aid has offices in both Hilo and Kona and offers coverage throughout the entire island.
"This program is ongoing. We also do a monthly outreach in Ocean View… where seniors are able to come and ask us questions and inquire about services. We do many other outreaches throughout the island and are always looking for events in which we can participate and let individuals know about our services."
She added that a goal her legal agency would like to achieve this year "would be reaching those in very remote areas like Ocean View, Ka‘ū, Miloli‘i, and Volcano, and servicing those in need who just don't realize that help is available."
The Kōkua Kupuna Project is funded by Weinberg Hawai‘i County Senior Legal Services Project and Federal Title III Funding.
Those seeking more information may also call Depontes directly by emailing tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org or by calling 329-3910 ext. 925.

Take an oil painting class with Steve Irvine.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

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BIG ISLAND ARTIST STEVE IRVINE OFFERS AN INTRODUCTION TO OIL PAINTING WORKSHOP at Volcano Art Center on Saturday, Mar. 3. Irvine is the featured artist at Volcano Art Center Gallery's current exhibit, Tī and Seas., which is open at the gallery through March 25, during gallery hours. The class, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., includes Irvine’s unique orange undercoating technique that gives his vivid oil works their “glow from within,” says the event description.
Basic artistic concepts including color, composition and contrast will be discussed before students embark on their own oil painting. The class fee is $55 for VAC members and $55 for non-members. Class supplies must be provided by the student and a full list will be provided upon registration. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.
To date, Irvine has received twelve awards in recognition of his artistic merits. To read more about him, visit Feb. 7 Ka‘ū News Briefs.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

BASKETBALL CAMP AT KAHUKU PARK IN HOVE, sponsored by Ocean View Baptist Church, open to keiki in grades 1-6, runs through tomorrow, Fri., Feb. 23, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Space is limited - register on Ocean View Baptist Facebook page or sign up at the park by calling Teresa Anderson at 929-9113.

FRIDAY, FEB. 23

JOIN PARK RANGERS FOR COFFEE TALK, an informal monthly conversation on a variety of topics. This month: Did you know Ka‘ū Forest Reserve is part of the largest and most intact expanse of native forest in the state? Long-time Ka‘ū resident and conservationist John Replogle will talk about its unique ecosystems and species, value as a watershed, impact of Hawaiian culture, and benefit as a public use area. Fri., Feb 23, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., Kahuku Park, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Ka‘ū coffee, tea, and pastries available for purchase. Free; occurs every last Friday of the month - nps.gov/HAVO.

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Fri., Feb. 23, 9 p.m., at Pāhoa Lava Shack; Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m., luau in Kona at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel courtyard; and Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

SATURDAY, FEB. 24

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat., Feb. 24, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. This free, moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit’s newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack for the talk story segment of this hike.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING is Saturday, Feb. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy a free luncheon while learning about what's coming up for the organization, and be involved with the election of new board members. Luncheon is complimentary, registration is required; register and get more info at fhvnp.org/events/annual-membership-meeting-luncheon-2018/.

ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BONSAI AND HOW TO GROW THEM, with Sensei Bill Newton, Volcano Garden Arts, Saturday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. $36 per person per class, space is limited - 985-8979 or volcano gardenarts.com.

SUNDAY, FEB. 25

‘IMOLAASTRONOMYCENTER 12TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Sun., Feb. 25, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 600 ‘Imiloa, at the UH Hilo Science and TechnologyPark. For more information, visit ImiloaHawaii.org, follow ‘Imiloa's Facebook, or call 932-8901.

TRAVERSE SCENIC PASTURES ALONG AN ANCIENT CINDER CONE, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer, Sunday, Feb. 25, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Moderately difficult, guided, 2.6-mile hike along the Palm Trail in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Free - nps.gov/HAVO.

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

HOVE Road Maintenance Monthly Meeting, Tue., Feb 27, 10 a.m., RMC Office in Ocean View. hoveroad.com, 929-9910.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY, Tue., Feb 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

TALES OF EARLY RANCHING IN HUMU‘ULA, Tue., Feb 27, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. Free, suggested donation of $2; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

KUPU, HAWAIʻI YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS SUMMER PROGRAM open to young adults 17 and up; deadline to apply Wed., Feb. 28. Kupu program lasts seven weeks, during June and July, is 40 hours per week. For info and to apply: http://www.kupuhawaii.org/hycc-summer/.

HFS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM open to BigIsland seniors planning for a two or four-year degree at a College, University, or Vocational-Technical school in the 2018-19 academic. Applications due Wed., Feb. 28, available at hfsfcu.org/news/2018Scholarship or at any branch location: Kea‘au, Hilo, and Kona.

LEI HAKU, a method of lei making that involves braiding materials into a base of leaves, has been announced by Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park as part of the ‘Ike Hana No‘eau"Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. The free demonstration takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the KīlaueaVisitorCenter lānai. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

NOMINATIONS FOR COUNTY ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY through the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission, due Wednesday, Feb. 28, no later than 4:30 p.m.Download application here, then email to the Commission Secretary, Maxine Cutler, at maxine.cutler@hawaiicounty.gov.

THURSDAY, MARCH 1

VETERAN'S CENTER AND VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thurs., March 1 & 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon, OceanViewCommunity Center. No appointment needed to visit with VA counselor and benefit specialist. Contact Matthew at 329-0574 - ovcahi.org.

STEWARDSHIP OF KῙPUKAPUAULU takes place every Thursday in March: 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Participants meet at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11, at 9:30 a.m.Volunteers should bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat and water; wear closed-toe shoes. Clothing may be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

ARTS AND CRAFTS: GIRL'S DAY HEADBANDS, Fri., March 2, 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Register until Mar 1. KahukuPark, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Free; for ages 6 to 12. Teresa Anderson, 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

UPCOMING

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

TŪTŪ AND ME IS HIRING two people. Due to the growth of both Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu, there are now two openings - one full-time, one part-time on-call - for teachers to join the team. The minimum qualifications include: High School diploma; ECE or related course work and/or experience working with children; vehicle with minimum coverage. See pidfoundation.org/employment for more details. To apply, email resume to HR@pidfoundation.org or fax to 440-6619.

TŪTŪ AND ME OFFERS HOME VISITS to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 646-9634.

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Hawaiian Monk Seal, relaxing on the shore. Plastics in the ocean can negatively affect all ocean life, from
the smallest microbes, to larger predatory mammals, like this seal. See story, below. Photo by Julia Neal

KAʻŪ LEARNING ACADEMY'S FUTURE remains under consideration by the Hawaiʻi State Public Charter School Commission, following its special meeting held on Friday in Honolulu. Three Kaʻū Learning Academy board members - Doug Flaherty, Jack Richard, and Kailani Toriano - spoke to the commission through remote access. They described the startup challenges of the school, and sought to keep the school open.

Late last year, the Commission issued a notice of possible revocation of the charter for the school, noting accounting irregularities, which the school administration, and its auditors, accountants, and board, promised to repair. In addition, a former teacher recently listed allegations of deficiencies in the school building regarding restrooms, electrical supply and wiring, and the open air nature of some classrooms. The school occupies the old Discovery Harbour Golf Course Clubhouse. According to Managing Director Joe Iacuzzo, improvements are being made as the young school progresses, with the hiring of electrical contractors and building contractors to constantly improve the facility and ensure its safety.

Another consideration is composition of the school board, whether some members are related to employees, and whether some board members have been contracted to work at the school. One board member speaking to the commission on Friday asked for an exemption from that rule, given the small size of the community. State charter school rules allow for no more than a third of board members to have family or work ties to the school.
On Friday, the Commission decided to postpone any decision-making on the future of the school.

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Justin Kripps, front, with his four-man bobsleigh team.
Photo from Summerland Review

KRIPPS IN FOURTH AFTER SECOND OF FOUR FOUR-MAN RUNS; will have final two races tomorrow, at 2:30 p.m. and 3: 40 p.m., HST, after which the medals will be awarded.
In the pilot's seat again, Kaʻū-born Justin Kripps, running bobsleigh for Canada, is riding high off a gold medal in two-man, though sadness was in his mind due to the recent passing of his grandmother. He dedicated the races to her.
Kripps' team is currently 0.58 seconds behind first, in fourth place, with two German teams and one South Korean team ahead.

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Paleontologist Dr. Ken Lacovara - recognized for discoveries of the largest dinosaurs ever unearthed - shows the bones
of Dreadnaughtus, a giant fossil he discovered in Argentina. At right, he shows KLA founder Kathryn Tydlacka a smaller
fossil. On April 22nd, Lacovara will lead students on a fossil hunt. See story, below. Photo from KLA

A FUNDRAISER FOR KAʻŪ LEARNING ACADEMY will be tomorrow, Saturday, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., on the school campus at the old Discovery Harbour Golf Course Clubhouse. Billed as a Gilligan's Night - with pizza, lasagna, chicken parmigiana, beer, and wine - it will include live entertainment by Tiger and Solomon. School administrator Kathryn Tydlacka will make a presentation on an upcoming trip for ten students to San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. in April.

The trip includes meeting Sen. Mazie Hirono in her D.C. office, and visiting a paleontologist, Dr. Ken Lacovara, who is recognized for discoveries of the largest dinosaurs ever unearthed. On April 22, Lacovara will lead the students on a fossil hunt at the Edelman Fossil Park, at Rowan University in New Jersey. Considered one of the most important fossil sites in the United States, it was discovered by Lacovara in 2008.

"KLA students and the community have worked very hard fundraising for the trip and want to thank the Kaʻū community for the support they have shown," said KLA Managing Director Joe Iacuso. See more at the KLA website.

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PICKING UP PLASTICS FROM THE KA‘Ū COAST HELPS SAVE SEALS and other marine life. This statement is backed by a new study, published in the latest Journal of Environmental Pollution. The new evidence shows that plastics can make it all the way from tiny particles in the ocean, up the food chain - through trophic transfer - to ocean-going mammals, like the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal.

The study, conducted by British researchers, demonstrates that microplastics can transfer from tiny plastic particles in the oceans, through fish, to larger fish and mammals, to top marine predators. The scientists studied 31 captive seals, feeding them fish from the sea, and finding that a third of the same kind of fish contained pieces of plastic one to two millimeters long, and that had ended up in their stomachs. About half the seals had the same side plastics in their excrement. The next step in controlled studies is to determine whether the plastics are absorbed and are held in tissues and blood, in the same way that mercury and other chemical pollutants can be transferred up the food chain.

Read the study from the Journal of Environmental Pollution.

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A SLOW SLIP EARTHQUAKE IS PREDICTED TO OCCUR WITHIN A YEAR at Kīlauea Volcano, according to this week's Volcano Watch. Written by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geophysicist Ingrid Johanson, the article begins with a question: When will the next slow slip event happen on Kīlauea Volcano's south flank? As a hint, the last one was in October 2015, and before then, events occurred in May 2012, February 2010, and June 2007. If this seems like a pattern, that's right.

What is a "slow slip event," anyway?

Slow slip events are sometimes called "slow earthquakes" or "episodic slip events." They happen when a fault begins sliding, just like in a regular earthquake, but so slowly that it takes several days to finish instead of several seconds.

At Kīlauea, slow earthquakes occur on the nearly flat-lying décollement fault that underlies the volcano's south flank at a depth of 4 to 5 miles. This is the same fault that was responsible for the magnitude-7.7 Kalapana earthquake in 1975.

Black arrows indicate the amount and direction of motion measured by GPS

stations in HVO's monitoring network during the October2015 slow slip event.

Arrow lengths correspond to the amount of motion at each station (see scale

at bottom of map); arrow points show the direction the stations moved. Color

indicates topography, from sea level (green) to 4,000 feet elevation (brown).

The ocean is shown in blue. USGS graphic

However, slow earthquakes produce no seismic waves and, therefore, none of the damaging shaking of a regular earthquake. Because of this, volcano experts actually look forward to them. They help relieve a small amount of stress on the fault, and give a view into frictional properties of this hazardous fault beneath Kīlauea.

Motion of Kīlauea's south flank is recorded by the USGS HVO's Global Positioning System monitoring network. These instruments show that the south flank moves steadily seaward about 2.3 inches every year, which is attributed to a phenomenon called "fault creep."

During a slow earthquake, the south flank surges seaward by an additional amount, usually about 1.2 inches. This additional motion occurs over 2 to 3 days, and is about the same amount that would happen in a regular magnitude-6 earthquake.

Kīlauea slow slip events tend to occur evenly in time; in particular, events after 2005 have occurred every 2.5 years, give or take 3 months. They are also caused by slip on the same section of the fault every time, and tend to be about the same size.

In fact, Kīlauea slow slip events are examples of so-called "characteristic" earthquakes - a series of several earthquakes of similar magnitude and location, which indicates that they are breaking the exact same part of the fault again and again. According to the "characteristic earthquake hypothesis," this series should continue into the future, allowing scientists to forecast the time, location, and size of a future earthquake.

The characteristic earthquake hypothesis was originally developed in hope that it could predict regular, and possibly damaging, earthquakes. This idea emerged from observations of a series of earthquakes that seemed to strike about every 22 years near the town of Parkfield, California. After earthquakes in 1857, 1881, 1901, 1922, 1934, and 1966, all of which occurred as magnitude-6 events in the same part of the San Andreas fault, scientists predicted the next earthquake would occur in 1988.

Photo of part of likely area of movement, from the ocean. Photo from USGS.gov

As it turned out, the next Parkfield earthquake did not occur until 2004, 16 years after the predicted date. However, even though the characteristic earthquake hypothesis wasn't successful at predicting a regular earthquake, it has been useful for forecasting the occurrence of slow slip events around the world.

Locations where recurring, predictable slow slip events happen include the Cascadia Subduction zone, offshore of Washington and Oregon. This fault produces slow slip events equivalent to a magnitude-6.7 earthquake every 15 months. In Japan, on the subduction zone along the Nankai Trough, major slow slip events occur approximately every 7 years and are equivalent to magnitude-7 earthquakes.

Because the most recent slow slip event on Kīlauea happened in October 2015, and the events have a recurrence time of 2.5 years (give or take 3 months), we can forecast that the next one might occur between now and August 2018. But remember, there won't be any shaking or other effect that could be easily felt by individuals.

Keep an eye on HVO's monitoring networks and website

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/ to know when the next slow slip event happens on Kīlauea. Call for summary updates at 967-8862 (Kīlauea) or 967-8866 (Mauna Loa). Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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Learn how to play ‘ukulele with Wes Awana on the porch

of Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes

National Park on Mar. 2. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

‘UKULELE WITH WES AWANA is featured at Volcano Art Center’s Mar. 2 Aloha Friday cultural demonstration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the VAC Gallery porch.

Volcano area musician Awana shares his love of ‘ukulele and Hawaiian music by giving family-friendly lessons on the iconic and inviting ‘ukulele.
The free weekly cultural event, Aloha Friday, is supported in part by a grant from the County of Hawai‘i, Dept. of Research and Development and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. Free; park entrance fees apply.
For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

SATURDAY, FEB. 24

ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BONSAI AND HOW TO GROW THEM, with Sensei Bill Newton, Volcano Garden Arts, Saturday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. $36 per person per class, space is limited - 985-8979 or volcano gardenarts.com.

SUNDAY, FEB. 25

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

HOVE Road Maintenance Monthly Meeting, Tue., Feb 27, 10 a.m., RMC Office in Ocean View. hoveroad.com, 929-9910.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY, Tue., Feb 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

TALES OF EARLY RANCHING IN HUMU‘ULA, Tue., Feb 27, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. Free, suggested donation of $2; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

LEI HAKU, a method of lei making that involves braiding materials into a base of leaves, has been announced by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as part of the ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. The free demonstration takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

NOMINATIONS FOR COUNTY ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY through the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission, due Wednesday, Feb. 28, no later than 4:30 p.m. Download application here, then email to the Commission Secretary, Maxine Cutler, at maxine.cutler@hawaiicounty.gov.

THURSDAY, MARCH 1

VETERAN'S CENTER AND VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thurs., March 1 & 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Ocean View Community Center. No appointment needed to visit with VA counselor and benefit specialist. Contact Matthew at 329-0574 - ovcahi.org.

STEWARDSHIP OF KῙPUKAPUAULU takes place every Thursday in March: 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Participants meet at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11, at 9:30 a.m. Volunteers should bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat and water; wear closed-toe shoes. Clothing may be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 2

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY HEADBANDS CLASS from Feb. 26 to Mar. 1, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years, for Fri., Mar. 2, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., at KahukuParkin Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. For more about these and other recreation programs: hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

KAʻŪ'S BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS NEED SUPPORT; purchase tickets and sponsor persons to attend the annual Youth of the Year celebration, Fri., Mar. 2, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, in the Moku Ola Ballroom. The evening includes a banquet-style meal, youth led entertainment, silent and live auctions, guest speakers, and honors will be presented. Learn more about helping to create great futures at bgca.org.

UPCOMING

TŪTŪ AND ME IS HIRING two people. Due to the growth of both Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu, there are now two openings - one full-time, one part-time on-call - for teachers to join the team. The minimum qualifications include: High School diploma; ECE or related course work and/or experience working with children; vehicle with minimum coverage. See pidfoundation.org/employment for more details. To apply, email resume to HR@pidfoundation.org or fax to 440-6619.

Bull Riding Winner Trisyn Kalawaia at the 26th Annual Panaʻewa Stampede Rodeo, the rodeo clown on alert.
See story, below. Photo by Brad H. Ballesteros

KA‘Ū-BORN JUSTIN KRIPPS brings home one gold medal from his 2018 Olympic bobsled competition in PyeongChang, South Korea, which wrapped this weekend. Kripps, piloting for Canada, won gold in a tie with Germany in two-man bobsleigh.
This weekend, his four man team came up short in the four-man bobsleigh, placing sixth in a field of 20, only 0.84 seconds behind the gold medal team from Germany.
Kripps was born in Nāʻālehu and raised local until middle school. His family has long time roots here, and he visits from his current home in Summerland, Canada.
After the 2014 Olympics he came to Ka‘ū to recover from injuries when his bobsleigh turned over in the four-man competition.

Justin Kripps with his mom, after winning
gold in the two-man bobsleigh at
PyeongChang. Photo from Justin Kripps

In Ka‘ū, Kripps spends time with family and friends, relaxing, and hunting pig.

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PANIOLO WAHINE AND KANE BROUGHT HOME PANA'EWA STAMPEDE WINNINGS this week. "Heavy rain, thunder, and lightning didn't stop paniolo from riding and roping over the President's Day Weekend," stated Lori-Lee Lorenzo, who, along with Kehaulani Ke, Kiricia Derasin, and Lucan Wong, hauled horses to the 26th annual Pana‘ewa Stampede Rodeo, which wrapped up on Monday.
Lorenzo and Ke took fourth in Wahine Calf Mugging and Derasin and Wong took fourth in Kane-Wahine Ribbon Mugging. Lorenzo, a frequent leader in parades and a veteran Stampede Rodeo Queen, though still in high school, said she was proud to ride in the grand entry to the Stampede, carrying the flag of rodeo sponsor Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.
During the Stampede Rodeo, Kalai Nobriga earned the most points among kane paniolo to become All Around Cowboy. Trisyn Kalawaia became Reserve All Around Cowboy. Nahe Nobriga earned her title of All Around Cowgirl. Reserve All Around Cowgirl is Ana Martin.

The Grand Entry to the opening of the Panaʻewa Stamped Rodeo with Lori-Lee Lorenzo the flag bearer for
sponsor Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority. Photo by Chuck McKeand

Here are the complete results.

Po‘o Wai U,

one of the pure paniolo events that comes from tying cattle to forked tree trunks when rounding them up in Hawaiian wildlands, saw Kalai Nobriga first in 18.03 seconds. Peter Andrade and Levi Rita tied for second in 20.16, Shawn Aguiar took fourth in 27.10, and Stoney Boy Joseph scored fifth in 29.59 seconds.

Dummy Roping

saw Blayne DeMattos take first in .69 min., Kahiau Kalaniopio second in .81, and Kamakani Keliihoomalu-Bangloy third with at time of 1 minute. Mahi‘ai Lopez took fourth in 1.03 minutes and Isaiah Publico fifth in 2.35 minutes.

Wahine Barrel Racing

saw Jerikah Valencia take first in 36.79 seconds, Kala‘a Andrade second with 36.87, Caitlin Lassiter third with 37.02, Jensten Andrade fourth at 37.32, and Julie Williams fifth in 37.71 seconds.

Lori-Lee Lorenzo and Kehaulani Ke mugging for Kaʻū at Pana'ewa Stampede
Rodeo earlier this week. Photo by Makaa.photography

Youth Barrel Racing

saw Eli Higa first in 38.16 seconds, Kiricia Derasin second with 38.69, Kesha Joseph third with 39.97, Urijah Flores fourth with 40.36, and Hilina‘i Gouveiain fifth in 43.13 seconds.

Kane-Wahine Ribbon Mugging

- where one teammate ropes and the other grabs a ribbon from the tail of the steer – posted Kalai Nobriga and Ana Martin first in 16.13 seconds, Troy Gomes and Ana Martin second with 17.19, Kalai Nobriga and Nahe Nobrigain third with 17.47, Denicia Derasin and Lucan Wong fourth with 28.72, and Shannon Benevides and Trisyn Kalawaia fifth at 30.94 seconds.

Youth Team Roping

drew one competitor team, with Eli Higa and Stoney Boy Joseph finishing in 14.50 seconds.

Wahine Breakaway Roping

showed Nahe Nobriga first in 2.2 minutes, Camela Haalilio second at 2.75, Jerikah Valencia third with 2.90, Jadee Odain fourth with 4.37, and Aryka Diego fifth at 5.16 minutes.

Open Team Roping

showed Kalai Nobriga and Kevin Hillin first in 11 seconds, Jordan Gomes and Troy Gomes second in 11.04, Charles Stevens and Shane DeLuz third with 11.31, Nolan Nobriga and Nicky Boy Rapoza fourth at 12.72, and Gregg Menino and Brian DeMattos fifth at 14.28 seconds.

Junior Bull Riding

sole competitor Eli Higa rode the animal for 66 seconds.

A challenging bull at Pana'ewa Stampede Rodeo

Photo by Brad H. Ballesteros

Sheep Riding

showed Shirenasea Aki-Oili first, lasting 53 seconds; Isaiah Publico, second, lasting 50; Tayzlie Brown third, lasting 50; Katumlee Malicki fourth, riding 47 seconds; and Colty Boy Mandaloniz fifth, staying on the sheep for 46 seconds.

Double Mugging

showed off Billy Boy Benevides and Trisyn Kalawaia who came in first with a time of 28.53 seconds. Shawn Aguiar and Peter Andrade took second with 35.53, Kalai Nobriga and Kevin Hill third in 36.28, Shawn Aguiar and Justin Jose fourth in 39.13, and Kalai Nobriga and Levi Rita fifth in 41.50 seconds.

Century Team Roping

- where the total age of team members is a minimum of 100 years – showed off four pairs of competitors. Steve Cox and Luis Rincon finished first in12.28 seconds. Butch Gomes and Luis Rincon were second with 13.16, Bill DeLima and Kaui Meyer third with 14.79, and Clayton Low and Eric Valencia fourth at 16.15 seconds.

Tie Down Roping

showed Kalai Nobriga in first in 16.38 seconds, Levi Rita second in 22.28, Stoney Boy Joseph third with 23.44, Kepa Boteilho-Benevides fourth with 38.62, and Trisyn Kalawaia fifth with 53.32.

High Roller Team Roping

saw Charles Stevens and Kevin Hill in first with 10.65 seconds, Shawn Aguiar and Brian Bugado second with 11.41, Bulla Waltjen and Brian DeMattos third with 12.47, Chad Serion and Keith Gomes fourth with 18.62, and Troy Gomes and Jordan Gomes fifth with 19.94 seconds.

Bareback Bronc Riding

drew one competitor. Trisyn Kalawaia's rode the bucking bronco for 13.3 seconds.

Wahine Calf Mugging e

nded with Ana Martin and Nahe Nobriga first with a time of 45.53 seconds, Daphnee Joseph and Shannon Benevides second with 49.56, Camela Haalilio and Nahe Nobriga third with 89.19, and Lori-Lee Lorenzo and Kehaulani Ke fourth in 93.69 seconds.

Bull Riding drew one competitor, with Trisyn Kalawaia riding the bull for 71 seconds.
For more, see www.HawaiiRodeoStampede.com.

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SCAM CALLS, CLAIMING TO REPRESENT HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANIES, have spiked again, and HECO has issued a statement to urge customers to "Just hang up!" then call customer service.

"If you receive a call from someone saying they're from Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric, or Hawaii Electric Light and demanding immediate payment over the phone or via prepaid debits cards, it's a scam. If the caller says your account is delinquent and threatens to shut off your power immediately unless payment is made, it's a scam. If the called asks to meet you to pick up a payment, it's a scam."

HECO also urges the public to not call any number found on caller ID, regardless of what it says, and to contact the power company only by dialing the number printed on the monthly electric bill or online. The utilities are members of Utilities United Against Scams, which represents over 80 companies working to prevent scammers targeting utility customers.

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Crowns of affected trees turn yellowish (chlorotic), then brown,
within days to weeks. Photo by JB Friday/cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu

THE SECOND ANNUAL RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH SYMPOSIUM will be in West Hawaiʻi, Saturday, March 3, and East Hawaiʻi Saturday, March 17. It includes information on how the disease spreads, how to screen for resistance, wood treatment research, disease tracking tools for aerial use, how it affects the forests, management actions, and recommendations for those who own land where ʻōhiʻa grows.

The free public symposia do have limited space and and early registration is available. Refreshments and an opportunity to talk story with presenters are offered starting at 8:30 a.m. before the main event, 9 a.m. to noon. Each attendee 18 years and older will receive a free ROD decontamination kit.

A statement on the events says: "A new fungal disease is currently attacking and killing ʻōhiʻa Metrosideros polymorpha, the most abundant native tree in the state of Hawaiʻi. On Hawaiʻi Island, hundreds of thousands of ʻōhiʻa have already died across thousands of acres from this fungus, called Ceratocystis fimbriata. Healthy trees appear to die within a few days to a few weeks, which is how the disease came to be called 'Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death.' This disease has killed trees in all districts of Hawaiʻi Island and has the potential to kill ʻōhiʻa trees statewide."

About 75,000 acres of ʻōhiʻa forest currently show symptoms of ROD on Hawaiʻi Island. There are confirmed cases of ROD: east from Kalapana to Hilo, between Hilo and Volcano, south from Volcano to Naʻalehu and Naʻalehu to Kona, as far north as Kaloko Mauka. Humans are thought to be a main vector, while feral ungulates and beetles could also be contributors. The primary path for Ceratocystis to enter ʻōhiʻa is through damage to the tree.

The organizers offer a few guidelines, to help avoid the spread of the disease:

1. Do not move ʻōhiʻa wood or ʻōhiʻa parts, if you don’t know where the ʻōhiʻa material is from.

2. Do not transport ʻōhiʻa inter-island - the Hawai'i State Department of Agriculture has quarantine rules to help keep ROD from reaching the other islands.

3. Avoid injuring ʻōhiʻa, as wounds serve as entry points for the fungus and increase the odds that the tree will become infected and die from ROD. Avoid pruning and contact with heavy equipment wherever possible.

4. Clean gear and tools - including shoes and clothes - before and after entering forests. Brush all soil off of tools and gear, then spray with 70% rubbing alcohol. Wash clothes with hot water and soap.

5. Wash the tires and undercarriage of your vehicle with soap and remove all soil or mud, especially after traveling from an area with ROD and/or if you have traveled off-road.

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EXPLORE! FAIR INVITES THE PUBLIC to Nāʻālehu School Gym, Thursday, March 8, from 4 p.m. to 6p.m. STEAM is the theme, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. Hands-on experiments, make-and-take activities, student-work showcases, and brain-challenging games will be highlighted at several stations, each led by grade-level teachers or community partners. Learning to make recycled paper, entering the hurricane engineering design challenge, or picking up seedlings to start home gardens are just a taste of the many activities planned.

Kaʻū's unique native ecosystems and conservation efforts, including those for the
endangered nesting hawksbill turtle at Kamehame will be on display at a community
fair called Explore! on Thursday, March 8. Photo from The Nature Conservancy.

Principal Darlene Javar said she encourages any Nāʻālehu Elementary ʻohana members who have not yet received their window box, potting soil, and starter plants this school year to stop by EXPLORE! fair to receive them. Enjoy free food and refreshments, and a chance to win door prizes.

Check out Bee Boys live honeybee observation hive, and explore Kaʻū's unique native ecosystems and conservation efforts with community organizations, such as Three Mountain Alliance, Nā Mamo o Kāwā, and The Nature Conservancy, and much more.

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KAʻŪ COFFEE FESTIVAL INVITES NON-PROFITS, CLUBS, COOPERATIVES, AND BUSINESSES to sign up for booths to serve the public at the tenth annual Kaʻū Coffee Fest Hoʻolaulea on Saturday, May 5, at Pahala Community Center. Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. Campaign and other political displays are not invited. Fifty percent discounts are provided to bona fide non-profit organizations and cooperatives and their members. In addition to Kaʻū Coffee Festival fees, each vendor is responsible for a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918.

Kaʻū Coffee growers like Will & Grace will present their award winning
brew at the Kaʻū Coffee Fest Hoʻolaulea on May 5. Vendors and
educational displays are welcome to participate. Photo by Julia Neal

In addition vendors must obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each, to be displayed at each booth during the Hoʻolaulea.
Vendor and display booths are responsibility of sponsors who provide their own tents, up to 10X10 foot feet square, as well as tables, chairs, signs, and all other equipment. Hot food must be served under metal roofs that Kaʻū Coffee Festival provides. There is no electricity available. Generators are allowed.
Set up before 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, day of Hoʻolaulea, and be ready to serve the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No smoking, drugs, alcohol, propaganda, political speech, or activism allowed.
Kaʻū Coffee Festival is a Green Event. All vendors are encouraged to use biodegradable products whenever possible.
Deadline to apply is Friday, April 27, 2018. First come, first served. Find application at www.kaucoffeefestival.com. Mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pahala, HI 96777, email biokepamoses@gmail.com, or call 808-731-5409.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

MY HAWAI‘I 2018 CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST, open to all 6th through 8th grade students in the state. Submit story or poem that addresses the theme, "Ulu ka lālā i ke kumu: From a strong foundation grows an abundant future," to align with the 2018 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference. Submit online at hawaiiconservation.org/my-hawaii/my-hawaii-story-project-2018 by 5:00 p.m., March 9.. Email questions to myhawaiistory@gmail.com.

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY PAPER FLOWER CLASS through Feb. 27, for keiki grades K-8 Wed., Feb. 28, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at PāhalaCommunity Center. Call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102. For more about these and other recreation programs - hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

SUNDAY, FEB. 25

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

HOVE Road Maintenance Monthly Meeting, Tue., Feb 27, 10 a.m., RMC Office in Ocean View. hoveroad.com, 929-9910.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY, Tue., Feb 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

TALES OF EARLY RANCHING IN HUMU‘ULA, Tue., Feb 27, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. Free, suggested donation of $2; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

FREE LEGAL SERVICES available for those 60+ through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i's Kōkua Kupuna Project, at St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Wed., Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Contact Hawai‘i CountyOffice of Aging at 961-8626, Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to obtain a referral. All others seeking free legal services, call 1-800-499-4302 (O‘ahu), Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. More info, email tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org or 329-3910 ext. 925.

LEI HAKU, a method of lei making that involves braiding materials into a base of leaves, has been announced by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as part of the ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. The free demonstration takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

NOMINATIONS FOR COUNTY ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY through the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission, due Wednesday, Feb. 28, no later than 4:30 p.m. Download application here, then email to the Commission Secretary, Maxine Cutler, at maxine.cutler@hawaiicounty.gov.

THURSDAY, MARCH 1

VETERAN'S CENTER AND VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thurs., March 1 & 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Ocean View Community Center. No appointment needed to visit with VA counselor and benefit specialist. Contact Matthew at 329-0574 - ovcahi.org.

STEWARDSHIP OF KῙPUKAPUAULU takes place every Thursday in March: 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Participants meet at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11, at 9:30 a.m. Volunteers should bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat and water; wear closed-toe shoes. Clothing may be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 2

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY HEADBANDS CLASS from Feb. 26 to Mar. 1, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years, for Fri., Mar. 2, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., at Kahuku Park in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. For more about these and other recreation programs: hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

HAWAI‘I WILDLIFE FUND VOLUNTEER BEACH CLEAN UP, Sat., Mar. 3, 8:45 a.m., meet at Wai‘ōhinu Park. Help clean up trash and debris washed up on the shore at Kamilo on the Ka‘ū Coast below Nā‘ālehu. Reserve a spot in a 4WD vehicle with HWF in advance. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT, Mar. 3, 9, 16, 23 & 31, 8:45 a.m. Meet Paul and Jane Field at KīlaueaVisitorCenterin Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. Volunteers help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

INTRODUCTION TO OIL PAITNING WITH STEVE IRVINE, Sat., Mar. 3, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., VolcanoArtCenter. Class fee $55 for VAC members, $60 for non-members. Class supplies not provided; receive a full list upon registration. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

HI‘IAKA & PELE, Sat., Mar. 3, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. Discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena they represent on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO.

ZENTANGLE: BASICS, Sat., Mar. 3, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., VolcanoArtCenter. Learn the foundations of Zentangle art form and the philosophy behind it from Certified Zentangle Teacher Dina Wood Kageler. All art supplies provided. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Bring a light refreshment to share. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org.

UPCOMING

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Made with the assistance of the writing, directing and filming talents of the late filmmaker and former Pāhala resident Danny Miller, Poisoning
Paradise takes up the issue of insecticides in the Hawaiʻi environment. One of its narrators is Pāhala resident Demetrius Oliveira.
The film has won awards at film festivals internationally. See more below.

A BAN ON THE INSECTICIDE CHLORPYRIFOS is supported in the Hawaiʻi State Legislature by west Kaʻū's state Representative, Dr. Richard Creagan, and in Congress by Kaʻū's U.S. House Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
Creagan said that Chlorpyrifos "is much more toxic than DDT." He said, "We need to keep this out of our state." Gabbard recently issued statements supporting the Pesticide Protection Act of 2017 (H.R. 3380), which calls for a full ban on Chlorpyrifos.

State Rep. Richard Creagan
introduced a ban on the
Chlorpyrifos insecticide last
year, and is working towards
a state-level ban now.

The EPA banned use of Chlorpyrifos for residential purposes in 2000, except for such products where it is contained, as in ant and roach bait. Under the Obama administration, in November 2015, the EPA proposed to completely ban Chlorpyrifos, following studies linking it to "damaging and often irreversible health outcomes in workers, pregnant women, and children," said Gabbard. However, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt reversed that decision in March of 2017, arguing he was relying on "sound science."

Creagan introduced a bill to ban Chlorpyrifos last session of the Hawaiʻi Legislature, but it failed to pass, pending the EPA action, said Creagan.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbrd is working
towards a national ban on
the Chlorpyrifos insecticide.

Said Gabbard, "Administrator Pruitt's decision to lift the ban on Chlorpyrifos was reckless and short-sighted, and has put the health and well-being of our keiki, expectant mothers, field workers, agricultural communities, and ‘āina at risk. We've seen the direct impact here at home, where Kauaʻi workers were hospitalized after exposure to this dangerous chemical. The fact that the Trump-run EPA allowed Syngenta to get away with a slap on the wrist after this illegal act is absolutely unacceptable. In addition to urgently passing this legislation to keep this toxic chemical out of our air, food, and water, we must take action to hold industrial agri-businesses accountable for putting profits over the health and safety of the American people and our planet," said Gabbard.
Per FactCheck.org, Chlorpyrifos was first registered as an insecticide in 1965. It is the most-used conventional insecticide in the U.S., with roughly

6 million pounds used on 10 million acres between 2009 and 2013. People can be exposed to Chlorpyrifos by ingesting food, inhaling it, and through the skin. While it has rarely been found in drinking water and outdoor air, it can be carried long distances in the air. It is toxic to birds, and extremely toxic to fish and non-target insects, such as bees.
Chlorpyrifos toxicity leads to the over-stimulation of the nervous system, targeting the same chemical pathway in the body as nerve agents such as Sarin gas. Chlorpyrifos symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, and confusion. At very high doses, organophosphates - such as Chlorpyrifos - can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. And at even higher doses, such as from spills or accidents, they can lead to death.
Late filmmaker and former Pāhala resident Danny Miller, who made the award winning film Saving Kaʻū's Coast with The Kaʻū Calendar publisher Julia Neal, took up the issue in a film called Poisoning Paradise with producers Pierce Brosnan, Tersa Tico, and Keely Shay Brosnan. It is narrated by Kaʻū native Demetrius Oliveira and Alika Atay.
Poisoning Paradise has won many film festival awards for documentaries, and is scheduled to be shown next on March 3 at the Manchester Film Festival in England, and March 3 at the Sedona International Film Festival in Arizona. See www.poisoningparadise.com.

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Observatories atop Mauna Kea. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I SEEKS RENEWAL OF MAUNA KEA land use authorizations for the long-term continuation of astronomy. U.H. has prepared an Environmental Impact Statement Preparation Notice, which can be downloaded.

David Lassner, President of the University of Hawai‘i System, said UH invites the public to review the Environmental Impact Statement and provide input. He proposes some questions for those interested:

● Is the range of alternatives in the EISPN appropriate?

● Are there additional alternatives that should be considered?

● Are there any resources that should be taken into account in the project area, or that could be affected by the action, that are not identified in the EISPN?

● Are there additional potential types of impacts that should be addressed?

U.H. will hold open house meetings regarding the proposal during the review period. Exhibits will be available for viewing, and attendees will have an opportunity to talk with various resource specialists, managers, and planners. The closest meeting to Ka‘ū will be held in Hilo on Tuesday, March 13, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii - Moanahoku Hall, 600 ‘Imiloa Place. Call 933-0734 with questions.

The State Office of Environmental Quality Control's deadline for submitting comments is Tuesday, March 27. Electronic input is preferred, and may be submitted at http://MaunakeaLandAuth.CommentInput.com. Alternatively, comments may be mailed to: Stephanie Nagata, Office of Mauna Kea Management, 200 West Kawili Street, Hilo, Hawai‘i, 96720; with a copy also mailed to: Jim Hayes, Planning Solutions, Inc., 711 Kapi‘olani Boulevard, Suite 950, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, 96813.

A view looking down on the rotted wooden beams that
were used as a retaining wall under the disposal chute at
the Waiʻohinu transfer station. Photo from Ann Bosted

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THE SOLID WASTE TRANSFER STATION IN WAI‘ŌHINU that was damaged recently by heavy rains was also damaged earlier by a fire. During a community meeting on June 28, 2016, the county's Environmental Management Director at the time, Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd, said that a portion of the retaining wall adjacent to the disposal chute had been damaged by a fire in the garbage dumpster, and that it would have to be repaired.
With the damage from the fire and rain, the operation of the garbage chute has been impaired. The county Solid Waste Division announced recently that vehicles must stay away from the chute; users must hand-carry refuse from vehicles, as backing vehicles directly up to the disposal chute is prohibited until repairs are completed. The Division also asks that trash bags not be overloaded, and that greenwaste be bagged, so they can be carried to the chute.

Looking down from the corner of the chute at the retaining
wall that failed after about three days of rain at the
Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station. The ends of the wooden beams,
used for the collapsed retaining wall, can be seen under
the mud-slide of dirt and rocks. Photo from Ann Bosted

The Division is accepting bids for the construction of a new facility. However, construction is not expected to be completed for at least nine or ten months. A statement from Solid Waste says, "Please pardon this temporary inconvenience," and the public is asked to take precautions when entering the station. "The Solid Waste Division would like to thank the public for their patience and kōkua during the construction and improvements taking place at the Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station."

For additional information, call 961-8270 or email SWD@hawaiicounty.gov.

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LEI MAKING WITH RANDY LEE has been announced as Volcano Art Center's Mar. 9 Aloha Friday cultural demonstration. The weekly event takes place, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Volcano Art Center Gallery porch within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Learn the art of fashion lei making and use freshly picked materials
from the rain forests of Pana‘ewa. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

A master lei maker, Lee uses a variety of natural materials to fashion lei from the freshest ferns, leaves, and flowers, that he personally gathers from the rain forests of Pana‘ewa. Enjoy the skill and wonderful stories that this well-respected practitioner has to offer.
These free cultural events are supported in part by a grant from the County of Hawai‘i, Dept. of Research and Development, and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. Free; park entrance fees apply. Visit volcanoartcenter.org.

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VOLCANO ART CENTER ANNOUNCES AN EVENING WITH REBECCA FOLSOM on Saturday, Mar. 10, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Concert tickets are $20 for VAC members and $25 for non-members.

Folsom's music has been described as having the soulfulness of Etta James, the abandon of Janis Joplin, with a touch of folk songstress Joni Mitchell. An award-winning artist, she has performed on BBC radio and television, Nashville's Bluebird, New York's Bitterend, and Red Rock's Amphitheatre in Colorado. KUNC Radio says, "She takes you from subtle ballads to knock-you-to-your-knees blues."
Her voice has a near four-octave range and her music career has spanned over 20 years. Corridor Magazine wrote, "While her range is impressive, it's the expression in her voice that rivets your attention and stays with you long after the show ends. Folsom's voice pours from an inner source of honest emotion, flowing from lilting tenderness to fully liberated, unbridled release."

Experience Rebecca Folsom in concert on Mar.
10 in Volcano. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

Folsom, a Boulder, Colorado, native, writes "inspiring tales of human heartbreak, redemption, and freedom. She shares those songs with exquisite intimacy in a solo performance," says VAC's event description. Folsom said performing on stage is where she feels most comfortable. "There is no place on earth that I want to be more. I'm happiest there, time flies there. It's timeless, effortless and it brings me so much joy. My hope is always that it will bring other people joy, upliftment, and awakening," she said.
She will also offer the Art of Vocal Freedom workshop Sunday, Mar. 11 - see tomorrow's briefs for more about the class.
Visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222 to purchase tickets.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

MY HAWAI‘I 2018 CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST, open to all 6th through 8th grade students in the state. Submit story or poem that addresses the theme, "Ulu ka lālā i ke kumu: From a strong foundation grows an abundant future," to align with the 2018 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference. Submit online at hawaiiconservation.org/my-hawaii/my-hawaii-story-project-2018 by 5:00 p.m., March 9.. Email questions to myhawaiistory@gmail.com.

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY PAPER FLOWER CLASS through Feb. 27, for keiki grades K-8 Wed., Feb. 28, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102. For more about these and other recreation programs - hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

HOVE Road Maintenance Monthly Meeting, Tue., Feb 27, 10 a.m., RMC Office in Ocean View. hoveroad.com, 929-9910.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY, Tue., Feb 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

TALES OF EARLY RANCHING IN HUMU‘ULA, Tue., Feb 27, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. Free, suggested donation of $2; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

2018Scholarship or at any branch location: Kea‘au, Hilo, and Kona.

FREE LEGAL SERVICES available for those 60+ through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i's Kōkua Kupuna Project, at St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Wed., Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Contact Hawai`i County Office of Aging at 961-8626, Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to obtain a referral. All others seeking free legal services, call 1-800-499-4302 (O‘ahu), Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. More info, email tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org or 329-3910 ext. 925.

LEI HAKU, a method of lei making that involves braiding materials into a base of leaves, has been announced by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as part of the ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. The free demonstration takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

NOMINATIONS FOR COUNTY ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY through the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission, due Wednesday, Feb. 28, no later than 4:30 p.m. Download application here, then email to the Commission Secretary, Maxine Cutler, at maxine.cutler@hawaiicounty.gov.

THURSDAY, MARCH 1

HAWAI‘I DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 1, 8:30 - noon, OceanViewCommunity Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@
gmail.com

VETERAN'S CENTER
AND VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thurs., March 1 & 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon, OceanViewCommunity Center. No appointment needed to visit with VA counselor and benefit specialist. Contact Matthew at 329-0574 - ovcahi.org.

STEWARDSHIP OF KῙPUKAPUAULU takes place every Thursday in March: 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Participants meet at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11, at 9:30 a.m. Volunteers should bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat and water; wear closed-toe shoes. Clothing may be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meeting, Thu, Mar 1, 6 - 7 p.m., OceanViewCommunity Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

HULA VOICES with Kumu Hula Kainani Kahauhaele, Thu, Mar 1, 7 - 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates event. Free, educational event occurring on the first Thursday of each month (excluding Apr. and Dec. 2018). volcanoartcenter.org

FRIDAY, MARCH 2

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY HEADBANDS CLASS from Feb. 26 to Mar. 1, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years, for Fri., Mar. 2, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., at Kahuku Park in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. For more about these and other recreation programs: hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

SECOND ANNUAL RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH SYMPOSIUM-WEST, Sat, Mar 3, 8:30 - noon, West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, County Council Chambers. Register at www.RapidOhiaDeath.org

HAWAI‘I WILDLIFE FUND VOLUNTEER BEACH CLEAN UP, Sat., Mar. 3, 8:45 a.m., meet at Wai‘ōhinu Park. Help clean up trash and debris washed up on the shore at Kamilo on the Ka‘ū Coast below Nā‘ālehu. Reserve a spot in a 4WD vehicle with HWF in advance. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT, Mar. 3, 9, 16, 23 & 31, 8:45 a.m. Meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

HI‘IAKA & PELE, Sat., Mar. 3, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena they represent on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO.

ZENTANGLE: BASICS, Sat., Mar. 3, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn the foundations of Zentangle art form and the philosophy behind it from Certified Zentangle Teacher Dina Wood Kageler. All art supplies provided. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Bring a light refreshment to share. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 4

HAM RADIO POTLUCK PICNIC, Sun., Mar. 4, noon to 2 p.m., ManukāState Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. Sponsored by South Point Amatueur Radio Club and Amateur Radio Emergency Service. View sites.google.com/site/southpointartc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058.

ONGOING

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Alakahakai Trail to Pohuʻe Bay and its 16,455 acres, which may be eyed by a space launch company,that the Hawaiʻi Legislature
is considering for $25 million Special Purpose Revenue Bonds. See local testimony below. Photo by Peter Bosted

FUNDING FOR IMPROVED CARDIAC CARE at HiloMedicalCenter is important to Kaʻū Hospital, said its administrator Merilyn Harris, on Monday. She encourages Kaʻū residents to submit testimony remotely to the Senate Ways & Means Committee by this Tuesday, February 27, at 10:30 a.m. The Committee will hear Senate Bill 1235, which would appropriate $2 million in funding to improve the health care services related to cardiac care at the Hilo hospital.

Harris said, "These funds would be used to create a program at Hilo Medical Center where people who were having a heart attack could get care on island instead of having to be transferred to ‘Oahu or Maui for cardiac catheterization and cardiac intensive care.

"Because an individual suffering from cardiac complications must receive interventional care within two hours to recover completely," continued Harris, "by the time the patient is evaluated and airlifted to ‘Oahu or Maui - especially if they are starting out in Ka‘ū - due to the distances, most of the time, that two hour window has passed, increasing the risk of the patient not fully recovering.

"Of all the communities on the BigIslandthis issue is most important to us. Testimony is due by TUESDAY, Feb 27, at 10:30 a.m., so the timeline is short," she concluded.

An announcement from Elena Cabatu, Director of Marketing and Public & Legislative Affairs for HiloMedicalCenter, Hale Ho‘ola Hamakua, and Ka‘ū Hospital, urges the public to speak up: "Help us Save Lives and Stop Heart Attacks! We need your testimony in support of SB 1235. Here are ways you may submit your support: online, fax to 808-586-6091, or email to sendelacruz@capitol.hawaii.gov. Please call me at 333-7223 if you need more information. Click on the link to see our video Improving Heart Attack Care at Hilo Medical Center, to see the cardiac care we currently provide at HiloMedicalCenterand what we CAN do with this funding!"

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TESTIMONY AGAINST PLACING THE PROPOSED SPINLAUNCH SPACEPORT FACILITY in Kaʻū has come from Kaʻū residents. SpinLaunch announced it is looking at Hawaiʻi Island as one of five possible locations, where small satellites and packages would be flung into space using a spinning device, at much lower cost than sending up large rockets. In recent months, scouts from a space endeavor have looked at the 16,455 acres around Pohuʻe Bay.

Pohuʻe Bay and surrounding lands; part of the 16,455
acres for sale. Photo from Luxury Big Island

While much of the testimony from scientists and space companies support the idea and funding of SpinLaunch, none of their supportive testimony nor the funding bill have identified any location or requirement to consult the community where the site would be developed.
In light of Kaʻū being a possible site, the state Department of Land & Natural Resources' Aha Moku Advisory Committee has submitted testimony to the state legislature. Jeffrey Kekoa, Aloha Beck Darlyne Vierra, and Elizabeth Kuluwaimaka ask for the residents of Kaʻū to be consulted before funding the project, should the proposed site be in Kaʻū district. They wrote:
"We are dismayed and disappointed that our Legislators have decided to support an endeavor that does not have the support of the people, especially in the area that is designated to hold this launch system. We know nothing about this project and if there were any public scoping meetings in Kaʻū, we were not approached. We have fought for decades to keep Kaʻū - KAʻŪ. We are saddened and frustrated that we had to find out about this on social media, a tool that many of us here in the country do not have, because many do not have internet or computers. We depend on our legislators to let us know when something of this magnitude is planned where we live.... We understand the Legislature's wish to increase the economy for Hawaiʻi and see the need to reduce cost access to space, to meet a mandate to expand access to space and to facilitate a growth environment for commercial space industry. How will this be accommodated and keep Kaʻū - KAʻŪ?"
The advisory group asks the Senate to hold the bill until the group speaks to legislators, County Council members, and developers of the plan.
Mary Ann Omerod wrote, "I strongly oppose SB2703 relating to Special Purpose Revenue Bonds to assist SpinLaunch, Inc., with financing of the planning, design and construction of a satellite launch system on Hawaiʻi Island and especially at Pohuʻe (Kahuku Ahupuaʻa) in Kaʻū.

Kanonone Waterhole at PohuʻeBay is an anchialine pond that hosts

endemic and native species. Photo by Shalan Crysdale

"Our Kupuna disagreed with a space port when it was proposed at Ka Lae (South Point) in the 80's. I don't think a mini space launch facility being at Pohuʻe, (Kahuku Ahupuaʻa) would've changed their minds in today's day and age. We don't need another site in Kaʻū being desecrated thus directly affecting any more of the health or our people and the well-being of our environment!"
Hawk Jones wrote, "We don't want rockets or missiles to be launched from down here in the Kaʻū, we don't want new solar fields down here in Kaʻū; we don't want objects begin flung into space from Kaʻū and the Kaʻū residents absolutely oppose a private company buying, for any reason other than stewardship and conservation, Pohuʻe Bay.
"Pohuʻe Bay is one of our great last 'secrets' down here, untouched and pristine. Why is the State not purchasing the land and making it a reserve for it biological (Hawksbill Turtles nesting beach) reasons, along with its cultural significance?"
Laura Roberts testified in opposition to the project, should it impact Pohuʻe Bay. "These are sacred lands near Pohuʻe Bay. Please consider another location to do this."
Dr. Nancy Bondurant testified, "You have got to be kidding! How in the world is a satellite launch service going to benefit our struggling agricultural community? It is not enough that you are denying Kaʻū basic services, i.e. police, water, fire, community schools, emergency shelter, garbage, etc. but now you are considering not only funding but sitting this endeavor in Kaʻū? Are we just a dumping ground?.... The residents of Kaʻū are firmly against funding this project and siting it in our neighborhood! You can put it next to your house!"
Puaʻena N. Ahn wrote, "This does not sound like a wise investment. Is this an experimental technology? An industrial accident or human error could have devastating consequences for people and the environment. I fail to see how this is the best interest of public health, safety and welfare."
Shannon Rudolph called the proposal "The definition of insanity; taxpayer guarantee of $25 Mil in bonds to a new, untested company with no product and no history. That funding is needed in sooooo many other places!"

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Photo from hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov

THE HUMPBACK WHALE COUNT on Saturday drew more than 649 volunteers statewide to the shores: from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to Punaluʻu, South Point and Miloliʻi, all the way up the chain of inhabited Hawaiian Islands. It was the second of three events of the 2018 Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count.
Volunteers collected data from 44 sites statewide on February 24. A total of 135 whale sightings were recorded during the 10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day's count. Weather conditions were unfavorable for viewing whales due to poor visibility. Multiple Ocean Count sites on Hawaiʻi Island cancelled the count due to continuous rainfall and zero visibility.

Ocean Count promotes public awareness about humpback whales, the sanctuary, and shore-based whale watching opportunities. The sanctuary holds Ocean Count three times each year during peak whale season. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals' surface behavior during the survey, which provides a snapshot of humpback whale activity from the shoreline.

Preliminary data detailing whale sightings by site location are available at http://www.sanctuary oceancount.org/resources/. Additional information is available on the sanctuary's website at http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.
The sanctuary, which is administered by NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, protects humpback whales and their habitat in Hawaiian waters where they migrate each winter to mate, calve, and nurse their young.
NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources. See NOAA's Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media channels.

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2nd Congressional District winner from 2016.

KAHA KIʻI CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION, part of a nation-wide high school arts competition, is sponsored by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Each spring, the competition opens to all high school students in Hawaiʻi's 2nd Congressional District. The winning artwork is displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol, along with winning artwork from all participating districts around the country. The winning artwork is also featured on the Congressional Art Competition page. Get information for submissions here.

The deadline to submit an entry is Monday, March 5. Digital JPG files of 2D artwork must be sent to haearts@gmail.com, along with the required 2018 Student Release Form. Personal information should not be part of the submitted JPG.

Finalists drop off physical entries by Saturday, April 14, at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol, where an art exhibition of the pieces will be held from Monday, April 16, through Saturday, May 12. The awards ceremony will be held that day, at 10:00 a.m.

All entries must be: two-dimensional; no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches thick when matted/framed; no more than 15 pounds in weight when matted/framed; original in concept, design, and execution, and not violate any U.S. copyright laws. Work entered must be in the original medium, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing. Acceptable Mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are: Paintings in oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.; Drawings in colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (it is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed); Collages - must be two dimensional; Prints - lithographs, silkscreen, block prints; Mixed Media - use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.; Computer-generated art; Photographs.

1st Congressional District winner from 2016.

Contact Anya at Anya.Anthony@mail.house.gov or call (808) 541-1986 with questions.

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KA‘Ū GIRLS SOFTBALL KICKED OFF THE SPRING SEASON by hosting Konawa‘ena February 26, with three more games happening within the week: Feb. 27, 3 p.m., against Pāhoa, hosting; Feb. 28, 3 p.m., Honoka‘a, hosting; and March 3, at Kohala, 11 a.m.

The Feb. 26 game saw Reishalyn Kekoa Jara with 2 hits, and Chaunalisa Velez and Analei Emmsley, both each with one hit. The final score for Ka‘ū was 4 hits, with Kona ending the game at 23.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

MY HAWAI‘I 2018 CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST, open to all 6th through 8th grade students in the state. Submit story or poem that addresses the theme, "Ulu ka lālā i ke kumu: From a strong foundation grows an abundant future," to align with the 2018 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference. Submit online at hawaiiconservation.org/my-hawaii/my-hawaii-story-project-2018 by 5:00 p.m., March 9. Email questions to myhawaiistory@gmail.com.

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY PAPER FLOWER CLASS through Feb. 27, for keiki grades K-8 Wed., Feb. 28, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102. For more about these and other recreation programs - hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

HOVE Road Maintenance Monthly Meeting, Tue., Feb 27, 10 a.m., RMC Office in Ocean View. hoveroad.com, 929-9910.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY, Tue., Feb 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

TALES OF EARLY RANCHING IN HUMU‘ULA, Tue., Feb 27, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. Free, suggested donation of $2; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

FREE LEGAL SERVICES available for those 60+ through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i's Kōkua Kupuna Project, at St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Wed., Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Contact Hawai`i County Office of Aging at 961-8626, Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to obtain a referral. All others seeking free legal services, call 1-800-499-4302 (O‘ahu), Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. More info, email tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org or 329-3910 ext. 925.

LEI HAKU, a method of lei making that involves braiding materials into a base of leaves, has been announced by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as part of the ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. The free demonstration takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

NOMINATIONS FOR COUNTY ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY through the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission, due Wednesday, Feb. 28, no later than 4:30 p.m. Download application here, then email to the Commission Secretary, Maxine Cutler, at maxine.cutler@hawaiicounty.gov.

THURSDAY, MARCH 1

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU ACCEPTING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS for school year 2018-2019. Scholarships available to high school or home-schooled graduating seniors and to undergraduate college students. March 1 deadline, application form at www.okaukakou.org. Questions? Call Babette Morrow at 929-8076.

HAWAI‘I DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 1, 8:30 - noon, Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com.

VETERAN'S CENTER AND VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thurs., March 1 & 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Ocean View Community Center. No appointment needed to visit with VA counselor and benefit specialist. Contact Matthew at 329-0574 - ovcahi.org.

STEWARDSHIP OF KῙPUKAPUAULU takes place every Thursday in March: 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Participants meet at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11, at 9:30 a.m. Volunteers should bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat and water; wear closed-toe shoes. Clothing may be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meeting, Thu, Mar 1, 6 - 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Join Kumu Hula Kainani Kahauhaele

FRIDAY, MARCH 2

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY HEADBANDS CLASS from Feb. 26 to Mar. 1, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years, for Fri., Mar. 2, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., at Kahuku Park in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. For more about these and other recreation programs: hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT, Mar. 3, 9, 16, 23 & 31, 8:45 a.m. Meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

HI‘IAKA & PELE, Sat., Mar. 3, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena they represent on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO.

ZENTANGLE: BASICS, Sat., Mar. 3, 10 a.m. to 1p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn the foundations of Zentangle art form and the philosophy behind it from Certified Zentangle Teacher Dina Wood Kageler. All art supplies provided. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Bring a light refreshment to share. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 4

HAM RADIO POTLUCK PICNIC, Sun., Mar. 4, noon to 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. Sponsored by South Point Amatueur Radio Club and Amateur Radio Emergency Service. View sites.google.com/site/southpointartc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058.

MONDAY, MARCH 5

KAHA KIʻI CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION open to high school students. Digital files of 2D artwork due by March 5 at haearts@gmail.com. gabbard.house.gov/serving-you/student-resources/art-competition

ONGOING

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Rapid Ohia Death, which destroys native forest and the watershed, is the subject of two reports
to the public in March. See flyer below. Photo from The Nature Conservancy

DEATH WITH DIGNITY BILLS ARE MOVING THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE. Gov. David Ige sent a statement to a public hearing on Monday, urging lawmakers to pass House Bill 2739. At least 30 states have either enacted or considered enacting similar Death with Dignity bills.

Two physicians who represent Ka‘ū in the Hawai‘i State Legislature, Sen. Josh Green and Rep. Richard Creagan, both support the measures. According to a Medscape survey, physician's opinions on the matter rose from 46 percent in favor in 2010 to 57 percent in 2016. Last year, the Senate Health Committee, chaired by Green - an ER doctor - passed the measure, and it passed the Senate. Green was quoted as saying, "This is landmark legislation." As of 2017, polls showed the number of residents in favor of the bill is near 80 percent.

Gov. David Ige

This year, Creagan introduced House Bill 2218, with Hawai‘i Island Rep. Cindy Evans and 14 House members. Creagan estimated about 75 percent of the House supports medical aid in dying, and that there is about an 80 percent chance of the bill passing this year.

"This isn't suicide," Creagan told Civil Beat. "This is wanting to leave this Earth peacefully. We don't want to make people shoot themselves if they want to die."

The governor said, "It's time for this bill to become law. Mentally competent, terminally ill people who are in pain and who are suffering should be given the choice to end their lives with grace, dignity, and peace. I would be proud and honored to sign this bill into law if our state legislators pass this measure this session.

Ige explained that "the bill establishes a regulatory process under which mentally competent adults with medically confirmed terminal illnesses with less than six months to live, may choose to obtain a prescription for medication to end the patient's life. The measure also makes it a criminal offense to tamper with a patient's request for a prescription or to coerce a patient to request a prescription."

The Administrative Director of the governor's office, Ford Fuchigam, testified at the legislature on behalf of Ige: "The Governor's Office believes this bill is important to allow terminally ill patients to decide for themselves when and how their lives should end. We believe HB 2739 is well drafted in a context of a robust continuum of palliative and hospice care, and provides sufficient safe-guards for both patients and doctors to minimize abuse."

Testimony from the Feb. 26 hearing can be read here, where more than 1300 testimonies are logged.

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Dr. Josh Green, state Senator and
candidate for Lt. Governor.

SEN. JOSH GREEN SUPPORTS STATE-SUPPORTED HEALTH CARE AND REGULATIONS to offset anticipated federal cutbacks in health funding. Senate Bill 2340 is cosponsored by Green and the Women's Legislative Caucus. Green, who has represented Ka‘ū and Kona since 2008, also works as an ER doctor, and is running for Lt. Governor. Affordable healthcare is one of ten goals he lists to strengthen and support Hawai‘ifamilies.

SB 2340: "Ensures certain benefits under the federal Affordable Care Act are preserved under Hawai‘i law, including: extending dependent coverage for adult children up to 26 years of age; prohibiting health insurance entities from imposing a preexisting condition exclusion; and prohibiting health insurance entities from using an individual's gender to determine premiums or contributions," according to the description of the bill on the legislature's portal.

The Senate bill was heard on Jan. 31, passing with amendments. On Feb. 23 it passed the Ways and Means Committee with zero 'no' votes. Its sister bill, HB2126, cosponsored by Rep. Cindy Evans, is also progressing.

Links to testimony from both hearings can be found here. Green can be followed on his Facebook and at joshgreen.org.

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HAWAI‘I RESIDENTS PAY THE LOWEST PROPERTY TAXES in the United States, according to a recent WalletHub study. The average Hawai‘i household pays $1,459 in real estate property taxes. The average

American household spends $2,197 on real-estate property taxes, plus an additional $436 per household in 27 states with vehicle property taxes. There are no vehicle property taxes in Hawai‘i.
More than $14 billion in property taxes nationwide go unpaid every year, according to the National Tax Lien Association.

To determine who pays the least, relative to the state, WalletHub released its 2018 Property Taxes by State report, which compares home and vehicle taxes across the nation, and features insights from a panel of experts.

For the full report, visit: wallethub.com/edu/states-with-the-highest-and-lowest-property-taxes/11585/

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Rebecca Folsom will perform Saturday, March 10,
at Volcano Art Center. Photo from Folsom

REBECCA FOLSOM TEACHES THE ART OF VOCAL FREEDOM WORKSHOP, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Sunday, Mar. 11, announces VolcanoArtCenter. The workshop will merge art (either collage, drawing, or painting), singing, and writing prose. Attendees will be able to work/play with all three artistic mediums at the same time. It is open to all levels of singers.

In the workshop participants will "learn to sing and express authentically with ease and flow tapping your own personal vocal freedom! We will uncover and polish the beauty and power of your individual authentic voice. Our bodies are powerful instruments of personal expression, the starting point where we shape the creative masterpiece of our lives. We will play with and practice simple exercises to enable your natural voice to shine through," suggests the event description.

The class is experiential, and weaves a blend of traditional and non-traditional vocal technique, martial arts, yogic posture, Toltec, and Taoist exercises. Effective for singers and non-singers alike, participants will learn to relax physical strain, learn to flow with the rush of adrenaline, strengthen underdeveloped potential, and feel the freedom of liberating release. The event description states these techniques "are easy to learn, powerfully affect confidence, ease, and personal presence, and greatly impact your ability to connect and engage in dynamic flow with yourself and the world around you."

The event description continues that participants will "practice within a loving environment releasing into the authentic voice you always knew you had within you. Practical, surprisingly transformational, and fun!"

Rebecca Folsom leads a vocal freedom
class at Volcano Art Center Sunday,
March 11. Photo from Folsom

Participants are asked to bring one song to sing - a cappella, self-accompanied, or with a basic chart to be accompanied by Folsom. The class fee is $50 plus a $10 supply fee. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

Folsom also gives a live performance the night before, from 7 p.m.to 9 p.m. She says working with students makes touring a much more rich affair. "The whole experience got deeper, because rather than just showing up in a town, we are immersed in the community," she said.

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ZENTANGLE: HALF PAST PAIZLEY, a workshop with Lydia Meneses, takes place on Saturday, Mar. 10, announces Volcano Art Center. The class, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., incorporates the paisley motif as a Zentangle string, using a mixture of Zentangle's official & non-official tangles to fill paisley artwork.
Paisley pattern is a droplet-shaped vegetable motif of Persian origin. Sometimes resembling a twisted teardrop or fig shape, its western name derives from the town of Paisley, in West Scotland.
The paisley artwork will be created on three different sizes of Zentangle's tiles. Students will receive a customized paisley stencil, designed especially for the class by Julie Evans, CZT, of Kala Creations, and a couple of pastel chalk pencils from General Pencils.

Learn the art of Zentangle, and how to incorporate the
paisley motif. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

The class, open to all levels, will be guided with Zentangle's traditional ceremony and method: gratitude, appreciation, relaxation, mindfulness, and awareness. "We encourage guests to bring and share their Zentangle tiles or Zentangle-inspired creations, and have them displayed in da 'Z' Gallery area," says VAC's event description.
The workshop fee is $30 for VAC members/$35 for non-members, plus a $10 supply fee. No Zentangle or art experience necessary. Participants are welcome to bring their favorite drawing tools. Very light refreshment will be served. Register by visiting volcanoartcenter.org or calling 967-8222.

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

After walking 100 miles, OKK President Wayne Kawachi
continues to raise money for senior housing in Nāʻālehu,
with the group selling corned beef and cabbage lunches at
Nāʻālehu Methodist Church on St. Patrick's Day,
Saturday, March 17. Photo from OKK

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU BINGO, SENIOR HOUSING, AND VOLUNTEERS are on the agenda in March and April. OKK continues to collect donations to help purchase land for new senior independent living housing in Nā‘ālehu.
OKK will sell corned beef and cabbage lunches in front of Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church on St. Patrick's Day, Saturday, March 17, with all proceeds going to the senior housing project.

OKK is collecting more surveys, to find out who would be interested in living in senior housing within the next five years. Anyone who will be 62 years or older within the next five years is welcome to fill out the survey. "We need your support!" said OKK President Wayne Kawachi.

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou will sponsor a Senior Bingo day on Wednesday, March 21, at PāhalaSeniorCenter. Kupuna are invited to have a free lunch at 11 a.m., and free bingo from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Everyone wins a prize at OKK bingo days.
Those who would like to volunteer with OKK to help out keiki and kupuna are welcome to attend OKK's next meeting on Thursday, April 5, at 6:30 p.m., at the Aspen Center in Punalu‘u.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KUPU, HAWAIʻI YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS SUMMER PROGRAM deadline to apply is tomorrow, Wed., Feb. 28. Open to young adults 17 and up. Kupu program lasts seven weeks, during June and July, and is 40 hours per week. For info and to apply: http://www.kupu hawaii.org/hycc -summer/2018Scholarship

HFS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM open to Big Island seniors planning for a two or four-year degree at a College, University, or Vocational-Technical school in the 2018-19 academic year. Applications due tomorrow, Wed., Feb. 28, available at hfsfcu.org/news/2018Scholarship or at any branch location: Kea‘au, Hilo, and Kona.

NOMINATIONS FOR COUNTY ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY - through the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission - are due tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 28, no later than 4:30 p.m. Download application here, then email to the Commission Secretary, Maxine Cutler, at maxine.cutler@hawaiicounty.gov.

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU IS ACCEPTING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS for school year 2018-2019. Scholarships are available to high school or home-schooled graduating seniors and to undergraduate college students. March 1 is the deadline. See the application form at www.okaukakou.org. Questions? Call Babette Morrow at 929-8076.

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY HEADBANDS CLASS until Mar. 1, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years, for Fri., Mar. 2, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., at Kahuku Park in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Girls Day, also called Hinamatsurin, is on March 3, a traditional Japanese day to celebrate the healthy growth and happiness of girls, with making headbands and specila foods, and displaying Japansese dolls. Call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. For more about these and other recreation programs: hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

KAHA KIʻI CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION is open to high school students. Digital files of 2D artwork due by March 5 at haearts@gmail.com. More info at: gabbard.house.gov/serving-you/student-resources/art-competition

MY HAWAI‘I 2018 CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST is open to all 6th through 8th grade students in the state. Submit story or poem that addresses the theme, "Ulu ka lālā i ke kumu: From a strong foundation grows an abundant future," to align with the 2018 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference. Submit online at hawaiiconservation.org/my-hawaii/my-hawaii-story-project-2018 by 5:00 p.m., March 9. Email questions to myhawaiistory@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

FREE LEGAL SERVICES available for those 60+ through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i's Kōkua Kupuna Project, at St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Wed., Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Contact Hawai‘i County Office of Aging at 961-8626, Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to obtain a referral. All others seeking free legal services, call 1-800-499-4302 (O‘ahu), Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. More info, email tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org or 329-3910 ext. 925.

LEI HAKU, a method of lei making that involves braiding materials into a base of leaves, has been announced by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as part of the ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. The free demonstration takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO

THURSDAY, MARCH 1
HAWAI‘I DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 1, 8:30 - noon, Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com.

VETERAN'S CENTER AND VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thurs., March 1 & 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Ocean View Community Center. No appointment needed to visit with VA counselor and benefit specialist. Contact Matthew at 329-0574 - ovcahi.org

STEWARDSHIP OF KῙPUKAPUAULU takes place every Thursday in March: 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Participants meet at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11, at 9:30 a.m. Volunteers should bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat and water; wear closed-toe shoes. Clothing may be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meeting, Thu, Mar 1, 6 - 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

FRIDAY, MARCH 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

SECOND ANNUAL RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH SYMPOSIUM-WEST, Sat, Mar 3, 8:30 - noon, West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, County Council Chambers. Register at www.RapidOhiaDeath.org

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT, Mar. 3, 9, 16, 23 & 31, 8:45 a.m. Meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm

INTRODUCTION TO OIL PAINTING WITH STEVE IRVINE, Sat., Mar. 3, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Class fee $55 for VAC members, $60 for non-members. Class supplies not provided; receive a full list upon registration. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

HI‘IAKA & PELE, Sat., Mar. 3, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena they represent on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO

ZENTANGLE: BASICS, Sat., Mar. 3, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn the foundations of Zentangle art form and the philosophy behind it from Certified Zentangle Teacher Dina Wood Kageler. All art supplies provided. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Bring a light refreshment to share. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, MARCH 4

HAM RADIO POTLUCK PICNIC, Sun., Mar. 4, noon to 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. Sponsored by South Point Amatueur Radio Club and Amateur Radio Emergency Service. View sites.google.com/site/southpointartc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058.

MONDAY, MARCH 5

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETING, Mon, Mar 5, 4 - 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Learn to make Hawaiian cordage, Kaula, at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Mar. 14.
See story below. Photo by Michael Szoenyi, National Park Service

SPINLAUNCH, THE COMPANY PLANNING TO START A MINI SPACEPORT ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND, with a possible location in Kaʻū and a bill before the Hawaiʻi Legislature, is profiled in a recent posting on the online TechCrunch by Josh Constantine.
The SpinLaunch idea is to reduce the cost of taking small satellites and packages into space. According to the story, SpinLaunch founder Johnathan Yaney said SpinLaunch is targeting a per-launch price of less than $500,000, while "all existing rocket-based companies cost between $5 million and $100 million per launch." The company is attempting to raise $25 million through Special Purpose Revenue Bonds, under consideration at the Hawaiʻi state House and Senate.

Asks TechCrunch, "What if instead of blasting cargo into space on a rocket, we could fling it into space using a catapult? That's the big, possibly crazy, possibly genius idea behind SpinLaunch." TechCrunch reports that SpinLaunch was "secretly founded in 2014 by Jonathan Yaney, who built solar-powered drone startup Titan Aerospace and sold it to Google. Now TechCrunch has learned from three sources that SpinLaunch is raising a massive $30 million Series A to develop its catapult technology."

A render of a SpinLaunch hangar, with evolving technology to catapult small satellites into space,
as shown to and published by TechCrunch.

TechCrunch looked into the financial history of SpinLaunch founders and reports that "SEC documents show that Yaney raised $1 million in equity in 2014, the year SpinLaunch was founded, $2.9 million in equity in 2015, $2.2 million in debt in mid-2017 and another $2 million in debt in late 2017."

The writer states that Yaney confirms "SpinLaunch has raised a total of $10 million to date, and that he's personally an investor. As for the next $30 million, he says, 'The current status of our Series is that we are still taking meetings with potential investors and have not yet received an executed offer.'"
TechCrunch writer Constantine wrote that he "scored an interview" with the SpinLaunch founder "after four years in stealth." TechCrunch reports founder Yaney explaining the SpinLaunch idea as a "sustainable way to get things like satellites from earth into space without chemical propellant. Using a catapult would sidestep the heavy fuel and expensive booster rockets used by companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin."

SpinLaunch founder Johnathan Yaney,

as seen on TechCrunch.

The SpinLaunch centrifuge would spin "at an incredible rate. All that momentum is then harnessed to catapult a payload into space at speeds one source said could be around 3,000 miles per hour. With enough momentum, objects could be flung into space on their own. Alternatively, the catapult could provide some of the power needed with cargo being equipped with supplemental rockets necessary to leave earth's atmosphere," reports TechCrunch.
TechCrunch visited a SpinLaunch hangar with the SpinLaunch founder, who told the reporter, "Since the dawn of space exploration, rockets have been the only way to access space. Yet in 70 years, the technology has only made small incremental advances to truly commercialize and industrialize space; we need 10x tech improvement."

The TechCrunch writer said that he interviewed sources who quoted physicists who discussed potential challenges including, "air resistance on the cargo when the catapult fires. Earth's atmosphere is so dense that it could be like the cargo was hitting a brick wall upon ejection. Any electronics or other sensitive materials in the cargo might have to be engineered to withstand intense G-forces. This all explains the pointy, aerodynamic launch vehicle shown in the hangar render," shown above.

TechCrunch wraps up its story by saying, "If SpinLaunch can overcome the technical barriers, it could democratize access to space by lowering launch costs. That could accelerate a new era of zero-gravity innovation, from space travel to mining to what we once thought of as mere science fiction."

Read much more and the entire article at TechCrunch. See the testimony regarding the legislative bills at SB2703 and HB2559.

THE PROPOSAL FOR $25 MILLION IN SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS to fund SpinLaunch is making its way through the Hawaiʻi Legislature. Most opposition testimony focuses on the possibility of locating the project in Kaʻū, particularly in the Pohuʻe Bay area where opponents say they want the land preserved for conservation and cultural purposes.
Positive testimony comes from scientists and business people who support advancing the new technology and the possibility of reducing the cost of space launches. Several businesses organizations have issued letters, touting the possibilities of employment and economic development.
Senate Bill 2703 passed the Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs; Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology; and Ways and Means Committees. Neither Kaʻū Senator, Russell Rudernman nor Josh Green, serve on those committees.
House Bill 2559 passed the House Committee on Economic Develpment and Business, and the Finance Committee. Neither Kaʻū Representative, Richard Creagan nor Richard Onishi, serve on those committees. The House has sent its bill to the Senate for consideration. See the testimony at SB2703 and HB2559.

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

Kamilo net mass, with Scientist Sarah-Jeanne
Royer, left, and another researcher, taking
samples. Photo from Hawaiʻi DLNR

THE HUGE MASS OF NETS AND ROPES THAT WASHED ONTO THE KAʻŪ COAST AT KAMILO is shrinking, and some of it may have washed back to sea, say researchers and volunteers working on its removal.

A video posted by Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources shows interviews about the origin of the mass, research, and efforts to remove it.
Scientist Sarah-Jeanne Royer is shown crawling over the ropes and nets with another researcher, taking samples."We have been cutting a few pieces of rope - different colors, different types - and I plan on studying what's living on the ropes, to see if we have invasive species." She said she wants to identify the species living in the mass and also estimate the age of the ropes and nets to determine their origin.

In early February, a "huge island of nets" was floating in the ocean ten miles south of Diamond Head. It broke apart and drifted to multiple ‘Oahu beaches. Royer speculated that the Kamilo mass might have been part of that "island."

"There's a lot in the ocean," and where the plastics, ropes and nets drift is "really weather-dependent," Royer said. "Its always there. If not on the shore, it's in the water."

A man in a Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund truck, who has been involved in many debris removal efforts, said, "That mass is going to have to be cut up some way. A lot of the nets we get here, like we just loaded in the truck, we can kind of stretch them out, so it makes it easier to cut them into pieces. That bundle is not going to stretch out," he said. "I can't even guesstimate how many truckloads that may be to get that out of here."

Huge net mass that washed ashore at Kamilo Beach earlier this month. Photos show Scientist Sarah-Jeanne Royer, in orange, and another researcher, taking samples, and helping a man from Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund to load a smaller net mass onto a truck to haul it away. Photos from Hawaiʻi DLNR

The video follows a crew working in constant wind and ran and ends showing a thick cable pulley, dragging a mass of nets the size of a small car up a makeshift ramp, into the back of a truck, while three people steady its progress.

Watch the whole video here: https://vimeo.com/257203587.
Volunteer for Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund by emailing megan@wildhawaii.org.

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AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN-KONA will give three $2000 scholarships to female college-bound high school seniors with financial need. Kaʻū High School and West Hawai'i high school students are eligible. Application packets were sent to high school counselors in February and are also available on the AAUW Kona website at: https://kona-hi.aauw.net.

The criteria for choosing the recipients are: academic achievement; high school and community involvement and/or employment performance; essay; financial need. The scholarship committee will review all complete applications. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed. The deadline for applications to be postmarked is Monday, April 2,. Application packets include a list of requirements.

Chloe Gan, a 2017 graduate of Ka‘ū High was one of last year's three scholarship winners. Gan is in her second semester at University of Portland, studying Mechanical Engineering, and earned a spot on the Dean's List with a 3.8 GPA.
With questions, contact co-chairs of the AAUW scholarship committee : Madalyn McWhite -Lamson at madmclam@gmail.com or Doris Massey-Karsznia at dmasseykarsznia@yahoo.com.

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

Cordage made from native Hawaiian plants is
demonstrated by Uncle Larry on March
14. Photo from Instagram

A KAULA DEMONSTRATION, takes place Wednesday, Mar. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai, announces Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
Uncle Larry Kuamo‘o demonstrates how to make traditional cordage from native Hawaiian plants like hau and hala. Kaula making was a necessary skill for making tools, wa‘a (canoes), hale (homes) and much more. The free event is part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshops. Park entrance fees apply.
For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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

A FILM SCREENING OF KĪLAUEA SUMMIT ERUPTION: LAVA RETURNS TO HALEMA‘UMA‘U, followed by a question and answer session with U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory representatives, has been announced by Volcano Art Center for the Mar. 15 Thursday Night at the Center event.
Geologist Janet Babb, and other representatives from USGS HVO, will be available at VAC from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., to mark the 10th anniversary of Kīlauea Volcano's ongoing summit eruption.

Observe the 10th anniversary of Kīlauea Volcano's summit eruption at
Halema‘uma‘u by viewing a film screening of USGS's recently released
24-minute documentary. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

The 24-minute U.S. Geological Survey video tells the story of Kīlauea Volcano's summit eruption, from its start in 2008 through 2017. It begins with a Hawaiian chant expressing traditional observations of an active lava lake, then recounts the eruptive history of Halemaʻumaʻu, and describes the formation and continued growth of the current summit vent and lava lake. In the video, USGS HVO scientists share insights on how they monitor the lava lake, how and why the lake level rises and falls, why explosive events occur, and the connection between Kīlauea's ongoing summit and East Rift Zone eruptions.
The event is free; however, a $5 donation to VAC is suggested.
Thursday Night at the Center is a once-a-month series at the Volcano Art Center, focusing on art, Hawaiian culture, and environment. The series is intended to inspire and enhance appreciation of art and life experience, while fostering community connections.
For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

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

KAʻŪ HIGH BOYS VOLLEYBALL STARTED SPRING SEASON OFF by hosting Kealakehe on Feb. 27. JV started the night off strong, winning both games, at 25-15 and 25-21. The three Varsity games played had the challengers in the lead, with scores of 25-17, 25-10, and 25-14.

The next three games are all away, with the Trojans heading out to Hawai‘i Prep on March 5, Kohala on March 9, and Makua Lani on March 12. See full Spring schedule, below.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Saturday, Mar 3, Kohala @ Ka‘ū

Wednesday, Mar 7, Waiakea @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 9, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Tuesday, Mar 13, @ Hilo

Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

Saturday, Mar 31 @ Hōnoka‘a

Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Monday, Mar 5, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Friday, Mar 9, @ Kohala

Monday, Mar 12, @ Makua Lani

Wednesday, Mar 14 Ehunui @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Apr 13, Hōnoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU ACCEPTING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS for school year 2018-2019. Scholarships available to high school or home-schooled graduating seniors and to undergraduate college students. March 1 deadline, application form at www.okaukakou.org. Questions? Call Babette Morrow at 929-8076.

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY HEADBANDS CLASS until Mar 1, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years, for Fri, Mar 2, 2:45 - 3:45 p.m., at Kahuku Park in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. For more about these and other recreation programs: hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

KAHA KIʻI CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION is open to high school students. Digital files of 2D artwork due by March 5 at haearts@gmail.com. More info at: gabbard.house.gov/serving-you/student-resources/art-competition

Keiki Spring Butterfly Craft open for registration
through March 6 Detils, right. Photo from Hawaiʻi DLNR

ARTS & CRAFTS: SPRING BUTTERFLY CRAFT, register until Mar 6. Event is Wed, Mar 7, 3:30 - 5 p.m., PāhalaCommunity Center. For grades K-8. Free. Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro, 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MARCH 1

Kōlea lau nui in Kīpukapuaulu. Participate
in the stewardship of this land - details to
the left. Photo from Hawaiʻi DLNR

HAWAI‘I DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 1, 8:30 a.m. - noon, Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com.

VETERAN'S CENTER AND VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 1 & 15, 8:30 a.m. - noon, Ocean View Community Center. No appointment needed to visit with VA counselor and benefit specialist. Contact Matthew at 329-0574 - ovcahi.org

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meeting, Thu, Mar 1, 6 - 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

HULA VOICES with Kumu Hula Kainani Kahauhaele, Thu, Mar 1, 7 - 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates event. Free, educational event occurring on the first Thursday of each month (excluding Apr. and Dec. 2018). volcanoartcenter.org

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

SECOND ANNUAL RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH SYMPOSIUM-WEST, Sat, Mar 3, 8:30 a.m. - noon, West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, County Council Chambers. East-side symposium Mar 17. Register at www.RapidOhiaDeath.org

HAWAI‘I WILDLIFE FUND VOLUNTEER BEACH CLEAN UP, Sat, Mar 3, 8:45 a.m., meet at Wai‘ōhinu Park. Help clean up trash and debris washed up on the shore at Kamilo on the Ka‘ū Coast below Nā‘ālehu. Reserve a spot in a 4WD vehicle with HWF in advance. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT, Mar 3, 9, 16, 23 & 31, 8:45 a.m. Meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm

INTRODUCTION TO OIL PAINTING WITH STEVE IRVINE, Sat, Mar 3, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Class fee $55/VAC members, $60/non-members. Class supplies not provided; receive a full list upon registration. His Tī and Seas art exhibit is open to the public through Sun, Mar 25, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., dailyvolcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

HI‘IAKA & PELE, Sat, Mar 3, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena they represent on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO

ZENTANGLE: BASICS, Sat, Mar 3, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn the foundations of Zentangle art form and the philosophy behind it from Certified Zentangle Teacher Dina Wood Kageler. All art supplies provided. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Bring a light refreshment to share. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 4

HAWAI‘I WILDLIFE FUND NEEDS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP LOAD NETS - previously collected from the coast - into a container at Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station on Sun, Mar 4, starting at 9 a.m. Bring personal drinking water. To sign-up, email kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

HAM RADIO POTLUCK PICNIC, Sun, Mar 4, noon - 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. Sponsored by South Point Amatueur Radio Club and Amateur Radio Emergency Service. View sites.google.com/site/southpointartc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058.

MONDAY, MARCH 5

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETING, Mon, Mar 5, 4 - 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 6

WALK INTO THE PAST WITH DR. THOMAS A. JAGGAR, Tuesdays, Mar. 6, 20, and 27, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m., at Kīlauea VisitorCenter. Each performance lasts about an hour. To find out more about this living history program, visit the park website: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/walk_into_the_past.htm

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT. Meeting, Tue, Mar 6, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEETING, Tue, Mar 6, 6 - 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

AFTER DARK IN THE PARK: THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF KĪLAUEA VOLCANO'S SUMMIT ERUPTION, Tue, Mar 6, 7 p.m., at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7

DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT MEETING, Wed, Mar 7, 6 - 8 p.m., OceanViewCommunity Center. Democratic Party Precincts of Ho‘okena, Miloli‘i & Ocean View. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

OPEN MIC NIGHT, Wed, Mar 7, 6 - 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Singers, Bands, Comedians, etc. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests 21 years and older. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

ONGOING

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A bill has moved from the state Senate to the House to fund more Child Welfare Service workers who serve
foster children to the age of 21 and also work with families. Photo from state Department of Human Services

SEN. JOSH GREEN'S BILL TO IMPROVE CHILD WELFARE AND FOSTER CARE SERVICES passed the state Senate Ways and Means Committee unanimously on Wednesday, following a public hearing. The bill moves to the state House of Representatives.

SB2276 would appropriate funds for the state Department of Human Services to ensure that the caseload of child welfare workers is no more than 20 children at a time. The five-year pilot program would be installed in the east Hawaiʻi Child Welfare Services area, where the number of children in foster care increased by 56 percent from 2014 to 2017. Statewide, the number of cases increased 23 percent from 2014 to 2017, leaving the most dramatic increase to East Hawai‘i.
Some testimony said that the program should be more than a test case in East Hawaiʻi and focus on not only caseloads, but also prevention statewide.

Testimonies from residents of East Hawai‘i were overwhelmingly in support of the bill, from emotional responses - giving specific details of children, families, and caseworkers in need - to the simple message "I support this bill," as Christina Lamport wrote.

Kenneth Goodenow, whose work as a lawyer in many Child Welfare Service cases, including service as a Guardian ad Litem for numerous children, stated: "While not meaning to sound dramatic, CWS in East Hawai‘i is at a crisis point. I am personally aware of three deaths last year involving placement of children already in the CWS system."

Sen. Josh Green, who submitted a bill to increase funds and lessen caseloads for child welfare workers.
Photo from State of Reform

Katherine Wood, an adoptive mother whose children were originally in the foster system, describes their situation with the caseworker they were assigned: "Despite never really observing us together as a family more than three or four times over the course of 16 months, she made a decision to break apart our family. She removed our older foster son from our home (after 1.5 years) and shipped him and his infant brother out of state to some relatives who had specifically stated multiple times they didn't want a baby. Ultimately we won a court decision (and won a subsequent case in appellate court) to have both boys returned to us to live together. Justice was served but at what emotional cost to our children, all of the parties of the case and to the tax payer?"

Others point out their concerns with the possible ramifications of a struggling child welfare system:

● "Studies show that 25-30 percent of youth who age out of the foster care system will experience homelessness, but increased case management and support for these youth reduces the numbers who become homeless," stated Maile Pavao.

● Lesley A. Slavin, a clinical psychologist, stated, "Often, our efforts are made less effective by a lack of support for the child from their over-worked, over-extended Child Welfare caseworker. When children feel abandoned or ignored by their caseworker (their legal guardian) and they are separated from their birth parents, they have little hope for their future and they can't make the emotional investment needed to benefit from their mental health treatment and other programming. This is a 'pay me now or pay me later' situation. We can spend money on higher quality Child Welfare services, or we can pay later for high cost mental health treatment or prison. I feel sure that the proposed pilot project will be able to demonstrate cost savings in the long run and improvements in child outcomes that can lead to other savings for the state down the line."

East Hawaiʻi experienced the highest increase in foster care, rising 56 percent between 2014 and 2017.
Photo from state Department of Human Services.

● Sharla-Ann Fujimoto wrote, "I have been working in the field for almost ten years. In that time, I have seen horrific amounts of injustice and harm done to our extremely vulnerable foster youth, which is partially due to the lack of support and staffing within Child Welfare Services. I have worked with many foster youth that have been in care for over a year, and they report seeing their worker only once or twice in the last eight months. The youth has had to fend for themselves to get the things they need, or they just settle to 'go without,' which is something that no young person should have to experience. Other youth have been horribly mistreated in their resource homes, and when the youth was calling and calling to reach out for help, the only thing they could do was leave a voicemail on an already overloaded answering machine. It is very clear: the foster youth need their social worker."

● "I am a retired police officer and former foster parent. I know the hard work that social workers do. Without them the children in care of the state would suffer," from Matthew Magnuson.
Read more testimonies on the bills.

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HOVE DEEP WELL IS STILL INOPERABLE and the water supply remains limited for Hawaiian Ocean View Estates and Ranchos.

The well, which was knocked out of commission in November of 2017, had been repaired, but testing that began on Feb. 9 is showing there is an electrical issue, and equipment inside the well will need to be removed. That process may begin this weekend.

The water department's mechanical engineer told the Water Board on Tuesday that testing indicates a possible short circuit somewhere, sending power possibly somewhere but the motor, unless the motor is damaged.

Water is being trucked by residents on their own dime, and by the county to service HOVEand Ranchos houses and businesses. The county water, distributed at the public spigot, is limited to drinking and personal use, and not for irrigating or washing vehicles. Commercial haulers are prohibited from filling their trucks with water at the Ocean View spigots. They must haul from Waiʻohinu and other county water spigots.

Meet Don Elwing at the Explore! Fair at Nāʻālehu Elementary School.
Above is his Peace at the Temple Bell creation made from plastics
collected at Kamilo Beach in Kaʻū. Art by Don Elwing

Department of Water Supply is pressing on for a second well in Ocean View, as a backup, and for commercial use and expansion of infrastructure, such as a future school.
There is no piped water to Ocean View and Ranchos homes who depend mostly on catchment and hauling.

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EXPLORE! FAIR BRINGS STEAM TO Nāʻālehu Elementary School Gym, Thursday, March 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. Event is free and open to the public.

STEAM is the theme, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. Hands-on experiments, make-and-take activities, student-work showcases, and brain-challenging games will be highlighted at several stations, each led by grade-level teachers or community partners. Learning to make recycled paper, entering the hurricane engineering design challenge, or picking up seedlings to start home gardens are just a taste of the many activities planned.

Fair participants can also view artist Don Elwing's gallery of pieces created from marine debris gathered from KamiloBeach. Visit the Nāʻālehu ACE Hardware table to make slime or a lava lamp to take home, and get a special gadget for visiting. Talk to field experts whose passions intersect with STEAM and have helped them to find their current careers right here on the BigIsland.
Check out Bee Boys live honeybee observation hive, and explore Kaʻū's unique native ecosystems and conservation efforts with community organizations - such as Three Mountain Alliance, Nā Mamo o Kāwā, and The Nature Conservancy - and much more.

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TWO SUNDAY CLAY - HIGH FIRE! WORKSHOPS WITH ERIK WOLD, a morning and an afternoon class that each meet once-weekly for eight weeks, will start on Mar. 4, announces Volcano Art Center. The morning session takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and the afternoon session takes place from 2:45 to 5:45 p.m. Both courses run through Apr. 22.
Volcano Art Center welcomes all skill levels to join the classes, in which participants will work with stoneware clay and high-fire reduction glazes.

Teaching artist Wold provides instruction and demonstrations of wheel throwing methods, and will be available for individual assistance. Those new to clay will be guided step-by-step through the basics of using the potter's wheel or hand-building techniques. Continuing students and those with previous experience are encouraged to develop their skills, and are welcome to pursue more advanced directions with the instructor's helpful input. Informal discussion on topics ranging from sources of creative inspiration to various pottery styles and traditions from around the world will supplement this hands-on learning experience.
For each class, seven registration slots are open to "wheel throwers," and two additional places will be open to "hand builders." The course cost is $180 for VAC members and $200 for non-members, plus a $15 materials fee for 6 pounds of clay, which includes glazes and firing for that material - additional clay is available for purchase.

Photos from volcanoartcenter.org

Open studio time will be available to registered students on Wednesdays, from 2 to 5 p.m., at $10 per day, with tickets available at VAC's Administration Office front desk during business hours. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.
Wold is a full-time potter living in Volcano Village. He is a member of the Volcano Village Artists Hui, and sells his wares regularly at the Saturday Hilo Farmers Market, and Sunday Cooper Center Farmers Market in Volcano. Wold studied Ceramics at the University of Hawaiʻi, Hilo, graduating in 1993.

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SECOND GAME FOR KA‘Ū TROJANS GIRLS SOFTBALL was played on Wednesday at home, against Honoka‘a. It was a close one, Ka‘ū trailing behind by only three runs, with an ending score of 13-10. The next game in Ka‘ū is Saturday, against Kohala. See full softball and volleyball schedules, below.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Saturday, Mar 3, Kohala @ Ka‘ū

Wednesday, Mar 7, Waiakea @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 9, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Tuesday, Mar 13, @ Hilo

Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a

Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Monday, Mar 5, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Friday, Mar 9, @ Kohala

Monday, Mar 12, @ Makua Lani

Wednesday, Mar 14 Ehunui @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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

KAHA KIʻI CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION is open to high school students. Digital files of 2D artwork due by March 5 at haearts@gmail.com. More info at: gabbard.house.gov/serving-you/student-resources/art-competition

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

West Hawaiʻi Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Symposium this weekend. East Hawaiʻi symposium Saturday, March 17. See details, below. Photo of healthy, rare salmon-colored ʻōhiʻa from NPS

SECOND ANNUAL RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH SYMPOSIUM-WEST, Sat, Mar 3, 8:30 - noon, West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, County Council Chambers. Register at www.RapidOhiaDeath.org

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT, Mar. 3, 9, 16, 23 & 31, 8:45 a.m. Meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm

INTRODUCTION TO OIL PAINTING WITH STEVE IRVINE, Sat., Mar. 3, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Class fee $55 for VAC members, $60 for non-members. Class supplies not provided; receive a full list upon registration. His Tī and Seas art exhibit is open to the public through Sun., Mar. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily - volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

HI‘IAKA & PELE, Sat., Mar. 3, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena they represent on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO.

ZENTANGLE: BASICS, Sat., Mar. 3, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn the foundations of Zentangle art form and the philosophy behind it from Certified Zentangle Teacher Dina Wood Kageler. All art supplies provided. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Bring a light refreshment to share. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 4

HAM RADIO POTLUCK PICNIC, Sun., Mar. 4, noon to 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. Sponsored by South Point Amatueur Radio Club and Amateur Radio Emergency Service. View sites.google.com/site/southpointartc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058.

MONDAY, MARCH 5

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETING, Mon, Mar 5, 4 - 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 6

Walk into the past with Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar
- details, right. Photo from National Park Service

WALK INTO THE PAST WITH DR. THOMAS A. JAGGAR, Tuesdays, Mar. 6, 20, and 27, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m., at Kīlauea VisitorCenter. Each performance lasts about an hour. To find out more about this living history program, visit the park website:
nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/walk _into_the_
past.htm

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT. Meeting, Tue, Mar 6, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEETING, Tue, Mar 6, 6 - 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

AFTER DARK IN THE PARK: THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF KĪLAUEA VOLCANO'S SUMMIT ERUPTION, Tues., Mar. 6, 7 p.m., at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7

DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT MEETING, Wed, Mar 7, 6 - 8 p.m., OceanView Community Center. Democratic Party Precincts of Ho‘okena, Miloli‘i & Ocean View. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 8

STEWARDSHIP OF KῙPUKAPUAULU takes place every Thursday in March: 8, 15, 22, and 29. Participants meet at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11, at 9:30 a.m. Volunteers should bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat and water; wear closed-toe shoes. Clothing may be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 8, 9:30 - 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Provided by Paula Boyer of Big Island Disability. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

MOKUHANGA: TRADITIONAL JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINTMAKING, Thursdays, Mar 8 - Apr 5, 1 - 3:30 p.m., Volcano ArtCenter. Five hands-on sessions w/ Sensei Glenn Yamanoha. Water-based printing by hand using non-toxic natural materials. No experience necessary. $72/VAC members, $80/non-members, plus a $40 supply fee. Registration online, volcanoartcenter.org

EXPLORE! FAIR, Nāʻālehu School Gym, Thurs, Mar 8, 4 - 6 p.m., free. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) is the theme, with hands-on experiments, make-and-take activities, student-work showcases, and brain-challenging games. Enjoy free food and refreshments, and a chance to win door prizes.

FOUR DAYS OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP COMING TO KA‘Ū, with Big Island Faith Crusade, at Ka‘ū District Gym, Thursday, March 8, at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 9, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 10, at 9:30 a.m.; and Sunday, March 11, at 9:30 a.m.; doors open one hour beforehand; free. Contact Thy Word Ministries Pastor Bob Tominaga at 936-9114 or Herb Schneider at 327-9739 for more information.

ONGOING

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Nāʻālehu Theatre is the subject of a letter from state legislators to its owners, urging renovation and repair. See story below.
This photo was featured on a website called Abandoned USA.

THE $2M BILL TO UPGRADE CARDIAC CARE at Hilo Medical Center, which serves Kaʻū Hospital, passed the state Senate Ways and Means Committee unanimously this week. It would fund two cardiologist positions, cardiac unit support staff, and equipment for such procedures as stents. Heart attack and stroke patients are often air lifted to Honolulu or Maui for emergency surgeries, delaying lifesaving procedures during travel time.
Testimony from Kaʻū Hospital Administrator Merilyn Harris states, "By the time the patient is evaluated and airlifted to Oʻahu or Maui- especially if they are starting out in Kaʻū - due to the distances, most of the time, that two hour window has passed, increasing the risk of the patient not fully recovering. Of all the communities on the BigIsland this issue is most important to us."

Dozens of supportive testimonies were logged for the hearing, from medical professionals to Mayor Harry Kim, from United Public Workers Local 646 to individuals like Susan Hughes. She wrote that Hilo Medical Center's Dr. David Griffin estimates 400 people a year are airlifted to Honolulu at a cost of $30,000 each. "That comes to 12 million dollars a year. SB 1235 is projected to cost 2 million. Aren't our lives worth the money? If it were your loved ones, what would you vote?"

Julie Williams, a member of Volcano Community Action Network, wrote emotionally of her mother's cardiac-related death: "On November 22, 2014, I brought my mother to HiloMedicalCenteremergency room as she was experiencing a heart attack. Imagine our shock when the attending doctor said 'there's nothing we can do for you.' The clot blocking drug was administered, but my mother still died within an hour as we waited for the medical helicopter. I'm brought to tears just writing this. Please save others from such a tragic experience. And please support our community as well as the hard working doctors, nurses and technicians at HiloMedicalCenterby fully funding SB1235."

Patricia Shema, of Volcano, wrote, "HiloMedicalCenteris well positioned to provide interventional cardiac care as it already has available cardiac imaging equipment and software, as well as a cardiology clinic that has space for three cardiologists. The requested funding would provide for recruiting and employing additional interventional cardiologists, training for staff, and the purchase of medical equipment for the Cardiac Catheterization Lab and Intensive Care Unit."

Benjamin Todd wrote, "Flying cardiac patients to Oʻahu is expensive and is an extra trauma in an already traumatic experience."

Not a single testimony opposed the bill. Read the testimonies.

Nā‘ālehu Theatre entrance Photo by Julia Neal

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

PRESERVE AND RENOVATE NĀ‘ĀLEHU THEATER, urges a letter to Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, which is affiliated with the Weinberg company that owns the property.
The letter was sent this week from a group of legislators islandwide, including Rep. Richard Creagan and Sen. Josh Green who represent west Ka‘ū into Kona, and Sen. Russell Ruderman, who represents east Ka‘ū from Honu‘apo through Pāhala and Volcano, onto Kea‘au, Pāhoa, Kalapana, and Kapoho. The letter states, "It's evident that the historic Nā‘ālehu Theater is in need of repair and maintenance."
The letter describes Nā‘ālehu Theatre as the district's only surviving major historic landmark fronting the circle-island Belt Highway 11. It notes that it was built by Hutchinson Sugar Plantation Company for the benefit of its workers and their dependents, around 1925.

The projection room and classroom. See Abandoned USA

"As one of the few cultural and historic landmarks commemorating the sugar industry, we believe it is worth preserving," state the legislators. "The theater fosters appreciation by visitors, is a source of pride among community members, and is eligible to be listed as a historic place. The Hawai‘i Island legislators and members of the community appreciate the positive impact and generosity that your foundation has shown the State of Hawai‘i over the years, and urge you to preserve the historic integrity of Nā‘ālehu town. We respectfully ask that you work with the community to resolve some of these issues."
Nā‘ālehu Theater is located near the commercial crossroads of the town.

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OPTIMAL NUTRITIONAL GARDENING, with Zach Mermel of Ola Design Group, takes place on Saturday, Mar. 17, announces Volcano Art Center. The hands-on workshop, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., aims to teach participants how to improve the nutritional density of garden fruits and vegetables, as well as which plants naturally contain high amounts of certain vitamins, minerals, and beneficial fats, plus strategies for planning a well-rounded diet from the home garden.

"Gardening is a richly rewarding experience in many ways. Not only does it increase physical activity, but offers a multitude of benefits such as stress relief and mental clarity, to name a few. You also become invested in the health and well-being of the plants that provide your nourishment," states VAC's event description.

Hibiscus, Jerusalem artichokes, and edible landscape plants are some of the options for total nutritional gardening. Workshop on March 17. Photos from volcanoartcenter.org

"How do we grow the most nutrient dense foods for ourselves and our family? There are over 20,000 species of edible plants across the world, yet less than two dozen now provide 90% of our food. Join us as we explore organizing our gardens and landscapes based on the Vitamin Food Pyramid."
The class fee is $30 per VAC member and $35 per non-member. Students will be able to depart with plant materials such as seeds and/or cuttings. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org or over the phone by calling 967-8222.

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

A PŪ‘OHE DEMONSTRATION, takes place Friday, Mar. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Kahuku Unit, announces Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The pū‘ohe is a Hawaiian bamboo trumpet.

Make a Hawaiian Flute and learn how to play it on Mar. 16,
at the Kahuku Unit. Photo from National Park Service

Pū‘ohe has a deep sound, somewhat like a conch shell, and like other native instruments, it requires the special spirit breath to produce the proper sound. Rangers and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff will help participants make their own pū‘ohe. The free event is part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshops.
The Kahuku Unit is a 50-minute drive south of the park’s main entrance, near mile marker 70.5 on Hwy 11. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO

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MINI-BAZAAR FUNDRAISER AT KAUAHA‘AO CONGREGATIONAl CHURCH in Wai‘ohinu, Ka‘ū, on Saturday, April 14, from 9 a.m.to 2 p.m., on the church grounds.

Individuals, schools, clubs, and sports/athletic groups are invited to be vendors at the "flea market". The charge for a 10' X 10' space is $10. Vendors are responsible for bringing their own tent, table and chairs, and if power is needed, a generator. Vendors can sell anything except hot foods/plate lunches.

The Church will sell Smoke Meat bowls, Roast Chicken Bowls, as well as baked goods, and produce. The church is located on the corner of Mamalahoa Hwy, Kamaoa Roadand Pinao Street just above the Wong Yuen Store.

For more information and to reserve a vendor space, call Walter or Debbie Wong Yuen at 928-8039, in the evening.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Saturday, Mar 3, Kohala @ Ka‘ū

Wednesday, Mar 7, Waiakea @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 9, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Tuesday, Mar 13, @ Hilo

Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a

Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Monday, Mar 5, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Friday, Mar 9, @ Kohala

Monday, Mar 12, @ Makua Lani

Wednesday, Mar 14 Ehunui @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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

KAHA KIʻI CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION is open to high school students. Digital files of 2D artwork due by March 5 at haearts@gmail.com. More info at: gabbard.house.gov/serving-you/student-resources/art-competition

MY HAWAI‘I 2018 CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST is open to all 6th through 8th grade students in the state. Submit story or poem that addresses the theme, "Ulu ka lālā i ke kumu: From a strong foundation grows an abundant future," to align with the 2018 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference. Submit online at hawaiiconservation.org/my-hawaii/my-hawaii-story-project-2018 by 5:00 p.m., March 9. Email questions to myhawaiistory@gmail.com.

REGISTER FOR KAʻŪ RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL MEETING by March 9 by calling Kaʻū Resource & Distance Learning Center at 928-0101. The gathering will be Fri., March 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

SECOND ANNUAL RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH SYMPOSIUM-WEST, Sat, Mar 3, 8:30 - noon, West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, County Council Chambers. Register at www.RapidOhiaDeath.org

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT, Mar. 3, 9, 16, 23 & 31, 8:45 a.m. Meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm

INTRODUCTION TO OIL PAINTING WITH STEVE IRVINE, Sat., Mar. 3, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Class fee $55 for VAC members, $60 for non-members. Class supplies not provided; receive a full list upon registration. His Tī and Seas art exhibit is open to the public through Sun., Mar. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily - volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

HI‘IAKA & PELE, Sat., Mar. 3, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena they represent on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO

ZENTANGLE: BASICS, Sat., Mar. 3, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn the foundations of Zentangle art form and the philosophy behind it from Certified Zentangle Teacher Dina Wood Kageler. All art supplies provided. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Bring a light refreshment to share. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 4

HAM RADIO POTLUCK PICNIC, Sun., Mar. 4, noon to 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. Sponsored by South Point Amatueur Radio Club and Amateur Radio Emergency Service. View sites.google.com/site/southpointartc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058.

MONDAY, MARCH 5

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETING, Mon, Mar 5, 4 - 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 6

WALK INTO THE PAST WITH DR. THOMAS A. JAGGAR, Tuesdays, Mar. 6, 20, and 27, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m., at Kīlauea VisitorCenter. Each performance lasts about an hour. To find out more about this living history program, visit the park website: nps.gov/havo/planyour
visit/walk_into_the_past.htm

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT. Meeting, Tue, Mar 6, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEETING, Tue, Mar 6, 6 - 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT MEETING, Wed, Mar 7, 6 - 8 p.m., OceanView Community Center. Democratic Party Precincts of Ho‘okena, Miloli‘i & Ocean View. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

OPEN MIC NIGHT, Wed, Mar 7, 6 - 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Lava Lounge in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Singers, Bands, Comedians, etc. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests 21 years and older. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 8

DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 8, 9:30 - 1 p.m., OceanViewCommunity Center. Provided by Paula Boyer of Big Island Disability. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

MOKUHANGA: TRADITIONAL JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINTMAKING, Thursdays, Mar 8 - Apr 5, 1 - 3:30 p.m., VolcanoArtCenter. Five hands-on sessions w/ Sensei Glenn Yamanoha. Water-based printing by hand using non-toxic natural materials. No experience necessary. $72/VAC members, $80/non-members, plus a $40 supply fee. Registration online, volcanoartcenter.org

EXPLORE! FAIR, Nāʻālehu Elementary School Gym, Thurs, Mar 8, 4 - 6 p.m., free. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) is the theme, with hands-on experiments, make-and-take activities, student-work showcases, and brain-challenging games. Enjoy free food and refreshments, and a chance to win door prizes.

Explore! Fair at Nāʻālehu Elementary will feature many fascinating things to do and see, including art from Don Elwing, who collects debris from Kamilo Beach to make awareness art. Details above. Photo from video by VSAS

FRIDAY, MARCH 9

ONGOING

KDEN HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES - March 9 through 24. Performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m, Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater, Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network performance. KMC open to authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call KDEN for ticket info, 982-7344.

TŪTŪ AND ME OFFERS HOME VISITS to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 646-9634.

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

Rutted roads to Mahana Bay, Green Sand Beach, are discussed in the South Point management plan which calls for
designating specific roadways, trails and walkways and possibly charging admission to help pay for management of
the area. See the plan online with its history, cultural, wildlife and archaeological studies.

SOUTH POINT HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS are the subject of the final draft of of a management plan that was recently filed with the State of Hawai‘i. It calls for setting protocol for traveling through the area, including: defining trails, and walking and driving routes; protecting historic sites and natives species; establishing parking areas; and the possible levying of entrance fees.

See many maps, illustrations and proposed management
idea for South Point online.

The plan covers little-known historic places, along with locations popular with locals and visitors, such as Green Sand Beach, and the South Point cliffs frequented by fishermen, campers, and those risking diving into the ocean. One proposal is to allow walking along a trail to Green Sand Beach, and reserve driving for an emergency road that would be located mauka.
The plan for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands was compiled by the planning firm Townscape, after years of research and gathering public input.
The document includes not only a plan for management of South Point, but its history, an Archaeological Survey, and a Cultural Impact Survey. Many Ka‘ū residents are quoted with their ideas for the future of South Point. The document can be read online. See a series of upcoming stories on the plan in Ka‘ū News Briefs and in The Ka‘ū Calendar newspaper.

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

FAIRNESS IN LABELING READY-TO-DRINK COFFEE, which is often promoted as being from Hawai‘i when most of the coffee content is from elsewhere, is the aim of HB1757HD1. The measure crossed over from the state House of Representatives to the Senate this week. It was introduced by Ka‘ū Rep. Richard Creagan and numerous cosponsors.

At a hearing in February, coffee farmer Bruce Corker said that Ready to Drink beverages are on the market "using Hawai‘i origin names on their products without disclosing what percentage, if any, of the coffee is from the region on the label." He gave examples.

"What we are asking for the protection of consumers and for the protection of the economic interests of farmers, is that this simple change be made: to add to the current labeling requirements, one, have a minimum of ten percent origin coffee in the product and, two, have the percentage on the label."

Ready to Drink Coffee by Trader Joe's proclaims its content
is 100 Percent Kona. The new legislation would require all
Ready to Drink Coffees to provide the origin of the coffee
by percent on each label.

He said that truth in labeling can be enforced through a procedure developed by University of Hawai‘i called Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. He said it is a straightforward and inexpensive method developed by scientists at UH Manoa, and can be used to authenticate coffee origin and blend, both roasted and in brew.

Supporting testimonies came in from County Council member Dru Kanuha, who is running for state Senate for west Ka‘ū and Kona, and Brenda Ford, who is running for state House of Representatives for west Ka‘ū and Kona.

Ford wrote: "Please protect our heritage coffee crop and pass the RTD bill, HB1757. Hawai‘i is known for many wonderful things and our coffee is one of them. Our farmers need the protection provided by HB 1757 and our consumers need protection from fraudulent vendors who use the Hawaiian regional names to sell cheap out-of-country coffee blends with very low amounts of Hawaiian regional coffee but labeled as a Hawaiian regional coffee. Our farmers work very hard to support their families, pay their taxes, and provide consumers with a fine product. They should not need to compete with 'knock-off' blends using our great Hawaiian regional names."

Sundrop uses the name Ka‘ū for its Ready to Drink
Coffee. How much Ka‘ū is in each can?

Kanuha wrote that false claims of coffee origins diminish the true coffee reputation and "potentially, (bring) economic harm to our local coffee farmers. This measure should help protect consumers from fraud and deception in coffee labeling, support the economic interests of Hawai‘i's coffee farmers, protect the integrity and reputation of Hawai‘i grown coffees."

Jeanne Kapela, whose family owns a coffee farm, stated, "Labeling and advertising requirements are intended to resolve any consumer confusion and allow consumers to 'make an enlightened choice,' as stated in Act 289, Session Laws of Hawai‘i 1991, by promoting a truthful representation of a coffee product's geographical origin and protecting fraud and deception in coffee labeling and advertising. Local farmers are the heartbeat of West Hawai‘i, where I grew up and where my family owns a small coffee farm. Kona and Ka‘ū coffees, likewise, are two of Hawai‘i's most iconic treasures. Our farmers who grow these products provide economic security for our community. When farmers prosper, our economy thrives, our families are nourished, and our children grow strong. We must support local coffee farmers by fighting to protect the Kona name from misuse by commercial exploitation."

Lynne Matusow, self-described coffee drinker - and one of the few non-farmers who testified on the bill - opined, "Unethical businesses should not be selling their product giving the impression that it contains 100% coffee from Hawaiʻi, when in fact it does not. Caveat emptor should be caveat seller. Please pass this bill."

Read more testimonies.

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USGS HVO field engineers upgrade a tiltmeter on Kīlauea Volcano's East Rift Zone. The upgrade consisted of switching the old analog instrument to a newer digital model. This tiltmeter is used to track magma movement within the volcano. USGS photo by K. Kamibayashi

MONITORING HAWAIIAN VOLCANOES REQUIRES A DIVERSIFIED TOOLKIT, asserts this week's Volcano Watch, written by US Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists: Most people likely know that USGS HVO uses seismometers and Global Positioning System receivers for monitoring volcanoes. However, fewer people may be aware of the full extent of the volcano-monitoring toolkit.

Today's Volcano Watch addresses this instrumentation, but still only scratches the surface of the great variety of equipment that HVO scientists use to monitor Hawaiian volcanoes.

HVO has an extensive network of remote monitoring stations which continuously telemeter data back to the observatory. They also have instruments used to collect data during periodic campaign surveys, in which HVO scientists collect data on site during a field visit.

Digital communications allow HVO field engineers to integrate all of HVO's monitoring capabilities into a single telemetry system that is referred to as the "volcano monitoring network."

At a volcano observatory, instrumentation is tasked by scientific disciplines including geology, geophysics, and geochemistry. HVO scientists constantly reach beyond their particular areas of expertise to compare findings from as many monitoring methods as they can.

USGS scientists measure the weight of Mauna Loa. USGS photo

In general, HVO monitors volcanic activity through observation - seeing, listening, feeling, and smelling - and by making measurements. Roughly translated, HVO geologists "see" with tools like web cameras; geophysicists "listen and feel" with seismometers, and measure with tiltmeters and GPS; and geochemists "smell" (observe and measure) with ultraviolet spectrometers.

Many monitoring instruments require additional devices to monitor non-volcanic phenomena to interpret the data. For example, rainfall can cause ground tilt changes and can scrub out some volcanic gas. These additional support instruments, such as a rain gauge, help HVO scientists distinguish real signals from non-volcanic processes.

Take a closer look at the instruments in HVO's volcano monitoring network.

HVO geologists use various types of cameras for observation, including fixed-view webcams, thermal cameras, and time-lapse cameras. Geologists cleverly "stack," or combine, images from these camera systems to create a single composite image that visually traces the hotspots of active lava flows over time. Thermal cameras have replaced radiometers for monitoring lava lake activity; both instruments detect changes in infrared radiation, or temperature, as the lava lake surface rises and falls, but thermal cams also provide images that are used for additional study of lava lake motion and behavior.
Geophysicists include geodesists - scientists who study ground deformation (inflation and deflation of the volcano) - and seismologists, who study earthquakes.
Instruments used by HVO geodesists include GPS, tiltmeters, and gravimeters. The GPS used are multi-frequency receivers with a GPS antenna permanently affixed to a monument, which is anchored to the earth. With GPS, HVO geodesists can measure surface movement in both horizontal and vertical directions. Tiltmeters measure changes in ground tilt, which allow them to recognize, among other things, accumulation of magma into various structures of the volcano. Gravimeters measure small changes in gravitational pull, useful for observing subsurface intrusions of magma and mapping accumulations of minerals associated with magma storage systems.

HVO seismologists require a variety of instruments to detect and record earthquakes, including seismometers with different geophones, frequency response (short period and broadband), accelerometers, and infrasound sensors. Each type of seismic instrument has specific characteristics that seismologists have determined to be necessary for specific monitoring goals. Every seismic station also has a GPS receiver used for signal timing and location accuracy.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory tiltmeter site.
Photo from HVO

HVO geochemists use ultraviolet spectrometers for both campaign surveys and permanent installations. UV spectrometers allow geochemists to derive gas concentrations by measuring how much sunlight passes through a volcanic plume. Volcanic emission monitoring instruments also include both low- and high-resolution sulfur dioxide sensors, thermocouples to measure fumarole temperatures, and particle sensors to assess airborne particle concentrations. Gas monitoring instrumentation also requires support instruments, such as anemometers (measures wind speed) and rain gauges. Some gas monitoring sites also require canisters of known gas concentrations that are used to calibrate measurements.

Scientists at HVO use these tools - and many more - to further the monitoring capabilities and understanding of volcanoes. HVO field engineers are constantly challenged with the task of integrating new instrumentation into the volcano monitoring network. Although it's a daunting task, this work is both intriguing and comforting; after all, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff live on these active volcanoes too.

Monitor HVO's networks and website https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/. Call for summary updates at 967-8862 (Kīlauea) or 967-8866 (Mauna Loa). Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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

Prickly Pear is one of the many wild food options available on Hawai‘i Island.
Learn more about foraging locally on Mar. 24. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

EDIBLE WILD PLANTS: A HANDS-ON FORAY FOR FORAGERS AND FOODIES, with Zach Mermel from Ola Design Group, will take place Saturday, Mar. 24, from 8 a.m. to noon, announces Volcano Art Center.
Hawai‘i’s year-round growing season offers a wide array of wild food options for intrepid locavores. From seeds to leaves, stems to fruits: participants can learn what is edible and what is not in this workshop, and will interact first-hand with many of these under-appreciated edibles. Learn about wild edibles like plantain/laukahi, sow thistle, cat's ear, and dandelion, mainly in Pu‘u Huluhulu cinder cone area. The event description warns, "This is discovery only – no picking!"
"Remember: Never eat anything from the wild without first consulting an expert! Please forage responsibly. Educate yourself, and have fun."
The class, $30 per VAC member and $40 per non-member, plus a $15 transportation fee, boasts hands-on immersion for foragers and foodies alike. Class size is limited; register early. Attendees will meet at VAC's Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village, with transportation to and from the main destination provided. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Wednesday, Mar 7, Waiakea @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 9, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Tuesday, Mar 13, @ Hilo

Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a

Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Monday, Mar 5, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Friday, Mar 9, @ Kohala

Monday, Mar 12, @ Makua Lani

Wednesday, Mar 14 Ehunui @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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

KAHA KIʻI CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION is open to high school students. Digital files of 2D artwork due by tomorrow, March 5, at haearts@gmail.com. More info at: gabbard.house.gov/serving-you/student-resources/art-competition

ARTS & CRAFTS: SPRING BUTTERFLY CRAFT, register until Mar 6. Event is Wed, Mar 7, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. For grades K-8 years. Free. Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro, 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

REGISTER FOR KAʻŪ RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL MEETING by March 9 by calling Kaʻū Resource & Distance Learning Center at 928-0101. The gathering will be Fri., March 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center.

MY HAWAI‘I 2018 CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST is open to all 6th through 8th grade students in the state. Submit story or poem that addresses the theme, "Ulu ka lālā i ke kumu: From a strong foundation grows an abundant future," to align with the 2018 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference. Submit online at hawaiiconservation.org/my-hawaii/my-hawaii-story-project-2018 by 5:00 p.m., March 9. Email questions to myhawaiistory@gmail.com.

Applications open for Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant
through March 9. Details, left. Photo from Pam Taylor

MISS KA‘Ū COFFEE PAGEANT - REGISTRATION DEADLINE, Sat, Mar 10, 6 p.m. Event held Sat, Apr 21, Ka‘ū District Gym. Those who sign up early will be offered more opportunity for training and sponsorships. Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant Director Trinidad Marques, 928-0606, TrinidadMarques@yahoo.com, or Facebook Trinidad Marques.

MONDAY, MARCH 5
OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETING, Mon, Mar 5, 4 - 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 6

WALK INTO THE PAST WITH DR. THOMAS A. JAGGAR, Tuesdays, Mar. 6, 20, and 27, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m., at Kīlauea VisitorCenter. Each performance lasts about an hour. To find out more about this living history program, visit the park website: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/walk_into_the_past.htm
DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT. Meeting, Tue, Mar 6, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.ne t

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEETING, Tue, Mar 6, 6 - 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

AFTER DARK IN THE PARK: THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF KĪLAUEA VOLCANO'S SUMMIT ERUPTION, Tues., Mar. 6, 7 p.m., at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7
DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT MEETING, Wed, Mar 7, 6 - 8 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Democratic Party Precincts of Ho‘okena, Miloli‘i & Ocean View. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

Join other volunteers in stewarding this natural area, by removing invasive plants such as morning glory. Thursdays, in the park.
Photo from NPS

THURSDAY, MARCH 8

DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 8, 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Provided by Paula Boyer of Big Island Disability. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

FOUR DAYS OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP COMING TO KA‘Ū, with Big Island Faith Crusade, at Ka‘ū District Gym, Thursday, March 8, at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 9, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 10, at 6 p.m.; and Sunday, March 11, at 9:30 a.m.; doors open one hour beforehand; free. Contact Thy Word Ministries Pastor Bob Tominaga at 936-9114 or Herb Schneider at 327-9739 for more information.

Musician Rebecca Folsom - concert Mar. 10. workshop
Mar. 11. Details below. Photo from VAC

FRIDAY, MARCH 9

SATURDAY, MARCH 10
PANCAKE BREAKFAST AND RAFFLE, Sat, Mar 10, 8 - 11 a.m., OceanView Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

KĀWĀ VOLUNTEER DAY, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 a.m., Kāwā. Sign up with James Akau, Nā Mamo o Kāwā, at namamookawa@gmail.com or 430-3058.

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit's newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack.

ZENTANGLE: HALF-PAST PAIZLEY, Sat, Mar 10, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Lydia Menses incorporates a paisley motif as Zentangle string, using a mixture of Zentangle's official and non-official tangles to fill. No experience necessary. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Light refreshment provided. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org
RED CROSS MEETING, Sat, Mar 10, 3 - 5 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

AN EVENING WITH REBECCA FOLSOM, Sat, Mar 10, 7 - 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Awarding-winning artist. $20 per VAC member and $25 per non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11
BIRTH OF KAHUKU, Sun, Mar 11, 9:30 -11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. nps.gov/HAVO

TEEN CHALLENGE CHOIR, Sun, Mar 11, 10 a.m., River of Life Assembly of God, Pāhala. The group will minister through song and testimony as well as spread awareness of the Teen Challenge Program. rolhawaii.com, 443-9394.

THE ART OF VOCAL FREEDOM WORKSHOP WITH REBECCA FOLSOM, Sun, Mar 11, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn to sing and express authentically with ease and flow. Incorporates a blend of traditional and non-traditional volcano technique, martial arts, yogic posture, Toltec, and Taoist exercises. Open to all levels of singers. $50 per person, plus $10 supply fee.

ONGOING

TŪTŪ AND ME OFFERS HOME VISITS to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 646-9634.

KDEN HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES - March 9 through 24. Performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m, Kīlauea Military Camp’s Kīlauea Theater, Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network performance. KMC open to authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call KDEN for ticket info, 982-7344.

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

Green Sand Beach and Māhana Bay. The olivine sand beach, one of only four known in the world, exists in a delicate balance of erosion from natural and human influences. See the plan online with its history, cultural, wildlife, and archaeological studies. Photo from DHHL report

MANAGING ACCESS TO THE POPULAR GREEN SAND BEACH at Māhana Bay is one of the aims of Department of Hawaiian Home Lands recently-released South Point management plan. The plan divides the South Point properties of Hawaiian Home Lands into four management areas: the entrance to the South Point area; Ka Lae and a walking loop; the Barracks; and the area leading to Green Sands, including Māhana Bay. It also includes a proposal to charge entry fees.
Concerning Māhana Bay, it says, "the main near-term priority for DHHL is to gain site control by managing vehicular access." With Green Sand beach promoted in tour guide books and online travel sites as one of only four green sands beaches in the world, and with an increase in adventure travel among international visitors, Māhana Bay has become a popular destination. Many visitors walk the four miles. Others pay for rides in four wheel drive vehicles along the unpaved road from the South Point boat ramp to Māhana Bay. The number of people going there daily steadily increases.

Yellow-and-black marks the proposed pedestrian path to Green Sand Beach.
Pink marks the proposed emergency-access road. Bright teal marks
the proposed parking area. View full report, with other maps and figures,
online. Map via the DHHL report

The Hawaiian Home Lands plan for Green Sands and MāhanaBayis to allow access through walking along a designated pedestrian path near the shore. An inland road would be for emergencies and maintenance. Hawaiian Home Lands would install portable toilets and waste receptacles at the beginning of the trail and near the beach.

An Archeological Inventory Survey was conducted from June into August last year by Cultural Surveys Hawai‘i along the proposed walking trail to Green Sands Beach. Many previously discovered and five new sites were documented.

A cultural survey includes interviews with local residents concerning history and ideas for managing the area.
The late Tommy Kaniho, a rancher on Hawaiian Home Lands at South Point, described Māhana Bay as a fisherman's landing lined with canoes. Fishermen would leave their canoes but carry home the ama (the outrigger), he said.

The late Tommy Kaniho proposed security guards and charging fees to
help fund managing Green Sands Beach. Read his other opinions and
recollections of the area in the full report. Photo by Julia Neal

Kaniho said he supports managed ecotourism on the South Point lands. He recommended charging visitors a fee and noted that, "visitors are paying $20 to $30 just to be taken in to see Māhana Bay."
He also recommended posting a security guard. "You can't stop anybody from walking in, but can stop a car driving in," said Kaniho.
Anna Cariaga, of Pāhala, recommended closing off the area to all but local fishermen, until a management plan is put in place. She said she would like vehicular damage, including rutted roads and new driving paths constantly created, to be repaired. "That place is sinking... I would like to see that place filled and let it stand for a while then put a solid pavement... a road," said Cariaga.

See March 3 Ka‘ū NewsBriefs and future briefs for more on the South Point Plan.
See the 799-page plan online.

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

Assistant Chief of Police for Ka`u and West Hawaii
James O'Connor. Photo from hawaiipolice.com

NEW KAʻŪ AND WEST HAWAIʻI ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF IS JAMES O'CONNOR. The Major has served HPD for 25 years. As Assistant Police Chief, he now oversees the western portion of the island, from Ka‘ū to North Kohala.

O'Connor graduated from University of Hawai‘i-Hilo in 1992, with a Bachelor's in Economics. He started in the Hawai‘i Police Department in 1993, serving: as an officer in South Kohala, South Hilo and Hamakua; as a sergeant/detective in Kona and South Kohala, and the Internal Affairs Unit; as a lieutenant in the Records and Identification Section and Special Response Team; as a captain in Ka‘ū and the Criminal Intelligence/Internal Affairs Unit; and as a major in the Area II Operations Bureau and Administrative Services Bureau/Technical Services Section.
Assistant Chief O’Connor had this to say about his new position: "I am excited about returning to Area II Operations and to have the opportunity to again work with a wonderful group of hardworking and dedicated professionals. I also look forward to connecting with the various community members from North Kohala to Ka‘ū to build a positive relationship that will allow us to work together to solve the problems that impact our communities."

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

TRACKING LAVA LAKES WITH THE SOUNDS FROM BURSTING GAS BUBBLES has been announced for After Dark in the Park on Tuesday, Mar. 27, by Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. The program takes place at 7 p.m. in the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium.

Other volcanic systems around the word are similar to Kīlauea Volcano's Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō and Halema‘uma‘u craters. These churning lava lakes continuously emit gas bubbles that burst when they reach the surface. Volcano seismologist Greg Waite from Michigan Technological University uses the sounds of these bursting bubbles to investigate the rise and fall of lava lakes in volcanic conduits. Learn about his fascinating work with Pacaya Volcano in Guatemala, Villarrica Volcano in Chile, and Kīlauea.
The program is free; however, a $2 donation is suggested to support park programs. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP ANNOUNCES A ST. PATRICK’S DAY BUFFET for Saturday, Mar. 17, at Crater Rim Café, located at KMC in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
The dinner, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., features a menu of Corned Beef & Cabbage, Lamb Stew, Shepherd’s Pie, and Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie plus "all the fixings." Tickets are $20 per adult and $11 per child between the ages of 6 and 11. Irish ale will be available for purchase from KMC's Lava Lounge.
Call 967-8356 for more details. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Learn more about KMC at kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

Moses Whitcomb, helping an injured player, puts
ideas into action for National Athletic Trainers
Month. Photo from Ka‘ū Athletics

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GIRLS SOFTBALL HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINERS MONTH with an action shot of Moses Whitcomb taking care of an injured player during the game Ka‘ū hosted, playing Kohala, on Saturday, March 3.

Ka‘ū players Tiare Wong-Yuen, Analei Emmsley, and CeAndrea Silva-Kamei all hit singles, and Kamei, Rebekah Polido-Kalili, and Reishalyn Kekoa-Jara all hit doubles. The game ended with a victory for Kohala, at 17 to 2.

See the full Spring schedule, below.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Wednesday, Mar 7, Waiakea @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 9, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Tuesday, Mar 13, @ Hilo

Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a

Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Friday, Mar 9, @ Kohala

Monday, Mar 12, @ Makua Lani

Wednesday, Mar 14 Ehunui @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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

MONDAY, MARCH 5

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT. Meeting, Mon, Mar 5, 4 - 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 6

WALK INTO THE PAST WITH DR. THOMAS A. JAGGAR, Tuesdays, Mar. 6, 20, and 27, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m., at Kīlauea VisitorCenter. Each performance lasts about an hour. To find out more about this living history program, visit the park website.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT. Meeting, Tue, Mar 6, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEETING, Tue, Mar 6, 6 - 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

AFTER DARK IN THE PARK: THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF KĪLAUEA VOLCANO'S SUMMIT ERUPTION, Tues., Mar. 6, 7 p.m., at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7

DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT MEETING, Wed, Mar 7, 6 - 8 p.m., New Thought Center in Kealakekua. Democratic Party Precincts of Ho‘okena, Miloli‘i & Ocean View. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 8

DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 8, 9:30 - 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Provided by Paula Boyer of Big Island Disability. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

EXPLORE! FAIR, Nāʻālehu School Gym, Thurs, Mar 8, 4 - 6 p.m., free. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) is the theme, with hands-on experiments, make-and-take activities, student-work showcases, and brain-challenging games. Enjoy free food and refreshments, and a chance to win door prizes.

FOUR DAYS OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP COMING TO KA‘Ū, with Big Island Faith Crusade, at Ka‘ū District Gym, Thursday, March 8, at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 9, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 10, at 6 p.m.; and Sunday, March 11, at 9:30 a.m.; doors open one hour beforehand; free. Contact Thy Word Ministries Pastor Bob Tominaga at 936-9114 or Herb Schneider at 327-9739 for more information.

FRIDAY, MARCH 9

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT Fri, Mar 9. Participants meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Volunteers should wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants, and bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves and tools provided. Parental or guardian accompaniment, or written consent, required for volunteers under 18. Visit park website for additional planning details: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm

KDEN HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES - March 9 through 24. Performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m, Kīlauea Military Camp’s Kīlauea Theater, Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network performance. KMC open to authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call KDEN for ticket info, 982-7344.

SATURDAY, MARCH 10

PANCAKE BREAKFAST AND RAFFLE, Sat, Mar 10, 8 - 11 a.m., OceanView Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

KĀWĀ VOLUNTEER DAY, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 a.m., Kāwā. Sign up with James Akau, Nā Mamo o Kāwā, at namamookawa@gmail.com or 430-3058.

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit's newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack.

ZENTANGLE: HALF-PAST PAIZLEY, Sat, Mar 10, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Lydia Menses incorporates a paisley motif as Zentangle string, using a mixture of Zentangle's official and non-official tangles to fill. No experience necessary. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Light refreshment provided. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org

RED CROSS MEETING, Sat, Mar 10, 3 - 5 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

AN EVENING WITH REBECCA FOLSOM, Sat, Mar 10, 7 - 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Awarding-winning artist. $20 per VAC member and $25 per non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

THE ART OF VOCAL FREEDOM WORKSHOP WITH REBECCA FOLSOM, Sun, Mar 11, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn to sing and express authentically with ease and flow. Incorporates a blend of traditional and non-traditional volcano technique, martial arts, yogic posture, Toltec, and Taoist exercises. Open to all levels of singers. $50 per person, plus $10 supply fee.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU, Sun, Mar 11, 9:30 -11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. nps.gov/HAVO

TEEN CHALLENGE CHOIR, Sun, Mar 11, 10 a.m., River of Life Assembly of God, Pāhala. The group will minister through song and testimony, as well as spreading awareness of the Teen Challenge Program. rolhawaii.com, 443-9394.

ONGOING

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A visitor's video on You Tube gives suggestions on driving 4-wheel vehicles to Mahana Bay and
Green Sands Beach. Numerous videos are posted on You Tube.

UNREGULATED ACCESS TO LANDS MANAGED by Department of Hawaiian Home Lands at South Point, Ka Lae, has "compromised the integrity of its heritage sites and of coastal ecosystems," says the new DHHL management plan. The plan documents local residents saying that South Point has suffered from the

Four wheel vehicles create new roads as old trails
become rutted on the way to Green Sands Beach.
This video and many more on YouTube

popularization of large, open areas for off-roading, particularly along the tracks and trails to the rare Green Sand beach at Māhana Bay.

The report proposes many long and short-term projects to manage South Point, and uses suggestions from many local stakeholders who weighed in for a South Point Cultural Impact Assessment. Keoni Fox, who volunteers on numerous preservation projects in Ka‘ū, asked that community groups and the National Park Service stewarding the Ala Kahakai Trail along the coast and the inland Na Ala Hele trail be consulted when determining access to Green Sands Beach and Māhana Bay. "The path should be as natural as possible to blend into the environment." Fox said his "main concern with any planned action is the need to maintain the cultural integrity and the natural landscape. It is important that we maintain the sense of place at Ka Lae. As a wahi pana (sacred place), respect for Hawaiian culture and history is paramount. Although we are experiencing high demands for visitor and recreational use, we cannot allow tourism and off-road enthusiasts to continue to adversely impact our lands and resources."

The DHHL report specifies the heavy use of recreational vehicles such as ATVs and motorbikes, which have "not only destroyed sacred sites but has resulted in widespread soil and sand erosion." Along with exposure to the "prevailing winds," this has left the natural and cultural resources of South Point in "critical condition," says the report.

During the extensive research done for the report, culturally significant sites were discovered along the road to Green Sands Beach. Starting at page 504 of the report, the sites are described in great detail, including several rock walls, partially destroyed to make way for drivable passage points.

Section A shows where the road leading to South Point would have a
security guard shack, with an entrance fee, and a possible gate
further down the road. Section B shows the area that would be used
for parking to walk to Green Sands/Māhana Bay, with portable toilets,
waste receptacles, vending, camping, a place for educational
programs, and a cultural site. Map from DHHL report

The report gives an example of "jeep road" running through an historic site. Makai sits a small rectangular rock enclosure, heavily damaged. The rocks are scattered, and modern rubbish, from ammunition shell casings to fragments of glass, sit nestled in the crevasses.
The road also appears to pass through and have possibly destroyed sections of a wall and windbreaks constructed in ancient times for shelter. Archaeologists found ʻiliʻili (small, smoothed stones) lightly scattered around the wall, and fragments of marine shell and coral. The windbreaks adjoining the wall are in decent condition. Archeologists concluded that the wall and shelter are evidence of pre-Contact structures, used for temporary habitation, and described them as "significant."

See March 3, March 5, and future Ka‘ū News Briefs for more on the South Point Plan.

See the 799-page plan online.

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NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOUSING must remain in the reauthorization of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act, Sen. Mazie Hirono said on Tuesday. The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act provides affordable housing to the Native Hawaiian and other Native communities. In remarks to the American Indian Housing Council, Hirono pledged to continue to fight to pass a NAHASDA reauthorization that includes Native Hawaiians, and to fully fund other critical Native Hawaiian programs.

Sen. Mazie Hirono meets with American Indian Housing Council.

"I strongly oppose ongoing efforts to pass a narrow reauthorization of NAHASDA that excludes Native Hawaiians. These efforts seek to pit indigenous communities against one another.

"Asking us to choose which communities we value over others is a cynical and false choice. We need to stand together and fight back against efforts that demand such a choice. I know we agree on this," she said.
Last September, Hirono joined all Democratic members of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to introduce S. 1895 to reauthorize the NAHASDA in a way that preserves funding for Native Hawaiian housing programs.
Last June, Hirono fought back against efforts to eliminate federal Native Hawaiian housing programs during testimony before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

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HAWAI‘I MAKES WOMEN A PRIORITY, according to a new report from WalletHub. In honor of Women's History Month, and campaigns against sexual harassment such as #MeToo and #TimesUp, the report focuses on finding out which states are making life a little more balanced for women in 2018. Though women outnumber men in most places, nearly two-thirds of minimum-wage earners are women, and they are underrepresented in political positions nation-wide.

All fifty USstates, plus D.C., were ranked by looking at twenty-three key metrics, ranging from economics to health to safety.

Hawai‘i ranked an impressive first in Women's Health & Safety overall, and seventh in Women's Economic & Social Well-Being; the rest of the overall highest-ranking states are primarily east coast states, with the next-closest west coast state being Oregon, at eighteenth.

Unemployment for women was ranked as sixth-lowest, and the share of women-owned businesses at sixth highest. Hawai‘i was fifth lowest for women in poverty, fourth lowest for uninsured women, and had the third highest rate of women's preventative health care. For first place, Hawai‘i was ranked both best in the quality of women's hospitals, and in women's life expectancy at birth.

See the full report.

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PRECINCT MEETINGS FOR THE HAWAI‘I DEMOCRATIC PARTY are Wednesday, March 7, from 6 p.m.to 8 p.m.

Residents who live in Volcano, Pāhala, and Punalu‘u can attend the District 3 Precincts 5-7 meeting at Volcano Art Center campus, 19-4074 Old Volcano Rd, Volcano.

Residents who live in Nā‘ālehu, Discovery Harbour, Green Sands, Mark Twain, South Point, Ocean View, Miloli‘i, and Ho‘okena can attend the District 5 Precincts 1-8 meeting at New Thought Center, 81-6587 Mamalahoa Hwy, C302, Kealakekua.

Hawai‘i CountyDemocratic Party chair Margaret Willes said, "The time has come: make this party what you want it to be."

Attending the meeting qualifies attendees to be considered to become delegates to the upcoming county and state conventions. Attendees may seek election to become a party precinct officer, and learn more about the priorities for the current legislative session and what to do to get involved.

Pre-convention meeting will be held April 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the Waimea Elementary School cafeteria. Sangha Hall in Hilo will host the County Convention on April 28th. The Hawai‘i Democratic Party State Convention will be held on Hawai‘i Island this year; May 26 and 27 will see the Hawai‘i State Convention at the Hilton Waikaloa.
Find a specific precinct location. Contact Tonya Lee Matson at 937-3037 or tonyacoulter@gmail.com for West Hawai‘i, or Shannon Matson at 747-2122 or hotyogahilo@gmail.com for East Hawai‘i. For the county site, go to hawaiicoutydemocrats.org, or hawaiidemocrats.org for the state site.

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Jeff from Bee Boys explains a honeycomb.

JOIN THE FUN AT THE NĀ‘ĀLEHU SCHOOL'S FREE EXPLORE! FAIR this Thursday, March 8, from 4 to 6 p.m., in the school gym. Each family should pick up a fair passport when they enter, visit the activities and booths to get the passport punched, and turn it in for a chance to win cool door prizes. Win a volleyball, basketball, or experiment kits from Nāʻālehu ACE; gift certificates from KTA; ono local honey or a lava cider from Bee Boys; and more.

Make and take activities, brain-challenging games, and engineering challenges aligned with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) will be featured, along with free food and popcorn. Ke Ola magazine's current featured artist Don Elwing will host his gallery of marine debris art, along with his newest pieces' special effects viewed with 3-D glasses.
Each grade-level will sponsor an activity and other community organizations will be on hand to share information. Make recycled paper, a wind sock, a lava lamp, or a hurricane tower, and much more. Pick up milo seeds from Nā Mamo o Kāwā table to create a native plants nursery; visit Three Mountain Alliance to learn more about our unique Hawaiian watershed; explore Bee Boys observation honeybee hive; conduct science experiments with Nāʻālehu ACE. Don't forget to also gather seeds and plants for a garden, along with soil and a garden box, for school ‘ohana who haven't yet received their materials.

Make a Hawaiian Top, Hū, from a kukui nut, and learn how
to use it, on Mar. 28. Photo from National Park Service

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A HŪ DEMONSTRATION, in which participants can make their own and learn the game of the Hawaiian Top, takes place on Wednesday, Mar. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai, announces Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
Early Hawaiians devoted much of their time to games, amusement, and relaxing, says the event press release. Top-spinning was an absorbing activity for children, and making hū (kukui nut top) was equally engaging.
The free event is part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Wednesday, Mar 7, Waiakea @ Ka‘ū
Friday, Mar 9, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Tuesday, Mar 13, @ Hilo

Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a

Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Friday, Mar 9, @ Kohala

Monday, Mar 12, @ Makua Lani

Wednesday, Mar 14 Ehunui @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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

REGISTER FOR KAʻŪ RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL MEETING by March 9 by calling Kaʻū Resource & Distance Learning Center at 928-0101. The gathering will be Fri., March 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center.

MY HAWAI‘I 2018 CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST is open to all 6th through 8th grade students in the state. Submit story or poem that addresses the theme, "Ulu ka lālā i ke kumu: From a strong foundation grows an abundant future," to align with the 2018 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference. Submit online at hawaiiconservation.org/my-hawaii/my-hawaii-story-project-2018 by 5:00 p.m., March 9. Email questions to myhawaiistory@gmail.com.

MISS KA‘Ū COFFEE PAGEANT - REGISTRATION DEADLINE, Sat, Mar 10, 6 p.m. Event held Sat, Apr 21, Ka‘ū District Gym. Those who sign up early will be offered more opportunity for training and sponsorships. Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant Director Trinidad Marques, 928-0606, TrinidadMarques@yahoo.com, or Facebook Trinidad Marques.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7

DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 8, 9:30 - 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Provided by Paula Boyer of Big Island Disability. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 9

SATURDAY, MARCH 10

PANCAKE BREAKFAST AND RAFFLE, Sat, Mar 10, 8 - 11 a.m., OceanView Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

KĀWĀ VOLUNTEER DAY, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 a.m., Kāwā. Sign up with James Akau, Nā Mamo o Kāwā, at namamookawa@gmail.com or 430-3058.

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit's newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack.

ZENTANGLE: HALF-PAST PAIZLEY, Sat, Mar 10, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Lydia Menses incorporates a paisley motif as Zentangle string, using a mixture of Zentangle's official and non-official tangles to fill. No experience necessary. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Light refreshment provided. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org

RED CROSS MEETING, Sat, Mar 10, 3 - 5 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

AN EVENING WITH REBECCA FOLSOM, Sat, Mar 10, 7 - 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Awarding-winning artist. $20 per VAC member and $25 per non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

MONDAY, MARCH 12

PAINTING WITH PEGGY, Mondays, Mar 12 & 26, noon - 3 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton. Ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels. $15 VAC members/$20 non-members, per session. Email questions to peggystanton007@yahoo.com. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 13

C.E.R.T. DISCOVERY HARBOUR/NĀĀLEHU, Tue, Mar 13, 4 - 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Public invited to see what Community Emergency Response Team is about, as well as participate in training scenarios. Dina Shisler, dinashisler24@yahoo.com, 410-935-8087.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS, Tue/Wed, Mar 13 (committees)/14 (Council), Hilo, & Tue/Wed, Mar 27 (committees)/28 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

ONGOING

TĪ AND SEAS ART EXHIBIT at Volcano Art Center Gallery featuring oil paintings by Pāhoa resident Steve Irvine, is open to the public through Sun., Mar. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily - volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222.

KDEN HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES - March 9 through 24. Performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m, Kīlauea Military Camp’s Kīlauea Theater, Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network performance. KMC open to authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call KDEN for ticket info, 982-7344.

TŪTŪ AND ME OFFERS HOME VISITS to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 646-9634.

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Recent photo of Lua o Palahemo, the anchialine pond at Ka Lae, made famous in chants and songs.
Photo from DHHL report

LUA O PALAHEMO IS ONE OF THE SPECIAL SITES noted in the South Point Management Plan, recently released by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. It is a popular recreational place, where locals and visitors get some sun and jump into a brackish pond fed by underground springs and ocean water. It is known for its rare anchaline shrimp, including ʻōpae ʻula and the endangered Vetericaris chaceorum. On the banks of Lua O Palahemo grow endangered Hawaiian plants such as the ʻōhai and the endemic nohu.
Palahemo is within 710 acres designated as a National Historic Landmark by the federal government. According to the Cultural Impact Assessment of the Hawaiian Home Lands plan, the designation was given because the land "provides the longest and most complete record of human occupation in the Hawaiian Islands."

A New Zealand tourist photographed the sign warning people to
refrain from desecrating Lua O Palahemo. Photo by Richard Seaman

The South Point Management Plan proposes "to improve the conditions in and around Palahemo by reducing vehicular access and discouraging recreational activities on motorbikes, ATVs, and trucks at South Point that have caused sedimentation from soil erosion. In addition, re-vegetating the vicinity of the pool with native plants will further prevent soil erosion at Palahemo."
The report describes a visit to Palehemo with Hawaiian cultural practitioner and natural resources manager Nohea Ka‘awa, who shared the Hawaiian meaning of Palahemo. I ʻike ʻoe iā Kaʻū a puni, a ʻike ʻole ʻoe iā Palahemo, ʻaʻole ʻoe i ʻike iā Kaʻū. It means "If you have seen all Kaʻū, but have not seen Palahemo, you haven't seen Kaʻū." Another ʻōlelo noʻeau (proverb) is: I puni iā ‘oe o Ka‘ū a i ‘ike ‘ole ‘oe iā Palahemo, ‘a‘ohe nō ‘oe i ‘ike iā Ka‘ū. It means, "If you have been around Ka‘ū and have not seen Palahemo, you have not seen the whole of the Kaʻu District," Ka‘awa explained.
Ka‘awa talked about the importance of taking care of the natural resources. "In our Hawaiian Culture, anything that gives us life is an Akua; water gives us life, fish gives us life, the air gives us life... In order for them to continue to sustain us, we need to feed that relationship by being responsible stewards of our resources." Ka‘awa showed interviewers the yellow flowers scattered along the rim of the Palahemo pond and identified them as flowers of the endemic nohu plant, used in traditional Hawaiian medicine.

Nohu, an endemic Hawaiian flower, used in traditional Hawaiian medicine.
Photo from botany.hawaii.edu

The report states that Ka‘awa remembered seeing red ‘ōpae ‘ula (tiny native shrimp) at Palahemo when she was a child. Now the pond has a grayish-blackish shrimp, is seasonally wasp-infested, and the loosened dirt caused by vehicular access around the area enters Palahemo when it rains. The pond is heavily muddied and "quite a disgust to witness," she said.

Palahemo is spiritually significant to many native Hawaiians. George Kalokalani Manuel, of Wai‘ōhinu - described in the report as a lineal and cultural descendent of the place, whose great-grandfather is buried at Kamā‘oa iwi kupuna at South Point - spoke to interviewers. "You can stand at Palahemo and see Kū Mauna," a mountain near Pāhala with a name associated with a Hawaiian water god. He said the mauka-makai connection between Palahemo and Ku Mauna "brings you closer to the gods." Boundaries of Ka‘ū with the Puna and Kona Districts are also visible from Palahemo. Many people say they can see the whole of Ka‘ū District from Palahemo.
In addition to Lua O Palehemo, another significant site is Puʻu Aliʻi, which is a native Hawaiian burial ground. Another is Kalalea Heiau, a pre-Christian place of worship, which is historically said to be for men only. There are also canoe mooring holes - which are in multiple bays and sheltered places along the coastline, like at Māhana - and Lua Makalei, "a cave in the vicinity of the Barracks that is believed to have been used for sheltering and training warriors during Kamehameha the First's reign, serves as a habitat for the endemic pueo (Asio flammus sanwichensis), and contains burials," states the report.
The ʻōlelo noʻeau (proverbs) can be read in the report from page 730.
See March 3, March 5, March 6, and future Ka‘ū News Briefs for more in the continuing series, covering the South Point Plan. See the 799-page plan online.

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Tommy Akin, during the Jan. 29 . Commission meeting. Photo from KLA video

NO ACCUSATION OF DRUG USE AND SALE AT KAʻŪ LEARNING ACADEMY was made by a speaker at the public meeting held by the Hawaiʻi State Charter School Commission at Discovery Harbour Association Hall on Jan. 29. The Kaʻū Calendar and Kaʻū News Briefs mistakenly paraphrased, after listening to video recording of the meeting, that Discovery Harbour resident Tommy Akin said that there was "drug use and sale at the school." Akin brought the error to the attention of The Kaʻū Calendar. Upon review, it is confirmed that he said, "And actually there are people known for dealing drugs within a mile of the school." The reporter regrets the error. See the video, here.

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A MOBILE SPAY AND NEUTER VEHICLE will travel the island, starting this summer, courtesy of Hawai‘i IslandHumane Society. The aim is to spay and neuter pets for free or low-cost in remote areas of the BigIsland, such as Ka‘ū, and to

help combat the island's pet overpopulation.

The Humane Society's Fund Development Director, Whitney Sickels, said $120,000 was raised to purchase the vehicle, surpassing their original $100,000 fundraising goal. The $100,000 will be matched by the Laurence H. Dorcy Hawaiian Foundation.

"We had a few $5,000 and $10,000 donations, but really the bulk of them were from the community," said Sickels. "The overwhelming response and generosity from the community was inspiring because it really shows the community realizes we have this (pet) overpopulation problem and wants to help. The clinic is for the community and purchased by the community, so it was really nice to see that."

An example of how the new mobile spay and neuter mobile clinic will appear. Photo from HIHS

Sickels said the 26-foot specialty vehicle cost just under $200,000, including shipping it from Ohio; the additional money raised will be used for vehicle maintenance, operational costs, and surgery costs. The vehicle will include two anesthesia machines, 25 kennels, and an array of supplies and medical equipment.

The mobile clinic is expected to arrive at the Hiloport in late May or early June. Once here, it will be parked at easy-to-access areas.

To involve the public, the Humane Society launches a photo contest March 12. Make a donation and submit a photo of a spayed or neutered pet. After a public voting for best photos, judges will pick four winners - two dogs and two cats. Winning pets will be professionally photographed and their images included on the side of the mobile clinic. All proceeds will go toward spay and neuter services. For more information, visit www.hihs.org.

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Lisa Ginoza, newly nominated chief judge,
Intermediate Court of Appeals.
Photo from governor.hawaii.gov

APPOINTMENTS OF NEW JUDGES FOR THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS AND FIRST CIRCUIT COURT were announced Tuesday. Gov. Daid Ige appointed Lisa Ginoza as chief judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals, and James Ashford to the Circuit Court of the First Circuit.
He selected the nominees submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission. Both are subject to state Senate confirmation.
Ige selected Ginoza to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Intermediate Court of Appeals Chief Judge Craig H. Nakamura, who retires this month. Ginoza has served on the Intermediate Court of Appeals as an associate judge since May 2010. She was previously first deputy attorney general at the Department of the Attorney General, and as a partner at McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon from 1990 to 2005.

James Ashford, newly nominated to the
Circuit Court of the First Circuit.
Photo from governor.hawaii.gov

Ginoza is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law and Oregon State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science. She was also senior class president at Kailua High School where she was valedictorian for the Class of 1982.
Ige selected Ashford to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of former Circuit Court Judge Rhonda A. Nishimura last year. Ashford has served as a District Court judge since 2013. He worked as an associate attorney and partner at Cades Schutte LLP for most of his career in private practice.
Ashford is a graduate of Loyola Law School and Claremont McKenna College where he was on the wrestling team.

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Experience Hula Kahiko in an authentic outdoor setting
with Kumu hula Pele Kaio presenting UNUKUPUKUPU
on Mar. 10. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

KUMU HULA PELE KAIO PRESENTS UNUKUPUKUPU with students of Unalua, in a Hula Kahiko performance on the kahua hula (platform) in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Mar. 10, announces Volcano Art Center. Combining ancestral knowledge with the rigors of academia, Kaio of Hawaiʻi Community College and UNUKUPUKUPU dance from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
"More than just the performative folk culture of Hawaiʻi, these dancers express hula as a process for deep inner reflection and analysis. Through hula they define and exercise their unique contribution to this world we live in," states the event description.

Learn about "all things hula" at a free
cultural demonstration offered by
Loke Kamanu and her ‘ohana on Mar.
10. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

This performance is part of a year-round series sponsored by the Volcano Art Center. For the series, hula hālau from across Hawai‘i are invited to perform each month. Hula Kahiko will be presented authentically in an outdoor setting, rain or shine, without electronic amplification. Audience members are encouraged to bring sun/rain gear and sitting mats.
The free program is supported in part by a grant from the County of Hawai‘i, Dept. of Research and Development, and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, and individual funding from members of the Volcano Art Center's ʻohana. However, National Park fees apply. For more, see volcanoartcenter.org.

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CULTURAL SPECIALIST LOKE KAMANU AND HER ‘OHANA give a cultural demonstration of "all things hula," Nā Mea Hula, on Saturday, Mar. 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., announces the center. The demonstration will take place on the lānai of Volcano Art Center Gallery within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The once-a-month program is offered in conjunction with the Hula Kahiko performance at the kahua hula. Kamanu and ‘ohana will share a variety of instruments, implements, and lei styles that play an integral role in the life of the hula practitioner. The demonstration is hands-on and family friendly. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, see volcanoartcenter.org.

#NATM2018. Photo from Ka‘ū Athletics

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BOYS VOLLEYBALL AT HPA ON MONDAY saw another shining example of #NATM2018: "National Athletic Trainers Month 2018: Compassionate Care for All!!"

The boys went to HPA for a set of JV and Varsity volleyball games on March 5. There, Heather Berry, Athletic Trainer for HPA, stepped up to take care of "our BVB.""We Thank You for keep our Athletes in The game!" shouted the tweet from @KauAthletics.

Ka‘ū JV lost to HPA in a low-score game of 2 to 1.

The Varsity teams played three games that day, with a couple of close games, though Ka‘ū did not score a win: 25 to 21, 25 to 20, and 11 to 25.

See full Girls Softball and Boys Volleyball schedule, below.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Friday, Mar 9, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Tuesday, Mar 13, @ Hilo

Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a

Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Friday, Mar 9, @ Kohala

Monday, Mar 12, @ Makua Lani

Wednesday, Mar 14 Ehunui @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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

MY HAWAI‘I 2018 CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST is open to all 6th through 8th grade students in the state. Submit story or poem that addresses the theme, "Ulu ka lālā i ke kumu: From a strong foundation grows an abundant future," to align with the 2018 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference. Submit online at hawaiiconservation.org/my-hawaii/my-hawaii-story-project-2018 by 5:00 p.m., March 9. Email questions to myhawaiistory@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7

DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT MEETING, Wed, Mar 7, 6 - 8 p.m., New Thought Center in Kealakekua. Democratic Party Precincts of Ho‘okena, Miloli‘i & Ocean View. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 8

DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Mar 8, 9:30 - 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Provided by Paula Boyer of Big Island Disability. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 9

SATURDAY, MARCH 10

PANCAKE BREAKFAS

T AND RAFFLE, Sat, Mar 10, 8 - 11 a.m., OceanView Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

KĀWĀ VOLUNTEER DAY, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 a.m., Kāwā. Sign up with James Akau, Nā Mamo o Kāwā, at namamookawa@gmail.com or 430-3058.

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit's newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack.

ZENTANGLE: HALF-PAST PAIZLEY, Sat, Mar 10, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Lydia Menses incorporates a paisley motif as Zentangle string, using a mixture of Zentangle's official and non-official tangles to fill. No experience necessary. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Light refreshment provided. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org

RED CROSS MEETING, Sat, Mar 10, 3 - 5 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

AN EVENING WITH REBECCA FOLSOM, Sat, Mar 10, 7 - 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Awarding-winning artist. $20 per VAC member and $25 per non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

MONDAY, MARCH 12

PAINTING WITH PEGGY, Mondays, Mar 12 & 26, noon - 3 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton. Ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels. $15 VAC members/$20 non-members, per session. Email questions to peggystanton007@yahoo.com. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 13
C.E.R.T. DISCOVERY HARBOUR/NĀĀLEHU, Tue, Mar 13, 4 - 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Public invited to see what Community Emergency Response Team is about, as well as participate in training scenarios. Dina Shisler, dinashisler24@yahoo.com, 410-935-8087.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS, Tue/Wed, Mar 13 (committees)/14 (Council), Hilo, & Tue/Wed, Mar 27 (committees)/28 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

ONGOING

KDEN HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES - March 9 through 24. Performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m, Kīlauea Military Camp’s Kīlauea Theater, Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network performance. KMC open to authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call KDEN for ticket info, 982-7344.

TŪTŪ AND ME OFFERS HOME VISITS to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 646-9634.

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The popular hoist at South Point, where fishermen haul in their catch and daredevils dive into the ocean, creating
concern for increased emergency services for the popular visitor destination. The Department of Hawaiian Home
Lands' new plan calls for increased management for safety and conservation of cultural and natural resources,
and possibly an entrance fee to pay for it. Photo by Peter Anderson

HOW TO DELIVER EMERGENCY SERVICES TO LOCALS AND TOURISTS at South Point, given the area's increasing visitation, is a major concern expressed in the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' South Point Management Plan. The report covers a proposal for an emergency road to Māhana Bay and Green Sands Beach. It would travel inland, starting near the intersection of South Point Road and Ka Lae Road, and would improve emergency access to "more remote areas of the Project area," the proposal says.

The report points out that the nearest emergency facility is the Hawai‘i County Fire Department and ambulance station in the center of Nā‘ālehu, about 15 miles - a 26 minute drive - from the South Point cliffs at the fisherman's hoist. It is a popular place for visitors and locals where the catch of the day is lifted from fishing boats to the top of the cliffs, to be taken away in trucks and cars. It is also a place where people take the risk of diving off the cliffs, sometimes becoming seriously injured. Emergency vehicles that service South Point include fire trucks, ambulances, search and rescue vehicles, boats, and sometimes helicopters and search planes.

The nearest Emergency Room is Ka‘ū Hospital in Pāhala, about 27 miles - 42 minutes - away. The inland paved emergency road would service even more remote parts of South Point to "make the surrounding areas safer," says the report.

The cliffs at South Point - Ka Lae. Photo from DHHL report

South Point Road, a paved road, is maintained by the County of Hawai‘i and DHHL. The road is accessible to medical, fire, and police emergency vehicles and services. However, the road ends before it reaches the hoist and cliffs that mark the end of the island and the southernmost point of the United States. Ka Lae Road - which leads to Green Sands and Māhana Bay - splits off from South Point Road; it is a heavily rutted dirt road, inaccessible to standard emergency road vehicles.

Community consultations, states the report, indicate that medical emergencies at South Point are often related to injuries resulting from recreational activities at South Point. Fatalities and accidents have been reported to include incidents of people jumping off the hoist at Ka Lae, as well as people drowning while swimming and diving, or being swept away by strong currents. Unprepared tourists hiking along the coastline towards Māhana Bay have also been reported to need medical attention due to dehydration and injuries, states the report.

There are no lifeguards, security personnel, nor natural resource officials regularly stationed at South Point, and the rescue of visitors and local residents is often accomplished by local fishermen, divers, surfers, swimmers, and boaters.

Jackie Kailiawa with his boogie board, the Montana
man sitting on the rocks, after the rescue at Ka Lae
in 2013. Photo by Uʻi Makuakane

In 2013, local resident Jackie Kailiawa helped a Montana newcomer, who was in distress after falling off a cliff near the lighthouse; he had hit his head and wasn't able to climb on shore. Kailiawa, a noted waterman who grew up in Pāhala, jumped off the point with this boogie board, fins, and other gear, paddled to the man, and brought him back to shore. It was his third save in recent years.

The proposal suggests that a security booth be established on South Point Road .75 miles north of the intersection with Ka Lae Road. The report also includes a suggestion from a community member who said that a gate with security guards should be, "implemented at the back side or the Ka‘alualu side," of the South Point project area. Ka‘alualu Road is a second way of reaching Green Sands Beach, on an unpaved route, without going down South Point Road.
A final environmental assessment could be completed mid-year, followed by budgeting for the various components of the plan.
See March 3, March 5, March 6, March 7, and future Ka‘ū News Briefs for more in the continuing series, covering the South Point Plan. See the 799-page plan online.

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SUPPORTING LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION with grants is the goal of House Bill2105 HD1, which successfully moved through the state House of Representatives. A hearing is scheduled before the Senate committee on Agriculture and Environment on Friday, March 9, at 1:30 p.m.Testimonies are being encouraged by Hawai'i Farmers Union United, and can be submitted online through March 8, though late testimony is accepted.

The bill, introduced by west Kaʻū state Rep. Richard Creagan and Rep. Cindy Evans with 16 other legislators, "appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture for the establishment and administration of the Agriculture Grant Program to support local food production in the State." Companion Senate Bill 2562 has passed its second reading, referred to the Ways and Means Committee. No hearing is scheduled at this time.

Testimonies from House hearings in February are overwhelmingly in support of the bill. "It's extremely import(ant) to state and small farm sustainability that growers and producers statewide have the increased ability to increase quantity and quality of their production," wrote Ken Love, Executive Director of Hawai‘i Tropical Fruit Growers.
Dozens of supporters sent this message, "Hawai'i’s farmers and ranchers are finding it difficult to secure the financial support necessary to build capacity. Access to agriculture grants can result in increased capacity, new business opportunities, increase employment opportunities and address Hawaii’s goals of increased self-sufficiency and sustainability."

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

REGISTER FOR KAʻŪ RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL MEETING by tomorrow, March 9, by calling Kaʻū Resource & Distance Learning Center at 928-0101. The gathering will be Fri., March 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center.

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

KA‘Ū TROJANS GIRLS SOFTBALL HOSTED WAIAKEA today, Wednesday, March 7. Ka‘ū scored two runs during the last two innings, ending the game with a score of 2 to Waiakea's 14.

The next game is March 9, Friday, at HPA; see below for full schedule, and Boys Volleyball schedule.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Friday, Mar 9, @ Hawai‘i Prep

Tuesday, Mar 13, @ Hilo

Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a

Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Friday, Mar 9, @ Kohala

Monday, Mar 12, @ Makua Lani

Wednesday, Mar 14 Ehunui @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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

An eggcellent example of what the
stained glass project will look like,
when finished. Photo from VAC

KEIKI STAINED GLASS CLASSES RETURN THIS MONTH, announces Volcano Art Center. The workshop for beginners - held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Mar. 24, and Sunday, Mar. 25 - offers to teach keiki, aged 11 years and older, basic stained glass construction tasks. Each student - assisted by a parent - will be able to complete a simple egg design that can be hung in a window.
Glass artist Lois Pollock will share her expertise and knowledge, teaching students the skills involved in working safely with stained glass, and "creating a beautiful, sturdy piece of art," says the event description.
The glass will be pre-cut and will be completed using the copper foil solder method of stained glass construction, which includes foiling, soldering, finishing, and decorating. Glass cutting and grinding will be demonstrated. The stained glass egg window hanging will be a hands-on cooperative project by both parent and child.
The class fee is $50 per VAC member and $55 per non-member, plus a $10 supply fee. Attendees are asked to wear long pants, snug fitting gloves, covered shoes, and safety glasses. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Advance registration is required; class limited to six keiki accompanied by their parent. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

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

Speaker Col. Deb Lewis, on"What it
Takes to Stay Positive in the Real World,"
Thursday, March 15. Photo from Kuʻikahi

FINDING SOLUTIONS, GROWING PEACE is a free Brown Bag Lunch Series, noon to 1 p.m., every third Thursday. It is hosted by Kuʻikahi Mediation Center at 101 Aupuni St # 1009 in Hilo. March 15 will be the next talk, featuring Col. Deb Lewis on the topic, "What it Takes to Stay Positive in the Real World."

"Get ready to rock your understanding of positivity in this fun-filled session," says Lewis. "People often mistake one's choice to 'stay positive' as something 'nice to do.' What if the very essence of who we are and ever want to be depends on it?"

The announcement of the event says: "In this talk, learn what it takes to successfully navigate a steady stream of negative forces that exist in our world."

"With positivity, life doesn't get easier - life gets better!" Lewis says.

Lewis (USA, ret.) is a Harvard MBA, combat veteran, Infinite-Win Institute co-founder, author, speaker, Hawai'i Island Veterans Day Parade Chair, VFW Post 3830 Commander, and much more. Lewis graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the first class with women. Throughout her trail-blazing 34-year career, she turned difficult situations into leadership moments to make a positive difference.

Attendees to Kuʻikahi's Brown Bag Lunch Series are encouraged to bring their own lunch, enjoy an informal and educational talk-story session, and meet others interested in Finding Solutions, Growing Peace. This lunch-and-learn series is made possible in part to funding from Atherton Family Foundation, County of Hawaiʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island United Way.
For more, contact Kuʻikahi Program Coordinator Al-Qawi Majidah at 935-7844 x 3 or majidah@hawaiimediation.org, or visit www.hawaiimediation.org.

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

ARTS & CRAFTS: ST. PATRICK'S DAY TOP HAT, Wed, Mar 14, 3:30 to 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Register until Mar 13. For grades K-8. Free. Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro, 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

FRIDAY, MARCH 9

SATURDAY, MARCH 10

ANCAKE BREAKFAST AND RAFFLE, Sat, Mar 10, 8 - 11 a.m., OceanView Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

KĀWĀ VOLUNTEER DAY, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 a.m., Kāwā. Sign up with James Akau, Nā Mamo o Kāwā, at namamookawa@gmail.com or 430-3058.

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit's newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack.

ZENTANGLE: HALF-PAST PAIZLEY, Sat, Mar 10, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Lydia Menses incorporates a paisley motif as Zentangle string, using a mixture of Zentangle's official and non-official tangles to fill. No experience necessary. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Light refreshment provided. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org

HULA KAHIKO UNUKUPUKUPU PERFORMANCE, kahua hula (platform) in Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park, Sat, Mar. 10, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. volcanoartcenter.org

"ALL THINGS HULA" DEMONSTRATION, Nā Mea Hula, by cultural specialist Loke Kamanu and her 'ohana, lānai of Volcano Art Center Gallery, Sat, Mar. 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Hands-on and family-friendly. Free; park entrance fees apply. volcanoartcenter.org

RED CROSS MEETING, Sat, Mar 10, 3 - 5 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

AN EVENING WITH REBECCA FOLSOM, Sat, Mar 10, 7 - 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Awarding-winning artist. $20 per VAC member and $25 per non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

MONDAY, MARCH 12

PAINTING WITH PEGGY,

Mondays, Mar 12 & 26, noon - 3 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton. Ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels. $15 VAC members/$20 non-members, per session. Email questions to peggystanton007@yahoo.com. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS, Tue/Wed, Mar 13 (committees)/14 (Council), Hilo, & Tue/Wed, Mar 27 (committees)/28 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS, Wed, Mar 14 (Council), Hilo, & Tue/Wed, Mar 27 (committees)/28 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

KAULA DEMONSTRATION, Wed, Mar. 14, 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Uncle Larry Kuamo‘o demonstrates how to make traditional cordage from native Hawaiian plants. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/HAVO

FILM SCREENING OF KĪLAUEA SUMMIT ERUPTION: LAVA RETURNS TO HALEMA‘UMA‘U, followed by a question and answer session, Thu, Mar 15, at Volcano Art Center, from 7 to 9 p.m. Free; $5 donation to VAC is suggested. volcanoartcenter.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 15

STEWARDSHIP OF KῙPUKAPUAULU takes place every Thursday in March: 15, 22, and 29. Participants meet at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11, at 9:30 a.m. Volunteers should bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat and water; wear closed-toe shoes. Clothing may be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

STORY TIME WITH AUNTIE LINDA FROM TŪTŪ & ME, Thu, Mar 15, 10:30 a.m. - noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. 929-8571.

FISHERY COUNCIL MEETING, Thu, Mar, 15, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., West HICivic Center, Liquor Control Room. New membership encouraged - especially recreational, commercial & regional fishers who can provide feedback for the council on a regular basis - then passed on to DLNR. westhawaiifisherycou.
ipower.com, mkipapa@gmail.com

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS ANNUAL HŌʻIKE rock opera Kū I Ka Mana has two performances: Thu, Mar 15, and Fri, Mar 16, both at 6 p.m., in Koaiʻa Gymnasium. Tickets are $5, available online, at the door, or from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on school days at the high school office or Student Activities Center.

FAMILY READING, Thu, Mar 15, 6 - 7 p.m., OceanViewCommunity Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA‘Ū, Thu, Mar 15, 6:30 p.m., UnitedMethodistChurchin Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197.

THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE CENTER - Film Screening of Kīlauea Summit Eruption: Lava Returns to Halema‘uma‘u and Q&A w/USGS HVO Representatives, Thu, Mar 15, 7 - 9 p.m., VolcanoArtCenter. Free; suggested $5 donation. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

ONGOING

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At Ka Lae, shoreline fishers can catch fish like mahimahi using "trash bag" or "kite fishing" methods. See description below. Photo from pifsc.noaa.gov

SOUTH POINTS' ABUNDANT MARINE RESOURCES are discussed in the recently released South Point Resources Management Plan by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. In ancient Hawaiian days, fishing supported village life at South Point - Ka Lae was "one of the earliest settled areas in the Hawaiian Islands," the plan points out.
However, management of South Point and preserving its fishing grounds and the surrounding lands becomes a challenge for Hawaiian Home Lands as travel to South Point and Green Sands Beach becomes more popular with visitors and locals coming from more developed Hawaiian shorelines.
According to the report, available to read online, archaeological surveys - some generations old - uncovered signs of extensive and long-time habitation along the coast, with much evidence of a heavy reliance on fishing. One estimate, recorded in the South Point Plan, says Ka‘ū may have been settled as early as the fourth or fifth century AD.

The hoist and ladder at Ka Lae. A fishing pole can be
see in the upper-right corner. Photo from DHHL report

ʻUlua is a popular catch at South Point,
particularly during the annual S. Tokunaga
ʻUlua Challenge

Today, with occupied fishing villages gone, locals and visitors still catch reef and ocean fish, lobster, and crab at Ka Lae, using a variety of methods; from fishing with poles from the cliffs, to throwing net, setting net, and spearfishing. Fishermen free dive and SCUBA dive. Their boats leave the South Point ramp for deep sea fishing for ahi, mahimahi and marlin, and to visit favorite dive spots. Some people launch canoes, with small sailing canoes fast enough to troll for big fish.
Fishermen arrive from around the island and beyond, set up camp, and secure their heavy fishing poles to the South Point cliffs to shorecast for ʻulua - giant travally. On June 7-10, many fishermen will enter S. Tokunaga Store's annual ʻUlua Challenge, choosing South Point as their favorite fishing spot.

Local and visiting fishermen on the
cliffs at South Point. Photo by Julia Neal

Line fishing from the South Point cliffs can involve kite fishing and sending tiny sailing rafts out to sea, trailing hook and bait. Some sails are as simple as garbage bags that catch the wind and carry the raft offshore. When the fish bites, the fisherman uses a rope to pull in the raft and lift the catch from the ocean.
The hoist and ladder at the end of South Point Road aid in hauling fish up the steep cliffs.
Fishing goes on day and night at South Point, presenting a management challenge for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in its quest to preserve South Points' natural and cultural resources, as well as the continuing fishing tradition.
The report points out that in ancient times, much fishing was by canoe, with mooring holes carved in rocks to tie the canoes to the cliffs and shore. At beaches, fishermen hauled canoes onto the sand.
Fishing villages were settled around South Point, according to their access to the ocean and their protection from the winds. Their remains include house platforms, walls and fishing shrines, ancient carved fishing hooks and stone weights, as documented in the South Point Plan.
According to evidence left in ancient and historic settlement sites, the eastern portion of South Point supported more habitation structures, near protected coves and bays like Kaulana, where the boat ramp is now located, the report states.

Highlighted portions show planned walking improvements. Kaulana is listed as Kaulani. Map from DHHL report

The late Tommy Kaniho, who lived and ranched on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands just inland from South Point, told interviewers working on the South Point Plan that Kaulana Bay was a traditional place for camping and fishing, as Kamilo Bay is now. He also mentioned that there was a wharf near the lighthouse. "From Kaulana to Ka‘alualu, people would surround net, lobster net, lay net at night and check the next day, and even turtle net." Kaniho said that fishermen used to feed ko‘a to kū‘ula - the fishing god - "when they'd go throw-net. Today, people mostly fish off boats, catching marlin and tuna off the coast which is very deep water," said Kaniho. He noted that commercial fishermen at South Point usually sell their catch in Hilo.
Kaniho said it used to be easier for locals to drive along the shores of South Point and fish "but people started abusing the road." He described the road as "really bad especially when it rains."
Fishing villages were also located on the west side of South Point. The DHHL report mentions Kaʻalo, at the mouth of Kahawai Kolono Stream, as known for its good fishing.

David Malo, a native Hawaiian Historian and
contemporary of Kamehameha I and Queen
Kaʻahumanu. Image from Wikipedia

Kurt Dela Cruz told interviewers for the report that, "Some people love South Point for fishing and nothing else." Dela Cruz, who grew up in Ka‘ū, mentioned throw-net fishing at PinaoBay; line fishing along the cliff areas by the hoist; and diving along an area called Broken Road.

The report points to Kalalea Heiau, as a well-preserved fishing shrine, still revered by fishermen today. The report also mentions a set of 80 mooring holes for canoes.

Fishing plays an important role in stories of Hawaiian chiefs who lost their lives in Ka‘ū. Historian David Malo (1793–1853), Mary Kawena Pukui and Laura C. S. Green, wrote of abusive ali‘i Hala‘ea and Koihala, who reportedly stole from fishermen, forced them to sail during poor weather, and starved them while wasting fish.

Example of a Hawaiian fishing hook, made
to be worn as jewelry. Photo by Cate Brooks

From Malo, in the 1951 edition of Hawaiian Antiquities (Moolelo Hawaii): "The work with which (Koihala) made the people of Ka‘ū sweat and groan was the building of the heavy stone walls about several fishponds, of which are mentioned those at the coast of Hilea, at Honuapo and Ninole. He also robbed the fishermen of their fish. The story is that he compelled his canoe men to paddle him about here and there where the fleets of fishing canoes were. The wind was bleak and his men suffered from the wet and cold, he being snugly housed in the pola (platform or high seat between the canoes of a double canoe).
"One day he had his men take his canoe out towards the south cape where there was a fleet of fishing canoes. His own canoe, being filled with the spoils of his robbery, began to sink; and he called out for help. The fishermen declined all assistance; his own men left him and swam to the canoes of the fishers, leaving him entirely in the lurch. He was drowned."

See March 3, March 5, March 6, March 7, March 8, and future Ka‘ū News Briefs for more in the continuing series, covering the South Point Plan. See the 799-page plan online.

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

Rollie Litteral, newly elected
President for the District 5
Precinct 1 Democratic party.
Photo from Litteral

NEW NĀ‘ĀLEHU OFFICERS AND DELEGATES were elected during Democratic precinct meetings held statewide on Wednesday evening.
For Nā‘ālehu, which is District 5 Precinct 1, President is Rollie Litteral, VP is Bob Martin, District Council Representative is State Rep Richard Creagan, Md., and Secretary/Treasurer is Marilyn Creagan. Delegates elected to the State Convention, which will be held for the first time on the BigIslandat the Waikoloa Hilton May 26-27, are Rollie Litteral and Marilyn Creagan.

The Democratic County Convention is April 28 at Sangha Hall in Hilo. All Precinct Officers are delegates to the county convention.

Rollie Litteral is the elected Treasurer of the District 5 Council. Bob Martin is the elected 3rd Vice Chair. Both are now voting members of the Hawai‘i CountyCommittee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i.

More precinct results will be reported soon.

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

NATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, HONORING WOMEN LIKE HAWAI'I CONGRESSWOMAN PATSY MINK, is this week's call to action from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

"Women make up half of the world's population, but in 2018, we are still working to guarantee basic fairness and equality. Days like today give us pause to remember those brave women who came before us," states Gabbard. "blazing trails and breaking down barriers for generations to come. We also honor the courageous women of today, who are standing up and fighting for justice, equality, peace, and humanity all across this country and around the world. There has been progress, but it has been slow. There is still much to be done."

"There are so many ways for each of us to take action in our own way, in our own lives, in our own communities to make positive change." She states that Congress is working to ensure equal pay for equal work, fighting against discrimination in the workplace, ensuring equal access to housing, paid family leave, quality care for veterans, Medicare for All, and more.

"But in order to really bring about the kind of change we wish to see, we must each do our part to change the culture of our society to one where all people, regardless of gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation, are treated equally with respect, kindness, and aloha. And that begins with how we treat one another," she urges.

Gabbard closes her message with: "On this International Women's Day, let us honor those who came before us, be inspired by their example, and take on the challenges that are before us with strong hearts full of aloha."

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

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PLANS TO BUILD HOUSES IN KAʻŪ in the next fiscal year. The island-wide organization has helped several families in Ocean View to use their own sweat equity to help build and own their own homes.
Support for Habitat can be offered by purchasing upcycled household goods, clothes, building materials, and other items at its store just off Hwy 19 at 73-4161 Ulu Wini Place, Bay 1, in Kona.
Support can be volunteering at the 2018 Lavaman Triathalon, at Hilton Waikaloa Village on Sunday, March 25. Habitat for Humanity Hawai‘i Island will be in charge of the volunteers for the Run Course. Twelve volunteers are needed to help make sure the runners in the triathlon are taken care of and know where they're going. The shift will be from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Volunteers get a free race t-shirt, and lunch, drinks, and snacks. Interested? Contact Community Relations Coordinator Amanda MacIntosh at amanda@habitathawaiiisland.org, or call 808-331-8010 ext. 110.

Support can also be given by attending the March Paint and Sip night at Humpy's Big Island Alehouse in Kona, with artist Rya Horne, who has been working on a new painting to teach the group - it will be announced soon. The event is Wednesday, March 28th, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available now. Check out the events page or Facebook to see what the painting will be.

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

FOUR DAYS OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP IN KA‘Ū, with Big Island Faith Crusade, at Ka‘ū District Gym, continue Friday and Saturday evenings, March 9 and 10, at 7 p.m.(Fri) and 6 p.m.(Sat.); and Sunday, March 11, at 9:30 a.m.
Doors open one hour beforehand; free. Contact Thy Word Ministries Pastor Bob Tominaga at 936-9114 or Herb Schneider at 327-9739 for more information.
Big Island Faith Crusade is the largest non-sporting event, to date, to take place at the new community gym and shelter. The next will be the Miss Ka‘ū Coffee pageant on Saturday, April 21.

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

WRITING FOR INNER EXPLORATION AND LIFE REFLECTION, a workshop with award-winning Big Island novelist and teacher Tom Peek, takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 24, at Volcano Art Center.

Take a writing glass with Tom Peek on Mar. 24.
Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

Peek encourages participants to "discover the magic power of writing to stimulate the creative regions of your mind and unearth your meatiest memories, highest aspirations, zaniest ideas, and most incandescent insights."
"Have you ever wondered how the place you come from influenced who you are? Or what memories you carry from your ancestors? Or how your personal history impacts your view of the world? Take a day out of your busy life to explore your deeper self and ponder the life you've lived so far," says the event description.
Workshop cost is $65 per VAC members and $75 for non-members. To register, call 967-8222 or visit volcanoartcenter.org. Students are asked to bring a lunch and some pictures of their parents—at least one of each parent (unless coming from a single-parent family, in which case bring some pictures that parent).
Peek's workshop includes "fun, offbeat, and provocative 'wild mind' exercises that provide participants with exploration tools to use in class and on one's own. This workshop is perfect for journal keepers, bloggers, autobiographers, spiritual seekers, memoir and family history writers, and anyone who simply enjoys writing," says the event description. No previous writing experience is necessary.
Thought-provoking exercises include topics such as: "What passions guide your life?", "What mottos do you live by–or wish you did?", and "What's the weirdest thing that ever happened to you?"
Peek has taught his popular Hawai‘i workshops since 1991, encouraging hundreds of islanders to write their own journals, blogs, family histories, stories, poems, novels, and essays.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Tuesday, Mar 13, @ Hilo

Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a

Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Monday, Mar 12, @ Makua Lani

Wednesday, Mar 14 Ehunui @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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

MISS KA‘Ū COFFEE PAGEANT - REGISTRATION DEADLINE TOMORROW, Sat, Mar 10, 6 p.m. Event held Sat, Apr 21, Ka‘ū District Gym. Those who sign up early will be offered more opportunity for training and sponsorships. Ka‘ū Coffee Pageant Director Trinidad Marques, 928-0606, TrinidadMarques@yahoo.com, or Facebook Trinidad Marques.

SATURDAY, MARCH 10

ANCAKE BREAKFAST AND RAFFLE, Sat, Mar 10, 8 - 11 a.m., OceanView Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

KĀWĀ VOLUNTEER DAY, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 a.m., Kāwā. Sign up with James Akau, Nā Mamo o Kāwā, at namamookawa@gmail.com or 430-3058.

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat, Mar 10, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit's newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack.

ZENTANGLE: HALF-PAST PAIZLEY, Sat, Mar 10, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Lydia Menses incorporates a paisley motif as Zentangle string, using a mixture of Zentangle's official and non-official tangles to fill. No experience necessary. $30/VAC members, $35/non-members, plus $10 supply fee. Light refreshment provided. Register online, volcanoartcenter.org

HULA KAHIKO UNUKUPUKUPU PERFORMANCE, kahua hula (platform) in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Sat, Mar. 10, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. volcanoartcenter.org

"ALL THINGS HULA" DEMONSTRATION, Nā Mea Hula, by cultural specialist Loke Kamanu and her 'ohana, lānai of Volcano Art Center Gallery, Sat, Mar. 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hands-on and family-friendly. Free; park entrance fees apply. volcanoartcenter.org

RED CROSS MEETING, Sat, Mar 10, 3 - 5 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

AN EVENING WITH REBECCA FOLSOM, Sat, Mar 10, 7 - 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Awarding-winning artist. $20 per VAC member and $25 per non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

MONDAY, MARCH 12

PAINTING WITH PEGGY,

THURSDAY, MARCH 15

VETERAN'S CENTER AND VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thurs., March 1 & 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Ocean View Community Center. No appointment needed to visit with VA counselor and benefit specialist. Contact Matthew at 329-0574. ovcahi.org

STORY TIME WITH AUNTIE LINDA FROM TŪTŪ & ME, Thu, Mar 15, 10:30 a.m. - noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. 929-8571.

FISHERY COUNCIL MEETING, Thu, Mar, 15, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., West HI Civic Center, Liquor Control Room. New membership encouraged - especially recreational, commercial & regional fishers who can provide feedback for the council on a regular basis - then passed on to DLNR. westhawaiifisherycou.ipower.
com, mkipapa@gmail.com

FAMILY READING, Thu, Mar 15, 6 - 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA‘Ū, Thu, Mar 15, 6:30 p.m., UnitedMethodist Church in Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197.

THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE CENTER - Film Screening of Kīlauea Summit Eruption: Lava Returns to Halema‘uma‘u and Q&A w/USGS HVO Representatives, Thu, Mar 15, 7 - 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; suggested $5 donation. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMITFri., March 16. Participants meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Volunteers should wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants, and bring a hat, raingear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves and tools provided. Parental or guardian accompaniment, or written consent, required for volunteers under 18. Visit park website for additional planning details: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

PŪ‘OHE (Hawaiian Bamboo Trumpet) DEMONSTRATION, Fri, Mar 16, 10 a.m. - noon, Kahuku Unit, Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. Make a pū‘ohe, Hawaiian bamboo trumpet. Has a deep sound somewhat like a conch shell. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS ANNUAL HŌʻIKE rock opera Kū I Ka Mana, Fri, Mar 16, at 6 p.m., in Koaiʻa Gymnasium. Tickets are $5, available online, at the door, or from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on school days at the high school office or Student Activities Center.

ONGOING

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

A visitor's photo of the trail to Puʻu Aliʻi taken more than a decade ago and put up on flickr by a woman named Liz.

PRESERVATION OF ANCESTRAL BURIAL GROUNDS AT KA LAE is a concern for residents, especially ones with family ties to the iwi (remains) buried there, according to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' new South Point Resources Management Plan.

The South Point Management Plan offers to help protect burial areas by directing people away from them. The plan aims to provide designated foot traffic paths, remove vehicular access except for emergency and maintenance vehicles, and establish restrooms and trash removal facilities away from the graveyards and other historic sites.

Another Puʻu Aliʻi burial site image, showing the caretaking by
local families. The photo was placed on flickr by a visitor
named Liz from Annapolis, MD.

The report goes back into history, noting that Pu‘u Ali‘i, a South Point native Hawaiian burial ground, is one of the places where "many iwi were removed during early archaeological studies by Bishop Museum and stored in garbage bags at the museum."
One of the oldest known ancient Hawaiian habitations was uncovered there in 1956 "by an archaeological team from the Bishop Museum," confirms the National Park Service website. The website states remains of a house, a fire hearth, and over 14,000 artifacts were found at the site, including coral and stone abraders - files used to make fish hooks - and over 60 different types of large fish hooks. The site appears to have been used continuously for fishing and as a settlement over a period of more than a thousand years, says NPS.
In 1991, archeologist Michael Pietrusewsky examined skeletal remains that were being curated at the University of Hawaiʻi, Hilo. The remains were collected from Puʻu Aliʻi and MāhanaBay, both in the South Point management area. The iwi from Puʻu Aliʻi were found to represent at least eight different individuals. The iwi from MāhanaBay were found to be of one infant. Pietrusewsky noted that all the burials were to be reinterred.

The South Point Plan states that many of the iwi were repatriated to Pu‘u Ali‘i in the 1980s, following the passage of the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

Grey-shaded areas along the eastern portion of the DHHL-owned
portion of Ka Lae show where the heaviest coastal habitation
was in historic times. Many documented burial sites are near these
places, and are in danger of disruption by human activity,
especially off-road vehicle use. Map from DHHL report

Palikapu Dedman, executive director of Pele Defense Fund, expressed concern over protection of iwi at Pu‘u Ali‘i, and choosing responsible parties to take care of them. "The iwi belong to the people of Ka‘ū rather than the DHHL," told interviewers. Some Maori (native to New Zealand and the Cook Islands) also consider themselves related to those buried at Pu‘u Ali‘i, according to the report.
The South Point Plan states that Dedman had a leading role in repatriating iwi to South Point from BishopMuseum. The report describes Dedman as "horrified at how the museum treated the iwi of his ancestors." Deadman told interviewers that approximately 176 bodies were dug up from South Point - probably from digs searching for fishhooks and implements. The attempt by Native Hawaiians to reclaim the iwi from BishopMuseumcreated media attention.
The report quotes Deadman saying that Bishop Museum was planning ceremonies and to return the bones to South Point, but Dedman and other descendants were able to acquire the iwi ahead of time. He told interviewers:

"While everybody was preparing for this ceremony and media show (on O‘ahu), we went and took the iwi and flew back home. We put them in 2X2 boxes. Flower boxes. Took them back to South Point. We got sand from PinaoBay and buried them at Pu‘u Ali‘i. We were all happy. All the ‘ohana happy. They were back at Pu‘u Ali‘i."

Sign indicating the burial site at Pinao Bay. Photo taken by a tourist from New
Zealand and placed on his online travelogue. Photo by Richard Seaman

Kurt Dela Cruz told interviewers that he remembered seeing Dedman bring the iwi back to Pu‘u Ali‘i, according to the report. Dela Cruz considered Pu‘u Ali‘i and Palahemo as the "heaviest" sites of South Point, and said he was socialized to treat these sites as sacred. Dela Cruz shared the times when he led people to the site to pour water and conduct protocol relating to iwi kupuna buried there, according to his interview in the South Point Plan.

George Kaleokalani Manuel remembered Pu‘u Ali‘i as much larger than it is now: "It used to be so huge,” he said. "Now it's not a pu‘u anymore." He stated he wasn't sure whether the pu‘u actually decreased in size or whether it just seemed larger from a child’s perspective. Manuel stated in his interview that he also remembered that even back then, in the 1970s, people from Hilo would come on their dirt bikes and jump over the pu‘u. "It was the place to go off-roading," he said. He shared memories of his cousin, Bernard, and Palikapu Dedman, regulating the area to stop the people from destroying cultural sites at South Point.

Palikapu Dedman is a leader in establishing
the Burial Council and repatriating iwi to
South Point. Photo fromBig Island Video News

During the interview, Dedman again posed the question, "Who do the iwi belong to? They don't belong to DHHL. They belong to Ka‘ū." He told the interviewer that he and other Hawaiians took advantage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act to introduce the state Burial Bill, which became the beginning of the Burial Council. Today, the Burial Council is very active in protecting graves when anyone wants to develop land, learing for housing subdivisions, businesses, farming or ranching. Doing work around burials requires a permitting process, overseen by the Burial Council. Dedman was one of the first members of the Burial Council and told interviewers that he "felt that the Burial Council is problematic because Christian Hawaiians are on the council."

The South Point Plan says that Dedman continues to be part of a group who inters iwi that the state receives from around the islands.

See March 3, March 5, March 6, March 7, March 8, March 9, and future Ka‘ū News Briefs for more in the continuing series, covering the South Point Plan. See the 799-page plan online.

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

THE PROPOSED NORTH KOREA AND U.S. MEETING on denuclearization and peace for the Korean peninsula, drew response from Sen. Mazie Hirono. She released the following statement after the South Korean government announced this week that Pres. Donald Trump will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un:

"I have consistently called for a diplomatic process to de-escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula." She called the announcement "an encouraging sign," but said, "the President has left the State Department without the full complement of diplomatic personnel necessary for these talks to be successful. I renew my call for the President to appoint an American ambassador to South Korea and a new top diplomat for North Korea issues as soon as possible."

In a January Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Hirono questioned experts on the Korean Peninsula on the importance of naming an ambassador to South Korea. Last year, Hirono wrote to the President to urge him to fill the ambassadorship, and several other positions that are critical to finding a diplomatic solution to de-escalate tensions with North Korea.

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On November 5, 1967, a line of vigorous lava fountains erupted on the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea. Lava soon covered the entire crater floor as volcanic gases billowed skyward (aerial view). Near the center, a pool of molten lava repeatedly overflowed a levee of crusted lava, spilling flows onto the lava-covered crater floor (inset). The 251-day-long eruption ended on July 13, 1968. USGS photos by W. Kinoshita (aerial) and R. Fiske (inset)

REVISITING THE HISTORY OF THE PAST HALEMAʻUMAʻU eruptions, U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates ask: "Is the current summit eruption a return to Kīlauea's past?" Here is their latest Volcano Watch:

To set the stage for next week's anniversary of Kīlauea Volcano's current summit eruption, Volcano Watch will reprise parts of an article written in December 2008, soon after the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake reached a milestone as Kīlauea's longest summit eruption since 1924; that year is used as a frame of reference for Halemaʻumaʻu eruptions, because 1924 ended a 100-plus-year period of nearly continuous lava lake activity at the summit of Kīlauea.

Historically, a summit eruption has been the "normal" for Kīlauea. However, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Halemaʻumaʻu looked much different than it does today. It was an irregular landscape of craggy spires and islands with as many as six transient lava lakes.

But in May 1924, the long-lived lava lake that existed in Halemaʻumaʻu drained away, resulting in explosive eruptions that doubled the diameter of the crater to about 3,000 feet (900 m). Afterward, Halemaʻumaʻu looked much the way we see it now, except that it was almost five times deeper than it is today.

Within Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake, vigorous spattering was occurring
on the southern margin where a ledge of solidified lava has built out from the
vent wall. The vigorous spattering site was active in an indentation in the ledge.
Photo from USGS

Since then, Halemaʻumaʻu has erupted 18 times. The first was in July 1924, when an 11-day eruption formed a small pool of lava on the crater floor.

Over the next 10 years, six eruptions - in 1927, 1929 (two), 1930, 1931, and 1934 - took place within Halemaʻumaʻu. They varied in duration from 2to 33 days, each eruption adding a layer of molten rock to the crater floor. With thicknesses averaging about 60 feet (18 m), these layers reduced the depth of Halemaʻumaʻu to about 800 feet (245 m).

The end of the 1934 summit eruption marked the beginning of Kīlauea’s longest period of quiet on record. For nearly 18 years, there were no eruptions anywhere on the volcano.

Kīlaueamade up for lost time when molten lava returned to Halemaʻumaʻu in June 1952. That spectacular eruption went on for 136 days, with lava fountains sometimes visible above the crater rim. By the time it ended, the eruption had filled the crater with more than 390 feet (120 m) of new lava.

Over the next 30 years, Halemaʻumaʻu erupted nine times: in 1954, 1961 (three), 1967‒1968, 1971, 1974, 1975, and 1982. These eruptions varied greatly in duration, from about 7 hours (1975) to 251 days (1967‒1968, the second longest summit eruption since 1924).

Today, the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu is about 280 feet (85 m) below the crater rim. Most of the rock covering the crater floor was emplaced during the 1974 eruption, which lasted less than a day.

The 1974 lava fountains, up to 330 feet (100 m) high, initially erupted on the northeast rim of Halemaʻumaʻu, and then migrated as a fissure across the crater floor and up the west crater wall. Molten lava quickly engulfed the entire crater floor, except for the tops of three high spatter cones created during the 1967‒1968 eruption.

In April 1982, a fissure that opened on the caldera floor northeast of Halema'uma'u erupted low lava fountains for 19 hours. Lava flows spread north and south of the erupting fissure and into Halemaʻumaʻu, covering about 76 acres (31 hectares), including a "puddle" of lava on the floor of the crater.

Left: A photo of the ledge that is building on Halema‘uma‘u lava lake's southern ledge. Small collapses of the unstable ledge are also common. Right: Another ledge along the eastern margin has been building out from the vent wall, showing the recent high lava lake level mark (new black lava). Photo from USGS

Each Halemaʻumaʻu eruption between 1924 and March 2008, when the current summit eruption began, has its own unique story. Most of them, however, describe activity strikingly similar to what we are now experiencing - emissions of sulfur dioxide gas, ash-rich plumes, and poor air quality - but only a few produced a lake of lava like the one that exists today.

Kīlauea Volcano's ongoing summit eruption reaches its 10th anniversary on March 19, 2018. Highlights from the decade-long eruption will be featured in next week’s Volcano Watch. The history of the eruption and lava lake within Halemaʻumaʻu is also presented in a 24-minute video that can be freely viewed on the USGS YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/gNoJv5Vkumk.

Is a summit eruption and Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake once again the "normal" for Kīlauea? The story is still unfolding, so stay tuned - and visit the USGS HVO website https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvofor past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea daily eruption updates, Mauna Loa weekly updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call for summary updates: 967-8862 for Kīlauea, or 967-8866 for Mauna Loa. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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Photo from Wikimedia Commons

GARDEN SUCCESS IN HAWAI‘I, presented by West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners, will be held Saturday, April 15, from 9 a.m. to noon, in Kainaliu at the County Extension Office, across from Aloha Theater.
Current Ka‘ū students in the Master Gardener class include John and Velvet Replogle and Trisha Gerbo, who encourage other area residents to attend and consider taking the Master Gardner training.

The event will feature a plant sale, a demo garden, how to grow from containers, plant questions answered, info on rat lungworm and fire ants, keiki activities, and more.

Every family that attends will receive a free tomato plant.

For more information, call Master Gardener Helpline at 322-4895.

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KA‘Ū TROJAN SPORTS WERE ALIVE YESTERDAY, March 9, as both the Boys Volleyball and the Girls Softball teams travelled.

Ka‘ū Athletic Trainer Moses Whitcomb, with fellow trainers Heather
Berry (left) and Robin Marquez (right). Photo from Ka‘ū Athletics

The girls headed north to HPA, where they made a valiant effort against their opponents. The game ended in HPA's favor, at 12 to 2.

The boys trekked to Kohala, where three close games saw Ka‘ū dominate the court: 25 to 23, 25 to 22, and 25 to 24.

The next three boys Volleyball games are against Mauka Lani, Ehunui, and Konawaena. The girls softball team will be going up against Hilo and Konawaena in their next two games.

National Athletic Trainers Month 2018 is being celebrated in March, and Ka‘ū Athletics has tweeted, "Compassionate Care for All!! We Thank You for keep our Athletes in The game!", honoring Ka‘ū AT (Athletic Trainer) Moses Whitcomb, along with HPA's Heather Berry AT and Kohala's Robin Marquez AT. #NATM2018

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JAZZ IN THE FOREST, a monthly event held at the VolcanoArtCenterin the Village, has been moved to the last Saturday in March, the 24^th.

This month's performance offers exciting original compositions by pianist/composer Loren Wilken, and the beautiful Brazilian samba sounds of vocalist/trumpet stylist Andrea Linborg, along with Jean Pierre Thoma on winds, Brian McCree on bass, Russ on drums, and Luke on acoustic guitar.

Photo from VAC

The April 14th Jazz in the Forest will be a retrospective tribute to the genius of Miles Davis, revisiting his compositions and styles of the "6 distinct periods of his creative output." Andrea Linborg will return in the "Miles" slot, and the band will include Loren Wilken on piano, Matt Spencer on acoustic and electric bass, Jean Pierre Thoma on woodwinds, and Russ on drums.

On May 12, the Django Hot Club of Volcano returns with French Cafe Jazz, and June 9 will be a special event of Jazz at the movies with vocalist Binti Baily and guitarist/ synthesizer whiz Larry Seyer, with an accompaniment of films as backdrop to this unique evening.

As usual, the concerts will be at 4:30& 7 p.m., and refreshments will be available. Tickets are available online, and are $18 per VAC member/$20 non-member. Call 967-8222 or visit volcanoartcenter.org for more details.

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Attend a Poetry Reading with The Poets of 1958 on Mar. 29 at Volcano Art Center.
See story below. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

A POETRY READING WITH 'THE POETS OF 1958' - Laura Mullen, Marthe Reed, and Susan M. Schultz, will take place on Mar. 29's Thursday Night at the Center, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., announces Volcano Art Center. Each poet will read selections of their pieces covering a range of topics - though all write about remembrance, whether it comes by chance or by deliberate recovery of what has been overlooked or denied.
The evening offers an opportunity to discuss poetry and hear poets read their work as they share their powerful stories. Mullen writes about abuses of power and the ways power works to protect itself rather than those who need and deserve care. Reed writes about climate change, out of a strong sense of place in southern Louisiana, where she lived for many years. Schultz has written extensively about memory and Alzheimer's.
The event is free; however, a $5 donation is suggested.

Thursday Night at the Center takes place once a month at the Volcano Art Center, focusing on art, Hawaiian culture, and environment. The series is intended to inspire and enhance appreciation of art and life experience, while fostering community connections.
For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily,

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Tuesday, Mar 13, @ Hilo

Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a

Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Monday, Mar 12, @ Makua Lani

Wednesday, Mar 14 Ehunui @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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

LAST DAY OF FOUR DAYS OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP IN KA‘Ū, with Big Island Faith Crusade, at Ka‘ū District Gym, concludes Sunday, March 11, at 9:30 a.m.; doors open one hour beforehand; free. Contact Thy Word Ministries Pastor Bob Tominaga at 936-9114 or Herb Schneider at 327-9739 for more information.

ARTS & CRAFTS: ST. PATRICK'S DAY TOP HAT, Wed, Mar 14, 3:30 to 5 p.m., Pāhala
Community Center. Register until Mar 13. For grades K-8. Free. Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro, 928-3102, hawaiicounty.
gov/pr-recreation

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

THE ART OF VOCAL FREEDOM
WORKSHOP WITH REBECCA FOLSOM, Sun, Mar 11, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano
Art Center. Learn to sing and express authentically with ease and flow. Incorporates a blend of traditional and non-traditional volcano technique, martial arts, yogic posture, Toltec, and Taoist exercises. Open to all levels of singers. $50 per person, plus $10 supply fee.
volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

MONDAY, MARCH 12

PAINTING WITH PEGGY,

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14

THURSDAY, MARCH 15

VETERAN'S CENTER AND VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thurs., March 1 & 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Ocean View Community Center. No appointment needed to visit with VA counselor and benefit specialist. Contact Matthew at 329-0574. ovcahi.org

STORY TIME WITH AUNTIE LINDA FROM TŪTŪ & ME, Thu, Mar 15, 10:30 a.m. - noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. 929-8571.

FISHERY COUNCIL MEETING, Thu, Mar, 15, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., West HI Civic Center, Liquor Control Room. New membership encouraged - especially recreational, commercial & regional fishers who can provide feedback for the council on a regular basis - then passed on to DLNR. westhawaiifisherycou.ipower.com,

mkipapa@gmail.com

FAMILY READING, Thu, Mar 15, 6 - 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA‘Ū, Thu, Mar 15, 6:30 p.m., UnitedMethodist Church in Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197.

THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE CENTER - Film Screening of Kīlauea Summit Eruption: Lava Returns to Halema‘uma‘u and Q&A with USGS HVO Representatives, Thu, Mar 15, 7 - 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; suggested $5 donation. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT Fri., March 16. Participants meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Volunteers should wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants, and bring a hat, raingear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves and tools provided. Parental or guardian accompaniment, or written consent, required for volunteers under 18. Visit park website for additional planning details:
nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

PŪ‘OHE (Hawaiian Bamboo Trumpet) DEMONSTRATION, Fri, Mar 16, 10 a.m. - noon, Kahuku Unit, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Make a pū‘ohe, Hawaiian bamboo trumpet. Has a deep sound somewhat like a conch shell. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

ST. PATRICK'S DAY LUNCHES - ‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU, Sat, Mar 17 Nāʻālehu Methodist Church. Corned Beef & Cabbage lunches for sale - all proceeds go to senior housing project. okaukakou.org

RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH SYMPOSIUM-EAST, Sat, Mar 17, 8:30 - noon, University of Hawaiʻiat Hilo, UCB 100. Register at www.RapidOhiaDeath.org

OPTIMAL NUTRITIONAL GARDENING, Sat, Mar 17, 9 - 3 p.m., VolcanoArtCenter. Zach Mermel of Ola Design Group instructs on how to improve nutrient density of fruits & vegetables. Also which plants contain naturally high amounts of certain nutrients & strategies for well-rounded diet from home gardens. Hands on workshop. Students depart with plant materials - seeds and/or cuttings. $30 per VAC member and $35 per non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, Sat, Mar 17, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park. Moderate guided hike along the

Palm Trail, aprox. 2 miles. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

THE ART EXPRESS, Sat, Mar 17, 10 - 3 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Classes held once monthly. Learn something new or work on a forgotten project. Instructions on oil, acrylic, watercolor, and other mediums. Class size limited to 25. Meliha Corcoran 319-8989, himeliha@yahoo.com, discoveryharbour.net/art-express

OCEAN VIEW C.E.R.T., Sat, Mar 17, 10 - 1 p.m, OceanViewCommunity Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

EXPERIMENTAL WATERCOLORS with Patti Pease Johnson, Sat, Mar 17, noon - 3:30 p.m., VolcanoArtCenter. Students create 3-5, 8"x8", watercolor paintings on hot press paper using pre-broken glass as a catalyst to spark creativity. Beginner and intermediate artists welcome. $45 per VAC member, $50 per non-member, plus a $10 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

ST. PATRICK'S DAY BUFFET, Sat, Mar 17, 6 - 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Corned Beef & Cabbage, Lamb Stew, Shepherd’s Pie, and Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie plus all the fixings. $20/Adult, $11/Child (6-11 years). Irish ale available. Call 967-8356 for more. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitaryca mp.com

BUNCO & POTLUCK, Sat, Mar 17, 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Popular game played with nine dice, also known as Bonko or Bunko. Bring dish to share. Margie Hack, 541-954-8297.

ONGOING

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