The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Panaʻewa Stampede happens this weekend just outside of Hilo, Feb. 16 through 18, Saturday through Monday, with

rodeo competitors from Kaʻū and around the island joined by rodeo clowns and other entertainers.

Photo from HawaiiRodeoStampede.com

"I CAN THINK OF A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ACTUAL EMERGENCIES," said Sen. Brian Schatz today, after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Pres. Donald Trump "indicated he will sign the [government funding] bill. He will also be issuing a national emergency declaration at the same time."

The 1,159 page funding bill was released late last night. Legislators have until Friday night at 7 p.m. HST to read, review, and pass the bill through both Houses before Trump signs it. The bill includes provisions to keep the government open through the end of September, and provides $1.375 billion for 55 miles of steel-post fencing at the southern border of the continental U.S.This is similar to the bill Trump rejected in December, triggering the 35-day shutdown, leaving more than 800,000 federal employees and contractors without pay when Trump's

A Donald Trump campaign sticker attached to a wall along
the southern border of the U.S. Photo from PBS

demand for $5.7 billion for more than 200 miles of steel or concrete wall were rejected. The President has threatened to fund the wall through an emergency declaration.

Schatz said that Trump's "inability to negotiate with a coequal branch (Congress) is not an emergency. A failure to secure money (for the wall) is just not the same as a natural disaster or terrorism event. And I look forward to a big bipartisan vote rejecting this nonsense. Can you imagine the screaming of Obama did this?

"Whether or not you vote to uphold this national emergency declaration is a pretty crisp litmus test for where you stand on the constitution and the separation of powers."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, "Every time a president declares a 'national emergency' in order to get his way on a particular issue, the closer we are to a dictatorship. Who needs Congress or the people if the president can make the decision on issues by himself? Very dangerous precedent."
The New York Times reports the bill "also prohibits funds from being used to keep lawmakers from visiting and inspecting Homeland Security detention centers, following a number of highly publicized instances where Democratic lawmakers," including Sen. Mazie Hirono, "tried to visit detention centers and were turned away."

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A FLASH FLOOD WATCH is active for Hawaiʻi Island, reports the National Weather Service. Advisories from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense include being cautious when driving in downpours, being alert to malfunctioning traffic signals, staying indoors when possible if lightning threatens the area, and being prepared for possible utility outages.

A Winter Storm Warning remains in place for Mauna Loa and Mauna Keasummits. "Very cold air aloft over the islands will continue to bring wintry conditions to the highest peaks," the National Weather Service stated. "Expect periods of snow, with icy roadways and very cold conditions. Wintry weather will also likely persist on the Big Island Summits through Friday afternoon."

Alex Sosnowski, Senior Meteorologist at AccuWeather.com, reports the recent extreme weather conditions are due to a "Kona low." Kona refers to the western or southwestern side of an island. A low indicates a storm, reports Sosnowski, "which creates rising air and corresponding low atmospheric pressure. Rising air causes clouds to form and, if significant enough, can bring precipitation and strong winds. Developing Kona lows can tap into subtropical moisture and unload flooding rainfall."

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski says, "West to southwest winds associated with a Kona low can also cause significant waves beyond the protection of the reefs. Higher-than-normal water levels and coastal flooding can occur along the western and southwestern shores of the islands in the more extreme cases, especially when a corresponding storm develops in the lower part of the atmosphere. When a surface storm and the Kona low coincide is the most likely time for coastal flooding as well as flash flooding from heavy rainfall in Honolulu and other areas on the southern and western sides of the islands," which includes areas of Kaʻū.

Sosnowski says, "While most of the weather produced by a Kona low is near the surface, the storm is usually most prevalent at the jet stream level of the atmosphere. As a Kona low forms, a southward dip in the jet stream evolves, then breaks off from the main jet stream and forms a circular jet stream pattern."

This satellite image shows a mature Kona low over the central

Pacific Ocean on Dec. 19, 2010. Image from NOAA

AccuWeather Meteorologist Maggie Samuhel says, "Kona lows are most common during the late fall, winter, and spring, and are associated with a southward plunge of cold air over the central Pacific Ocean." She says the presence of a Kona low can be revealed by an extensive area of bubbly clouds over the Pacific Ocean. "These storms typically approach Hawaiʻi from the northwest and then push cooler or colder air across the islands. Kona lows often tend to bring cloudy and wet conditions to the western and southwestern sides of the islands, or opposite of that of the prevailing trade winds."

Colder air associated with Kona lows can produce snow and blizzard conditions over the peaks of the volcanoes. Kona lows often play a role in the movement of tropical storms that approach the islands from the south or the east during the summer and early autumn.

Samuhel says, "If a Kona low is nearby, the position and counterclockwise circulation around the storm may cause a tropical storm to get very close to or be forced to turn away from the islands." On rare occasions, a Kona low can evolve into a subtropical and tropical storm.

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OFFSHORE EARTHQUAKES in Hawaiʻi are the focus of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:

Why do some Hawaiʻi earthquakes occur so far offshore?

Earthquakes in Hawaiʻi are intimately related to the volcanoes. In addition to helping scientists track moving magma, sometimes they happen simply because the earth under the island chain gets bent out of shape.

Earth's tectonic plates are made of the lithosphere, which is a mostly rigid layer extending from the crust into the upper mantle. As the Hawaiian Islandsride on top of the Pacific Plate, their immense weight bends, or flexes, the lithosphere. Like a bowling ball resting on a soft mattress, this bows the lithosphere downward in a moat-like depression centered on the main loading center under the Island of Hawai‘i. This results in stresses that can lead to earthquakes.

Many of the earthquakes in Hawaiʻi that extend offshore and up the island chain are due to plate bending, or flexure.

The upper panel shows magnitude-5 and greater earthquakes since 1861, with some notable events labeled. The area

of maximum flexural stress is within about 100 km (62 mi) from where the Island of Hawaiʻi loads the plate, but

also extends about 300 km (186 mi) northward, as far as O‘ahu. The lower graphic is a cross-section depicting

how the Hawaiian Islands rest on Earth's lithosphere and cause it to bend. Graphic from B. Shiro, USGS HVO

Seismologists call these events "flexural earthquakes" to reflect their cause – plate bending. The massive Island of Hawai‘i produces the largest force on the lithosphere due to its relatively young age, which results in forces on the underlying lithosphere that have not yet evened out.

The zone of maximum bending stress from this load extends about 100 km (62 mi) offshore from the island. As the plate re-adjusts back to a neutral position, it results in a raised bulge in the lithosphere that extends around O‘ahu about 300 km (186 mi) away. This is why earthquakes occasionally happen so far from the main area of seismic and volcanic activity on the Island of Hawai‘i.

There have been two examples of offshore flexural earthquakes in the past month. They include a magnitude-3.7 event on January 21, which occurred about 240 km (149 mi) east of the Island of Hawai‘i, and a magnitude-4.6 event on February 7, about 84 km (52 mi) southwest of the island.

The January event was too small and distant for anyone to feel. But the February earthquake produced shaking intensity up to VI on the Modified Mercalli scale earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/mercalli.php, and was reported by 115 citizens from Hawai‘i, Maui, and O‘ahu, up to 370 km (230 mi) from the epicenter. It was the largest earthquake felt in Hawaiʻi since a magnitude-4.4 earthquake shook the Island of Hawai‘i on August 9, 2018.

Most earthquakes felt beyond the Island of Hawai‘i are presumed flexural earthquakes based on their estimated locations. Some historical examples include the magnitude-6.8 Lāna‘i earthquake on February 19, 1871; magnitude-6.8 Maui earthquake on January 22, 1938; magnitude-5.2 O‘ahu earthquake on June 28, 1948; magnitude-6.2 Honomu earthquake on April 26, 1973; and magnitude-6.7 Kīholo Bay and 6.1 Māhukona earthquakes on October 15, 2006.

The large red dot, lower left, shows where the
9:06 a.m. Feb. 7 quake occurred. USGS map

Flexural earthquakes are sometimes called "mantle earthquakes," reflecting the fact that they often occur at depths within the Earth's upper mantle rather than within the crust. Seismic waves travel more efficiently through the mantle compared with the crust. This is one reason why mantle earthquakes can have widespread and sometimes damaging effects, especially as their sizes can exceed the magnitude-6 range.

Thankfully, lithospheric flexure produces earthquakes in Hawaiʻi less frequently than those directly related to active volcanism. Each year, USGS HVO records tens of thousands of earthquakes on and near Hawaiʻi Island's active volcanoes, compared with only a few hundred offshore flexural events.

The locations and magnitude parameters of earthquakes far offshore are not as well-constrained as events closer to the land-based seismic monitoring network. This is one reason why it's more difficult for scientists to determine precise locations and depths for earthquakes that happen far from the islands. Nevertheless, any type of earthquake can have hazard implications, so HVO maintains a constant vigil and closely monitors seismic activity in Hawaiʻi.

The next time you feel an earthquake, even if you're far from it, we encourage you to submit a felt report via the USGS Did You Feel It? Website, earthquake.usgs.gov/dyfi. We also invite you to track earthquakes at volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/earthquakes.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kīlaueais not erupting. Rates of seismicity, deformation, and gas release have not changed significantly over the past week.

Three earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a magnitude-3.3 quake 13 km (8 mi) east of Honokaʻa at 6 km (4 mi) depth on Feb. 13 at 4:42 p.m. HST; a magnitude-2.1 quake 14 km (9 mi) southwest of Leilani Estates at 3 km (2 mi) depth on Feb. 7 at 9:43 a.m. HST; and a magnitude-4.6 quake 85 km (53 mi) southwest of Hawaiian Ocean View at 27 km (17 mi) depth on Feb. 7 at 9:06 a.m. HST.

Deformation signals are consistent with refilling of Kīlauea Volcano's deep East Rift Zone. Sulfur dioxide emission rates in the lower ERZ have been below detection limits since early September 2018. Sulfur dioxide emission rates at Kīlauea's summit and middle ERZ remain low, with each generally less than 30 tonnes per day. Occasional sulfur odors detected in some areas of Hawaiʻi Island are explained in a previous Volcano Watch article, volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=1392.

Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvofor past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call 808-967-8862 for weekly Kīlauea updates. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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TROJANS BOYS VOLLEYBALL IS FUNDRAISING with an invitational tournament tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 15, to help the team fly to Maui for a preseason tournament, beginning Friday, Feb. 22.
The tournament at Kaʻū District Gym will see the Trojans hosting Kamehameha teams from Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island as well as teams from Kealakeke and Pāhoa High Schools.

Donations can be sent to Kaʻū High School, c/o Athletic Director Kalei Namohala 96-3150 Pikake St, Pāhala, HI, 96777, with the notation "Boys Volleyball Tournament on Maui."

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HARRY MCKEE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION WINDOW FOR KAʻŪ STUDENTS CLOSES TOMORROW, Friday, Feb. 15. College bound high school seniors and current college students are encouraged to apply for a $1,000 scholarship.
Students must be residents of Kaʻū District and plan to attend any accredited college, university, technical institute, or vocational school, anywhere in the U.S. Students must enroll full time in the fall of 2019.

The application and more information are at mckeescholarshipfoundation.weebly.com. Applications must be mailed to the foundation office in Ocean View by tomorrow.

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See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū High Winter Sports Schedule

Boys Basketball:

Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA

Wrestling:

Feb. 20-21, Wed.-Thu., HHSAA

NEW and UPCOMING

HULA KAHIKO FEATURING KUMU HULA KEALA CHING with Nā Wai Iwi Ola happens Saturday, Feb. 16, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Volcano Art Center's Hula Kahiko series continues with a performance on the kahua hula (hula platform) located near the VAC Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Nā Wai Iwi Ola Foundation is based in Kailua-Kona, and was founded to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture and practices through hula protocol and ceremonies, the use and study of the Hawaiian language, and by embracing the stories of our kūpuna – past, present, and future.

Presentation is free and open to the public and will be presented authentically in an outdoor setting, rain or shine without electronic amplification. Audience members are encouraged to bring sun and/or rain gear and sitting mats. National Park entrance fees may apply.

These free events are supported in part by a grant from the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development and the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and individual funding from members of the Volcano Art Center's ʻohana. See volcanoartcenter.org/events for more or to register.

Wes Awana teaches ʻukulele to all ages this Saturday.
Photo from VAC

NĀ MEA HULA WITH WES AWANA happens Saturday, Feb. 16, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in conjunction with Volcano Art Center's Hula Kahiko series. This month, "All things hula" presents Volcano area musician Wes Awana, who shares his love of ‘ukulele and Hawaiian music by giving family-friendly lessons on the "iconic and inviting"‘ukulele. These cultural demonstrations are hands-on and family friendly and occur on Hula Kahiko performance days. See volcanoartcenter.org/events for more or to register.

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15
PATCH Class #428, Building Emotional Literacy, Fri., Feb. 15, 8-11am, PARENTS, Inc. office, Nā‘ālehu. Sponsored by Tūtū and Me. No childcare provided. Register at 238-3472, rhall@patch-hi.org

PATCH Class #619, Relationships w/Families in your Family-Centered Care, Fri., Feb. 15, noon-3pm, PARENTS, Inc. office, Nā‘ālehu. Sponsored by Tūtū and Me. No childcare provided. Register at 238-3472, rhall@patch-hi.org

Fundraising Tournament for Kaʻū Trojans Boys Volleyball, Fri., Feb. 15, Kaʻū District Gym. Trojans host Kamehameha teams from Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island as well as teams from Kealakeke and Pāhoa High Schools. Funds will help the team fly to Maui for a preseason tournament, beginning Friday, Feb. 22. Donations can be sent to Kaʻū High School, c/o Athletic Director Kalei Namohala 96-3150 Pikake St, Pāhala, HI, 96777, with the notation "Boys Volleyball Tournament on Maui."

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16
11th Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament, Sat., Feb. 16, 9-2pm, Punalu‘u Beach Park Pavilions. For keiki 1-14 years. Free. Event day registration open 8-10am. Pre-registration packets available at Nā‘ālehu Ace Hardware, Mizuno Supertte, Pāhala Gas Station, Nā‘ālehu Wiki Wiki Mart, Kahuku Country Market, and Ocean View Auto Parts. Free lunch and prizes. Guy Enriques, 217-2253, Wayne Kawachi, 937-4773. okaukakou.org

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Sat., Feb. 16, 10-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko - Kumu Hula Keala Ching w/Nā Wai Iwi Ola, Sat., Feb. 16, 10:30-11:30am, performance at hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula w/Wes Awana, Sat., Feb. 16, 11-1pm, Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Panaʻewa Stampede takes place this year just outside of Hilo, the weekend of Feb. 16-18, with rodeo competitors from Kaʻū and around the island joined by rodeo clowns and other entertainers. HawaiiRodeoStampede.com

Ham Radio Mtg., Sat., Feb. 16, 2-3pm, Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Community Cleanup, Sun., Feb. 17, contact in advance for meet up details. Space may be available; BYO-4WD welcome. Free; donations appreciated. RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com or 769-7629.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Discovery Harbour Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Mon., Jan. 18, 5-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tue., Jan. 19, Committees; Wed., Jan. 20, Council, Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Tue., Jan. 19, 4:30-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wed., Feb. 20, 12:30-1:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Arts & Crafts Activity: Eagle Handprint, Wed., Feb. 20, 3:30-5pm, multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki ages 5-12 Feb. 11-19. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Thu., Feb. 21, 9-noon, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Family Reading Night, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-7pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Paint Nite II, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-8pm, multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Open to adults. Register through Feb. 20. Supply fee. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ONGOING

11th Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament happens Saturday, Feb. 16, at Punalu‘u Beach Park Pavilions. Organized by ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou, the event doubles as a canned food drive.

Applications are available at the event, and before the event at Nā‘ālehu Elementary School, Nā‘ālehu Ace Hardware, Pāhala Elementary School, Mizuno Superette in Pāhala, Pāhala Gas Station, Wiki Wiki Mart in Nā‘ālehu, Ka‘ū Learning Academy, Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View, or Ocean View Auto Parts.

Registration at the event is open from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Welcome, rules, and distribution of poles and bait from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Keiki, aged one to 14 years old, can fish from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. A free lunch for all is available at noon, then awards and prizes are distributed at 1 p.m. Every participant gets a prize. For more information, call Guy Enriques, 217-2253, or Wayne Kawachi, 937-4773. See okaukakou.org.

Panaʻewa Stampede takes place this year just outside of Hilo, the weekend of Feb. 16-18, Saturday through Monday, with rodeo competitors from Kaʻū and around the island joined by rodeo clowns and other entertainers. See HawaiiRodeoStampede.com.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant will accept applicants through Feb. 28. The pageant will be held again at the Ka‘ū District Gym on Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. Miss Kaʻū Coffee and her court will represent the Kaʻū Coffee industry throughout the year at events in the community and beyond, her appearances sponsored by the Edmund C. Olson Trust, II. Pageant Director is Trinidad Marques. Scholarship Committee Directors are Julia Neal and Gloria Camba.

The community can support the pageant through purchasing tickets, volunteering, and providing scholarships.
Girls three to 24 years of age are encouraged to enter the pageant. Talents often include hula and singing. Competitive categories include Talent, Gown, Photogenic, Career-Interview, Characters Outfit, and Swimsuit for Miss Kaʻū Coffee. Pageant hopefuls contend for titles of Miss Ka‘ū Coffee, Jr. Miss Kaʻū Coffee, Miss Kaʻū Peaberry, and Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower.

Email tmarques@yahoo.com.

In exchange for service, members receive: $22,000 living stipend paid bi-weekly over the 11.5-month term; $6,095 AmeriCorps Segal education award upon successful completion of service; Student loan deferral or forbearance, if eligible; partial childcare reimbursement, if eligible; Health insurance; Ongoing training, mentorship, and professional development.

Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Preschool Opens Doors Applications are open for the 2019-2020 school year. The Department of Human Services encourages families to apply before March 29. This program is for families seeking aid in paying for preschool. Applications, available at patchhawaii.org, received during this period will be considered for preschool participation during July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. For more information, visit bit.ly/2TolEOm or call 800-746-5620.

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

Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. Campaign and other political displays are not invited. Fifty percent discounts are provided to bona fide non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Each vendor is responsible for a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each, to be displayed at each booth.

Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

Applications for a Paid Internship in Kaʻū for Kupu Hawai‘i and The Nature Conservancy are being accepted. The year-long, full-time position is in TNC's Hawai‘i Island Terrestrial Program, which stewards native forest preserves in Ka‘ū and South Kona. Benefits offered include: a $1,600 monthly living allowance, before taxes; a $5,920 education award towards higher education; health care and childcare benefit, if eligible; and receiving an entry-level conservation career experience.
Application at kupuhawaii.org/conservation. For more, call The Nature Conservancy at 443-5401 or call Kupu Hawai‘i at 808-735-1221.

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Keiki fishing tournament and canned food drive, organized by ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou, happens tomorrow.

See details, and video, below. Photo by Jana Kaniho

FEDERAL FUNDING INCREASES are on their way to Hawaiʻi, with approval of legislation passed by Congress yesterday and signed by Pres. Donald Trump last night. The approval averted another shutdown and funds the federal government through this fiscal year.

Sen. Brian Schatz said, "The deal will give every federal worker a well-deserved raise and add new funding for federal programs that benefit Hawaiʻi. The increased funding for infrastructure and housing means Hawaiʻi can access more federal money to improve our roads and help more people find homes." The federal raise is 1.9 percent.

Schatz pointed out the benefits to Hawaiʻi:

$30.3 million for volcano research and monitoring. This includes $1.5 million for operations at high-threat volcanoes, over $4 million for next generation detection systems, and $4.8 million for interim office and laboratory space, equipment, and other needs due to the destruction of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and continuing volcanic activity at Kīlauea.

Funds from today's approved legislation will help fund a new Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory location. USGS photos

$4.4 million for tourism; $1 million for transportation. $3.4 million for Department of the Interior community and economic development accounts.

$11.8 million more from the Highway Trust Fund to Hawaiʻi for highway maintenance and new construction of bridges, roads, and bike and pedestrian paths.

$1 million to support construction of an insectary at U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Station in Hilo to study and combat invasive insects, including fruit flies, coffee berry borers, and felted macadamia nut coccids, that threaten local agriculture, and develop new ways for Hawaiʻi farmers to protect their crops.

$1.9 million for USDAPacificBasinAgriculturalResearchCenterin Hilo for research and development of new strains of coffee for desirable traits like flavor or pest resistance.

$2 million in grants to preserve Native languages and culture, and local history, through the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Lifecycle of Coffee Berry Borer. Funds from legislation
approved today will help with further research into
this invasive, damaging species. CTAHR photo

$2 million in Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grants for Native Hawaiian families to obtain new homes, make renovations, build community facilities, and receive housing services, including counseling, financial literacy, and other resources to address housing disparities.

$1.6 million for Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions through the USDA supporting grants to higher education institutions with a significant number of Native Hawaiian students to educate and train the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

$3.6 million in homelessness assistance through the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, which works with partners in both the public and private sectors to improve federal spending outcomes for homelessness.

$2.2 million increase in bus and transit funding, distributed to the state and counties for the operation and capital costs associated with public transit systems, including Hele On Bus and The Handi-Van fleet.

$32.3 million to for federal agricultural inspectors at airports on Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Maui, and Oʻahu.

$16.7 million for the East-WestCenter.

$5 million to for U.S. Coast Guard's C-130J hangar at Air Station Barbers Point to support search and rescue.

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Pres. Donald Trump

THE DECLARATION OF A NATIONAL EMERGENCY by Pres. Donald Trump to build a wall on the southern U.S. border drew a response this morning from Sen. Mazie Hirono. Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, she said:

"At today's announcement, Donald Trump lied about walls, borders, crime, and legal immigration to justify his declaration of a fake emergency at our southern border. With this desperate action, Donald Trump is putting his vanity wall above the Constitution and the American people. As usual, his announcement was long on lies and short on justification.

"Let's call today's action what it is: a blatant, illegal power grab that steals money from our military to advance Donald Trump's personal agenda. Diverting billions of dollars from planned investments in critical military projects across the world doesn't make us safer. The President has demonstrated time and again that he doesn't care that the chaos he creates results in wasted time and resources being expended to clean up his mess – including those spent on court challenges.

Sen. Mazie Hirono

"Republicans need to say enough is enough and join us in acting like a separate branch of government by terminating this so-called emergency declaration as soon as possible, and focusing instead on the real needs of all Americans."

PRES. DONALD TRUMP CALLS SEN. MAZIE HIRONO "CRAZY." Hirono had choice words for the president yesterday:

"Never before have I been attacked by a sitting president and his son, but there's a first time for everything, and these are not normal times."

Hirono states Donald Trump, Jr. "used his father's tactics and attacked me on Twitter" last week. "On Monday night, President Trump himself called me 'crazy' at his El Paso campaign rally, a political stunt to drum up support for his vanity wall project that he still won't drop. So why'd he call me 'crazy?' Because of my support to act on climate change and bring our country into a clean energy future through the Green New Deal."

Hirono wrote, "As usual, he didn't know what he was talking about. He can call me any name he wants, and make up whatever 'facts' he wants, as he continues to stick his head in the sand. I won't stop working to protect our communities, our environment, and our economy from the very real, very present, and very dangerous impacts of climate change. While he worries about building his vanity wall, I'm fighting for real solutions to real problems."

Crafts after story time, with Auntie Linda of Tūtū & Me, monthly on the
second Thursday at Nāʻālehu Public LIbrary. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

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STORIES AND CRAFT TIME ARE OFFERED TO KEIKI at Story Time with Auntie Linda. Recommended for toddlers through pre-K, the program is monthly on the second Thursday morning at Nā‘ālehu Public Library, 10:30 a.m. to noon. Next meet up is March 14.

Auntie Linda of Tūtū and Me reads to keiki, then crafts inspired by the chosen book are available. The program is free and open to everyone.

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.

VACANCIES ARE OPEN on Boards and Commissions for County of Hawaiʻi. Members of most Boards and Commissions serve for staggered terms of five years, on a voluntary basis. The following vacancies are open to Kaʻū residents for consideration: Fire Commission, Council District 6; and Ka‘ū nine positions on the Community Development Plan Action Committee.

Other positions available for the entire county include: Merit Appeals Board, two positions; Board of Ethics, one position; Cultural Resource Commission, three positions; Fire Board of Appeals, five positions from any Council District; and Windward Planning Commission, two positions.

For all Boards and Commission, travel expenses to and from meetings are reimbursed.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, residents of the State of Hawaiʻi, and may not hold any other public office. The Mayor's Office will fill vacancies on Boards and Commissions from a list of applicants. Application forms are available at hawaiicounty.gov/office-of-the-mayor. For further information, contact Rose Bautista, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, at 961-8211 or at rose.bautista@hawaiicounty.gov.

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

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 Winter Sports Schedule

Boys Basketball:

Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA

Wrestling:

Feb. 20-21, Wed.-Thu., HHSAA

Trojans Boys Volleyball Fundraising INvitational Tournament, to help the team fly to Maui for a preseason tournament, happens tonight at Kaʻū District Gym. Trojans host Kamehameha teams from Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island, and Kealakeke and Pāhoa High Schools.

Donations can be sent to Kaʻū High School, c/o Athletic Director Kalei Namohala 96-3150 Pikake St, Pāhala, HI, 96777, with the notation "Boys Volleyball Tournament on Maui."

11th Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament, Sat., Feb. 16, 9-2pm, Punalu‘u Beach Park Pavilions. For keiki 1-14 years. Free. Event day registration open 8-9am. Pre-registration packets available at Nā‘ālehu Ace Hardware, Mizuno Supertte, Pāhala Gas Station, Nā‘ālehu Wiki Wiki Mart, Kahuku Country Market, and Ocean View Auto Parts. Free lunch and prizes. Guy Enriques, 217-2253, Wayne Kawachi, 937-4773. okaukakou.org

See footage of Punaluʻu today. Video by Gabriel Cuevas

Panaʻewa Stampede takes place this weekend, just outside of Hilo, Feb. 16 through 18, Saturday through Monday, with rodeo competitors from Kaʻū and around the island joined by rodeo clowns and other entertainers. See HawaiiRodeoStampede.com.

NEW and UPCOMING

NIUHI-SHARK FINE ART EXHIBIT opens tomorrow at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, with a reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The exhibit is open daily through March 24.

The public is invited to hear different perspectives on the life of Kamehameha the Great. The collection provides viewers a visual experience of important events in Kamehameha's life from the perspective of two styles of art. The exhibit and supporting events promise paint, prose, protocol, and conversations providing cultural, historical, and educational experiences, with original paintings by Carl F. K. Pao, paired with selections from the book Kamehameha–The Rise of a King by David Kāwika Eyre, with illustrations by Brook Parker.
Eyre will sign copies of his book Sunday, Feb. 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Art Center Gallery.

A Volcano Art Center statement says, "Hawaiʻi Island is not only the place of Kamehameha's birth, it is also the beautiful and dramatic setting of much of his life's story, the source of his power, the home of his final days, and the hidden place of his bundled bones."

Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more information.

Catch up with ʻAlalā living in the wild Thursday,

Feb. 21, at VolcanoArtCenter. Photo from VAC

RETURN TO THE WILD, ONE YEAR LATER: An Update on the Reintroduction Efforts of ʻAlalā. Thursday Night at the Center on Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m. presents an update on the reintroduction efforts of the ʻAlalā. Through intensive conservation efforts, 11 ʻAlalā, the endemic and endangered Hawaiian crow, have survived in native Hawaiian forests for over a year and have been joined by another 10.
Rachel Kingsley, the Education and Outreach Associate for The ʻAlalā Project, will provide information about this unique species, an update on the birds that have been reintroduced, and plans for future reintroduction efforts of the ʻAlalā.

Learn more about this highly intelligent and unique crow species, integral to native Hawaiian ecosystems and culture.

The event is free, although a $5 donation to Volcano Art Center is greatly appreciated. The event is part of a once-a-month Thursday night series at Volcano Art Center, focusing on art, Hawaiian culture and our environment. The series is intended to inspire and enhance appreciation of art and life experience, while fostering community connections. For more, call VAC at (808) 967-8222 or visit volcanoartcenter.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.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16
Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Sat., Feb. 16, 10-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko - Kumu Hula Keala Ching w/Nā Wai Iwi Ola, Sat., Feb. 16, 10:30-11:30am, performance at hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com,
volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula w/Wes Awana, Sat., Feb. 16, 11-1pm, Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com,
volcanoartcenter.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Sat., Feb. 16, 2-3pm, Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Community Cleanup, Sun., Feb. 17, contact in advance for meet up details. Space may be available; BYO-4WD welcome. Free; donations appreciated. RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com or 769-7629.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Discovery Harbour Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Mon., Jan. 18, 5-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tue., Jan. 19, Committees; Wed., Jan. 20, Council, Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Thu., Feb. 21, 9-noon, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Family Reading Night, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-7pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Paint Nite II, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-8pm, multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Open to adults. Register through Feb. 20. Supply fee. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ONGOING

Panaʻewa Stampede takes place this weekend, just outside of Hilo, Feb. 16-18, Saturday through Monday, with rodeo competitors from Kaʻū and around the island joined by rodeo clowns and other entertainers. See HawaiiRodeoStampede.com.

Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi classes offered in Ka‘ū include: Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) on Wednesdays through Feb. 19. See more at hmono.org; Diabetes Management Classes on Mondays in February. Sign up by calling 969-9220 or online at hmono.org/classes.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant will accept applicants through Feb. 28. The pageant will be held again at the Ka‘ū District Gym on Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. Miss Kaʻū Coffee and her court will represent the Kaʻū Coffee industry throughout the year at events in the community and beyond, her appearances sponsored by the Edmund C. Olson Trust, II. Pageant Director is Trinidad Marques. Scholarship Committee Directors are Julia Neal and Gloria Camba.

The community can support the pageant through purchasing tickets, volunteering, and providing scholarships.

Girls three to 24 years of age are encouraged to enter the pageant. Talents often include hula and singing. Competitive categories include Talent, Gown, Photogenic, Career-Interview, Characters Outfit, and Swimsuit for Miss Kaʻū Coffee. Pageant hopefuls contend for titles of Miss Ka‘ū Coffee, Jr. Miss Kaʻū Coffee, Miss Kaʻū Peaberry, and Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower.
Email tmarques@yahoo.com.

Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Preschool Opens Doors Applications are open for the 2019-2020 school year. The Department of Human Services encourages families to apply before March 29. This program is for families seeking aid in paying for preschool. Applications, available at patchhawaii.org, received during this period will be considered for preschool participation during July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. For more information, visit bit.ly/2TolEOm or call 800-746-5620.

Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

Over 350 keiki participated in today's 11th annual OKK Fishing Tournament. See story below.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

BILLS TO FUND THE CARDIAC CATH LAB at Hilo Medical Center will be heard next week in their respective finance committees. Senate Bill 911 will be heard Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 9:30 a.m. House Bill 527 will be heard on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m.

Submit testimony, due 24 hours before each hearing, online via the Hawaii State Legislature website: click on the "Submit Testimony" button, enter the bill name, upload testimony or copy and paste in the text box. Submit testimony for SB911 to the Senate Ways & Means Committee at WAMtestimony@capitol.hawaii.gov. Submit testimony for HB527 to the House Finance Committee at FINtestimony@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Questions? Contact Elena Cabatu, Director of Legislative Affairs at Hilo Medical Center at 808-333-7223 or ecabatu@hhsc.org. See video, "Improving Cardiac Care at Hilo Medical Center."

The hospital provided this sample testimony: "This funding supports Hilo Medical Center's efforts to provide interventional cardiac care for East Hawaiʻi and potentially for all of Hawaiʻi Island. The procedure involved in this advanced level of cardiac care stops heart attacks in progress and reduces long term cardiac disability. The American College of Cardiology recommends interventional cardiac care as a best practice for treating heart attacks in rural areas like Hawaiʻi Island.

"Hilo Medical Center is 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 hospital's cardiology program is on track to meeting its goal by the end of 2019 to provide interventional cardiology that will save lives and improve the quality of life for cardiac patients. The funding received in the 2018 legislative session was very much appreciated as it was crucial in the hospital's success in recruiting interventional cardiologists. Funding in this second phase is essential for Hilo Medical Center to continue the momentum in advancing heart attack care."

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OKK members, in blue, hand out hand poles. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

TODAY'S 11th ANNUAL KEIKI FISHING TOURNAMENT brought hundreds to Punaluʻu's shores to fish, eat, and enjoy the beautiful day. Dolphins jumped and humpback whales cruised in waters offshore.

The tournament was strictly catch and release. Keiki fished with barbless hooks and hand poles. Organizer ʻO Kaʻū Kākou provided hooks, lines, poles, shrimp bait, and buckets. Over 350 keiki, ages one to 14, participated. Keiki ages under age four caught floating plastic ducks with small magnetic fishing rods in a small portable pool.

Lunch was free: chili, rice, hot dogs, brownies, water, and shave ice. Prizes for all registered participants were given. In addition, prizes were awarded to the top three largest catch in each of five categories: Largest Kupipi, Largest Po‘opa‘a, Largest Hinalea, Largest Aholehole, and Most Caught. See tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs for winners. There was also a raffle drawing which included fishing poles, gift cards, mini drones, and electric scooter prizes. Live music was provided by Ernest Kalani Jr.

Young keiki, fishing for ducks. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

Booths at the event included PARENTS, Inc., Department of Land & Natural Resources, Barbless Circle Hooks Project, UH Hilo's project providing free Play Yards for Keiki, and United Health Care Community Plan. American Red Cross had information on installing fire alarms in all household bedrooms, by appointment; call their Hilooffice at (808) 935-8305.

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.

OKK President Wayne Kawachi speaks to the crowd at today's 11th
annual Keiki Fishing Tournament. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

THE TWO PERCENT LAND FUND is further challenged according to Debbie Hecht, who campaigned to successfully establish the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources fund in 2006, to use two percent of property taxes to conserve special lands.
Hecht issued an editorial this week saying salaries and benefits for managing the fund, should too many people be hired or their role expand beyond the 2 Percent fund duties, could "gut the two percent land fund." She says a "seemingly innocuous amendment submitted at the last minute by the (Mayor Harry) Kim administration via Charter Commissioner Kevin Hopkins" would pay staff wages and benefits from the money available for acquisition. "This would deplete the land fund, not strengthen it."

Hecht says she supports funding one staff member. She noted there is $19 million stockpiled and almost $3 million in the Maintenance Fund, though "there is no dedicated staff to work on acquiring properties, finding matching funds, and helping the non-profits that are the 'boots on the ground' to get funding. There is not a staff person dedicated to work only on the two percent Land Fund program."

A man hangs loose as he watches keiki fishing. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

She says she supports Charter Amendment 9, asking for one dedicated administrator of the fund. The administrator would be employed under the department of finance. Duties would include, but not be limited to: assisting the public with applications for acquisition; assisting the public access, open space and natural resources preservation commission with its prioritization of properties to be acquired; negotiation and acquisition of eligible properties; seeking and acquiring matching funds; and managing the maintenance of lands acquired by this fund, by overseeing and implementing the provisions of Section 10-16 of the charter.

Hand poles for the keiki were provided by OKK. Photo by Gabe Cuevas

The proposal from the Kim administration, she says, proposes to "pay for the salary, wages and benefits of staff dedicated to advancing the Activities contained within this section and Section 10-16 of this charter." However, she has concerns. "How many staff member's salaries, wages and benefits is the Kim Administration talking about deducting from the Land Fund? The word 'staff' is ambiguous… this is a back door way to take money from the fund."

Hecht is also concerned that staff could be pulled to other duties in case of emergencies. "There are important contractual deadlines on real estate deals for land. What if there is a closing deadline or a due diligence deadline and the staff person is pulled off for other duties? What if a willing seller needs to close within a certain amount of time? Does the head of Public Works stop all their work to go help in an emergency? No, they keep their workers on task to keep the business of the county going. The County has only purchased 14 properties in 13 years. More than 160 have been proposed. There is much work to do.

On shore, in the ocean, or perched on rocks, keiki fished today at Punaluʻu,
catch and release, to win prizes and awards. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

"This does not get one staff person dedicated to administering only the two percent land Fund, which is what we are asking for. There is already a paid staff person provided for in the Hawaiʻi County Code to assist the Commission. This depletes the monies, which are needed to obtain matching funds, and money for acquisition with no guarantee that they will work on the two percent Land Fund Program.

"The two percent Land Fund is a very important, voter-mandated program and should be treated accordingly, not to pull people off to relocate cattle or do inventories for Public Works. That is why the money is not being spent on land acquisitions or stewardship grants."

Hecht suggests the community attend public meetings – in Nāʻālehu on Friday, March 29 at 6 p.m.– and the Charter Commission meetings at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 8 and Friday, April 12. "Please attend in your area and take your friends and neighbors. We have to start educating people for the two percent Land Fund Campaign. The Commissioners are saying over and over they want to hear from the public. You can also send an email to the Charter Commission and tell them your thoughts: Charter.commission@hawaiicounty.gov."

OKK organized the fishing event. Photo by Gabe Cuevas

Learn more about the two percent Land Fund Program at debbiehecht.com/2019/01/15/2-land-fund-program-at-the-charter-commission-as-of-january-142019/, or contact Hecht at hecht.deb@gmail.com.

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PROPOSED NĀʻĀLEHU WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT talk story meeting happens Tuesday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.at Nāʻālehu Community Center, 75-5635 Mamalahoa Hwy. County of Hawaiʻi Department of Environmental Management invites all Nāʻālehu residents to the meeting, during which they will update the community on progress and changes that have been made to the project, outline the next steps of the environmental review process, and invite the public to share thoughts and ideas.

RSVP to Brena Cabacungan Senelly of Earthplan at eplan1@aol.com, Mary Fujio of DEM at 808-961-8030, or Iris Cober or Brown and Caldwell Maui office at 808-442-3300.

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THREE $2,000 AND TWO $1,000 SCHOLARSHIPS are available from American Association of University Women-Kona. The association gives three $2000 scholarships annually to female college-bound Kaʻū High School, home schooled, and West Hawaiʻi high school students Application packets were sent to high school counselors and are available through Palamanui counselors or on the AAUW Kona website at kona-hi.aauw.net. Criteria for choosing recipients are: academic achievement; community involvement; activities and experience; and financial need. Applications must be postmarked by Monday, April 1.

This year, the association added two $1,000 scholarships, for any female high school graduate or woman returning to school from home or workplace who is attending a two-year vocational program leading to a marketable skill at Palamanui Campus, 73-4225 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Kona. Application packets were sent to high school counselors and are available through Palamanui counselors or on the AAUW Kona website at kona-hi.aauw.net and must be postmarked by Wednesday, April 10.
AAUW promotes equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Contact sharonnind@aol.com.

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KAUAHAʻAO CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH FUNDRAISING BAZAAR happens Saturday, March 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The church is located on the corner of Mamalahoa Hwy, Kamaoa Road, and Pinao Street, just above the Wong Yuen Store in Waiʻōhinu.

Individuals, schools, clubs, and sports/athletic groups are invited to be vendors at the "flea market" that will be located on the church lawn. 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, generator. Vendors can sell anything except hot foods or plate lunches.

Vendors must fill out and submit a Vendor Application with the $10 fee by Sunday, March 10. Call Debbie at 928-8039 for the application.

The Church members will sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls and roast chicken with gravy bowls, as well as baked goods, produce, and crafts.

For more information call Walter or Debbie at 928-8039.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū High Winter Sports Schedule

Boys Basketball:

Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA

Wrestling:

Feb. 20-21, Wed.-Thu., HHSAA

NEW and UPCOMING

ST. JUDE'S MARDI GRAS DINNER FUNDRAISER happens Friday, March 8 at the church, 92-8660 Paradise Circle, Ocean View. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 per person, $15 per couple, and $20 per family, for jambalaya, red beans and rice, cornbread, drink, and dessert. Pre-purchase tickets during Aloha potluck, after service on Sundays, or from Thom White, Beverly Nelson, or Cordelia Burt. Questions? Call 808-939-7555 and leave a message.

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.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Community Cleanup, Sun., Feb. 17, contact in advance for meet up details. Space may be available; BYO-4WD welcome. Free; donations appreciated. RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com or 769-7629.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Discovery Harbour Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Mon., Jan. 18, 5-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tue., Jan. 19, Committees; Wed., Jan. 20, Council, Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Tue., Jan. 19, 4:30-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wed., Feb. 20, 12:30-1:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Arts & Crafts Activity: Eagle Handprint, Wed., Feb. 20, 3:30-5pm, multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki ages 5-12 Feb. 11-19. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Thu., Feb. 21, 9-noon, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Family Reading Night, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-7pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Paint Nite II, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-8pm, multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Open to adults. Register through Feb. 20. Supply fee. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Count Humpback Whales - Sanctuary Ocean Count, Sat., Feb. 23, 8-noon, Ka‘ū Coast locations: Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park and Ka Lae Park. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document whale surface behavior during survey, providing valuable data to NOAA. Register at oceancount.org. Registration closes one week prior to event. Last 2019 count is on March 30.

ONGOING

Panaʻewa Stampede takes place through Monday, Feb. 18 with rodeo competitors from Kaʻū and around the island joined by rodeo clowns and other entertainers. HawaiiRodeoStampede.com

Applications for a Job to Help Kids with Healthy Eating and Living in Kaʻū are open through March 15. The position, through FoodCorps, is a full-time 11.5-month commitment from August 1, 2019 through July 15, 2020, at Pāhala Elementary School.
In exchange for service, members receive: $22,000 living stipend paid bi-weekly over the 11.5-month term; $6,095 AmeriCorps Segal education award upon successful completion of service; Student loan deferral or forbearance, if eligible; partial childcare reimbursement, if eligible; Health insurance; Ongoing training; mentorship; and professional development.

Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Niuhi-Shark Fine Art Exhibit is open daily through March 24 at Volcano Art Center Gallery. The public is invited to hear different perspectives on the life of Kamehameha the Great and experience a visual experience of important events in Kamehameha's life from the perspective of two styles of art. The exhibit and supporting events promise paint, prose, protocol, and conversations providing cultural, historical, and educational experiences, with original paintings by Carl F. K. Pao, paired with selections from the book Kamehameha–The Rise of a King by David Kāwika Eyre, with illustrations by Brook Parker. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more information.

Preschool Opens Doors Applications are open for the 2019-2020 school year. The Department of Human Services encourages families to apply before March 29. This program is for families seeking aid in paying for preschool.

Applications, available at patchhawaii.org, received during this period will be considered for preschool participation during July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. For more information, visit bit.ly/2TolEOm or call 800-746-5620.

Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

Hundreds of keiki and their families, along with dozens of volunteers, took over Punaluʻu Beach Park yesterday for the
11th annual ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Keiki Fishing Tournament. See more below. Photos from OKK

LABELING RULES FOR KAʻŪ COFFEE and other brands from Hawaiʻi go to a public hearing this Wednesday at 2 p.m.at the state House of Representatives Consumer Affairs Committee. House Bill 144 would require that coffee labeled "Kaʻū" be comprised of at least 51 percent Kaʻū Coffee. The current requirement is a minimum of ten percent. The companion measure, Senate Bill 894, goes to hearing at the state Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health on Friday, Feb. 22, at 9:35 a.m. Send in testimony for or against the measures through the links above, no later than 24 hours before the hearings start.

Rep. Richard Creagan

The rule, to be administered by the state Department of Agriculture, would also require labeling all ingredients by weight and stating origin of all coffees in the blend. It would apply to Kaʻū, Kona, and other Hawaiʻi brands.

Another measure, HBill143 and companion SB888, would cover ready-to drink coffee products, but neither are scheduled for hearings.

For more than two decades, those who blend and call it local coffee have argued that pure coffee is too expensive for many people buying from local outlets and from afar. State Rep. Richard Creagan, who chairs the House Committee on Agriculture, joined the Hawaiʻi Coffee Farmers Association to support tightening of labeling restrictions, noting that local coffee has no strong protection of its brand name. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development noted the lack of protection in a recent study.

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COSTCO PLANS TO GROW PRODUCE IN HAWAIʻI, according to Rep. Richard Creagan, quoted in a recent story by Stewart Yerton of Civil Beat. "Costco is hoping to come in here and grow most of their produce. They're very committed... talk about... 200 acres of greenhouses," Creagan told Civil Beat. He talked with Costco's Hawaiʻi representative, Luis Salaveria, who was director of Hawaiʻi's Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism until November of last year.

Civil Beat also reported that Gov. David Ige said he met Costco executives, "and they are serious about it." Ige told Civil Beat he wants to double Hawaiʻi state food production by 2020 on small and large farms. Acting state Department of Agriculture Chair Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser told Yerton said, "The governor's budget request for the next two years includes $12.5 million in agricultural loan money to support new and existing farms, including those affected by natural disasters in 2018. There's also $12.5 million in capital improvement money to maintain irrigation systems."

Ige told Civil Beat,"It really is about changing the systems that support agriculture to support local food production rather than sugar and pineapple."

U.S. Department of Agriculture data as of 2017 – the most recent data available – states most of the approximate 7,000 farms in Hawaiʻi are small, with only about 200 of them with sales above $250,000. Hawaiʻi's top cash crops are seed crops grown for export, followed by macadamia nuts, cattle, and coffee.

Answer the fish quiz, win a prize. They're hooked! OKK photo

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VOLUNTEERS WERE STARS OF THE DAY at the 11th annual ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Keiki Fishing Tournament on Saturday. While keiki fished in calm surf, under a mostly clear blue sky, and dolphins danced in the waves, volunteers made sure every fisherperson, as young as one and as old as 14, had a chance to win an award and prize, and have a great day. OKK says about 275 fisherpeople took to the shoreline, catching, measuring, and releasing hundreds of fish.

Even the smallest of fisherpeople snagged floating

rubber duckies at the toddler pond. OKK photo

OKK posted to Facebook: "Even if you're not a participant, parent, whatever, it's amazing to watch hundreds of kids fishing with bamboo poles along the shoreline… OKK volunteers, thank you for the days, and days, and more days you put in to organize this event. Everything from putting hooks on poles, hundreds of them, to managing registration, making and serving food & shaved ice, putting up tents, all of it. You give us the greatest gift of all, your time... Hawaiʻi National Guard Cadets were, as always, outstanding, incredibly generous with their time, their strength and willingness to chip in on tasks big and small. We love you guys!"

S. Tokunaga Store in Hilo donated the hundreds of bamboo hand poles that are reused each year for the tournament. For toddlers, there was a little plastic pool, filled with rubber duckies for them to fish for – with magnets, not hooks. Tents let people relax out of the sun. Food and drink were provided for all attendees. Keiki could participate in a fish quiz for prizes. Every keiki participant got a prize.

Tournament fish recorders, including Hawaiʻi National Guard

cadets, get a morning briefing from Guy Enriques. OKK photo

See yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs for more and a future Kaʻū News Briefs for results of the tournament.

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.

PUNALUʻU BEACH PARK IS CLOSED due to dangerous surf conditions. The day after the annual fishing tournament that brought hundreds to the shore, Punaluʻu Beach closed in the morning. The entire park closed at 4 p.m. The National Weather Service expanded the High Surf Warning for north and east facing shores to include Punaluʻu and Isaac Hale Beach Park today, due to "very strong breaking waves and strong longshore and rip currents." Issac Hale is closed until further notice.

OKK thanks the many, many volunteers that make
the annual event possible. OKK photo

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BEGINNING FARMER INSTITUTE COHORT APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN through April 15. BFI is a free training program which "prepares new producers of any age or operation type for a successful future in agriculture," says the release from Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United. A quote from a former student says, "In our time together, we became more than just farmers and friends – we became a family. NFU's Beginning Farmer Institute is a truly valuable experience that you will not forget."

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SOUTH PACIFIC BOMBERS ROLLERDERBY, South Kona District, is recruiting female skaters - 18 years and older - referees, on and off track officials, volunteers, and "all the support you can give."Derbyshappen Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at KahukuParkin Ocean View Estates. See Facebook, facebook.com/groups/1963514403947993/, or contact Spun at 808-209-7368. Mama Tat at 808-747-1147, Shannonaka Sour Patch at 808-319-3905, or SouthPacificBomers@gmail.com.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū High Winter Sports Schedule

Boys Basketball:

Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA

Wrestling:

Feb. 20-21, Wed.-Thu., HHSAA

NEW and UPCOMING

JAZZ IN THE FOREST: A TRIBUTE TO MILES DAVIS, happens Saturday, Feb. 23 at 5:30 p.m. Jazz in the Forest returns in 2019 at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village, featuring Jean Pierre Thoma and the Jazztones performing Miles Davis compositions spanning 50 years of his original and groundbreaking creative directions.

Tickets are $25, $20 for VAC members. Beer, wine, and pupus will be available for purchase. Tickets are available for sale at volcanoartcenter.org, at VAC's Administration Office in Volcano Village, and at VAC Gallery in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wed., Feb. 20, 12:30-1:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Arts & Crafts Activity: Eagle Handprint, Wed., Feb. 20, 3:30-5pm, multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki ages 5-12 Feb. 11-19. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Thu., Feb. 21, 9-noon, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Family Reading Night, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-7pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Paint Nite II, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-8pm, multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Open to adults. Register through Feb. 20. Supply fee. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ONGOING

Panaʻewa Stampede takes place through Monday, Feb. 18 with rodeo competitors from Kaʻū and around the island joined by rodeo clowns and other entertainers. HawaiiRodeoStampede.com

Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Five Scholarships are available from American Association of University Women-Kona.

Three $2000 scholarships will go to female college-bound Kaʻū High School and West Hawaiʻi high school students. Application packets were sent to high school counselors and are available on the AAUW Kona website at kona-hi.aauw.net. Criteria for choosing recipients are: academic achievement; community involvement; activities and experience; and financial need. Applications must be postmarked by Monday, April 1.

AAUW promotes equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Contact sharonnind@aol.com.

Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

This Saturday, join volunteers at Punaluʻu, Kalae, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Miloliʻi, and all over the state for
the second of three Sanctuary Whale Count events of 2019. Details in the Events section, below. NOAA photo

NO HELICOPTER FLIGHTS ON SUNDAYS says a letter from Safari Helicopters' CEO Preston Myers. East Kaʻū Sen. Russell Ruderman posted on Facebook, "This is the first action we've seen from any member of the helicopter air tour industry showing a good faith effort to be a better neighbor regarding noise. Mahalo, Safari Helicopters, for caring about your neighbors. We hope others follow this first step, and continue to address the many community concerns in other ways as well."

Safari Helicopter on a tour over live lava.
Photo from Ruderman's Facebook

The letter reads, "Dear Elected Officials / Community Leaders: After careful consideration, Safari Helicopters is happy to announce that we will begin a trial period on Big Island, No flights on Sundays beginning Feb 17, 2019. During this assessment period we will be monitoring the effects on our business and its relationship to the impact on our local communities. We invite our fellow operators to join us in this test period to see if we can bring about positive change, as well as maintain the fiscal and employment integrity to the many employees we provide jobs.

"It is our hope that this step will prove financially viable, while providing some goodwill and understanding of the communities' concerns. We believe that this could be an example of a mutually beneficial, but voluntary, solution to this and other concerns the tour industry and our communities face."

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HAWAIʻI SUES DONALD TRUMP TO HALT BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION: Hawaiʻi's Attorney General Clare E. Conners joined 15 other state Attorneys General today challenging Pres. Trump's declaration on Friday of a national emergency in order to fund his wall. Trump declared a national emergency to build the wall to prevent immigrants and refugees from crossing the southern border of the U.S.mainland.

Hawaiʻi Attorney General Clare E. Conners
joined 15 other state Attorney's General in
suiting Pres. Donald Trump over taking
money for other appropriations to use to
build a border wall.

The suit says Trump shows "a flagrant disregard for the separation of powers" in the U.S.government, where Congress holds the purse strings. The suit, calling the situation "a constitutional crisis," goes after Trump's intent to take money scheduled for state programs in order to redirect funding to build the wall. Other states joining the suit are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Virginia.

The suit points to statements by Trump indicating the situation was not an emergency, but he needed the money to build the wall fast. "By the President's own admission an emergency declaration is not necessary," says the suit. The suit was filed in the federal court in San Francisco, but could reach the Supreme Court, delaying building the wall until the next presidential election.

Read the entire suit through a link provided by the New York Times.

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REINSTATING THE INTERMEDIATE-RANGE NUCLEAR FORCES TREATY, ratified by Pres. Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev on Dec. 8, 1987, is a goal of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. The treaty led to the destruction of 2,692 missiles by May, 1991.
However, Pres. Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the treaty on Feb. 1. During a press conference today, Gabbard urged support for reinstating the INF Treaty Compliance Act, HR1249. She said it would "prevent the United Statesfrom sparking an arms race between the United States and Russia, and escalating the new Cold War." Gabbard said the legislation "would prohibit the use of any taxpayer dollars for weapons that violate the INF Treaty," despite President Trump's withdrawal.

"We face a greater risk of nuclear catastrophe now than ever before in history," stated Gabbard. "The threat of nuclear war is real. President Trump's reckless decision to pull out of the INF Treaty heightens this threat by exacerbating the new Cold War.... and bringing us ever closer to a nuclear holocaust. President Trump's actions make the American people and our country less safe, while wasting taxpayer dollars to pay for the new arms race and nuclear weapons -- dollars that should be used to address the needs of our people and communities right here at home. My legislation will uphold the INF Treaty... Rather than scrapping the INF Treaty, we should be working to strengthen and expand it, and continue pursuing a path toward security and peace."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, speaking today about legislation to stop the U.S. from exiting the Intermediate-Range
Nuclear Forces Treaty. Photo from Gabbard's office

The legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Jim, McGovern, Mark Pocan, and Ilhan Omar, and is supported by Win Without War, Union of Concerned Scientists, Ploughshares Fund, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Nuclear Watch New Mexico, Beyond the Bomb, Global Zero, and NuclearWakeUpCall.

Erica Fein, Advocacy Director of Win Without War, said, "The INF Treaty Compliance Act of 2019 is the exact right response to President Trump's dangerous withdrawal from the landmark INF Treaty. Congress should not be rewarding Trump's actions by helping him spark an arms race; it should be restraining him at every turn. When it comes to nuclear weapons, this president has shown a callous disregard for the decades of work that has been done to put the world on a safer path. We must block Trump's desire to build new nuclear weapons, including conventional and nuclear missiles that have been prohibited for over 30 years, and pass Representative Gabbard's important bill."

Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director of Policy and Political Affairs, Peace Action, said, "This White House loves to assassinate agreements that make Americans safer: the successful Irannuclear agreement, the Parisclimate agreement, and now the INF Treaty. Peace Action members proudly joined with many others to push for the INF Treaty because it removed an extra dangerous class of nuclear weapons. This legislation… will keep the U.S.out of a dangerous arms race that taxpayers cannot afford."

Tom Collina, Director of Policy at Ploughshares Fund, said, "Congress may not be able to prevent President Trump from withdrawing from INF, but it can stop him from producing missiles prohibited by the treaty. This legislation would do that, and thereby help stop President Trump from starting a new nuclear arms race. Such a race cannot be won, and will only waste billions of dollars and possibly millions of lives."

Jeff Carter, Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility, said, "Withdrawing from the landmark INF Treaty would turn back the clock to a dangerous era that put the United States and Russia on the brink of nuclear war. This ill-advised move could fuel a new arms race, or worse. Physicians for Social Responsibility endorses [the Act] because Americans' health and safety, and our national interests, depend on preventing the possibility of nuclear conflict."

Cecili Thompson Williams, Director of Beyond the Bomb, said, "The U.S. should be exhausting all options that allow for the elimination of Russia's alleged violations, or it risks exacerbating the very problem of noncompliance it's highlighting. With no agreement between the two countries, both will call for expanding their nuclear arsenals as the replacement measure for keeping the other in check. Wading into a new nuclear arms race is a regressive and short-sighted tactic by Trump, and a warning signal for nuclear nonproliferation efforts. As the U.S.continues to increase their nuclear arsenal and destroy international agreements… the slightest miscalculation when tempers flare will expose our growing inability to constrain nuclear buildup around the world. We support this effort to stem a new arms race and maintain the safety of our allies."

Derek Johnson, Executive Director of Global Zero, said, "The premature death of the INF Treaty is counter-productive and dangerous. The U.S.government should concentrate its efforts on pursuing any reasonable solution that keeps the INF Treaty's restraints intact, not going gangbusters on unnecessary weapons programs. There is no need for the United States to develop INF-prohibited weapons; doing so will only fast-track a destabilizing arms race between two nations that already hold 90 percent of the world's nuclear stockpile. By abandoning decades of leadership on arms control in favor of nuclear chaos, the White House is blazing a dangerous trail that puts Americans in harm's way. The legislation… recognizes that reality and can help rein in the Trump administration's reckless nuclear agenda."

Robert Naiman, Policy Director of Just Foreign Policy, said, "Congress can act to preserve President Reagan's INF treaty, saving taxpayer dollars that would be spent on unnecessary and destabilizing nuclear weapons. We support the efforts… to preserve the INF treaty and look forward to votes in the House and Senate on preserving the INF treaty."

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A FLASH FLOOD WATCH is in effect for Hawaiʻi Island for 24 hours, starting at 6 p.m. tonight, Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense reports. The National Weather Service says conditions "are favorable for flash flooding." Residents in flood prone areas are asked to remain alert for flooding conditions, and to prepare for heavy rains by cleaning their rain gutters and clearing drainage channels on their property. Thunderstorms are possible; the best place to be during a thunderstorm is indoors, says NWS.

County beach parks are all open but may closed without notice. Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed instructions of Ocean Safety Personnel.

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A FREE PLAY YARD FOR KEIKI AND INFANT SLEEP EDUCATION are available to those who qualify. The Safety-First Prelude Play Yard is free for children less than a year old, with parents or legal guardians unable to provide a safe sleep environment. One of the parents must be unemployed and the family must demonstrate financial need, such as eligibility for WIC, SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid/Quest.

Babies should be put to sleep on their backs, in their own beds, without
pillows, toys, or other items. Photo from Safe Sleep Hawaiʻi

The education includes American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that caregivers lay infants to sleep on their backs; use a firm surface covered with a tightly fitted sheet; keep loose and soft objects out of the sleep area. Sleep in the same room but not the same bed as the infant.

The program provides education about Sudden Unexpected Infant Death. "More than 27 percent of babies on Hawaiʻi Island are laid to sleep on their sides or stomachs. Forty percent of babies on Hawaiʻi Island always or often sleep in a bed with someone else. Twenty-one percent sometimes do. More than 70 percent of babies on Hawaiʻi Island sleep in an environment with one or more of the following risk factors: pillows, bumper pads, plush blankets, toys, or a soft mattress."

The program is offered by Family Health Services Division – Maternal Child Health Branch, in partnership with Hawaiʻi District Health Office – Public Health Nursing Section and Family Health Services Section, in collaboration with University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Nursing Program.

Resources for caregivers: Child Care Resource and Referrals PATCH, 808-839-1988; MothersCare, 808-951-6660; The Parent Line, 800-816-1222 or 808-526-1222;

Dept, of Human Services, humanservices.hawaii.gov; Department of Health, health.hawaii.gov; Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, kipchawaii.org.
See safe sleeping for infants recommendations in Marshallese.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū High Winter Sports Schedule

Boys Basketball:

Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA

Wrestling:

Feb. 20-21, Wed.-Thu., HHSAA

NEW and UPCOMING

GIRL'S DAY HEADBAND ARTS AND CRAFT ACTIVITY, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years old, happens at Kahuku Park in Ocean View on Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration open Tuesday, Feb. 19 through Monday, Feb. 25. Free. For more, contact Recreation Technician Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. Kahuku Park is located at 92-8607 Paradise Circle Mauka. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours.

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.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tue., Jan. 19, Committees; Wed., Jan. 20, Council, Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Paint Nite II, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-8pm, multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Open to adults. Register through Feb. 20. Supply fee. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Count Humpback Whales - Sanctuary Ocean Count, Sat., Feb. 23, 8-noon, Ka‘ū Coast locations: Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park and Ka Lae Park. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document whale surface behavior during survey, providing valuable data to NOAA. Register at oceancount.org. Registration closes one week prior to event. Last 2019 count is on March 30.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26
HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tue., Feb. 26, 10am, HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tue., Feb. 26, 11:30-1pm, last Tuesday monthly, St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

ONGOING

Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi classes offered in Ka‘ū include: Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) on Wednesdays through Feb. 20. See more at hmono.org; Diabetes Management Classes on Mondays in February. Sign up by calling 969-9220 or online at hmono.org/classes.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant accepts applicants through Feb. 28. The pageant happens at Ka‘ū District Gym on Saturday, April 27 at 6 p.m. Miss Kaʻū Coffee and her court will represent the Kaʻū Coffee industry throughout the year at events in the community and beyond, her appearances sponsored by the Edmund C. Olson Trust, II. Pageant Director is Trinidad Marques. Scholarship Committee Directors are Julia Neal and Gloria Camba.

The community can support the pageant through purchasing tickets, volunteering, and providing scholarships.

Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Five Scholarships are available from American Association of University Women-Kona.

AAUW promotes equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Contact sharonnind@aol.com.

Beginning Farmer Institute Cohort Applications are open through April 15. BFI is a free training program which "prepares new producers of any age or operation type for a successful future in agriculture," says the release from Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United. A quote from a former student says, "In our time together, we became more than just farmers and friends – we became a family. NFU's Beginning Farmer Institute is a truly valuable experience that you will not forget."

Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

Honuʻea: The Endangered Hawksbill Turtle of Hawaiʻi Island is the subject of this year's first Coffee Talk at Kahuku

on Friday, Feb. 22, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Kahuku Unit's Visitor Center. See details in events section. Bigstock photo

SUBSIDIZING HOUSING FOR TEACHERS is making its way through the Hawaiʻi Legislature. West Kaʻū Sen. Dru Kanuha is co-sponsor of the voucher program. He said, "I'm proud to support SB12 and SB114 (introduced by Sen. Stanley Chang) -- which would provide housing vouchers for teachers who work at hard-to-fill schools."
Teachers in Kaʻū schools could meet the requirements. Other areas in the state where vouchers would be offered include Keaʻau, Pāhoa, Molokaʻi, Lanaʻi, Hana, Nanakuli, and Waianae. They would be available for charter and traditional public school teachers.

Sen. Dru Kanuha

The voucher program administered by Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp. would provide assistance to full-time teachers where positions are "hard-to-fill." The subsidies would be for teachers whose incomes fall below 80 percent of the median income of those who live in the area. Vouchers would be capped at $500 per month.
Vouchers could be used for rent, mortgages, and down payments on purchasing primary residences. Those receiving vouchers would be disqualified if they own other places to live.
Hawaiʻi Department of Education Superintendent Christina Kishimoto supports the measure. She submitted testimony referring to a 2016 Learning Policy Institute study. She wrote that "housing incentives was one factor for teachers who left the profession in their consideration in returning to the field of education. The financial assistance provided through the voucher program may help to ease some of the financial burden, magnified by high cost of living in Hawaiʻi."

Lindsay Chambers, a Department of Education spokesperson, said it's an effort to come up with a tool for recruitment and retention of quality educators. Several testimonies noted that the teacher shortage results in the hiring of less qualified persons and vacancies at public schools.
The state Charter School Commission also provided supportive testimony.

Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association – the public school teachers union – sent in testimony saying, "Financial incentives are a key strategy for the recruitment and retention of teachers, particularly given that Hawaiʻi's teacher salaries continue to trail the nation when adjusted for cost of living. If we concentrate on retaining our teachers, the HIDOE would not have to focus so much on the recruitment of teachers. To recruit and retain effective educators, policymakers must find ways to lessen the financial burden of being a public school teacher. Establishing a housing voucher program is a good first step."

The Hawaiʻi Democratic Party provided testimony saying: "Hawaiʻi teachers experience the lowest salaries for their profession in the nation, when those salaries are adjusted for the cost of living. At the same time, island housing and rental prices are continuing to skyrocket."

The two measures, Senate Bills 12 and 114, passed the Senate Ways and Means Committee last week. See and provide testimony at the links above.

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.

TEACHERS WHO SPEND THEIR OWN MONEY ON CLASSROOM SUPPLIES may get some relief this year from the Hawaiʻi Legislature. House Bill 726 would provide up to $500 per school year in state income tax credit for teachers, principals, school librarians, aides, and counselors who work a minimum of 900 hours. The teachers union reports that about 47 percent of these Department of Education employees spend $250 to $500 out of their own pockets to supplement supplies in the workplace. The bill is being considered in the House Finance Committee. See testimony at the link above.

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.

LEO ASUNCION IS THE NEW PUC APPOINTEE by Gov. David Ige. Asuncion's appointment to the Public Utilities Commission, which oversees electric rates and other utilities and transportation matters, faces state Senate confirmation. He would replace Randy Iwase, who retired at the end of last year.

Leo Asuncion, appointed to PUC.

Asuncionis planning program administrator for the state's Office of Planning, overseeing overall management, administration, and operations of the Planning Division. He also served as director and interim director of the Office of Planning from 2015 to 2018.

Asuncion was a senior regulatory analyst and senior integrated resource planning analyst at Hawaiian Electric Company; a project planner/manager at SSFM International, Inc.; a planner for the Planning and Program Evaluation Division at the Hawai‘i State Judiciary; and a state planner at the state Land Use Commission.

"Leo's wealth of knowledge and experience will be an asset to the Public Utilities Commission. I have the utmost confidence that he will serve the State of Hawai‘i well," said the governor.

"I'm honored that Gov. Ige named me to the Public Utilities Commission, and I look forward to bringing my expertise and knowledge to the PUC to ensure that the public's interest is upheld in PUC matters," said Asuncion.

Other commissioners are Jennifer Potter and James Griffin, who was appointed PUC chair in January.

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KAʻŪ'S REP. IN CONGRESS, TULSI GABBARD, LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT that has recently taken her to Iowaand New Hampshire. She said, "The momentum we are building and the support you are showing will help propel our campaign forward in the primaries. Everywhere I go, I'm reminded of how strong our voices are when we stand united. It's humbling to hear from folks who braved snow storms or drove for hours to make their voices heard. Looking out into a crowd of hopeful and determined faces, the energy is electric."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, meeting veterans in New England this week.

Photo from Gabbard's Twitter

She said she and her supporters "stand united against a political establishment and a status quo that is failing us. We stand united against regime change war, the new cold war, and the nuclear arms race. We stand united against the corruption and big money interests that have poisoned our government.

"We stand united for clean air and clean water. We stand united for Medicare for All and reform to our broken criminal justice system, big Wall Street banks, and our immigration system — to ensure our government is truly of, by, and for the people."

The House of Representatives member said the next step is to "take our voices to the debate stage. The establishment isn't going to go out of their way to make room for a message that challenges a system they've rigged in their favor — so it's up to us to make sure that message reaches the country." She reminded supporters that her campaign rejects PAC money, relying solely on small contributions from individuals.

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A FLASH FLOOD WATCH for Hawaiʻi Island continues through 6 a.m. tomorrow morning and may be extended, report the National Weather Service. NWS forecasts possible heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. NWS recommends: All Residents in flood prone areas are asked to remain alert for flooding conditions. Do not attempt to cross flowing water; turn around don't drown. Ocean front residents should exercise caution near the shoreline.

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.

Guide sign along Kaʻū Desert Trail. Photo by Jay Robinson

SECTIONS OF KAʻŪ DESERT, HILINA PALI AND HALEMAʻUMAʻU TRAILS AND MAUNA LOA ROAD ARE OPEN in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. They were closed last year due to impacts from tens of thousands of earthquakes that also damaged roads, buildings, and other park infrastructure. Mauna Loa Road was closed due to fire risks.

A 7.3-mile section of Ka‘ū Desert Trail from Highway 11 to the Ka‘aha Trail intersection is now open, as is the 4.8-mile stretch to the Hilina Pali Overlook. The park also repaired and reopened a 0.8-mile portion of Halema‘uma‘u Trail that starts at the rainforest summit of Kīlauea near Volcano House, to the steaming caldera floor.

In addition, recent rainfall has doused the fire risk on Mauna Loa Road, at least for now. The road that leads to the 6,662-foot Mauna Loa Lookout is now open to vehicles. Drivers are reminded to follow all speed limits and watch out for other motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

"We are elated to reopen these sections of the park to our visitors again," said Acting Superintendent Laura Schuster. "We continue to make progress in our recovery efforts following the historic eruptive and seismic activity that happened last year and caused us to close for more than four months."

Additional assessments and repairs continue at iconic park features that sustained serious damage from the 60,000 earthquakes that shook Kīlauea between April 30 and Aug. 4, 2018. Visitors are encouraged to stay informed by checking the park website, nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes.

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 curtain of ʻōhiʻa tree roots in an Ocean View lava tube is illuminated with

back lights as cameraman Mark Sharman (left) and producer Alex Ranken

confer on the shot that will reveal details of the lava tube-adapted

insects that call these roots home. Photo by Scott Engel

NATURE: LIVING VOLCANOES, a movie with footage shot in caves in Ocean View, premiers tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. on PBS. Lava tube-dwelling thread-legged bugs will be featured, and cave biology scientists Megan Porter and Annette Summers-Engel will be mentioned.

In an interview with The Kaʻū Calendar in September, Summers-Engel said, "Lava tube biology is like an untapped well. A lot remains to be learned about life. We have only scratched the surface. The deeper we go and the more we learn about cave-adapted insects, the more we find we still have to discover about life. It's fascinating."
The program will focus on four aspects of life around volcanoes in different parts of the world. Kīlauea's recent eruption is widely considered to be a disaster in human terms, but an expected occurrence in nature, as volcanoes build the ʻāina. But how does that work for the animal world? Which critters survive eruptions, and which ones do not? How do frogs, or goats, or insects fare? How can humans benefit? Those questions, and others, will be posed in the upcoming documentary.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū High Winter Sports Schedule

Boys Basketball:

Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA

Wrestling:

Feb. 20-21, Wed.-Thu., HHSAA

NEW and UPCOMING

KA‘Ū DISTRICT GYM HOSTS A GROUP ART PROJECT, for keiki 5 to 12 years old, on Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., in the multi-purpose room. Registration is open Tuesday, Feb. 19, through Tuesday, Feb. 26. Free.
For more, contact Recreation Director Nona Makuakane at 928-3102. Ka‘ū District Gym is located on the Ka‘ū High School campus on Kamani Street in Pāhala. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours of operation.

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.

Family Reading Night, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-7pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Paint Nite II, Thu., Feb. 21, 6-8pm, multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Open to adults. Register through Feb. 20. Supply fee. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22

Honuʻea: The Endangered Hawksbill Turtle of Hawaiʻi Island will be presented by Lauren Kurpita, director of Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Recovery Project. This year's first Coffee Talk at Kahuku happens Friday, Feb. 22, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Kahuku Unit's Visitor Center. She will talk about the difference between hawksbill and green sea turtle species, threats hawksbills encounter, and conservation efforts.

"Honuʻea, or hawksbills, are critically endangered sea turtles, and only 165 nesting females have been documented since tagging began in 1991. Approximately 90 percent of all documented nesting activity in the state has occurred on Hawaiʻi Island," says the event description.

Kurpita started on the Project as a volunteer in 2005, became a field technician in 2010, and Project Director in 2012. She has a BS from Syracuse University in biology, and an MA in secondary science education.

Get to know the Park and neighbors at monthly Coffee Talk events, an informal conversation on a variety of topics. Kaʻū coffee, tea, and pastries are available for purchase. Entrance south of 70.5 mile marker on mauka side of Hwy 11.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Count Humpback Whales - Sanctuary Ocean Count, Sat., Feb. 23, 8-noon, Ka‘ū Coast locations: Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park and Ka Lae Park. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document whale surface behavior during survey, providing valuable data to NOAA. Register at oceancount.org. Registration closes one week prior to event. Last 2019 count is on March 30.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26
HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tue., Feb. 26, 10am, HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tue., Feb. 26, 11:30-1pm, last Tuesday monthly, St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

Talk Story about Proposed Nāʻālehu Wastewater Treatment Plant Tuesday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.at Nāʻālehu Community Center, 75-5635 Mamalahoa Hwy. Nāʻālehu residents are invited to hear progress and changes that have been made to the project, and an outline the next steps of the environmental review process, and to share thoughts and ideas. RSVP to Brena Cabacungan Senelly at eplan1@aol.com, Mary Fujio at 808-961-8030, or Iris Cober at 808-442-3300.

ONGOING

Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi classes offered in Ka‘ū include: Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) on Wednesdays through Feb. 20. See more at hmono.org; Diabetes Management Classes on Mondays in February. Sign up by calling 969-9220 or online at hmono.org/classes.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant will accept applicants through Feb. 28. The pageant will be held again at the Ka‘ū District Gym on Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. Miss Kaʻū Coffee and her court will represent the Kaʻū Coffee industry throughout the year at events in the community and beyond, her appearances sponsored by the Edmund C. Olson Trust, II. Pageant Director is Trinidad Marques. Scholarship Committee Directors are Julia Neal and Gloria Camba.

The community can support the pageant through purchasing tickets, volunteering, and providing scholarships.

Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Five Scholarships are available from American Association of University Women-Kona.

Two $1,000 scholarships will go to any female high school graduate or women returning to school from home or workplace who are attending a two-year vocational program leading to a marketable skill at Palamanui Campus, 73-4225 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Kona. Application packets are available on the AAUW Kona website at kona-hi.aauw.net and must be postmarked by Wednesday, April 10.
AAUW promotes equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Contact sharonnind@aol.com.

Beginning Farmer Institute Cohort Applications are open through April 15. BFI is a free training program which "prepares new producers of any age or operation type for a successful future in agriculture," says the release from Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United. A quote from a former student says, "In our time together, we became more than just farmers and friends – we became a family. NFU's Beginning Farmer Institute is a truly valuable experience that you will not forget."

Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

Derek Higashi took third place for Largest Hinale‘a at last Saturday's 11th annual ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Keiki Fishing Tournament.
See the winners of all five categories, below. Photo by Lee McIntosh

BILLS TO RAISE MINIMUM WAGE will be heard this week by Hawaiʻi Legislature. The federal minimum is $7.25, Hawaiʻi's, where the cost of living is higher than most other states, is $10.10. House Bill 11 91, co-introduced by west Kaʻū state Rep. Richard Creagan, proposes $17 by 2025 for workers without employer provided health insurance and $14 by 2025 for workers with employer provided health insurance. The measure will be heard this Friday, Feb. 22, , 12:30 p.m., with the House Financial Committee.

House Bill 96 would allow counties to determine a higher minimum wage than the state minimum wage. A hearing is also scheduled for Friday, Feb. 22, 12:30 p.m., with the House Financial Committee.

Senate Bil 789 would increase the minimum wage to $12 by 2022. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. No hearing is scheduled, so no testimony is being accepted at this time.

Testimony for all bills is due 24 hours before each hearing. Click on the above links to read more about them and to read and submit testimony.

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Sharks, like this blue shark, and all three types of rays, would be protected
under legislation being heard this week. Testify via the link,
Senate Bill 489. NOAA photo

TESTIFY ON A BILL TO PROTECT SHARKS AND MANTA, EAGLE, AND STING RAYS by 9 a.m. tomorrow, Feb. 21. The measure, co-sponsored by east Kaʻū Sen. Russell Ruderman, received much favorable testimony from Hawaiʻi Island residents at the Hawaiʻi Legislature in early February. Students from University of Hawaiʻi-Hilo and others flew to Honoluluto share the connection of these marine animals with Hawaiian culture and the environment.

Senate Bill 489, which will be heard Friday, Feb. 22 at 9 a.m., "establishes an offense of knowingly, capturing, taking possessing, abusing, entangling, or killing" sharks and all three rays types found in Hawaiian waters. The bill passed the Committee on Water and Land, chaired by Sen. Kai Kahele. An amendment makes it clear that persons defending themselves, such as during a shark attack, would not be prosecuted if the shark is killed or injured.

See more on Feb. 3 Kaʻū News Briefs. Read more and send testimony through the link.

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Largest Kipupu. Photos by Lee McIntosh

RESULTS OF THE 11TH O.K.K. KEIKI FISHING TOURNAMENT ARE RELEASED. The annual event saw hundreds of keiki flock to the coast at Punaluʻu on Saturday, Feb. 16. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou sponsors the catch-and-release tourney and canned food drive, open to keiki one to 14 years old - with keiki fishing and parents assisting.

For Largest Aholehole, first place went to Evan Bebeau, second to Jayleann Akeo-Domingo, and third to Lunewa Tobias. For Largest Hinale‘a, first place went to Hokulani Carriaga-Pascual, second to Anjahlee Garcia, and third went to Derek Higashi. For Largest Kupipi, first place went to Trevin Pasion-Saplan, second to Janayah Cabreroes, and third to Eden Crook. For Largest Po‘opa‘a, first place went to Danny McMasters, second to Krystal Eder, and third to Kainalu Wanzer.

Largest Aholehole. Photos by Lee McIntosh

For Most Fish Caught, first place went to Nakai Reyes-Dawson, second to Lokahi Kaupu, and third to Zaelee Padrigo-Al-Navarro. The 15 prizes awarded to these winners were donated by S. Tokunaga Store, Inc., in Hilo.
‘O Ka‘ū Kakou reported 275 participants. A free lunch for all attendees, with shave ice, was offered along with live music, a fish quiz, and informational vendor booths. See Feb. 16 and Feb. 17Kaʻū News Briefs for more.
Every participant at the event received a participation prize. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou supplied volunteers and provided fisherkeiki with bamboo hand poles, barbless hooks, lines, sinkers, wheels, and buckets, donated by S. Tokunaga Store, Inc. Keiki were allowed to use their own hand pole rods as long as they used barbless hooks. The event was also supported by a grant from County of Hawai‘i. Participants under three years of age were given magnetic fishing rods to "fish" for little rubber duckies.

Visit okaukakou.org to learn more.

Largest Po‘opa‘a. Photos by Lee McIntosh

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A HIGH SURF ADVISORY is in place for all east-facing shores, reports the National Weather Service says. An east swell built this morning, peaked this afternoon, and will decline into the weekend, NWS says, and oceanfront residents should exercise caution on shorelines exposed to the swell.

A High Wind Warning is in effect for Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea summits. Winds of 50 to 60 miles per hour, with localized gusts to 75 mph, say forecasters, "will produce difficult driving conditions, especially for high profile vehicles." Travel to the mountain summits should be delayed until the winds subside.

Largest Hinale‘a, first and second place.
Photos by Lee McIntosh

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HOW TO RESTORE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY is the focus of a new report issued by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi. The report urges "building out" to ease the housing crisis and faults artificial land scarcity for high Hawaiʻi home prices:

Hawaiʻi has the least affordable housing of any state in the nation, and that is almost wholly because of government land-use regulations that have in effect limited housing development to just 5 percent of the state, according to a new report issued by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi.
The report, "Build up or build out? How to make housing more affordable", was written by Grassroot Scholar and national land-use expert Randal O'Toole, who found that areas with housing affordability problems almost always have strict "growth management" land-use restrictions.

Keliʻi Akina, Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi president, said, "One main reason Hawaiʻi residents leave is the state's lack of available homes and high housing costs. The housing crisis, in turn, is the result of state and county regulations that hinder reasonable residential development."

Most Fish Caught. Photos by Lee McIntosh

     In his report, O'Toole writes there are two strategies urban planners have to restore housing affordability: "Build up" and "build out."
     Building up calls for creating mid- and high-rise multifamily housing inside current urban footprints. Building out involves construction of low-rise, mostly single-family homes outside of existing urban areas.
     O'Toole's findings suggest that housing can be made affordable only through the build-out strategy, mainly because land is cheaper outside of urban zones. Construction costs also are generally lower, compared to the mid- and high-rise condominiums built in urban cores.
     According to O'Toole, increasing home affordability is desirable because unaffordable housing slows economic growth, exacerbates problems with homelessness and reduces the quality of life for eventually most people in a region. It also promotes wealth inequality, transferring wealth from the poor to the rich, the young to the old, and from newcomers to existing homeowners. Other effects include high costs of retail, commercial and other kinds of developments.

O'Toole writes, "Nowhere in the United States, not even Hawaiʻi, is there a physical shortage of land. But there are shortages of land for housing due to government regulation or ownership of lands that could potentially be used for housing, causing the undesirable affordability issues. The solution is to build out, not up."

Akina added, "There's more than enough land to satisfy Hawaiʻi's housing needs while protecting the environment and the beauty of nature. Currently, Hawaiʻi residents can develop homes on only 5 percent of Hawaiʻi's land mass. If we opened up just 1 or 2 percent more land, we could increase the supply and make homes more affordable."

O'Toole's full report is available on the Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi website at grassrootinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/OToole_Build-up-or-build-out_full-report.pdf.

Other writings by O'Toole include the book The American Nightmare: How Government Undermines the Dream of Home Ownership (2012), and the more recent policy analysis The New Feudalism: Why States Must Repeal Growth-Management Laws (2016).
O'Toole will discuss details of his new report at a luncheon meeting in downtown Honolulu on Monday, Feb. 25.

O'Toole said repeated surveys show that most people these days — including millennials — would like to live in single-family homes in suburban settings, but they can't because of restrictions on land development.

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FIRE ANTS AWARENESS COMMUNITY MEETING happens at Discovery Harbour Community Hall Friday, March 29, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Big Island Invasive Species Committee, sponsored by Hawaiʻi Tourism and Change Happens Foundation, will cover how to combat LFA, including how biology and behavior affects treatment, how to distinguish between products, how to use products most effectively, and how to work with neighbors for long-term control and prevention. BIISC will also cover how to receive a free demo day with pesticide application for a neighborhood. Franny Kinslow Brewer, 933-3340, biisc@hawaii.edu

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FEDERAL DISASTER LOAN APPLICATION DEADLINE is Thursday, March 14, for economic injury to small businesses caused by Kīlaueaeruption and earthquakes that occurred May 3 through Aug. 17, 2018.

Director Tanya N. Garfield of U.S. Small Business Administration's Disaster Field Operations Center-West states small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster.

Said Garfield, "Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster's impact. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the applicant suffered any property damage.

These low-interest federal disaster loans are available only in Hawaiʻi County. The interest rate is 3.61 percent for businesses and 2.5 percent for private nonprofit organizations with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition.

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information, and download applications at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA's CustomerServiceCenterat (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov (link sends e-mail) for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and DisbursementCenter, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū High Winter Sports Schedule

Boys Basketball:

Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA

Wrestling:

Feb. 20-21, Wed.-Thu., HHSAA

NEW and UPCOMING

KA‘Ū DISTRICT GYM HOSTS GAME NITE, for all ages, on Thursday, Mar. 7, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Register Wednesday, Feb. 20, through Tuesday, Mar. 5.
For more, contact Recreation Director Nona Makuakane at 928-3102. Ka‘ū District Gym is located on the Ka‘ū High School campus on Kamani Street in Pāhala. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours of operation.

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.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Thu., Feb. 21, 9-noon, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wed., Feb. 27, 9-11am, St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Last Wednesday monthly. Seniors 60 years & older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i - referral required, 961-8626 for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

Arts & Crafts Activity: Valentine's Day Card, Wed., Feb. 27, 2:45-3:30pm, Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 Feb. 19-25. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts & Crafts Activity: Group Art Project, Wed., Feb. 27, 3:30-5pm, multi-purpose, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki ages 5-12 Feb. 19-26. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ONGOING
Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant will accept applicants through Feb. 28. The pageant will be held again at the Ka‘ū District Gym on Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. Miss Kaʻū Coffee and her court will represent the Kaʻū Coffee industry throughout the year at events in the community and beyond, her appearances sponsored by the Edmund C. Olson Trust, II. Pageant Director is Trinidad Marques. Scholarship Committee Directors are Julia Neal and Gloria Camba.

Email tmarques@yahoo.com.

Kauahaʻao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar, Saturday, March 16, 9-2 pm, just above the Wong Yuen Store in Waiʻōhinu. Bazaar vendor spaces, located on the church lawn, are $10 for a 10' X 10' space. Vendors are responsible for bringing their own tent, table and chairs, and if power is needed, generator. Vendors can sell anything except hot foods or plate lunches. Submit vendor application with $10 fee by Sunday, March 10. Call Debbie at 928-8039 for application. Church members will sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls, and roast chicken with gravy bowls, as well as baked goods, produce, and crafts. Walter or Debbie, 928-8039.

Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Five Scholarships are available from American Association of University Women-Kona.

Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

The fire today was fatal and destroyed the home of a man on oxygen in Ocean View.
Photo by Annie Bosted

A FIRE IN UPPER OCEAN VIEW killed a man and destroyed a home today. The exact cause of the fire on Kailua Blvd., near Orchid Parkway, is under investigation and may be related to a fireplace and an oxygen tank. The victim's name is being withheld until relatives are notified.

William "Bill" Bergin, Battalion Chief for West Hawai’i Fire Department, told The Kaʻū Calendar the fire was discovered by a friend who regularly checked in on the resident, who lived alone. The friend phoned early in the morning to make sure he was well. The man replied that he was OK and about to cook breakfast. By the time the friend reached the house, it was burning.

Bergin said the resident was believed to be using medical oxygen, which could have contributed to the fire as the gas is highly combustible. The resident's home also had a fireplace, which may have increased fire danger.

A long line of emergency vehicles were parked along Kailua Blvd. between Orchid and Paradise.

Some came from towns such as Pāhala and DiscoveryHarbor. Photo by Annie Bosted

Summoned to the scene were at least three fire engines, some fire trucks, and an ambulance. At least one engine came from Pāhala, and one fire truck was from the Discovery Harbor Volunteer Fire Service. Ocean View volunteer fire and ambulance services joined in the effort.

Bergin said the fire was challenging in that the home was off the road, which limited access for the larger fire engines, as they could not get up the driveway to reach the house, and necessitated extended hoses. The fire was also very smoky and there was no available source of water, so the trucks had to shuttle water to the scene.

The trees that were growing around the house also proved to be problematic when a few of the larger ‘ōhiʻa trees caught fire, according to Bergin. However, a light rain helped prevent spread of the fire.

Fire trucks ferried water to the scene. Photo by Annie Bosted

By 4:30 p.m. the fire was 95 percent out.

At 7 p.m., Bergin reported that investigators were still on the scene, and a small portion of the fire was left smoldering, as they did not want to disturb evidence.

Bergin confirmed that the Red Cross had been summoned to the scene, saying that it was "standard practice," but the service was not needed as the single occupant had perished.

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A MAP OF LAVA FLOW THICKNESS from the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption was released Feb. 19 by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory. USGS HVO says this is a preliminary map and thicknesses "are subject to change. A final map will be released when all remote sensing data have been collected and processed."

Lava erupted from 24 fissures in the Leilani Estates area in lower Puna last year. The resulting flows, especially from fussure 8, buried an area of about 35.5 square kilometers – 13.7 sq miles – and added about 875 acres of new land to the island.

The greatest thickness on land, at fissure 22, is approximately 55 meters – 180 feet – and the greatest thickness in the lava delta of new land, where lava entered the ocean, is approximately 280 m – 919 ft. These values could change when data are finalized.

The new map is a work in progress; black areas depict data still being collected and/or processed. The previous map, showing a thermal view of the fissure system and lava flows, was published August 15, 2018.

Data depicted on this preliminary map of Kīlauea lower East Rift Zone lava flow thicknesses, released Feb. 19,
are subject to change. A final map will be released when all remote sensing data have been
collected and processed. USGS map

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A BILL ON DISTRIBUTION OF TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES unanimously passed the state House Committee on Finance yesterday, Feb. 20. Co-sponsors include Rep. Richard Onishi, who represents east Kaʻū, and Rep. Richard Creagan, who represents west Kaʻū. The measure goes to Senate committees for review.

House Bill 419 would make counties eligible to use TAT funds to enforce transient accommodations laws. However, "no funds shall be released to a county until it has satisfactorily complied with specified conditions," which include counties developing the ability to give report on transient accommodation use to the state. The bill would allow "an allocation" from TAT revenues."
Three other bills regarding transient accommodations are waiting for hearings in the House and Senate: SB460, cosponsored by east Kaʻū Sen. Ruassell Ruderman, "Requires the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority to develop a list of unit addresses, including housing units and rental units marketed to the visitor industry for occupancy, and to post the list on its website."Senate Bill 480, submitted by Ruderman, along with companion bill HB642, would allow Hawaiʻi county "agricultural tourism activities including short-term vacation rentals."

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A CLASS ON GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING 101 is offered by Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center Wednesday, Feb. 27, 10 a.m. to noon. Co-sponsored by Hawaiʻi PTAC, Government Contracting 101 will be taught by John Greene. He will teach basics of contracting with the federal and state governments, in order for local businesses to "gain an edge," says a statement on the program. Registration for the free class begins at 9:45 a.m. at Hale Iako, Suite 119 at Natural Energy Lab of HI (OTEC), next to Kona International Airport, 73-970 Makako Bay Dr. From Kaiminani take a right onto Makako Bay Dr.and follow the road past the beach all the way to the end, Hale Iako is on the right. For more, call 808-333-5000, or register online.

Help get rid of invasive plants, like morning glory,
at Stewardship of Kīpukapuaulu. NPS photo

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HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK continues its tradition of sharing Hawaiian culture, After Dark in the Park talks, and stewardship programs during March 2019. Visitors are encouraged to check the Park's online calendar of events, and look for program flyers posted after 9:30 a.m. on the bulletin board at KīlaueaVisitorCenter.

Park programs are free, but entrance fees apply. Some programs are co-sponsored by Friends of Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association. Mark your calendar for these upcoming events:

Join other volunteers in stewarding the summit
in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. NPS photo

Stewardship of Kīpukapuaulu: Help remove troublesome plants at Kīpukapuaulu, home to diverse native forest and understory plants. Bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat, and water. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothing that can be permanently stained from morning glory sap. Be prepared for cool and wet, or hot and sunny, weather. New volunteer? Contact Marilyn Nicholson for more info: nickem@hawaii.rr.com. Meet at the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11 in the Park, every Thursday at 9:30 a.m., March 7, 14, 21, and 28.
Stewardship at the Summit: Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park, a World Heritage Site. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, raingear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Visit the Park website for additional planning details. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at KīlaueaVisitorCenterin March at 8:45 a.m. on Friday 22 or 29, or Saturday 2, 9, and 16.

Learn what motivated Dr. Jaggar to study volcanoes
during a free walking tour theatrical experience. NPS photo

A Walk into the Past with Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar: Walk back to 1912, and meet the founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, at the edge of Kīlauea Volcano. Dressed in period costume, Ka‘ū actor-director Dick Hershberger brings the renowned geologist to life. Dr. Jaggar will lead 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. Program includes climbing stairs and entering a confined space. Supported by the Kīlauea Drama Entertainment Network (KDEN). Space is limited; pick up a free ticket at the KīlaueaVisitorCenter's front desk the day of the program. Each performance is about an hour on Tuesdays: March 5, 12, 19, and 26, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m.

Explore Kahuku with a guide on Sundays in March.
NPS photo

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

Pahu Manamana o ‘Umi - Ancestral Brilliance, After Dark in the Park: Join Pualani Kanahele of the Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation as she leads a virtual visit to Pahu Manamana o ‘Umi, a stellar instrument positioned 7,752 feet up on the southwest slope of Mauna Loa, and protected within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The ancient structure is a remarkable example of the brilliance of Hawaiian archaeo-astronomy, and how the ancestors made sense of these archaic instruments to align themselves with the moving planets, the rising and setting of stars and even the making of islands. KīlaueaVisitorCenterAuditorium on Tuesday, March 12, 7 p.m.

Take a virtual visit to an ancient Hawaiian stellar instrument, at Pahu Manamana o ‘Umi -
Ancestral Brilliance, After Dark in the Park. NPS photo

Lomilomi Demonstration, ‘Ike Hana No‘eau - Experience the Skillful Work: Join Michelle Wall-O’Connor as she demonstrates the spiritual components of lomilomi, a style of massage that incorporates the Hawaiian concept of aloha to promote personal harmony. KīlaueaVisitorCenterAuditorium, Wednesday, March 13, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Join Michelle Wall-O’Connor for a Lomilomi
demonstration at ‘Ike Hana No‘eau - Experience
the Skillful Work. NPS photo

Exploring the Unknown Depths, After Dark in the Park: Have you ever wondered what lives 2,000 meters below the ocean surface? Justin Umholtz, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation education associate for PapahānaumokuākeaMarineNational Monument, shares his experiences aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus, mapping and diving unexplored seamounts via a remotely operated underwater vehicle, or ROV. KīlaueaVisitorCenter Auditorium on Tuesday, March 26, 7 p.m.

‘Ohe Kāpala Workshop, ‘Ike Hana No‘eau - Experience the Skillful Work: Learn to create beautiful designs from traditional patterns using ‘ohe kāpala, bamboo stamps. Originally used to decorate clothing with symbolic meaning, ‘ohe kāpala designs are now used to tell stories on a variety of modern materials. KīlaueaVisitorCenterlānai on Wednesday, March 27, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Learn from Justin Umholtz about his experience on the
Exploration Vessel Nautilus, at Exploring the Unknown
Depths, After Dark in the Park. NPS photo

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BEWARE OF SWEEPSTAKES SCAM, says the office of Mayor Harry Kim. The Mayor wants to alert the public to "a scam involving solicitations of money to win a bogus sweepstakes, with the scammers purporting to be County officials or having the endorsement of the County.

"The County of Hawai‘i does not solicit money, and the public should beware of scammers posing as County officials offering sweepstakes winnings. If you receive a sweepstakes solicitation letter or telephone call purporting to be from the Mayor's Office or another County Department, please disregard the solicitation and notify the Hawai‘i Police Department immediately."

Learn to create designs with bamboo stamps at
‘Ohe Kāpala Workshop, ‘Ike Hana No‘eau -
Experience the Skillful Work. NPS photo

To report suspected scams, call the Hawai’i Police Department's non-emergency number at 935-3311.

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DEADLINE FOR KAHA KIʻI CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION, sponsored by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, is tomorrow, Feb. 22, by 6 p.m. Open 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. Second-place artwork is displayed for one year in Gabbard's Washington DC office, third-place in her Hawaiʻi District Office. Art will be exhibited Monday, April 22 through Saturday, May 11 at Hawaiʻi State Capitol. The Awards Ceremony will be held Saturday, May 11 from 10 a.m. to noon.
Details about submissions at gabbard.house.gov/serving-you/student-resources/art-competition. Contact Anya at Anya.Anthony@mail.house.gov or call (808) 541-1986 with questions. See also: A Guide to Copyright and Plagiarism; 2019 Rules for Students and Teachers; 2019 Student Release Form – must be completed/signed and submitted with entry; 2019 Art Competition Submission Form.

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KEIKI JINGLE BUMS Song and Play Group for babies and toddlers happens Fridays, 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Discover the joy of early learning through song and musical instruments. For keiki 0-4 years.

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KAʻŪ TROJANS SOFTBALL kicked off the Spring season yesterday with a win in the first game. Trojans hosted Pāhoa. The game was called in the sixth inning. Kaʻū won with 14, Pāhoa 4. Winning Pitcher was CeAndrea Kamei-Silva. The team is coached by Donovan Emmsley.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū High Winter Sports Schedule

Boys Basketball:

Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA

NEW and UPCOMING

FIT & FIRM CO-ED MEDIUM INTENSITY STRENGTH EXERCISE CLASSES for those 30 and over with PK Mercado happen Fridays in March, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., no late entry. Strength, balance, core, and agility exercise conditioning classes, low to medium exercise intensity, including but not limited to squats, planks, shoulder presses, and lunges. Geared towards full body functional fitness to compliment one's active lifestyle. Most fitness equipment provided. Bring exercise ball, exercise mat, water, towel, and wear comfortable fitness clothing. No slippers or crocks, shoes or bare feet only.

Payment of $45 for all five classes required at first class session, check or exact cash. Make checks out to Soul Fitness Hawaii, LLC. No make-ups for missed classes, no roll overs, no prorating, no drop-ins; payment holds a spot for March only. To continue taking ongoing classes, confirm spot with instructor. All classes are booked and scheduled in advanced. Spots limited to 15 people.

Before signing up, or for those with prior medical concerns or attending physical therapy – all P.T. must be completed before taking this class – call instructor to learn if this is the appropriate fitness level. Call instructor directly to register: 315-9130, soulfitnesshawaiipksm.com, Instagram @ pk.soares_fitness, Facebook @ PK Mercado

SENIOR STRONG CHAIR EXERCISE CLASSES with PK Mercado in Volcano start the first Friday in March, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Class equipment provided. Bring water and a towel, and wear fitness wear and shoes – no Crocks, slippers, or sandals. Those that walk with a walker or cane should bring them.

For those under a doctor's care, call instructor to learn if this is the appropriate fitness level. Call instructor directly to register: 315-9130, soulfitnesshawaiipksm.com, Instagram @ pk.soares_fitness, Facebook @ PK Mercado

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Count Humpback Whales - Sanctuary Ocean Count, Sat., Feb. 23, 8-noon, Ka‘ū locations: Kaʻena Point in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Miloli‘i Lookout, Ka Lae Park, and Punalu‘u BlackSand Beach Park. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document whale surface behavior during survey, providing valuable data to NOAA. Register at oceancount.org. Registration closes one week prior to event. Last 2019 count is on March 30.

Jazz in the Forest: A Tribute to Miles Davis happens Saturday, Feb. 23 at 5:30 p.m. Jazz in the Forest returns in 2019 at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village, featuring Jean Pierre Thoma and the Jazztones performing Miles Davis compositions spanning 50 years of his original and groundbreaking creative directions.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Craft Class, Thu., Feb. 28, 9:30-10:30am, PARENTS, Inc., Nā‘ālehu. For keiki 2-12 years old and caregivers. Free. 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thu., Feb. 28, 12-1:30pm, Punalu‘u Bake Shop. 4th Thursday monthly. Provides local forum for community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thu., Feb. 28, 4-6pm, Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Additional packaged goods to take home for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

Nāʻālehu Celebrates Craft Month with open crafting for all ages, while supplies last. Crafting starts off at 3 p.m. each Thursday in February. Free. Contact Sara Kamibayashi at (808) 939-2442 for more.

Kauahaʻao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar, Saturday, March 16, 9-2 pm, just above the Wong Yuen Store in Waiʻōhinu. Bazaar vendor spaces, located on the church lawn, are $10 for a 10' X 10' space. Vendors are responsible for bringing their own tent, table and chairs, and if power is needed, generator. Vendors can sell anything except hot foods or plate lunches. Submit vendor application with $10 fee by Sunday, March 10. Call Debbie at 928-8039 for application. Church members will sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls, and roast chicken with gravy bowls, as well as baked goods, produce, and crafts. Walter or Debbie, 928-8039.

Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Five Scholarships are available from American Association of University Women-Kona.

Beginning Farmer Institute Cohort Applications are open through April 15. BFI is a free training program which "prepares new producers of any age or operation type for a successful future in agriculture," says the release from Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United. A quote from a former student says, "In our time together, we became more than just farmers and friends – we became a family. NFU's Beginning Farmer Institute is a truly valuable experience that you will not forget."

Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou volunteers finished a carport for the multi-passenger shuttle van of Kaʻū Hospital in Pāhala.

See story below. OKK photo

THE NEED FOR A NEW RUBBISH TRANSFER STATION IN OCEAN VIEW is exemplified by illegal trash dumping. Volunteers, including cavers, are stepping up to clean up trash, including what's found in pukas.
Ocean View residents note that disposal of household refuse in Ocean View has become more difficult since the Waiʻōhinu transfer station was damaged in a storm about a year ago. The main platform was damaged so the three dumpsters of waste collected in Ocean View each Saturday cannot be directly emptied into larger bins for hauling to the County dump. Instead, a mechanical grabber is used to lift garbage piece by piece.

Berson Jitiam, a local resident, enthusiastically supports the team of cavers in

hauling bags of trash and illegally dumped items from the puka in Ocean

View. Hard at work behind him are Tomislav Gracanin, Ric Elhard,

and Steve Lewis. Photo by Annie Bosted

A permanent transfer station was promised to Ocean View in 2007, when the proliferation of "informal dumps" on several lots became an issue. In 2010, the county established a temporary transfer station on a lot in Paradise Circle, which, by deed, can only be used for recreational purposes. This lot bordered an established county park, which angered residents.

The county appropriated $3 million in 2011 for a permanent transfer station in Ocean View. In 2012, the 21-acre lot, located mauka of the highway near Iolani Blvd., was purchased. The lot then became an informal dump littered with furniture, machinery, appliances, tires, and bulky items, some of which have been cleared.

This week, new road signs were posted in Ocean View to notify drivers of planned improvements to the Hawaiʻi Belt Road for the New Ocean View Transfer Station, due to start this month.

On Thursday, local resident Berson Jitiam, and cavers Peter Bosted, Ric Elhard – the owner of Kula Kai Caverns, Ocean View's only show cave – Steve Lewis, and Tomislav Gracanin, hauled up three truckloads of rubbish from a puka in Ocean View. The illegally dumped trash included twenty-five bags of garbage, plus furniture, rugs, old appliances, luggage, tires, a stroller, and an air compressor.

The volunteer clean-up crew poses behind some of the illegally dumped trash they recovered. From left: Peter Bosted,

Steve Lewis, Tomislav Gracanin, Ric Elhard, and Berson Jitiam. A comparable pile was also created

between the two white trucks in the photo. Photo by Annie Bosted

The clean-up was compromised by a steep slope covered with loose rocks. The cavers had to rig two long ropes to safeguard moving about on the loose rocks and help them gain purchase on the slope. Smaller items were collected in trash bags, while larger items had to be individually man-handled out.

The puka is owned by the Cave Conservancy of Hawaiʻi, an organization of lava tube stewards that is dedicated to saving underground features from destruction and desecration. The Conservancy raises funds to purchase properties with cave entrances, largely in the Ocean View area. Keeping this puka clean and ridding it of illegally dumped junk is an unpleasant chore with which the conservancy voluntarily tasks itself.

Tomislav Gracanin hangs onto the black rope with his right

hand while hauling an abandoned suitcase, now full of

garbage, out of the puka.Photo by Annie Bosted

Gracanin, an Ocean View resident and President of CCH, commented, "As a geologist and cave explorer, and like many people, I am really fascinated by lava tubes and flow features, such as pukas. It amazes me that there are still people who would rather toss their garbage into a beautiful natural feature, like this puka, than take it to the temporary transfer station.

"It is true that the long waits at the temporary transfer station in Ocean View are creating incentives to find other dump sites, but I wish the people of Ocean View could realize that Kaʻū is the home of world class lava tube systems and take a pride in the stewardship of these features. We have this tremendous gift, so to deliberately toss trash into a puka is the ultimate insult to the ʻāina and shows a lack of respect for the community and our heritage."

Asked about a solution to the trash in the puka problem, Gracanin said "I'm thankful that the county opened the temporary transfer station to make it easier for the thousands of residents to dispose of their trash each Saturday. Uncollected garbage is disgusting, and having to spend hours picking it up to save a puka should never need to happen."

Steve Lewis carries a red garbage can of trash on his back, while Peter Bosted

and Tomislav Gracanin collect illegally dumped garbage lower down

the puka's steep slope. Photo by Annie Bosted

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KAʻŪ HOSPITAL GOT A NEW CARPORT thanks to the efforts of ʻO Kaʻū Kākou volunteers. The carport will shelter the multi-passenger shuttle that takes hospital residents on outings. OKK posted to Facebook the feat, and a photo featuring Wayne Kawachi, "a guy named Jay," Glenn Okumura, Kaʻū Hospital Administrator Merilyn Harris, Walter Wong Yuen, and Mike McDonough.

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GOV. DAVID IGE APPOINTED CO-CHAIR OF U.S. COUNCIL OF GOVERNORS by the White House. A defense-related body consisting of five Democrats and five Republicans, one as co-chair from each party, the Council was created by the National Defense Authorization Act and formally established by President Obama's Executive Order 13528, issued Jan. 11, 2010. It serves as a mechanism for governors and key federal officials to address matters pertaining to the National Guard, homeland defense. and defense support to civil authorities.

Former Governor Neil Abercrombie previously represented Hawaiʻi on the Council.

Said Ige, "Hawaiʻi is home to the United States Indo-Pacific Command and well over three-hundred thousand Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, Hawaiʻi National Guardsmen, Army Reservists, and Department of Defense civilian employees.

Gov. David Ige

"As governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, I am uniquely positioned here in the Pacific to partner with the federal administration to identify security challenges and seek solutions across our complex global environment."

The Council consists of 10 governors appointed by the president. The other Democratic members are: Ned Lamont (CT), J. B. Pritzker (IL), Tim Walz (MN), and Steve Bullock (MT). The five Republican members are: Co-chair Asa Hutchinson (AR), Doug Ducey (AZ), Mike Parson (MO), Pete Ricketts (NB), and Mike DeWine (OH).

The Governor is attending this week's National Governors Association's 111th annual Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., where he will meet with the Council for the first time. Lt. Gov. Josh Green is serving as acting governor.

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NO TSUNAMI THREAT from a 7.5 magnitude earthquake at 12:17 a.m. HST near the Peru-Ecuador border region. The PacificTsunamiWarningCenterreports "based on all available data, there is no tsunami threat because the earthquake is located too deep inside the Earth."

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DISPOSE OF HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD WASTE FOR FREE Sunday, March 3 at Pāhoa Recycling and Transfer Station, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. County of Hawaiʻi's Department of Environmental Management holds these regular collection events, at no charge to the public, so households can conveniently dispose of acceptable household hazardous waste in a manner that protects both public health and the environment.

Acceptable household hazardous waste includes automotive fluids, used batteries, fluorescent lights, and pesticides. For a more complete list of acceptable or unacceptable household hazardous waste, visit hawaiizerowaste.org/recycle/ household-hazardous-waste. The website includes other useful information on solid waste diversion and recycling.

These events are for household-generated and self-hauled waste only. Business, government agency, non-profit agency, and farm waste not allowed. No electronic waste or tires accepted.

The next collection events happen June 1 in Kona and June 15 in Hilo. Questions? Contact Chris Chin-Chance, Recycling Specialist with the Department of Environmental Management, at 961-8554, or recycle3@hawaiicounty.gov.

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FOCUS SHIFTS FROM SULFUR GAS to another volcanic gas, in this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:

Low sulfur emissions mean a new focus on a different volcanic gas

With the end of Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption, the Island of Hawaiʻi was able, at long last, to say goodbye to strong vog—volcanic smog produced by voluminous sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions.

Currently, SO2 emissions on Kīlauea are drastically lower than they have been for decades. However, as mentioned in our November 21, 2018, Volcano Watch article, some SO2 is still present, in addition to rotten egg-scented hydrogen sulfide (H2S).

So, sulfur smells are still sometimes detected around the island, but it's another gas emitted by Kīlauea that has become more important lately—carbon dioxide (CO2).

CO2 is a significant volcanic emission, along with the familiar sulfur gases, water vapor, and trace amounts of other gases, such as hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, and helium. What's important about CO2 specifically is that it can give clues about the depth of magma.

A USGS pilot and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas geochemist prepare to conduct a test flight of an unmanned aerial

system on Kīlauea Volcano in November, 2018. The UAS was outfitted with a prototype miniaturized multi-gas

sensor for the detection of volcanic gases emitted by Kīlauea, including

sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. USGS photo/Patricia Nadeau

To explain, we'll use something familiar to everyone: a bottle of soda, which has only one gas, CO2, dissolved in it. This CO2 stays dissolved as long as the bottle is sealed, because the bottle creates enough pressure to keep the CO2 in the liquid. As soon as the bottle is opened, pressure on the liquid decreases and the CO2 creates bubbles that escape to the atmosphere.

Unlike soda, magma has many different gases dissolved in it, and they don't all behave the same way. With soda, one pressure decrease is enough to release all the gas from it, but with magma, different degrees of pressure decrease result in the release different gases.

Since pressure on magma is created by the weight of the earth above it, the deeper magma is, the higher the pressure it feels. As magma rises to shallower depths, it feels lesser amounts of pressure and different gases are able to escape along the way.

When magma is shallow or actually reaches the surface, the pressure on it is quite low, so SO2 can easily escape, leading to the vog that impacted island residents for so long. But when magma is deeper, as is the case now, there is enough pressure to keep the SO2 dissolved.

However, CO2 is less soluble than SO2 in magma and can escape even when magma is deep and the pressure is high. This is why, even with no lava erupting at the surface, Kīlauea is currently producing significant amounts of CO2. It's important to note that these amounts are very small compared to anthropogenic, or human-caused, CO2 emissions. It's this CO2, in conjunction with the small amounts of sulfur gases still being emitted, that can provide clues to how deep Kīlauea's magma is.

Because CO2 can escape even when magma is deep but SO2 mostly stays dissolved until the magma is shallow, deeper magma produces a high ratio of CO2 to SO2. Geochemists typically use this CO2/SO2 ratio as an indication of magma depth.

Deep magma may begin with a high CO2/SO2 ratio, but that ratio will drop as magma moves to shallower depths and more SO2 begins to escape. Therefore, if we can measure Kīlauea's CO2/SO2 ratio over time, any changes in it could tell us whether magma is once again rising through the system.

Sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gases themselves are not visible, but

dramatic plumes are sometimes visible at Kīlauea Volcano's summit and

Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. These plumes are a result of atmospheric conditions rather than

increased volcanic activity, and frequently occur when warm volcanic gases

condense as they are released into cooler air temperatures of

early mornings or evenings. USGS photo

The catch is that we must be able to measure the CO2/SO2 ratio. However, accurately measuring the CO2/SO2 ratio in volcanic gas is tricky because of the large and variable amount of CO2 that already exists in the atmosphere. At Kīlauea, the situation is further complicated by collapse events that rearranged the summit caldera and damaged roads and other means of access to degassing areas.

As this new phase of inactivity at Kīlauea continues, gas geochemistry scientists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory will explore new avenues for measuring the helpful CO2/SO2 ratio, including the installation of multi-gas sensors at Kīlauea's summit and the use of gas sensors mounted on unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Our goal in collecting such gas data is to document changes that could eventually indicate an increased likelihood of renewed activity at Kīlauea.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kīlaueais not erupting. Rates of seismicity, deformation, and gas release have not changed significantly over the past week. Deformation signals are consistent with refilling of Kīlauea Volcano's deep East Rift Zone (ERZ). Sulfur dioxide emission rates in the lower ERZ have been below detection limits since early September 2018. Sulfur dioxide emissions at Kīlauea's summit and middle ERZ remain low, with rates steady over the past several weeks.

Three earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi during the past week: a magnitude-1.6 quake 4 km (2 mi) southwest of Volcano at 3:02 a.m. HST on Feb. 17; a magnitude-3.0 quake 10 km (6 mi) south of Kapaʻau at 12 km (7 mi) depth on Feb. 17 at 12:04 a.m. HST; and a magnitude-3.3 quake 13 km (8 mi) east of Honokaʻa at 6 km (4 mi) depth on Feb.13 at 4:42 p.m. HST.

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

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū High Winter Sports Schedule

Boys Basketball:

Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Tue., Feb. 26, 3p.m., @Honokaʻa

Thu., Feb. 28, 3p.m., @HPA

Mon., March 4, 3p.m., host Konawaena

Wed., March 6, 3p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1p.m., host Kohala

Softball:

Wed., Feb. 27, @Honokaʻa

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kemehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Boys Volleyball:

Wed., Feb. 27, 6 p.m., @Konawaena

Fri., March 1, 6 p.m., host Pāhoa

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Track:

Sat., March 2, 9 a.m., @HPA

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

NEW and UPCOMING

FREE VISION SCREENING FOR ALL AGES, Monday, March 4, 9:30-11:30a.m., Kauahaʻao Church in Waiʻōhinu, and Tuesday, March 5, 9-11a.m., PāhalaCommunity Center. All ages receive screening for near and far vision. Keiki are screened for color deficiencies, adults for eye diseases. Keiki receive free sunglasses, adults free reading glasses. Sponsored by Tūtū & Me and Project Vision Hawaiʻi, projectvisionhawaii.org, 808-282-2265.

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.

Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wed., Feb. 27, 9-11am, St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Last Wednesday monthly. Seniors 60 years & older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i - referral required, 961-8626 for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

Arts & Crafts Activity: Valentine's Day Card, Wed., Feb. 27, 2:45-3:30pm, Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 Feb. 19-25. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts & Crafts Activity: Group Art Project, Wed., Feb. 27, 3:30-5pm, multi-purpose, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki ages 5-12 Feb. 19-26. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Craft Class, Thu., Feb. 28, 9:30-10:30am, PARENTS, Inc., Nā‘ālehu. For keiki 2-12 years old and caregivers. Free. 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thu., Feb. 28, 12-1:30pm, Punalu‘u Bake Shop. 4th Thursday monthly. Provides local forum for community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

ONGOING

Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Five Scholarships are available from American Association of University Women-Kona.

Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

Kaʻū Coast hosted volunteers scanning the big blue to gather info for the second of three Sanctuary Humpback
Whale Counts. See story below. Photo from NOAA

"OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY DEPENDS UPON PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO SPEND THE NIGHT HERE," said a speaker at CooperCenter in VolcanoVillage during a recent meeting on the future economy of the area. "Most people are spending the night in vacation rentals because we don't have resorts." Business owners in Volcano said they are worried the new short-term vacation rental laws, which go into effect April 1, will hurt business.

Public hearings happen this week at West Hawaiʻi Civic Center on Thursday, February 28 at 5:30 p.m. and Friday, March 1 in Hiloat the Aupuni Center Conference Room at 5:30 p.m. A video from Big Island Video News shows the concern of residents and business owners in Volcano. Hawaiʻi Council member Maile David, who was at the meeting, advised short term vacation rental owners to participate in the hearings, reported Big Island Video News.
The council woman said, "From what I understand [Bill 108] is to regulate something that has been so out of control, in some areas – in most areas – that, if we allow it to happen, that's what's going to kill the available, affordable housing. Not legitimate vacation rentals; it'll be the ones that are doing it as a business and buying multiple pieces of property, and not even live here."

Council Member Maile David spoke to Volcano Village residents about
the new short-term rental laws. Photo from Big Island Video News

Lower Puna, where Kīlauea erupted last year, also has residents concerned about how new vacation rental laws will be enforced. Pāhoa resident Magdalene Phillips wrote, "Many short term vacation rentals were lost in the lava, lowering the incomes of local restaurants, stores, cleaners, handypersons, gardeners, etc.

"The owners of these STVRs (short term vacation rentals), who are trying to establish new ones in the area, are at present given absolutely no help by the Hawaiʻi County Planning Department. They are being held to the same requirements as everyone else, having to have their rentals in operation by April 1st, 2019. New Rule 23 states: "'In the event of a declared emergency, natural or man made, where a significant number of nonconforming STVRs are permanently lost within any given judicial district, the Director shall assess the effect of such loss upon the affected district and if deemed necessary, initiate legislative and administrative opportunities to restore such loss in STVR capacity within the district of origin.'"

"This emergency, namely the lava, had already happened at the time of Bill 108's passing, yet all we get is an obscure paragraph that may be used to help those affected. This is the time to establish a specific rule on this important issue, rather than it being left in the air. If you care, please attend the meeting March 1st, at 5:30 pm at the AupuniConferenceCenter.

Cooper Center was standing room only at a meeting about the new
short-term vacation rental laws. Photo from Big Island Video News

"Administrative rules for regulating STVRs short-term vacation rentals by Hawaiʻi County Planning Department and establish Rules of Practice and Procedure need to be set. The new law defines where STVRs are allowed, establishes provisions and standards to regulate them, and "provides an avenue for an existing STVR to apply for a Nonconforming Use Certificate that would allow continued operation outside of a permitted zoning district."

Read a draft of the rules at hiplanningdept.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/PD_RULE23_DRAFT.pdf.

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

Sen. Mazie Hirono, speaking about reproductive rights.
Photo from Hirono's Twitter

A GAG RULE ON WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS who perform abortions or refer them was issued Friday by Pres. Donald Trump's administration, according to a statement from Sen. Mazie Hirono. It is a "domestic gag rule that would prohibit providers at any Title X women's health clinic from providing full information to their patients. The rule is designed to cut funding for any women's health clinic that either provides patients with abortions or even just referrals for abortions."

Said Hirono, "If a court injunction is not issued, this rule will go into effect and health care providers like Planned Parenthood -- who alone serve 1.6 million patients nationwide -- could lose tens of millions of dollars for their work providing crucial services like mammograms, cancer screenings, and birth control. I will continue to fight this right-wing administration's attacks on women's health and reproductive choice."

Hirono contended that "Trump and Vice President Pence are ignoring medical ethics and undermining every woman's right to make important health care decisions between herself and her physician."

On Thursday, Hirono attended the opening of a new Planned Parenthood facility in Honolulu, noting that "the clinic will reduce wait times for patients and allow a safe place for women to obtain affordable, reliable health care as well as the right to choose."

Said Hirino, "Less federal funding means less money for the life-saving services clinics provide to women, often in communities with limited choice in health care providers. That doesn't matter to Trump and Pence: as long as it fits their political agenda, they're okay with the harm this rule will have on women's health clinics and their millions of patients. We cannot sit on the sidelines while Republicans put women's health at risk."

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 second whale count of the year happened today. Much higher
numbers of sightings were reported. Photo from NOAA

THE SECOND 2019 OCEAN WHALE COUNT drew more than 612 volunteers to Kaʻū shores and around the Hawaiian Islandstoday. The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count volunteers collected data from 55 sites across all the main islands. Whale sightings statewide totaled 372 – over twice the number in January – during the 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day's count.
Sanctuary Ocean Count volunteers collected data from 43 sites on the islands of Hawai‘i, O‘ahu, and Kaua‘i, with 278 whale sightings – nearly three times January's number – during the 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day's count.

On Maui, Great Whale Count volunteers collected data from 12 sites during timed intervals between 8:30 a.m. and 11:50 a.m. A total of 774 whales were seen throughout the day on Maui– more than double the number in January – with 94 whales counted during the 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day's count.

More than 50 locations across the state hosted people scanning the
Pacific for whale sign. NOAA photo

According to reports from organizers, weather conditions were nearly perfect for viewing whales across majority of the islands. Although several sites on Maui and Hawai‘i island did experience some rain during the event. During the count on Maui, a humpback whale mother was spotted conducting "fluke-up feeding" with her calf at the Ma'alaea site, a breaching manta ray was seen from the McGregor Point scenic lookout, and a pod of dolphins swam by the Kihei Surfside site. A variety of other species were also spotted during the count including sea turtles, spinner dolphins, Hawaiian monk seals, multiple sea bird species, and more.

Ocean Count promotes public awareness about humpback whales, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, and shore-based whale watching opportunities. Volunteer participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals' surface behavior during the survey, which provides a snapshot of humpback whales activity from the shorelines of O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i islands.

The annual Great Whale Count by Pacific Whale Foundation brings volunteers together on Maui to count whales from shore as part of a long-term survey of humpback whales in Hawai‘i, with 12 survey sites along the shoreline. This event provides a snapshot of trends in relative abundance of whales and is one of the world's longest-running citizen scientist projects.

One more count takes place during peak whale season: the last Saturday in March. Preliminary data detailing Sanctuary Ocean Count whale sightings by site location will be available at oceancount.org/resources. Additional information will be available on Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary's website at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov. Pacific Whale Foundation's Great Whale Count data may be found at mauiwhalefestival.org/greatwhalecount, with additional information at pacificwhale.org.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Tue., Feb. 26, 3p.m., @Honokaʻa

Thu., Feb. 28, 3p.m., @HPA

Mon., March 4, 3p.m., host Konawaena

Wed., March 6, 3p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1p.m., host Keaʻau

Softball:

Wed., Feb. 27, @Honokaʻa

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kemehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Boys Volleyball:

Wed., Feb. 27, 6 p.m., @Konawaena

Fri., March 1, 6 p.m., host Pāhoa

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Track:

Sat., March 2, 9 a.m., @HPA

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

NEW and UPCOMING

TISSUE PAPER BUTTERFLY ARTS AND CRAFT ACTIVITY, for keiki 5 to 12 years old, on Wednesday, Mar. 6, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., in the multi-purpose room of Ka‘ū District Gym. Registration is open Monday, Feb. 25, through Tuesday, Mar. 5. Free.
For more, contact Recreation Director Nona Makuakane at 928-3102. Ka‘ū District Gym is located on the Ka‘ū High School campus on Kamani Street in Pāhala. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours of operation.

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.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26
HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tue., Feb. 26, 10am, HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tue., Feb. 26, 11:30-1pm, last Tuesday monthly, St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wed., Feb. 27, 9-11am, St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Last Wednesday monthly. Seniors 60 years & older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i - referral required, 961-8626 for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

Arts & Crafts Activity: Valentine's Day Card, Wed., Feb. 27, 2:45-3:30pm, Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 Feb. 19-25. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts & Crafts Activity: Group Art Project, Wed., Feb. 27, 3:30-5pm, multi-purpose, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki ages 5-12 Feb. 19-26. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Craft Class, Thu., Feb. 28, 9:30-10:30am, PARENTS, Inc., Nā‘ālehu. For keiki 2-12 years old and caregivers. Free. 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thu., Feb. 28, 12-1:30pm, Punalu‘u Bake Shop. 4th Thursday monthly. Provides local forum for community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

Exploring Tunnel Books - Bookbinding Workshop, Saturday, March 2, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano ArtCenter. $32/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 materials fee. Prior experience not necessary. List of supplies online. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Paint Your Own Silk Scarf with Patti Pease Johnson, Saturday, March 2, 9a.m.-12:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Beginner and intermediate artists welcome. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Stewardship at the Summit, Saturday, March 2, 9, and 16, Friday, March 22 and 29, 8:45a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center. Volunteers remove invasive, non-native plants. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves/tools provided. Parental/guardian accompaniment or written consent required for those under 18. Free; park entrance fees apply. Paul and Jane Field, field@hawaii.edu, nps.gov/havo

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, March 2 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

ONGOING

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant accepts applicants through Thursday, Feb. 28. The pageant is held at Ka‘ū District Gym, Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. Miss Kaʻū Coffee and her court will represent the Kaʻū Coffee industry throughout the year at events in the community and beyond. The community can support the pageant through purchasing tickets, volunteering, and providing scholarships. Girls three to 24 years of age are encouraged to enter the pageant. Competitive categories include Talent, Gown, Photogenic, Career-Interview, Characters Outfit, and Swimsuit for Miss Kaʻū Coffee. Pageant hopefuls contend for titles of Miss Ka‘ū Coffee, Jr. Miss Kaʻū Coffee, Miss Kaʻū Peaberry, and Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower. Email tmarques@yahoo.com.

Kauahaʻao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar, Saturday, March 16, 9-2 pm, just above Wong Yuen Store in Waiʻōhinu. Bazaar vendor spaces on the church lawn are $10 for 10' X 10'. Vendors are responsible for bringing all supplies, including electricity. Church members will sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls, and roast chicken with gravy bowls, as well as baked goods, produce, and crafts. Submit application with fee by Sunday, March 10; call Debbie or Walter, 928-8039, for application.

Applications for a Job to Help Kids with Healthy Eating and Living in Kaʻū are open through Friday, March 15. Full-time 11.5-month commitment from August 1, 2019 through July 15, 2020, at Pāhala Elementary School. $22,000 living stipend paid bi-weekly; $6,095 AmeriCorps Segal education award upon successful completion of service; student loan deferral or forbearance, if eligible; partial childcare reimbursement, if eligible; health insurance; ongoing training; mentorship; and professional development. Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Preschool Opens Doors Applications are open for the 2019-2020 school year. The Department of Human Services encourages families to apply before Friday, March 29. This program is for families seeking aid in paying for preschool. Applications, available at patchhawaii.org, received during this period will be considered for preschool participation during July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. For more information, visit bit.ly/2TolEOm or call 800-746-5620.

Five Scholarships are available from American Association of University Women-Kona: Three $2000 scholarships will go to female college-bound Kaʻū High School and West Hawaiʻi high school students. Applications must be postmarked by Monday, April 1. Two $1,000 scholarships will go to any female high school graduate or older women attending a two-year vocational program leading to a marketable skill at Palamanui Campus. Applications must be postmarked by Wednesday, April 10. Application packets available at kona-hi.aauw.net. Contact sharonnind@aol.com.

Beginning Farmer Institute Cohort Applications open through Monday, April 15. Free training program which "prepares new producers of any age or operation type for a successful future in agriculture." Applications at nfu.org/education/beginning-farmer-institute.

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

Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. No campaign and other political displays. Fifty percent discounts for non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each and a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

Applications for Paid Internship in Kaʻū for Kupu Hawai‘i and The Nature Conservancy are open. Year-long, full-time position in TNC's Hawai‘i Island Terrestrial Program stewards native forest preserves in Ka‘ū and South Kona. $1,600 monthly living allowance, before taxes; a $5,920 education award towards higher education; health care and childcare benefit, if eligible; and receiving an entry-level conservation career experience. Application at kupuhawaii.org/conservation. For more, call The Nature Conservancy, 443-5401, or call Kupu Hawai‘i, 808-735-1221.

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's Dylan Rush (right) beat Don "Iron Fist" Auau for the Super Heavyweight title at Saturday's Pops Memorial
Toughman Hawaiʻi competition at Hilo Civic Auditorium. See story below. Photo by Tim Wright

PROPOSED LAWS GOVERNING VACATION RENTALS are the focus of Rental by Owner Awareness Association, which offered an assessment this past week of this year's Hawaiʻi Legislature.
The group, led by Alicia Humiston, proclaims that "vacation rentals have become the visitors' choice when visiting Hawaiʻi. Hotel growth has declined, but visitors' demand for legal vacation rentals has grown. As a result, hoteliers will redouble their efforts to ban our legal operation of vacation rentals under the guise of stopping illegal operators and create hotel monopolies.

This year, Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has vowed to support bills that will impact our legal vacation rentals in the ongoing failed effort by legislators to find and hold illegal operators to account. And because enforcement of laws against illegal operators has failed so miserably, their job to end our legal operations, and strip us of our control over our own, legal vacation rental properties has been made that much easier."
Humiston states, "There are some bills that would target illegal operators. But with so many hoteliers and property managers unable to compete with our legal and expertly run vacation rentals, their purpose is clear: end them all! Wipe out any and all owner-operated vacation rentals in Hawaiʻi, legal or otherwise."

The organization is tracking some 20 bills. She cautions that "these bills will change; they're dynamic, and become very different bills as the legislative session progresses. It's essential that you visit the Hawaiʻi Legislative site and sign up to be provided with critical updates on their progress through committees, the amendments they're picking up, and the threat many of them will undoubtedly pose to your continued operation and management of your legal vacation rental. Remember: when testimony is sought, especially by RBOAA, offer it."

Rental by Owner Awareness Association offers the following descriptions of Senate Bills and House Bills: SB354 makes advertising, including online advertising, any transient accommodation or resort time share vacation interest, plan, or unit without the proper registration identification number and proper local contact information a misdemeanor. Subjects any person, including operators, plan managers, and transient accommodations broker, who does not post the proper registration number and proper local contact information with the advertisement and also advertises the entire house or unit, rather than a single room, or who has multiple advertisements for multiple properties, to an unspecified additional fine.

HB26 and SB716 make it a misdemeanor for a hosting platform to collect a fee for booking services regarding transient vacation rentals that are not lawfully certified, registered, or permitted under applicable county ordinance. HB29 require members in planned community associations subject to HRS 421J and unit owners in condominiums subject to HRS 514B to register units leased as transient accommodations, and to submit reports on same to the state.

SB659 establishes the state alternative transit fund to allow counties to offer free or nearly free fares on eco-friendly county buses. Imposes a $100-a-day fine for unlicensed transient accommodations. HB197 and SB184 provide counties with operator names and addresses of transient accommodations contained in registration forms filed with Department of Taxation. HB400 allows counties to regulate transient accommodations hosting platforms. HB419 provides that a county shall be eligible to receive funds from the State for the purpose of enforcing all applicable laws and ordinances relating to transient accommodations. HB514 and SB401 require the Director of Taxation to make available to any county official charged with enforcing land use laws the name and addresses of any transient accommodation business registered with the Department of Taxation. HB631 authorizes each county to impose a surcharge on transient accommodations tax. Changes the transient accommodations tax rate to an unspecified amount. Repeals the distribution of transit accommodations tax revenues to the counties. HB1173 and SB198 authorize counties to levy a county surcharge on transient accommodations tax in their respective counties pursuant to certain conditions.

HB1348 establishes licensing requirements and enforcement provisions for transient vacation rentals to be administered by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. HB1472 and SB986 allow a transient accommodations broker to register as a tax collection agent for its operators and plan managers. Requires operators and plan managers to provide a statement to the transient accommodations broker confirming compliance with all applicable land use and tax laws. SB1292 amends the definition of "transient accommodations" to include additional forms of transient accommodations. Makes it unlawful for a hosting platform to provide, and collect a fee for, booking services regarding transient vacation rentals that are not lawfully certified, registered, or permitted under applicable county ordinance. SB713 establishes a 1-time amnesty program for certain delinquent transient accommodations and general excise tax obligations. Allows transient accommodations brokers to register as a tax collection agent for its operators and plan managers.

SB380 imposes the transient accommodations tax on resort fees and requires that those fees be included in gross rental proceeds. SB401 requires the Director of Taxation to make available to any county official charged with enforcing land use laws the name and addresses of any transient accommodation business registered with the Department of Taxation. SB460 requires the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority to develop a list of unit addresses, including housing units and rental units marketed to the visitor industry for occupancy and to post the list on its website. SB184 provides counties with operator names and addresses of transient accommodations contained in registration forms filed with Department of Taxation. SB714 imposes the transient accommodations tax on resort fees that are calculated separately from the advertised transient accommodation's rate. SB716 makes it a misdemeanor for a hosting platform to collect a fee for booking services regarding transient vacation rentals that are not lawfully certified, registered, or permitted under applicable county ordinance. HB181, SB163, HB193, SB175, HB335, and SB614 amortize and phase out single family vacation rentals.

See more at RBOAA.

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.

Dylan Rush won every round against Don "Iron Fist" Auau to take the Super Heavyweight title at the Walter Carvalho
Sr. Memorial Toughman Hawaiʻi competition at the Hilo Civic Auditorium. Photo by Tim Wright

DYLAN RUSH, who grew up in Kaʻū and played football for UCLA and Stanford, came home to win a kickboxing battle in Hilo Saturday night. His father, Greg Rush, a coach for the Kaʻū High Trojans football team, described the experience as "What a night!" He said, "Dylan Rush added an epic event to his growing legend. After a seven-year layoff from kick boxing, with one month's notice and with zero sparring rounds, he took on Don 'Iron Fist' Auau. Auau came in at 14-0 with 9 KO's and had never been knocked down. Dylan knocked Auau down in the 4th round and won every round. Dylan, except for clinches, was never hit in the fight. He has still never lost a kick boxing match.
"Dylan has decided to continue to fight in Walter Carvalho Sr. memorial events in the future, training in Las Vegas and coming home to thrill Hilo."See video of the fight.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Tue., Feb. 26, 3 p.m., @Honokaʻa

Thu., Feb. 28, 3 p.m., @HPA

Mon., March 4, 3 p.m., host Konawaena

Wed., March 6, 3 p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1 p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1 p.m., host Keaʻau

Softball:

Wed., Feb. 27, @Honokaʻa

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kemehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Boys Volleyball:

Wed., Feb. 27, 6 p.m., @Konawaena

Fri., March 1, 6 p.m., host Pāhoa

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Track:

Sat., March 2, 9 a.m., @HPA

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

NEW and UPCOMING

KAHUKU PARK HOSTS A SPRING WREATH MAKING ARTS AND CRAFT ACTIVITY, for those 18 years old and above, on Tuesday, Mar. 12, from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration takes place Monday, Mar. 4, through Friday, Mar. 8. Free.
For more, contact Recreation Technician Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. Kahuku Park is located at 92-8607 Paradise Circle Mauka, Ocean View. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours.

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.

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, March 2 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

Dispose of Hazardous Household Waste, Sunday, March 3, 8:30a.m.-3:30p.m., Pāhoa Recycling and Transfer Station. See complete list of acceptable or unacceptable household hazardous waste at hawaiizerowaste.org/recycle/household-hazardous-waste. Contact Chris Chin-Chance at 961-8554 or recycle3@hawaiicounty.gov.

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, March 3 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon-2p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

ONGOING

Nāʻālehu Celebrates Craft Month with open crafting for all ages, while supplies last. Crafting starts off at 3 p.m. each Thursday in February. Free. Contact Sara Kamibayashi at (808) 939-2442 for more.

Kauahaʻao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar, Saturday, March 16, 9-2 pm, just above Wong Yuen Store in Waiʻōhinu. Bazaar vendor spaces on the church lawn are $10 for 10' X 10'. Vendors are responsible for bringing all supplies, including electricity. Church members will sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls, and roast chicken with gravy bowls, as well as baked goods, produce, and crafts. Submit application with fee by Sunday, March 10; call Debbie or Walter, 928-8039, for application.

The 27th annual Hawai‘i Horse Owners Pana‘ewa Stampede Rodeo on Feb. 17, 18, and 19 saw Lenaia Andrade, of
Nāʻālehu, in red, take All Around Cowgirl, and Kircia Derasin, of Kaʻū, far right, crowned Rodeo Princess.
See story below. Photo by Charles McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

BANNING CIGARETTE SALES IN HAWAIʻI is the goal of west Kaʻū's state Rep. Richard Creagan, a physician who last year led the successful campaign that made Hawaiʻi the first state to ban the pesticide chlorpyrifos. A cigarette ban in Hawaiʻi would put the islands in the same no smoking zone as the Himalayan country of Bhutan, known for its overall happiness. In the U.S., only Hawaiʻi, Boston, and New York City restrict the minimum age for buying cigarettes to 21.

Creagan proposed House Bill 1509, with cosponsors, Reps. John Mizuno and Cynthia Thielen, to ban cigarette sales with a five-year rollout to wean the government off tax revenues from cigarette sales. The first year would raise the age of those permitted to buy cigarettes from 21 to 30, the second year to 40, the third year to 50, the fourth year to 60, and the fifth year to 100.

With the federal minimum age of 18 to buy cigarettes, the states have the right to raise the minimum to their ages of choice, explained Creagan. He said increasing the minimum age was a way to give those heading government programs dependent on taxes garnered from cigarette sales the time to find other funders. It would also give those who have smoked the longest, longer time to kick the habit.

Green Matters and other news outlets covered the proposed cigarette
ban in Hawaiʻi. Image from Green Matters

Creagan said he received much support for the idea. The state Department of Health submitted testimony supporting a Tobacco Free Hawaiʻi and called for banning all tobacco products. Several testimonies, however, said it would take away a freedom of choice. One called it "Orwellian."

The House of Representatives Committee on Health held the bill back during this legislative session, its report stating that more time was needed to understand and plan any rollout of a cigarette ban.

The idea of a smoke-free Hawaiʻi made headlines with stories on CBS, Fox News, CNN, Washington Post, USA Today, People, Time, and other national and international news outlets.

Creagan called the approach of taxing cigarettes as a deterrent, "ridiculous," contending "When you raise the tax on cigarettes, you're taxing the victims. Ninety percent of people who smoke wish they never started. Most of the other ten percent are kidding themselves."

The language of the bill calls cigarettes "the deadliest artifact in human history." Creagan said that smoking is more dangerous and addictive than prescription drugs. Banning cigarettes would be "taking people who are enslaved from a horrific addiction and freeing people from horrific enslavement."

Creagan pointed to statistics from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which blames cigarettes for more than 480,000 – 20 percent of all deaths – per year in this country, with 41,000 of them attributed to second-hand smoking.

"If cigarettes are so harmful, why are we selling them to people?" asked Creagan. He recommended the book The Golden Holocaust: Origins of the Cigarette Catastrophe, by Stanford professor Robert N. Proctor, who urges the abolition of cigarettes as the leading preventable cause of death. The book reviews the history of the tobacco industry, and points out that cigarettes caused premature deaths worldwide in 100 million people in the 20th Century and are projected to cause a billion deaths in the 21st Century.

Creagan said he sees a cigarette ban as good for Hawaiʻi's economy. He said there are enough visitors who want clean air free from cigarette smoke and beaches free from being littered with cigarette butts. Hawaiʻi would stand out as a clean air destination, he said.

He said he understands the "attack points carefully crafted by the tobacco industry." Related to civil liberties, the tobacco lobbyists give money to the American Civil Liberties Union – to defend smoking as a civil liberty, he said.

The tobacco industry opposed the ban, said Creagan, and also opposed Hawaiʻi moving the minimum age to buy cigarettes from 18 to 21. Tobacco lobbyists argued, "If soldiers can die in war at age 18, they should be able to smoke," said Creagan. He pointed out, however, that when people go into the military "they go cold turkey in basic training." He noted that the military fought for ten years "to get smoke free submarines and finally got it." The post exchanges (military retail stores) in Hawaiʻi honor the 21 year old minimum age, he said. Read the bill and testimony.

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.

Sara Kamibayashi (left) is Librarian of the Year for all

of Hawaiʻi and manager of Nāʻālehu and Pāhala Public

Libraries. Excellence in Service Award goes to Mona

Tavares. State Librarian is Stacey Aldrich (right).

Photo from The Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi

2018 PUBLIC LIBRARIAN OF THE YEAR for the state of Hawaiʻi is the title bestowed on Sara Kamibayashi. Manager of Nāʻālehu and Pāhala Public Libraries, Kamibayahshi accepted the award last week from The Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi, and co-sponsor Native Books Nā Mea Hawaiʻi.

Mona Tavares, Library Technician VI of Hilo Public Library, earned the 2018 Excellence in Service award.
The two Hawaiʻi Island residents received the honors during a reception and ceremony at the Hawaiʻi State Library in Honolulu during The Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi's annual meeting on Thursday, Feb. 21.

A statement from The Friends of Hawaiʻi Library says, "Sara Kamibayashi is anything but quiet! She is a warm and welcoming force at the smallest library branch, Nāʻālehu Public Library on the Big Island. Kamibayashi is originally from Virginia and came to Hawaiʻi to volunteer at Volcanoes National Park, where she met her husband. In 2008, she earned her Masters of Library Science and became a full-time librarian in 2013. Through her willingness to dress up and to try new programs, she is making sure her small branches are well used and full of excitement."

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Addie Flores of Kaʻū took first
place in the Youth Barrel
Racing Event.
Photo by Charles McKeand/
HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

THREE KAʻŪ WAHINE rose to prominence at the 27th annual Hawai‘i Horse Owners Pana‘ewa Stampede Rodeo on Feb. 17, 18, and 19. Lenaia Andrade, a high school student from Nāʻālehu, won the All Around Cowgirl Award. Addie Flores, whose family owns and operates South Point Buckers, won the Youth Barrel Racing Event. Kircia Derasin of Kaʻū was crowned Rodeo Princess.

More than 10,000 people attended the three-day event at the Pana‘ewa Equestrian Center in Hilo, setting a record on Sunday for attendance in excess of 4,000. The 185 competitors ranged in age from three to 73. The event included rodeo clowns, cultural and historical displays, leather and saddle making exhibits, and food and craft booths. Special novelty events included Hula Bulls and Bull Poker.

Organizer Hawaiʻi Horse Owners, Inc. was awarded a grant from Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority to help with advertising, spreading the word to more people to come understand and appreciate Paniolo culture and history.

All Around Cowgirl Lenaia Andrade in the Wahine Barrel Racing event.
Photo by Charles McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

During the Stampede Rodeo, Westin Joseph earned the most points among kane paniolo to become All Around Cowboy for the second year in a row. Kaili Brenneman became Reserve All Around Cowboy. Lenaia Andrade earned her title of All Around Cowgirl. Jerikah Valenciabecame Reserve All Around Cowgirl. Here are the complete results:

Po‘o Wai U, a paniolo event that comes from tying cattle to forked tree trunks when rounding them up in Hawaiian wildlands, saw Nicky Boy first in 22.75 seconds. Hammah Joseph took second at 24.75, third was Shawn Aguiar at 26 – he took fourth last year – Westin Joseph took fourth at 27.53, and Cowboy Kaʻapana slid into fifth at 28.53.

Dummy Roping saw Bulla Arruda take first in 4.19 seconds, Hailey Cypriano second in 6.47, and Marley Miranda third with at time of 7.38 seconds. Peyton Tisalona-Benevides took fourth in 12.91 seconds and Daeston Rojas-Mendoza fifth in 14.1 seconds.

Rodeo Princess Kircia Derasin, left,
and All Around Cowgirl Lenaia
Andrade, middle. Photo by Charles
McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

Wahine Barrel Racing saw Kalysa Hamilton take first in a total of 35.22 seconds, the same time as last year's winner. Lenaia Andrade took second with 35.66, Nahea Brenneman third with 35.91, Lori Bergin fourth at 36.94, and Jerikah Valenciafifth in 40.22 seconds.

Youth Barrel Racing saw Addie Flores first in a total of 62.67 seconds. Hilina‘i Gouveia – who took fifth in the event last year – placed second with 63.07. Leiana Arruda took third with 66.37, Lucia Miranda fourth at 81.91, and Te’ani Souza fifth in 91.53 seconds.

Kane-Wahine Ribbon Mugging – where one teammate ropes and the other grabs a ribbon from the tail of the steer – posted Lenaia Andrade and Kaili Brenneman first in 16.97 seconds, Justin Jose and Lenaia Andrade second with 21.44, Justin Jose and Jessica Jose in third with 24.44, Halia Bautista and Trisyn Kalawaia fourth with 28.31, and Trisyn Kalawaia and Shannon Benevides fifth at 31.19 seconds.

Sheep Riding showed Colty Boy Mandaloniz first, lasting 56 seconds – he took fifth last year. Isaiah Publico, second, lasting 55. Tayzlie Brown, in third, lasted 49, taking one second off her third-place time of last year. Khyrie-Lynn Kekoa and Lawai’a Martinez tied for fourth, each riding the sheep for 45 seconds.

Over 10,000 people came to see events such as calf roping.
Photo by Charles McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

Youth Team Roping showed Westin Joseph & Eli Higa first in 15.59 seconds, Zayven Menino & Clancy Aku second at 17.87, Westin Joseph & Bobby Boy Manuel third at 18.5, Eli Higa & Trisyn Kalawaia fourth with 20.06, and Kelvin Medeiros & Lenaia Andrade fifth at 25.84 minutes.

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

Classic Bull Riding is one of the events at Hawai‘i Horse Owners Pana‘ewa
Stampede Rodeo. Held yearly on President's Day weekend, competitors
from age three to 73 vie for titles.
Photo by Charles McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

Wahine Breakaway Roping showed Jerikah Valenciafirst in 11.75 seconds; she took third last year. Kalysa Hamilton took second at 24.88, Lenaia Andrade third with 28.3, and Nahea Brenneman fourth with 32.85.

Steer Wrestling showed two extremely close competitors: Westing Joseph, who took down the steer in three tries with a total of 17.85 seconds, and Trisyn Kalawaia, who had an total of 17.88.

Open Team Roping showed Ethan Awa & Chris Awa in first in 12.53 seconds, Jordan Cypriano & Kevin De Reis second in 13.53, Ty Kauai & Ethan Awa third with 15.75, Brian Bugado & Shawn Aguiar fourth at 15.81, and Westin Joseph & Ryan Sanborn fifth at 15.84 seconds.

.
Keiki participate in Sheep Riding, wearing protective gear on their heads,
chaperoned by rodeo clowns, parents, and other event monitors.
Photo by Charles McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

Junior Bull Riding sole competitor Eli Higa shaved one second off is 2018 time by riding the animal for 65 seconds.

Double Mugging showed Justin Jose & Kaili Brenneman, who came in first with a time of 25.84 seconds. Kaili Brenneman & Hammah Jose took second with 31 seconds, John Troche & Danny Joseph third in 32.13, Migo Acia & Westin Joseph fourth in 39.37, and Koa Aiwohi & Rusty Wilbur fifth in 47.21 seconds.

Century Team Roping – where the total age of team members is a minimum of 100 years – showed off pairs of competitors. Boo Boo Tolentino & Chu Chu Cruz finished first in 15.46 seconds. Hans Poouahi & Boo Boo Tolentino were second with 16.91, Rodney Wilbur & Bob Manueln took third with 17.09, Eric Valencia & Mike Cheek fourth at 21.16 seconds, and John Fitzgerald & Butch Gomes took fifth at 27.45.

Unusual events, like Bull Hula, were featured at the 27th annual Hawai‘i
Horse Owners Pana‘ewa Stampede Rodeo in February.
Photo by Charles McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

Tie Down Roping showed Westin Joseph in first with a total time of 128.11 seconds, and Trisyn Kalawaia with a total of 211.9 seconds.

Wahine Calf Mugging ended with Nahea Brenneman & Shannon Benevides in first with a time of 47 seconds. Kassey Hanoa & McKella Akana took second at 76.82.

Bull Riding saw Chance Miranda earn a score of 68.
The 28th Annual Pana’ewa Stampede Rodeo will be held Saturday through Monday, Feb. 15 to 17, 2020. For more, see HawaiiRodeoStampede.com.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Tue., Feb. 26, 3p.m., @Honokaʻa

Thu., Feb. 28, 3p.m., @HPA

Mon., March 4, 3p.m., host Konawaena

Wed., March 6, 3p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1p.m., host Keaʻau

Softball:

Wed., Feb. 27, @Honokaʻa

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kemehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Boys Volleyball:

Wed., Feb. 27, 6 p.m., @Konawaena

Fri., March 1, 6 p.m., host Pāhoa

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Track:

Sat., March 2, 9 a.m., @HPA

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

Kalia Andrade, running her horse in Youth Barrels.
Photo by Charles McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

NEW and UPCOMING

KAHUKU PARK HOSTS A SPRING FLOWER COLLAGE ARTS AND CRAFT ACTIVITY, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years old, on Wednesday, Mar. 13, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration takes place Monday, Mar. 4, through Friday, Mar. 8. Free.
For more, contact Recreation Technician Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. Kahuku Park is located at 92-8607 Paradise Circle Mauka, Ocean View. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours.

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.

That bull has a great poker face. Unusual events, like Bull Poker, were
featured over President's Day weekend at the Stampede.
Photo by Charles McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

Various rodeo events require brute strength, agility, and skill.
Photo by Charles McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

Arts & Crafts Activity: Valentine's Day Card, Wed., Feb. 27, 2:45-3:30pm, Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 Feb. 19-25. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts & Crafts Activity: Group Art Project, Wed., Feb. 27, 3:30-5pm, multi-purpose, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki ages 5-12 Feb. 19-26. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Craft Class, Thu., Feb. 28, 9:30-10:30am, PARENTS, Inc., Nā‘ālehu. For keiki 2-12 years old and caregivers. Free. 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

Po‘o Wai U, a paniolo event that comes from tying cattle to
forked tree trunks when rounding them up in Hawaiian wild-
lands. Photo by Charles McKeand/HawaiiRodeoPhotos.com

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thu., Feb. 28, 12-1:30pm, Punalu‘u Bake Shop. 4th Thursday monthly. Provides local forum for community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, March 2 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, March 3 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon-2p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View
sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or
sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home.
Rick Ward, 938-3058

MONDAY, MARCH 4

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, March 4. Register in advance. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Free Vision Screening for All Ages, Monday, March 4, 9:30-11:30a.m., Kauahaʻao Church in Waiʻōhinu. All ages receive screening for near and far vision. Keiki are screened for color deficiencies, adults for eye diseases. Keiki receive free sunglasses, adults free reading glasses. Sponsored by Tūtū & Me and Project Vision Hawaiʻi, projectvisionhawaii.org, 808-282-2265.

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Monday, March 4 and 18, 1p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Parent-led homeschool activity and social group, building community in Ka‘ū. Confirm location in case of field trip. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Monday, March 4, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

ONGOING

A Marshallese family takes time out while working in a Kaʻū Coffee farm. Photo by Julia Neal

RESTORING MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY FOR MARSHALESE, MICRONESIAN, AND PALAUAN CITIZENS was the focus of Sen. Mazie Hirono today, during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine the state of U.S. Territories.
The Marshallese are a part of the Kaʻū Community, attending schools and working on local farms, especially the Kaʻū Coffee Farms. Many of them came to Hawaiʻi after the U.S. government used their islands to test nuclear weapons years ago. They were promised education and health care, along with a number of programs enjoyed by U.S. residents. Many of the young people who move here learn English in Kaʻū schools.

Sen. Mazie Hirono. Photo from Hirono's office

Under the Compacts of Free Association, citizens of Freely Associated States - Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau - living and working in the United Stateshave "legal non-immigrant" status. However, says a statement from Hirono's office, the "welfare reform" law cut Freely Associated States citizens off from accessing Medicaid and most other federal benefits.

Hirono questioned the committee, saying "most [Compacts of Free Association] citizens reside in Guam and Hawaiʻi," and that their edibility for Medicaid and similar federal programs was "inadvertently eliminated."

Said Hirono, singling out the governors of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, "Since then, the territories and states like Hawaiʻi, they've have had to bear the expense for the care of COFA migrants. In 2014 alone, the state of Hawaiʻi was estimated to have spent over $163 million for social services, healthcare, and other services for COFA citizens residing in Hawaiʻi, with 40 percent of that going to healthcare. I know that you face similar concerns in Guam, having visited. Could you comment on the challenges that you face in dealing with the fiscal cost of COFA citizens coming to Guam and would you support legislation that restores Medicaid eligibility for COFA migrants? I would ask this of Governor Torres also. Also anyone that wishes to comment."

Hirono led efforts by Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation to introduce similar legislation in 2013, including adding an amendment that would have restored FAS citizen access to Medicaid in the Senate's comprehensive immigration reform bill.

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.

PROTECTING PUBLIC LANDS AND WATER earned yes votes from Hawaiʻi's Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Rep. Ed Case, when they voted for the Natural Resources Management Act today. The public lands package"promotes conservation, outdoor recreation, historic preservation, and cultural resource protection in Hawai‘i and across the country," says a statement from Gabbard's office. Case's office released a statement saying the Act "will protect approximately 1.3 million acres of wilderness and close to 700,000 acres of recreation and conservation lands nationwide."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Photo from Gabbard's Twitter

U.S. Senate Bill 47 would "permanently authorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, designate over one million acres of wilderness, and protect over 2.4 million acres of public land from future mining operations." The legislation passed by a vote of 363-62.

Case, a member of the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee with jurisdiction over this bill, said, "Both Honouliuli and the Arizona Memorial stand as stark reminders of tragic chapters in our country's and Hawai‘i's history. This measure assures that they both will continue to tell their stories and teach their lessons to future generations."

Said Gabbard, "We each have a responsibility to preserve and protect our precious natural resources for today, and generations to come. Our legislation will protect our natural, cultural, and historic treasures like the Pearl Harbor National Memorial and the HonouliuliNational Monument, encourage activity, honor our history, and inspire life-long stewardship of our planet."

Hawai‘i benefits in S. 47 include:

Recognizing World War II Pacific Sites, including the Pearl Harbor National Memorial and the HonouliuliNational Monument.

Rep. Ed Case. Photo from Case's Facebook

Improving Water Infrastructure, by allowing eligible entities within the States of Alaska and Hawai‘i to access the WaterSMART program. WaterSMART works cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities to modernize existing infrastructure and bring attention to local water conflicts.

Permanently Reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund that has provided $249 million for protection projects at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes and HaleakalāNational Parks, James Campbell and Hakalau National Wildlife Refuges, and Kaloko-HonokohauNationalHistoricPark.

Developing a National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System to monitor U.S.volcanoes 24/7, create a national volcano data center to coordinate information from volcano observatories, and modernize monitoring equipment with emerging technology.

Adding coral reefs and coastal and marine areas administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to the Public Lands Corps program.

Funding for University of Hawai‘i Geologic Mapping Programs to further create geologic maps recording the types of rocks, soils, water, and mineral resources on and below the surface.

Reauthorizing fish and wildlife conservation programs, including for turtles and tortoises; rhinoceroses and tigers; neotropical migratory birds; African elephants; Asian elephants; and great apes.

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.

Image from NOAA

"UNSETTLED WEATHER" is headed for Hawaiʻi Island, according to the National Weather Service. Another Flash Flood Watch is in effect for the island from 6 p.m. this evening through Wednesday afternoon. In addition, the summits of Mauna Keaand Mauna Loa are under a Winter Weather Advisory and a High Wind Warning.

Forecasters state "an upper level trough will produce heavy showers and thunderstorms along a band of moisture that will slowly move down to the BigIsland tonight and Wednesday. The main threat for flash flooding will be over windward slopes. Some of these thunderstorms could be strong, especially over coastal waters."

Haleakalā summit is expected to achieve freezing levels at around 9,000 feet, with such low temperatures reaching that level of winter weather at Mauna Loaand Mauna Kea summits late tonight and Wednesday. Periods of freezing rain with snow showers are expected. The National Weather Service said, "Ice will result in difficult travel conditions. Total snow accumulations of up to three inches and ice accumulations up to one tenth of an inch are expected."

In addition, a High Wind Warning is in effect for the summits until 6 p.m. Wednesday. West winds are forecast for 55 to 65 miles per hour, with localized gusts over 80 mph tonight.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Thu., Feb. 28, 3p.m., @HPA

Mon., March 4, 3p.m., host Konawaena

Wed., March 6, 3p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1p.m., host Keaʻau

Softball:

Wed., Feb. 27, @Honokaʻa

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kemehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Boys Volleyball:

Wed., Feb. 27, 6 p.m., @Konawaena

Fri., March 1, 6 p.m., host Pāhoa

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Track:

Sat., March 2, 9 a.m., @HPA

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

NEW and UPCOMING

NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT MEETING for kids Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade and those interested in creating a Volcano School of Arts and Sciences for high school, happens at River of Life Church in Pāhala tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 27. Pre-K through eighth meeting starts at 5 p.m., high school at 5:30 p.m.

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.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

Exploring Tunnel Books - Bookbinding Workshop, Saturday, March 2, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. $32/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 materials fee. Prior experience not necessary. List of supplies online. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, March 2 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

MONDAY, MARCH 4

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, March 4. Register in advance. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Monday, March 4, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

Free Vision Screening for All Ages, Tuesday, March 5, 9-11a.m., Pāhala Community Center. All ages receive screening for near and far vision. Keiki are screened for color deficiencies, adults for eye diseases. Keiki receive free sunglasses, adults free reading glasses. Sponsored by Tūtū & Me and Project Vision Hawaiʻi, projectvisionhawaii.org, 808-282-2265.

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, March 5, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

ONGOING

Kauahaʻao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar, Saturday, March 16, 9-2 pm, just above the old Wong Yuen Store in Waiʻōhinu. Bazaar vendor spaces on the church lawn are $10 for 10' X 10'. Vendors are responsible for bringing all supplies, including electricity. Church members will sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls, and roast chicken with gravy bowls, as well as baked goods, produce, and crafts. Submit application with fee by Sunday, March 10; call Debbie or Walter, 928-8039, for application.

The endemic Hawaiian Hoary Bat depends on dryland forests for survival. Read about the upcoming

Nahelehele Dryland Forest Symposium, below. Photo from drylandforest.org

THE PROPOSED NĀʻĀLEHU WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT drew a wide range of opinions this week when the engineer and community outreach person met with residents and held a public meeting. They explained that the proposed site has moved a third time, from the Makahiki Grounds where archaeological remains were discovered, and from land near the Nāʻālehu School, where teachers and surrounding residents objected to the location.
The new site is in the mauka end of Kahlilipalinui ahupuaʻa, 2.5 miles from the shoreline. It would be located within more than 2,000 acres in Kahilipalinui and Kahilipaliʻikii being purchased for conservation through the county Two Per Cent Land Fund and state Legacy Land Fund. Both county and state recently gave permission to remove the 30 acres from the conservation zone, in order to use it for the treatment facility, which would protect the Waikapuna shoreline from untreated sewage coming from the town. It would become the property of the county. The rest of the land would be owned and stewarded by the Ala Kahakai Trail Association.

Wastewater treatment engineer Michelle Sorensen goes over the plan
with a Nāʻālehu property owner. Photo by Julia Neal

In terms of economic development, a new sewer line running along Hwy 11 would allow businesses like Punaluʻu Bake Shop, Hana Hou Restaurant, Nāʻālehu Shopping Center, and Shaka's Restaurant, along with Nāʻālehu School and Bay Clinic, to grow without digging up gardens and parking areas for additional septic system capacity.
During Tuesday night's meeting, some people said they worried that the cost of the treatment plant, estimated at some $40 million, could be too much of a financial burden on residents of the town and give developers the opportunity to bring in too much growth at the expense of local people. Representatives of the county explained that the cost of the new sewer system is borne by the entire county, not the Nāʻālehu community alone. Loans pay for it and the county pays off the loans over time, keeping the sewage fees the same islandwide.
While the sewage treatment plant would have the capacity to grow, growth of the town would be determined in the future with input from the townspeople, said county representatives. The obligation of the county is to retire the town's large capacity gang cesspools which are illegal under federal law but serve 163 houses in the old sugar camp in Nāʻālehu. The EPA has promised fines of more than $30,000 per day per large capacity cesspool, should the county be unable to shut them down and provide a legal alternative in the near future.

Some 90 people attended last night's meeting on the proposed Nāʻālehu wastewater system. Photo by Julia Neal

Several residents said they worried that the plan calls for a sewage outfall into the ocean. Would Waikapuna be affected? Engineer Michelle Sorensen explained that the 30-acre facility would be far from the ocean. Effluent treated without chemicals by oxygen and microbes would be absorbed by the soil in groves of trees.
The treatment facility would help protect the ocean, groundwater and health from sewage that is now going into the ground untreated, noted the engineer. She showed on maps that the treatment plant would be miles from the coast and that no ocean outfall is in the planning.
See more in tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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View, this morning, into Halemaʻumaʻu, from the caldera rim. USGS photo

GAZE INTO HALEMAʻUMAʻU with a new, temporary monitoring camera, perched on the west rim of Kīlauea caldera. Operated by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the cam looks east, into recently enlarged Halema‘uma‘u crater. See it at volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/webcam.html?webcam=K3cam.

Reports volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo, "Following the dramatic events of 2018, Kīlauea is now relatively quiet. But it remains an active volcano that will erupt again, so it is wise to stay informed about its status, along with other active Hawaiian volcanoes.

"However, the deepest part of crater is not visible from this vantage point. Because this is a temporary installation, the view angle can slightly change whenever the camera is serviced."

Halemaʻumaʻu is approximately 1 km, or 0.6 miles, wide. USGS says the depth of the crater in the visible image from the rim is several hundred meters. HVO hopes to install a permanent webcam at this site in the coming months.

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Map from drylandforest.org

NAHELEHELE DRYLAND FOREST SYMPOSIUM will highlight dryland forest ecology and restoration efforts in Hawai‘i. The symposium will be held on Wednesday, March 27 at the ‘ImiloaAstronomyCenteron Nowelo Street in Hilo, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The symposium is open to the public. Early registration is available for $75 per person until March 15; after March 15 registration is $90 per person. The Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association, Mary Begier Realty and the State Division of Forestry and Wildlife are sponsoring discounts for students with valid ID. Student registration is $40 before March 15 or $55 after. Registration fees include lunch. More information and registration are available online at eventbrite.com/e/2019-nahelehele-dryland-forest-symposium-tickets-55807951084or by contacting Ron Terry at symposium@drylandforest.org or (808) 969-7090.

Dryland forest native ʻŌkaʻi caterpillar depends
on dryland forests for survival.
Photo by Yvonne Yarber Carter

A limited-participant field trip to the recent burn area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered on Tuesday, March 26; $40, lunch provided.

Says the release about the symposium: "The dryland forests of Hawai‘i are fragile habitats that are home to many of the rarest plants in the world. Dryland forests were once considered to be the most diverse forest ecosystems in the Hawaiian Islands but have suffered decades of deforestation and degradation. Only remnant patches of these habitats of highly diverse communities of plants and animals remain today. The Dryland Forest Symposium provides a forum to discuss recent developments in dryland forest conservation and restoration, and an opportunity to interact with others interested in dryland forest ecology.

"At this year's symposium we are honored to have Hālau ‘Ōhi‘a open the event with a kīpaepae to help establish and strengthen our specific intentions as we engage in this symposium meant to help conserve a resource with profound biocultural significance. Keynote speaker Dr. Jennifer Powers from the University of Minnesota has been an avid researcher of tropical dry forests in Costa Ricasince 1994. She investigates the relationships among ecological processes, the patterns they generate, and the effects of anthropogenic environmental changes across a range of spatial and temporal scales.

Invasive Fireweed negatively affects dryland forest.
Photo from drylandforest.org

"Other presenters include Dr. Natalie Kurashima of Kamehameha Schools, Jen Lawson of the Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative, Dr. Patrick Hart of UH-Hilo, Pablo Beimler and Elizabeth Pickett of the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization, the team of botany and traditional ecology expert Bobby Camara and horticulturalist Kathy Kawakami, Dr. Christian Giardina of the USDA's Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Philipp Lahaela-Walter of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and Dr. Chris Balzotti."

Nahelehele Dryland Forest Symposium is a project of Ka‘ahahui ‘O Ka Nahelehele, drylandforest.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to dry forest advocacy and partnerships. Symposium sponsors include the Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association, Mary Begier Realty, and the State of Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Organizations and individuals interested in sponsoring the symposium or contributing to student scholarships may contact Ron Terry at symposium@drylandforest.org or (808) 969-7090.

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CHILD CARE FOR WORKING FAMILIES was reintroduced to the U.S. Senate this week by Mazie Hirono and 32 colleagues. Parents and child care educators and advocates support the bill, which "seeks to expand access to high-quality, affordable early childhood programs for working and middle class families" states a release from Hirono's office. 98 U.S. House representatives introduced a companion bill.

Sen. Mazie Hirono. Photo from Hirono's office

Said Hirono, "Child care is foundational for future academic and social success, yet remains unaffordable and unavailable for many working and middle class families in Hawaiʻi – who face the highest cost of living in the country. At nearly $700 per month, child care is the second highest household expense after housing for most families – surpassing the amount they spend on food, utilities, transportation, or health care. The Child Care for Working Families Act represents a long-term investment in our keiki to ensure that every family can access high-quality, affordable early learning and child care programs."

Bobby Scott, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, said, "The high cost of child care is a heavy burden that falls on children, families, and our economy as a whole. Children are too often denied the foundation they need to reach their potential, parents are forced to choose between child care and work, and these challenges have both short- and long-term consequences for our economy. The Child Care for Working Families Act addresses this national crisis by ensuring that all families can afford to send their children to a quality child care program that will support them through a critical stage in their lives."

For families in Hawaiʻi, says Hirono, child care expenses have increased, on average, by 24 percent over the last decade, with many families expected to pay over $8,000 for child care every year. According to a 2018 report by Child Care Aware of America, nearly half of Hawaiʻi's children under the age of six lack access to child care, resulting in a shortage of 30,000 certified child care slots in the state. The Child Care for Working Families Act represents a long-term investment in child care to ensure that no family making 150 percent of state median income or less has to contribute more than seven percent of their income toward child care, regardless of the number of children they have.

The bill also increases funding for Head Start in order to promote universal access to high-quality preschool programs, and improves compensation and training for child care workers to give teachers and caregivers full and fair compensation, as well as the support they need to ensure that the children they are caring for can thrive.

According to the Center for American Progress, investing in the Child Care for Working Families Act would generate 2.3 million new jobs as a result of parents joining the workforce, as well as the expansion of child care and early education sector jobs. As a result of an investment in child care and early education, the report stated it expects the Child Care for Working Families Act would lift one million families out of poverty, which would substantially improve a child’s social and academic development.

Hirono previously co-introduced the Child Care for Working Families Act in September 2017. In 2018, Senator Hirono advocated for and helped secure funding for the Preschool Development Grant program, Head Start, Early Head Start, the Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five program, and the Child Care and Development Block Grant.

Legislative text of the Child Care for Working Families Act can be found here. A fact sheet on the Child Care for Working Families Act can be found here.

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KAʻŪ HIGH BASEBALL, coached by Greg Rush, started the season yesterday with a game that took them all the way north. Honokaʻa hosted the Trojans. Kaʻū got skunked as they lost 0 to 15.

See, below, upcoming Spring sports dates, including Softball, coached by Donovan Emmsley; Track, coached Hiʻilani Lapera; and Boys Volleyball, coached by Joshua Ortega.

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MISS KAʻŪ COFFEE PAGEANT APPLICATION DEADLINE is tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 28. The pageant is held at Ka‘ū District Gym, Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. Miss Kaʻū Coffee and her court will represent the Kaʻū Coffee industry throughout the year at events in the community and beyond. Girls three to 24 years of age are encouraged to enter the pageant. Competitive categories include Talent, Gown, Photogenic, Career-Interview, Characters Outfit, and Swimsuit for Miss Kaʻū Coffee. Pageant hopefuls contend for titles of Miss Ka‘ū Coffee, Jr. Miss Kaʻū Coffee, Miss Kaʻū Peaberry, and Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower. Email tmarques@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.

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Thu., Feb. 28, 3p.m., @HPA

Mon., March 4, 3p.m., host Konawaena

Wed., March 6, 3p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1p.m., host Keaʻau

Thu., March 21, 3 p.m., @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 1 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Softball:

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kemehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Wed., March 20, @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 11 a.m., host Honokaʻa

Boys Volleyball:

Fri., March 1, 6 p.m., host Pāhoa

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Tue., March 19, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Track:

Sat., March 2, 9 a.m., @HPA

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

Sat., March 23, 9 a.m., @Waiakea

NEW and UPCOMING

PĀHALA RECYCLING & TRANSFER STATION'S FUTURE will be discussed at a community meeting on Tuesday, March 19, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center. The County of Hawaiʻi Department of Environmental Management Solid Waste Division will discuss the operating days and modifying the current schedule.

A release about the meeting says, "We welcome any input and participation from the community and users of this facility. Please join us for this public informational meeting!"

KA‘Ū DISTRICT GYM HOSTS A ST. PATRICK'S DAY RAINBOW ARTS AND CRAFT ACTIVITY, for keiki 5 to 12 years old, on Wednesday, Mar. 13, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., in the multi-purpose room. Registration begins Monday, Mar. 4. Free.
For more, contact Recreation Director Nona Makuakane at 928-3102. Ka‘ū District Gym is located on the Ka‘ū High School campus on Kamani Street in Pāhala. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours.

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Keiki Science Class, Saturday, March 2 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

MONDAY, MARCH 4

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, March 4. Register in advance. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Monday, March 4, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, March 5, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

Ash Wednesday Service, Wednesday, March 6, 3p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

Arts and Crafts Activity: Tissue Paper Butterfly, Wednesday, March 6, 3:30-5p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki ages 5-12 through March 5. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Hula Voices with Kumu Hula Ka‘ea Lyons and Lily Lyons, Wednesday, March 6 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30-7p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565

Open Mic Night, Wednesday, March 6, 6-10p.m., Lava Lounge, Kīlauea Military Camp. Call 967-8365 after 4p.m. to sign up and for more details. Park entrance fees may apply. Open to KMC patrons and sponsored guests, 21+. 967-8371, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

ONGOING

Volunteer on Midway Atoll for Six Months. The volunteer will serve as a communication assistant out on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, on or about March 12 through August. Applications due by tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 28. Potential to be extended to a full year. Get more info and instructions on how to apply.

Nāʻālehu Celebrates Craft Month with open crafting for all ages, while supplies last. Crafting starts off at 3 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday in February. Free. Contact Sara Kamibayashi at (808) 939-2442 for more.

Kauahaʻao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar, Saturday, March 16, 9-2 pm, just above Wong Yuen Store in Waiʻōhinu. Bazaar vendor spaces on the church lawn are $10 for 10' X 10'. Vendors are responsible for bringing all supplies, including electricity. Church members will sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls, and roast chicken with gravy bowls, as well as baked goods, produce, and crafts. Submit application with fee by Sunday, March 10; call Debbie or Walter, 928-8039, for application.

Southwest Airlines will start booking flights from California airports to Kona soon. Image from southwest.com

SOUTHWEST EARNED THE OK TO FLY TO HAWAIʻI on Feb. 27. A series of test flights earlier this month monitored by the Federal Aviation Administration showed the airline is ready for long-haul over ocean flights from the West Coast, including direct flights to Kona. Southwest also plans interisland flights.

Southwest's chief operating officer Mike Van de Ven announced the news to employees on Wednesday: "The FAA today officially authorized Southwest to operate ETOPS or Extended Operations flights... We have teams now finalizing our plans to offer service to Hawaiʻi, and we'll publicly announce our timing for inaugural flights and other service when we publish our schedule in the coming days."

The first Southwest flight to Hawaiʻi was met on Oʻahu by smiling
faces and an airplane-sized lei. Photo from southwest.com

Kona, Honolulu, Kahului, and Lihuʻe will be connected to San Diego, Oakland, Sacramento, San and San Jose, all California airports.
Says the Southwest website: "We also intend to provide interisland service, so you can fly between the Hawaiian Islands with us, too. For more information on the islands we intend to serve, visit the Southwest Community."

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A NEW WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR NĀʻĀLEHU drew questions at Tuesday's meeting regarding paying to hook up, a requirement to abandon existing septic systems for the county sewer pipe, and the reason to build a sewage treatment plant rather than septic tank.
Iwao Yonemitsu of Nāʻālehu Hongwanji said the church paid for its own septic system. Should the sewer line go by and the church be ordered to hook up, could the Hongwanji receive reimbursement for its septic system? County representatives said county code requires all buildings to hook up to county sewer lines that go by their properties.
In Nāʻālehu the new sewer line is planned to travel along Hwy 11 from the school and old mill camp to just shy of the hongwanji. The school, gym, community center, post office, library, churches, Bay Clinic, 76 gas station, Punaluʻu Bakeshop, Hana Hou, Ace Hardware, CU Hawaiʻi Federal Credit Union, Shaka's, the shopping center, and other buildings along the Hwy 11 strip would be required to hook up at their own expense. Their septic systems would be retired, building owners relieved of pumping their tanks and other maintenance, as well as having to put in additional capacity should the use of their facilities grow.

Iwao Yonemitsu points to Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, which

installed its own septic system. Photo by Julia Neal

County representatives told Yonemitsu there is no rebate for having put in a septic system prior to the sewer line going in. Some homeowners wondered if there could be assistance in the cost of hooking up to the sewer system, saying they heard prices as high as $20,000. Bill Kucharski, Director of the Hawaiʻi County Department of Environmental Management, said he and his staff are looking into grants and loans to help with the expense for those who are unable to afford hooking up. All of those served by the old sewer line put in by the old sugar company would be hooked up at no charge. Those on cesspools and septic along the way would pay for their hookups.
The proposed site for the wastewater treatment is makai of Nāʻālehu, 2.5 miles from the ocean.
The proposed site has been moved twice, once from land near the police station, after it was determined to be a rich archaeological site, and the other next to Nāʻālehu School.
Some residents said the price for the wastewater treatment facility, at over $40 million, is too expensive, even though the cost will be shared county wide. They asked that a septic system be used to satisfy EPA requirements to abandon three large capacity gang cesspools that serve the old sugar camp of 163 houses.
County representatives said that newer wastewater technology with disposal of treated effluent in forested groves, rather than tanks requiring pumping and shipping waste to the landfill, is the preferred technology and follows the Kaʻū Community Development Plan that forecasts some growth in the town.
An Environmental Assessment is expected in late May or June for review by the public before the county continues to purchase the treatment site and start the construction.
Several advocates of the septic tank solution said they are suing the county and other agencies to stop the wastewater plant.
See yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs for more.

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A BILL TO EXPAND BACKGROUND CHECKS ON THOSE PURCHASING GUNS passed the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday. Backed by Hawaiʻi Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Ed Case, HR. 8, would "utilize the current background checks process in the United States to ensure individuals prohibited from gun possession are not able to obtain firearms."

March for Our Lives, a group created after a school shooting in Parkland, FL, cost 17 lives, encourages the public
to contact legislators to vote for universal background checks for gun purchases. MFOL photo

Gabbard remarked, "97% of Americans support universal background checks for gun purchases. The passage of this bipartisan common-sense legislation is long overdue to help save lives and make our communities more safe."

Case tweeted yesterday, "Today, I joined many of my colleagues in passing H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, a reasonable bill that would #UpdateBackgroundChecksto include private transactions, including purchases online and at gun sales. Background checks help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people without infringing on the 2nd Amendment rights of Americans. "

The companion bill, S. 42, Background Check Expansion Act, is co-sponsored by Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, as well as 39 other Democratic senators and Independent Bernie Sanders.

March for Our Lives, the campaign spearheaded by survivors of a school shooting in Floridalast year that killed seven people, encourages the public to act:

"Call your Senator at 1-844-436-2403 and fight to make universal background checks the law of the land.

"NRA-backed senators have already spent decades doing nothing while tens of thousands of Americans die from gun violence every year. But if we work together, we can pass the first gun violence prevention bill in a generation. It's up to us to demand that they act."

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 RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO of Hawaiian Electric Companies reached 27 percent in 2018, even with the loss of Puna Geothermal Venture, with its plant partially covered by lava during the Kīlauea volcanic eruption. Use of renewables was up from 9 percent a decade ago, in producing electricity for Hawaiʻi, Honolulu and Maui counties.

According to a statement from Hawaiʻi Electric Companies, they lost no ground in toward the goal to reach 100 percent renewable energy in 2045. The companies would have registered 29 percent renewables had PGV produced at the same level as 2017.

Hawaiʻi Electric Light, Maui Electric, and Hawaiian Electric are on track to achieve the next mandated renewables milestone: 30 percent by 2020.The companies' annual use of fossil fuels has declined by 88 million gallons over the past 10 years – about 19 percent, says the statement from the utilities.

Hawaiʻi Electric Light, with the mix of geothermal through May, 2018, and solar, wind, and hydroelectricity, recorded 44 percent use of renewables, down from 57 percent in 2017. HELCO would have reached 64 percent if PGV had stayed online for the full year. Maui Electric recorded 38 percent, up from 34 percent in 2017, and Oʻahu was at 22 percent, up from 21 percent the previous year.

Lava approaching Puna Geothermal Venture last year. USGS photo

Peak renewable energy production for the year on Hawaiʻi Island was reached on April 14, 2018, when 79 percent of electricity demand was met by renewables. The peak was 80 percent on Mauion April 14, 2018, and 58 percent was achieved on May 19, 2018, on Oʻahu.

Two projects – Kuia Solar and South Maui Renewable Resources – came online on Mauilast year, the island's first grid-scale solar arrays. On Molokaʻi, regulators approved the island's first large-scale solar-plus-storage renewable project, Molokaʻi New Energy Partners.

On Oʻahu, the 20-megawatt West Loch Solar facility in Ewa will come online this year, as will three Clearway Energy solar facilities totaling 110 MW. Power purchase agreements for seven solar-plus-storage facilities on Hawaiʻi Island, Oʻahu, and Maui were filed in 2018 with regulators, laying the foundation for the largest surge in renewable energy in state history.

By 2022, says the release, there will be more than 4.4 million solar panels delivering energy to the grid.

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A WARNING ABOUT MOMO CHALLENGE has been issued by the Department of Education. East Hawaiʻi Complex Area Superintendent, Chad Farias, sent a letter to parents today, saying The Momo Challenge is "the latest series of online challenges targeting youth and teens." The letter says while evidence of students using the game is limited, coverage in news and over social media is "extensive... It's important that parents talk to their children about it... It takes a collective community to be vigilant in ensuring student safety."

Commonly used image by media to represent "Momo," a
purported tool for online bullying.
Image from Cambridge News

The letter states the Challenge is "played" over a digital social media platform, where contact is initiated by messaging a phone from a number found online. If the target engages, directions are given to "complete challenges that can include self-harm and even suicide," states the letter. "There have been reports that bullies have been posing as 'Momo'– a nightmarish character with bulging eyes and a chilling smile – on platforms to bully others into harming themselves."

The superintendent encourages parents to "ask their child whether they have seen anything online that has upset or worried them, and explain there are often things that happen online that can be misleading or frightening, and that some things are solely designed to get a lot of attention."

The superintendent also recommends parents "be proactive and foster an atmosphere of openness and transparency about their child's online activity," and review online safety and security features, especially since so many children have their own devices.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Mon., March 4, 3 p.m., host Konawaena

Wed., March 6, 3 p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1 p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1 p.m., host Keaʻau

Thu., March 21, 3 p.m., @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 1 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Softball:

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kamehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Wed., March 20, @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 11 a.m., host Honokaʻa

Boys Volleyball:

Fri., March 1, 6 p.m., host Pāhoa
Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Tue., March 19, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Track:

Sat., March 2, 9 a.m., @HPA

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

Sat., March 23, 9 a.m., @Waiakea

NEW and UPCOMING

JEJ JAMIN MELOKLOK – We Shall Not Forget – the First Anniversary of Commemorating the Nuclear Legacy of the Marshall Islands and 65th Anniversary of Castle Bravo Shot, happens Saturday, March 9, 10 a.m., at Old Airport Recreational Center, 75-5560 Kuakini Hwy, Kona.
Says the release: "On behalf of all the Big Island Marshallese Community, the Coordinating Committee for 2019 Nuclear Victims & Survivors Remembrance Day cordially invites you."
Sponsored by Marshall Islands National Nuclea Commission, Marshall Islans General Consulate Office in Hawaiʻi, and West Hawaiʻi Commnbity Health Center. Contact David Anitok, secretary@rmnuclearcommission.net.

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.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, March 2 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, March 3 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon-2p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or
sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

MONDAY, MARCH 4

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, March 4. Register in advance. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Monday, March 4, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, March 5, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

Ash Wednesday Service, Wednesday, March 6, 3p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

Women's Support Group, Thursday, March 7 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

All Ages Game Nite, Thursday, March 7, 5:30-7:30p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym. Register through March 5. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

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

ONGOING

Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

Lava approaching Puna Geothermal last year. The owners hope to reopen it by the end of this year,
with new water well, road, and electric substation. Photo by Kai Kahele

THE ABSENCE OF GEOTHERMAL CONTRIBUTING TO THE ELECTRIC GRID on the island could change if Ormat Technologies, Inc. is able to reopen its plant in Puna, which was partially covered by lava last year. "Operation of Puna power plant by the end of 2019 is subject to successful results we receive from the geothermal wells and from the plant equipment," Ormat stated in its Fourth Quarter report for 2018. The report says that in 2018 the company received $12 million in insurance money to help it rebuild.

The facility has been offline since last May when lava threatened and Ormat covered its geothermal wells with clay, air shipped to the island. The idea was that the wells could be preserved by encapsulating them. The lava would flow over and around them without destroying them. Recent "tests from the geothermal injection wells indicate higher temperatures at the reservoir with no sign of any negative impact on pressure."

Ormat's Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2018 Earnings Call states that the company is "working rapidly to resume operation of our Puna power plant." Ormat states that the State of Hawaiʻi and Ormat's customer, Hawaiʻi Electric Light Co, which serves all of Hawaiʻi Island, are committed to "pursue all that is required to meet our target to operate Puna by the end of 2019."
Ormat reports completing its access road and drilling a new well to source water to be boiled by the heat of lava to make electricity from steam. Plugs put in the geothermal to prevent blowouts during lava flow are being pulled.

Ormat is shipping a "large rig to the island to enable drilling additional wells if required,” states the report. A new electrical substation to replace the old one destroyed by lava flow could be built by the end of the year.

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

KAʻŪ HOSPITAL AND HILO MEDICAL CENTER'S EFFORTS AT THE HAWAIʻI LEGISLATURE ARE GOING WELL, according to their newsletter released today. The newsletter reports:

HB527 and SB911 are among Hilo Medical Center's 2019 legislative priorities to improve cardiac care on Hawaiʻi Island by stopping heart attacks in progress. Both bills have passed out of their final committees and are advancing in the legislative process. "Mahalo to our community for continuing to support these bills."

HB1421: State Operating Budget for Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation is also making its way through the legislature, including funding for Kaʻū Hospital.

A Zoll Autopulse "gives our patients a fighting chance,"
at Kaʻū Hospital. Photo from Hilo Medical Center
Newsletter.

HB1410: Funds to expand the Kaʻū Rural Health Clinic to improve access to urgent care and outpatient behavioral health services.
SB887 SD1: Increasing Cigarette and Tobacco Tax for improvement purposes that include the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corp.

HB722 HD1 and HB1447 HD1: To promote public education on palliative care and establish home- or community-based palliative care projects.

Follow the bills through the links above and submit testimony.

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 HOSPITAL OFFERS A ZOLL AUTOPULSE, which "gives our patients a fighting chance in Kaʻū," states the newsletter from affiliate Hilo Medical Center. The newsletter thanks the local community organization ʻO Kaʻū Kākou for raising funds to purchase the $16,000 in lifesaving equipment that provides high-quality automated Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation to victims of sudden cardiac arrest.
"I had first seen the AutoPulse at Molokaʻi General, a small hospital like ours where there is only one doctor and one nurse on duty at night," said Marie Aulani Hammond, Nurse Educator at Kaʻū Hospital. "Having the AutoPulse frees up our providers. It also does not get tired after two minutes. It keeps on going."

Sherrie Bazin, Director of Nursing at Kaʻū Hospital, said, "This equipment allows us to stack the cards in our patients' favor and gives them a better chance to live." She advocated to support the purchase of the AutoPulse.

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.

INVASIVE LITTLE FIRE ANTS REACHED HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK recently, but the only location discovered is in the popular Steam Vents area and Mauna Ulu parking lot. "These are the first known populations of LFA in the park," says a statement from the park.

Little Fire Ants have been discovered in Hawaiʻi
Volcanoes National Park for the first time and
will be treated with MEXH 14. NPS Photo

The Steam Vents parking lot will be closed on Thursday, March 14 to treat the area from 8 a.m. to noon. In late 2018, park scientists made the unwelcome discovery of three acres infested with the ants. LFA are a major threat to native species, including other insects and birds, as well as to humans. No bites have yet been reported, according to the park statement.

Only the Steam Vents parking lot and the trail from the parking lot to Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff) will be closed on March 14 from 8 a.m. to noon; Wahinekapu and Crater Rim Trail will remain open. The park will treat Steam Vents every six weeks and will announce closures in news releases, the park website, nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes, and via social media. The goal is to completely eradicate the ants from the area, reports the park.

"We are optimistic that our efforts to eliminate LFA from this site will be successful, and we again remind the public to check their vehicles and belongings to ensure they do not inadvertently bring LFA into the park," said park ecologist David Benitez.

For more information on LFA, how to control them and how to prevent spreading them, visit littlefireants.com.

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

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A LAVA FLOW TO COOL? asks this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:

How do lava flows cool and how long does it take?
Since the end of the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption on Kīlauea Volcano, questions have surfaced concerning how long it will take for the new lava flows to solidify. This is a difficult question to answer, because the initial eruptive temperatures along with many different factors can influence the rate of cooling.
Eruptive lava temperatures of the 2018 LERZ eruption reached a maximum of approximately 1140 degrees Celsius (2080 degrees Fahrenheit). When the entire flow cools below about 1000° C (1800° F), it has solidified, but the interior is still very hot.
Arguably the most influential factor determining how fast lava cools is the thickness of the flow. Other factors include heat loss from both the top (to the atmosphere) and bottom of a flow (into the ground). Contributing to heat loss at the flow's surface are air temperature, rainfall, and wind.
The initial contact between a lava flow, the air above it, and ground surface below it, quickly hardens the outer crust (top and bottom) of the flow. This is apparent in the silvery crust that forms on active pāhoehoe flows and the rubbly clinker that surrounds active ‘a‘ā flows. As the crust cools and thickens, it retains heat within the flow's interior. This is because the crust is a good insulator, meaning it poorly conducts heat—similar to how an insulated thermos keeps liquid inside it hot.

This ‘a‘ā flow erupted from fissure 8 on Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone on June 1, 2018. It shows how the interior of a lava flow remains incandescently hot even though surface cooling forms a crust of solid rubble. Based on studies of lava flow cooling rates, it will take more than 130 days for a flow this thick (about 4.5 m, or 15 ft) to cool to a temperature of about 200 degrees Celsius (290 degrees Fahrenheit). USGS photo by A. Lerner

After the initial formation of crust, the flow continues to lose heat through radiation and conduction, facilitated by wind and rain. As rain water percolates into cracks in the flow’s surface and encounters the hot interior, it produces steam, forming the billowy white plumes often seen over active (or recently active) flows. This steaming can persist for decades, long after the lava has solidified, depending on the thickness of the flow and the temperature of its interior.
Based on a study of crustal cooling of pāhoehoe lava flows in Kalapana erupted from the East Rift Zone Kupaianaha vent in 1990, we can estimate the solidification time for the 2018 LERZ flows. Because the equation only looks at cooling of the lava flow's upper crust, the basal crust thickness is assumed to equal 70 percent of the upper crust according to this study.

The 1959 Kīlauea Iki lava lake took about 35
years to solidify, USGS Photo

The Kalapana measurements were made on thin pāhoehoe flows and most of the 2018 LERZ lava is ‘a‘ā. But, because the core of each flow type should cool at similar rates, we are basing 2018 cooling rates on the 1990 study. Also, of note, the flows studied in 1990 were much thinner with shorter cooling rates and may not account for long-term changes in wind and rain patterns.
Preliminary analyses of the 2018 LERZ eruption flow thicknesses suggest that the average flow thickness is around 10–15 m (33–50 ft). Based on the cooling rate calculation, it could take roughly 8 months to 1.5 years for flows of these thicknesses to solidify.
Solidification of flows ranging 20–30 m (65–100 ft) thick could take about 2.5–6 years. The thickest LERZ flows on land, which are approximately 55 m (180 ft) thick, may take roughly 20 years to reach a completely solid state.
Because flow thickness, wind speeds, rainfall amounts, air and ground temperatures, and other factors all affect lava cooling rates, there is a range of uncertainty on how long the interior of a flow remains liquid. For example, after the 1959 Kīlauea Iki eruption, the approximately 135 m (440 ft) deep lava lake took about 35 years to completely solidify, and the interior of the lake could still be hot enough today that the rock is incandescent. This is why, on rainy days, you can see steam rising from the Kīlauea Iki crater floor, as well as the Kīlauea caldera floor.
With flow crust being such an efficient insulator, it can take years to decades for lava within thick flows to solidify. It takes much longer for the flow to cool to ambient temperatures.
Next week's Volcano Watch will address in more detail the thicknesses of lava flows from the 2018 LERZ eruption. HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea for any sign of increased activity.
Visit HVO's website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call 808-967-8862 for weekly Kīlauea updates. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Mon., March 4, 3 p.m., host Konawaena

Wed., March 6, 3 p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1 p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1 p.m., host Keaʻau

Thu., March 21, 3 p.m., @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 1 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Softball:

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kamehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Wed., March 20, @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 11 a.m., host Honokaʻa

Boys Volleyball:

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Tue., March 19, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Track:

Sat., March 2, 9 a.m., @HPA

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

Sat., March 23, 9 a.m., @Waiakea

NEW and UPCOMING

OCEAN VIEW CLASSIC CAR AND BIKE SHOW, hosted and sponsored by Ocean View Community Center happens Saturday, March 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Owners of classic cars and bikes are encouraged to register early, as space is limited. This first annual event features an open house with fun, food, and music.
This fundraiser needs volunteers to help out: Public Parking, 2-3 people; Car Parking Upper Lot, 2-3 people; Bike Parking Lower Lot, 2-3 people; Music DJ + Raffle & Prize Announcements 2-3 people; Kitchen Serving, 2-3 people; Open House Tours, 1-2 people; and Clean Up & Closing, 3-4 people. According to Don Gall, "I want to have enough help so that each person only needs to be 'on duty' for about two hours."
Contact Dennis at 831-234-7143 or Ron at 808-217-7982 to volunteer, register, or for more info. ovcahawaii@gmail.com, ovcahi.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.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, March 2 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, March 3 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon-2p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or
sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

MONDAY, MARCH 4

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, March 4. Register in advance. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Monday, March 4, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, March 5, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

Ash Wednesday Service, Wednesday, March 6, 3p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

Women's Support Group, Thursday, March 7 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

All Ages Game Nite, Thursday, March 7, 5:30-7:30p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym. Register through March 5. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 8
Mardi Gras Fundraising Dinner, Friday, March 8, doors open at 5:30p.m., dinner served 6-8p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. $8/single meal, $15/couple, $20/family. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

Community Dance, Friday, March 8, 7-10p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Minors allowed with supervision only. Alcohol-free event. Variety of music. Snacks provided; additional pūpū welcome. Free. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

ONGOING

Niuhi-Shark Fine Art Exhibit is open daily through Sunday, March 24 at Volcano Art Center Gallery. The public is invited to hear different perspectives on the life of Kamehameha the Great and experience a visual experience of important events in Kamehameha's life from the perspective of two styles of art. The exhibit and supporting events promise paint, prose, protocol, and conversations providing cultural, historical, and educational experiences, with original paintings by Carl F. K. Pao, paired with selections from the book Kamehameha–The Rise of a King by David Kāwika Eyre, with illustrations by Brook Parker. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more information.

Preschool Opens Doors Applications are open for the 2019-2020 school year. The Department of Human Services encourages families to apply before Friday, March 29. This program is for families seeking aid in paying for preschool. Applications, available at patchhawaii.org, received during this period will be considered for preschool participation during July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. For more information, visit bit.ly/2TolEOm or call 800-746-5620.

Stained Glass Cottage Hawaiʻi is affiliated with Experience Volcano, which took its concerns to a
public hearing Friday regarding proposed Short Term Vacation Rental rules. Testifiers talked about possible damage
to the local economy and harm to residents who depend on vacation rentals to make their living.
Photo from Experience Volcano

EXPERIENCE VOLCANO ADVOCATES TOOK THEIR CONCERNS OVER PROPOSED VACATION RENTAL RULES TO THE PUBLIC HEARING FRIDAY in Hilo. The Volcano Village residents wore Experience Volcano shirts and testified they are worried that new rules could hurt the visitor industry, which is important to the Volcano economy. Short Term Vacation Rentals (rented for less than one month) make up much of the accommodations inventory in Volcano, which in turn supports Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, restaurants, stores, golf course, winery, galleries, and other enterprises that provide employment in the area.

Chris Becker said many vacation rental owners would find it hard to
pay for surveys of their parcels to meet new rules.
Photo from Big Island Video News

The proposed rules would require each operator to pay $500 for a license for each vacation rental, and another $200 per year for a Nonconforming Use Certificate to operate in a residential or agricultural area, with annual proof that the rental is not a nuisance to neighbors. No new vacation rentals will be allowed on residential or agriculture land islandwide. Only those operating as vacation rentals before April 1 would
be allowed to apply to become grandfathered in. Homes on agricultural lots would be able to apply if the lots were of record before June 4, 1976. After grandfathering in of those Short Term Vacation Rentals that meet requirements, no additional vacation rental licenses would be issued on residential or agriculture lands.
New vacation rentals would be allowed only in areas zoned resort and on some commercial properties. The only resort zoning in the Kaʻū through Volcano area is at Punaluʻu, with its condominiums, many of them timeshares, a far different experience than the cottages, traditional homes, and cabins across Kaʻū and Volcano.
Big Island Video News covered the hearing.
Chris Becker said he and his partner sank everything they had into their vacation rental in Volcano. He described the county's proposed requirements to approve vacation rentals "onerous and designed to weed out vacation rentals." He pointed to a requirement to produce a plot plan for each vacation rental. He said that it is something most owners would be unable to produce on their own and that hiring surveyors would be very costly, as many businesses are still trying to recover from last year's volcano disaster. He suggested that the plot plan used to approve the homes when they were built should be sufficient for county review.

Ira Ono, President of Experience Volcano Hawaiʻi, contended that the
Planning Department is overreaching with complicated and
expensive rules. Photo from Big Island Video News

Ira Ono, owner of Volcano Garden Arts and President of Experience Volcano, which promotes the area as a gateway community to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, shared several concerns.
The overreach of the planning department by creating complicated and expensive rules "that are not in the current [County Council] 108 bill that will financially impact our entire community," he said. Ono said the planning department's plan "to publish the names, locations, house numbers, and tax key maps of vacation rentals in the newspaper is more than just a needless invasion of privacy, it's a road map for a crime wave and invaluable handbook for thieves." He said vacation rentals are especially attractive targets for thieves. Attractive to visitors because they are quiet and rural, vacation rentals are attractive to thieves for the same reason, he said. According to Ono, vacation rentals often have one of a kind furniture and artwork that are valuable to thieves.
Ono said vacation rental owners "invest not just dollars in them, we invest in creativity, our personal labor, and our self esteem."
Many vacation rentals were lost to lava flow in Puna, according to those who testified. The Pāhoa economy is also hurting with fewer visitors staying there, and only the very wealthy are able to reestablish themselves by buying homes that were not destroyed, said one testifier. Another said lava victims will not be able to meet the deadline to meet requirements to become licensed vacation rentals as they have to rebuild homes. She asked for a five year extension for lava victims.

Hawaiʻi County Planning Director Michael Yee said a third and final hearing will be held in Hilo in early April. The department maintains a webpage, hiplanningdept.com/short-term-vacation-rentals, dedicated to all the details related to the rulemaking.
See more at Big Island Video News and in Sunday's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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

PUBLIC HEARINGS REGARDING RATE INCREASE REQUESTS from Hawai‘i Electric Light Co. are postponed by the Public Utilities Commission. The PUC will hear testimony about general rate increases, and revised rate schedules and rules, on Thursday, April 11, 5 p.m. at West Hawai‘i Civic Center County Council Chambers, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Kona; Friday, April 12, 5 p.m. at Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 1, Hilo.

Hawai‘i Electric Light is seeking a 3.38 percent increase in revenues, or $13.4 million over revenues at current effective rates. Any increase would likely not take effect until late 2019.

See upcoming Spring games, 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 Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Mon., March 4, 3 p.m., host Konawaena

Wed., March 6, 3 p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1 p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1 p.m., host Keaʻau

Thu., March 21, 3 p.m., @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 1 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Softball:

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kamehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Wed., March 20, @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 11 a.m., host Honokaʻa

Boys Volleyball:

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Tue., March 19, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Track:

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

Sat., March 23, 9 a.m., @Waiakea

NEW and UPCOMING

A release about the meeting says, "We welcome any input and participation from the community and users of this facility. Please join us for this public informational meeting!"

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.

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

MONDAY, MARCH 4

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, March 4. Register in advance. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Monday, March 4, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, March 5, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

Ash Wednesday Service, Wednesday, March 6, 3p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

Women's Support Group, Thursday, March 7 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

All Ages Game Nite, Thursday, March 7, 5:30-7:30p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym. Register through March 5. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

Mardi Gras Fundraising Dinner, Friday, March 8, doors open at 5:30p.m., dinner served 6-8p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. $8/single meal, $15/couple, $20/family. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

Community Dance, Friday, March 8, 7-10p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Minors allowed with supervision only. Alcohol-free event. Variety of music. Snacks provided; additional pūpū welcome. Free. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, March 9, 8-11a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

The Business of Art, Saturday, March 9, 9a.m.-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Intensive training for artists who want to grow their business, led by Ira Ono. Fee tba. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Stained Glass Basics 2, Saturday, March 9, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. For those with prior copper foil stained glass experience. Fee tba. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day, Saturday, March 9, meet 9:30a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

Zentangle: Lava Layers with Dina Wood Kageler, Saturday, March 9, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. Returning tanglers invited to bring favorite drawing supplies; loaner supplies available. Bring snack to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Hula Kahiko - Nā Kumu Hula Ka‘ea Lyons and Lily Lyons with Hālau Ka‘eaikahelelani, Saturday, March 9, 10:30-11:30a.m., hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula with Kumu Kaho‘okele Crabbe - Hālauolakalani, Saturday, March 9, 11a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING

Muriel Hughes and her husband operate a five-bedroom vacation rental in Volcano, which, she says, provides
affordable accommodations for people who want to take children to the living laboratory of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
National Park. She said she is concerned about proposed fees and rules. Photo from Big Island Video News

THE SHORT TERM VACATION RENTALS PUBLIC HEARING on Friday drew area residents to Hilo. Another hearing will be held on April 2 at 6 p.m. in Hilo, at County Council chambers.
Kīlauea Lodge founders Lorna Larson Jeyte and Albert Jeyte talked about the importance of vacation rentals. She referred to a research paper commissioned by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority last year on the economic impact of vacation rentals. She quoted, "It becomes clear just how important the vacation rental industry is for residents and local businesses, particularly outside of traditional resort districts. Money spent in the vacation rental industry is money going straight into the pockets of local residents and small business owners who rely on the extra revenue brought in by visitors year after year.

"Public policy should reflect the demand for a wide variety of accommodations in the dynamic and evolving tourism economy. Imposing harsh restrictions or completely eliminating vacation

rentals, particularly outside of traditional resort areas, would cause serious economic harm. Looking to limit any one type of accommodations presents a wide variety of consequences: Lost income for residences, less activity for small businesses, decreased revenue to local government, and fewer options for families who otherwise may not be able to visit our beautiful shores.

Lorna Jeyte, who founded Kīlauea Lodge with her husband Albert.
Photo from Big Island Video News

"Alternative accommodation homeowners and operators value their communities and the ability to provide an authentic experience for visitors. Accordingly, local leaders will need to consider the cost to the local economy as they continue to devise a policy framework for alternative accommodations. A balanced and fair approach should allow communities, residents, and businesses to continue reaping the benefits of these options. If they fail to do so, the cost to the economy and local families could threaten the survival of Hawaiʻi's vibrant tourism industry."

Lorna Jeyte pointed out that Hawaiʻi visitor arrivals dropped in 2018. "If Hawaiʻi deletes many vacation rentals as alternative accommodation choices, travelers might seek their vacation rentals in Mexico, Florida, the Caribbean, Southern California -- all communities with a plethora of options. Please,

planning department, don't make STVR compliance expensive and time consuming and onerous, as many homeowners on the east side of the island, the site most affected by recent natural disasters, flooding, and lava, might leave the industry. Regulate fairly and reasonably and please, then, enforce the rules."

Albert Jeyte testified and asked, "What kind of democracy are we in?" He called all the proposed rules onerous and unnecessary. He said the rules should have been involved in the discussions before the County Council before it passed the new ordinance regulating vacation rentals. He said he hears that the state wants to eliminate short term vacation rentals. He claimed the director of the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority had a career in the hotel industry and opposes vacation rentals.

Albert Jeyte said the hotel industry and head of Hawaiʻi Tourism
Authority are against vacation rentals.
Photo from Big Island Video News

Muriel Hughes said she and her husband are school administrators and teachers with a five-bedroom vacation rental in Volcano. She said they and others provide affordable accommodations, meeting a need for the thousands of visitors who come to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, a living laboratory. It's "a personal service where we provide hospitality and not in the box. ...We go to the house, greet our visitors, show them around. It's a one-to one relationship that many of the hosts are providing," said Hughes.

She said her five-bedroom home rents for $350 a night. Most hotels, for one couple, charge $200, she said. "So where can a teacher who wants to give her children the experience to be out in a living laboratory go for that kind of money?"

Lucrecia Wooster, who with her husband owns several small vacation rentals that provide their primary income, said the rules could create an "overwhelming cost to small business owners. "Our livelihoods are at stake and our small towns like Volcano are at stake."

See more at Big Island Video News, in yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs, and in tomorrow's 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.

MORE POLICE OFFICERS FOR KAʻŪ are included in Mayor Harry Kim's proposed County of Hawaiʻi operating budget for Fiscal Year 2019-20. Kaʻū and Puna would receive funding for ten additional police positions. Body cameras are in the budget. The police department would add nine supervising sergeants and six dispatchers islandwide.
Ocean View residents and various community groups have long called for more police officers in Kaʻū to service the locations that are very far from one another, from Volcano to past Ocean View. The mayor's budget message states that police positions are being added "to help improve safety for our community and our officers." The police department budget is proposed to increase by $5.8 million.

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 FIRST DRAFT OF THE NEXT COUNTY BUDGET proposes a 10.7 percent increase over the current budget. The mayor calls his proposal "a balanced budget," fueled by $573.5 million in revenues and appropriations going into the county's General Fund and 13 special funds.
The process includes review by the County Council and negotiations with the county administration, along with public input.

Mayor Harry Kim
Photo by William Neal

The budget proposal includes two new funds: the General Excise Tax Fund, funded by an increase in the sales tax within Hawaiʻi County; and the Short Term Vacation Rental Enforcement Fund, funded by fees charged to those applying to operate short term vacation rentals, under new rules and requirements.
The 2019-2020 budget proposal includes $26.1 million in additional salaries, wages, and employee benefits expenses within Hawaiʻi County government. "Fringe benefit increases were a result of higher retirement contributions, health benefits and post-employment benefits, for both our current employees and our retirees," says the mayor's budget message. " Increased salaries and wages are primarily a result of collective bargaining, but also include the addition of several necessary positions."
The most significant increase in positions is for the police department. Says the mayor, "This proposed budget represents our departments' best efforts to meet the needs of our residents in a timely and responsible fashion, while striving to maintain the level of services our residents deserve. We are committed to continuing our investment in infrastructure, transportation, public safety, and creating safer communities. These investments are critical to the future of our Hawai‘i Island. We look forward to working closely with the Hawai‘i County Council as we prepare a responsible budget to meet the needs of those that we serve."

COUNTY REVENUE: Real property tax revenue is expected to increase by $15.7 million or 5 percent, "primarily due to new construction and an increase in taxable values." Fuel tax revenue is expected go up by $6.1 million, an increase of 35 percent. The portion of the 4.25 percent General Excise Tax that goes directly to the county is .25 percent and is expected to generate $25 million. The new short term vacation rental registration fees and fines are expected to reach about $846,000 for the coming fiscal year. Charges for county services are expected to increase by $2.8 million due to increases in sewer charges and tipping fees. Intergovernmental revenue will increase by $3.1 million. "All of these increases are essential to providing services to our community," according to the mayor's message.

Revenue from interest and investment earnings is expected to increase by $1 million. Increases in grant revenues are estimated at about $3.1 million.

COUNTY WORKER PAY, BENEFITS: The largest increases in expenditures in the proposed budget relate to salaries, wages, and fringe benefits. "Our contribution to the Employees' Retirement System is expected to increase by $12.3 million, (25.8 percent), due to the increase in rates passed by the Legislature in 2017 and the increase in salaries and wages. This is the third of four scheduled employer retirement contribution increases through fiscal year 2021. The ERS rates were increased by 16 percent this year for all categories of employees. By 2021, the retirement contribution rates will have increased 64 percent for police and fire employees and by 41 percent for our general employees over the four year period. Fringe benefits also increased due to the $5 million increase in health insurance premiums."
The budget proposal says that contributions to the Employer Union Trust Fund will increase by $5 million – 8.5 percent – due primarily to the increase in premiums and the increase in other post-employment benefits required by state law.

Hawaiʻi Island public transport will receive more funding, if Mayor
Harry Kim's proposed budget goes through as presented.
Photo from heleonbus.org

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: The mayor's budget message says, "Our transit system continues to be a priority as we implement the Mass Transit master plan. Significant funding was provided to replace our aging fleet of buses and to provide matching funds for our anticipated federal grants. New positions were also added to help improve our transit service. Additional funding for our roads will help us to achieve our goal to repave each mile of road once every 30 years. Eleven miles of roads have been paved in the first half of this fiscal year, and have greatly improved the commute for many of our residents." The budget calls for $2.7 million for additional road maintenance and equipment. Grants of $1.4 million are expected to help with improvements in mass transit, with a budget increase of $5 million to pay for new buses, new staff, and federal grant matching money for the transit master plan.

WASTEWATER: The mayor's budget points to many sewage treatment projects that will be coming online in the near future. "Their operations are growing to be better able to track the necessary repairs and maintenance of our current facilities and prepare for the expansion of their operations as new projects come on line. ....Funding for sewer was increased by about $2.4 million, or 22.04 percent, due to the increase in personnel for the new asset management system being developed by the EPA and for the operation of the new R-I facility coming online. In addition, engineering positions and funding were added to help catch up on repairs and maintenance at current facilities."

The budget description says that "Debt service increased $3.4 million, or 7 percent, due to State Revolving Fund loans for upcoming sewer and solid waste projects, as well as the increase for new bonds to be issued for projects already in progress."

BUILDING DIVISION: According to the mayor, "After years of budget cuts, the revenue increases discussed above have generated funding to be able to provide critical services to our community. In addition to the items listed above, two additional plan examiners were added to relieve the backlog in building permits."
He also pointed to county Parks and Recreation. The budget includes "critical new positions and related equipment to help better maintain the parks in our communities."
HOMELESSNESS: Says the mayor, "We have not included additional funding to address the homeless problem on our island. However, funding has been received from the Governor's office to create an additional shelter to service this portion of our population."
HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE programs will receive $750,000 through grants.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY increases of approximately $500,000 were included for network improvements and new servers.
SHORT TERM VACATION RENTAL ENFORCEMENT planning expenses are budgeted at approximately $846,000.

THE GENERAL EXCISE TAX FUND includes a transfer of $10 million to the Capital Projects Fund for transit and road projects to improve the transportation system on Hawaiʻi Island.

The mayor concludes, "This budget still does not include everything needed, but it does go a long way towards improving the services required by our community."
THE PUBLIC SAFETY DISASTER AND EMERGENCY FUND increases by $1.25 million "to be prepared for future disaster," says the mayor's budget proposal.

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.

FREE VISION SCREENING FOR ALL AGES happens Monday, March 4, 9:30 to 11:30a.m. at Kauahaʻao Church in Waiʻōhinu, and Tuesday, March 5, 9 to 11a.m. at Pāhala Community Center. All participants receive screening for near and far vision. Keiki are screened for color deficiencies, adults for eye diseases. Keiki receive free sunglasses, adults free reading glasses. Sponsored by Tūtū & Me and Project Vision Hawaiʻi, projectvisionhawaii.org, 808-282-2265.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Mon., March 4, 3 p.m., host Konawaena

Wed., March 6, 3 p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1 p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1 p.m., host Keaʻau

Thu., March 21, 3 p.m., @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 1 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Softball:

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kamehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Wed., March 20, @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 11 a.m., host Honokaʻa

Boys Volleyball:

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Tue., March 19, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Track:

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

Sat., March 23, 9 a.m., @Waiakea

NEW and UPCOMING

KAHUKU PARK HOSTS CHARADES, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years old, on Friday, Mar. 15, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Registration begins Monday, Mar. 11.
For more, contact Recreation Technician Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. Kahuku Park is located at 92-8607 Paradise Circle Mauka, Ocean View. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours.

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 4

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, March 4. Register in advance. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Monday, March 4, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, March 5, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

Ash Wednesday Service, Wednesday, March 6, 3p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

Women's Support Group, Thursday, March 7 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

All Ages Game Nite, Thursday, March 7, 5:30-7:30p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym. Register through March 5. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

Mardi Gras Fundraising Dinner, Friday, March 8, doors open at 5:30p.m., dinner served 6-8p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. $8/single meal, $15/couple, $20/family. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, March 9, 8-11a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

The Business of Art, Saturday, March 9, 9a.m.-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Intensive training for artists who want to grow their business, led by Ira Ono. Fee tba. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Stained Glass Basics 2, Saturday, March 9, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. For those with prior copper foil stained glass experience. Fee tba. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day, Saturday, March 9, meet 9:30a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

ONGOING

Win for One, Won for All at Friday's Spring Volleyball kickoff game, with ʻO Kaʻū Kākou's Serve for Cash awarding
Kaʻū Athletics $250 for each Serve in Da Basket. Celebrating are Kaʻū Athletics Director Kalei Namohana, Pāhoa
Assistant Coach Pono Picar, and Kaʻū Assistant Coach Jade Cabreros. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

TWENTY NINE DOLLAR TICKETS TO HONOLULU are on sale through March 5 for Southwest Airlines flights that will lift off from Kona beginning May 12. The discount is good for flights through June 19. The $29 flights are one-way, middle-week fares. The flights will allow passengers time to connect to Oakland and San Jose fights leaving Honolulu. Starting May 14, flights from Kona to Oakland and San Jose will cost as low as $79, one way, if booked by March 5, with the flights good through June 19.

Southwest service to the state of Hawaiʻi starts on March 17, with the inaugural flight from Oakland to Honolulu, followed by direct flights from Oakland to Kahului on April 7.
Tom Nealon, Southwest Airlines President, said in a press release today, "Hawaiʻi Customers will experience our everyday value in low fares that offer everybody the same brand standards: no fees to change your ticket and two checked bags fly free. We're focused on bringing Hawaiʻi an authentically Southwest experience with comfort across all seating -- for every Customer -- along with in-cabin snack enhancements for our flights between the State of Hawaiʻi and the U.S. mainland."

Other airlines serving Hawaiʻi responded to the Southwest promotion by dropping prices.

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.

Chris Corley said Volcano Farm
Lots should stay in agriculture.
Photo from Big Island Video News

DEFENDERS OF VOLCANO FARM LOTS, as valuable and prime agricultural lands, spoke at last week's public hearing regarding new rules for short term vacation rentals.
Chris Corley testified regarding the 36 agricultural parcels that are each 30 acres on Mahiai and Amaumau Roads. She said that her family has been active in agriculture for 54 years. She said Volcano Farm Lots, dedicated as prime agricultural lands a long time ago, are being taken out of agriculture.
Corley said that more than ten percent of the parcels are now in vacation rentals. She proposed that if the county is going to approve taking these farm lots out of production in favor of vacation rentals, "I ask you to consider that the Ag 20 (zoning) be revoked and resort zoning be placed with requirements for infrastructure."

Mary Finley said Farm Lots roads
are unsafe for vacation rental clients.
Photo from Big Island Video News

Mary Finley spoke as a 43-year resident of Volcano Farm Lots. She said, quite firmly, Volcano Farm Lots "were created for farming. It is on a one-lane road that is ten feet of pavement. It's a dead end, and there's 32 lots. There are several people trying to do vacation rentals on our road. It creates hazards, since we have only one way in, and it's ten feet wide. Visitors don't know how to drive on a one-lane road; they barrel down the middle, force you into the mud – or, worse yet, into a water-filled ditch. There are also culverts. Six feet off the pavement, there's a 15-foot ditch that's marked by a couple of plastic reflectors.

"I'm here to say – at least for certain areas – short term vacation rentals are not appropriate. If the road was two-lane, paved – set up for two-way traffic – then maybe. But right now, Ag 20 is a very rare designation. Our area was created for farming; it should remain in farming."

She also commented that she has grandchildren "who cannot find a decent place to rent" because of housing shortages caused by vacation rentals.

MORE TESTIMONY ON VACATION RENTAL REGULATION during last Friday's hearing drew concerns from both those who depend on vacation rentals for a living and those who live among them. Another hearing will be held Tuesday, April 2 at 6 p.m. at the County Council Chambers in Hilo. Those applying for certificates to operate must show they were doing business as of April 1. The deadline to apply is expected to be Sept. 28, when the county is expected to start enforcing the regulations.

Michael Frabel said some of the
vacation rental rules propose
harsh and unfair punishments.
Photo from Big Island Video News

Charlene Morikami, who lives in a condo, contended that "a lot of people that have vacation rentals are not paying taxes." She blamed them for lack of infrastructure and school funding. She said she lives in her condo and people park in her parking space. She said the condo complex is not set up for vacation rentals. There are people trying to check in at midnight with no front desk, no security. She said hotels are higher cost because they provide security and safety.
Morikami said that in neighborhoods people look after each other's homes but in areas with many vacation rentals, there are few people in the housing during low season, leading to only a few permanent residents overseeing the community. She also said that vacation rentals, like all other businesses, should comply with safety standards through permitting.
Michael Frabel, of Experience Volcano, pointed to proposed rules that would make owners permanently ineligible to renew their use certificate to operate if they were to miss a filing deadline for their annual certificate renewal. To "lose your business and means of income for filing late seems a very harsh punishment. Perhaps an additional late fee might be more appropriate. I know of no other regulation where the punishment is so severe. This would be a bit like being late on your vehicle license tag and being told that you could never drive again," said Frabel.

Chuck Barker said new ways of travel
make off-grid vacation rentals attractive.
Photo from Big Island Video News

He also said he is concerned about rules that could make it difficult for him to hand down his business to relatives when he dies.

Several speakers expressed concern over proposed rules to make an application to become a certified short term vacation rental, at a costs of $500, nonrefundable even if approval is denied.

Chuck Barker testified that the overwhelming majority of the public opposes the new rules. He said that about a half dozen years ago, many people began to travel differently. They found Hawaiʻi Island's east side accommodations different than the hotels, time share condominiums, resort shopping and dining, and golf courses on the west side of the island. East side accommodations - vacation rentals - attract people who are looking for an off-grid experience, a "very unfancy way to travel." He called the guests at alternative destinations "a separate and additional group to those staying in resorts. They spend money on restaurants, shops, park fees, rental cars, buying travel guides and things they take home. It creates employment and tax revenues." He contended that the new ordinance and rules will "decimate these opportunities." He asked, "What is the underlying purpose of this ordinance and how does it serve us?" He called the rules a "huge administrative burden and it's costly." He suggested suspending the new rules and going back to the County Council for a "possible revocation."

Joy Dillon said the burden of new
regulations are of concern.
Photo from Big Island Video News

Barker also talked about unpermitted short term vacation units and said they can be an attraction to those wanting the off-grid experience.

Joy Dillon, of Hawaiʻi Island Realtors, said there are many concerns. In response to rules that say the character of the neighborhoods would be considered, she said, "character of neighborhoods cannot be legislated." Regarding rules that would prohibit such gatherings as weddings, she contended that weddings on private property can not be legislated. Time constraints, non-refundable fees, requirements for floor plans, and possible surveys are all burdens of concern in the new rules, she said. Requirements appear to go beyond the intent of the legislation to regulate vacation rentals, she said.

Several testified that they are concerned that the vacation rentals create employment that could be lost, if vacation rentals shut down.

Dr. Lisa King suggested more hearings
once proposed rules are revised.
Photo from Big Island Video News

Dr. Lisa King said she studies world heritage sites, and tourism and communities around world heritage sites, like Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. She testified that short term vacation rentals, home stays, and couch surfing are the trend into the future. She asked for additional public hearings after the planning department revises the proposed rules.
Jesse Tunison, of Experience Volcano, said he experienced the cutback in use of vacation rentals and its effect on Volcano businesses during the natural disaster last year. He asked for an economic impact study of the rules before enacting them.

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

HAWAIʻI LEADS THE NATION IN FEMALE EMPLOYMENT AND LONGEVITY FOR WOMEN AT BIRTH, according to WalletHub's women friendliness study, released for Women's History Month in March. 2019's Best & Worst States for Women ranks Hawaiʻi ninth overall, the state with the fifth lowest Share of Women in Poverty, and sixth highest Share of Women-Owned Businesses.
Hawaiʻi ranks third for Women's Preventive Health Care, fourth lowest in Female Uninsured Rate, and eighth highest in Quality of Women's Hospitals.

WalletHub reports that nationwide, women only hold 23.7 percent of seats in Congress despite making up 51 percent of the U.S.population.

"In 2019, women in some parts of Americastill get the short end of the stick — even as they outnumber men in most states. For instance, women represent nearly two-thirds of all minimum-wage workers in the U.S.Their political representation also suffers, as women make up 51 percent of the U.S.population but only 25 percent of the Senate and 23.4 percent of the House of Representatives. And the prevalence of sexual harassment remains a prominent issue in 2019's political landscape."
In order to "determine how women are faring and where they can find the best opportunities relative to where they live," WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 24 key metrics, including median earnings for female workers, women's preventive health care, and female homicide rate.

While outstanding in some measures, Hawaiʻi's ranking is dragged down with the 49th lowest Median Earnings for Female Workers (Adjusted for Cost of Living) and the Lowest Percentage of Women who Voted in the 2016 Presidential Election.

Democratic Blue states like Hawaiʻi tend to be more than twice as friendly to women than Republic an red states, says the report.
See the full report: wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-for-women/10728.

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.

CHANGE OF VENUE FOR FREE, ALL AGES FREE VISION SCREENING for tomorrow. The screenings will now happen at River of Life Church, 96-2345 Paʻauau St. in Pāhala, Tuesday, March 5, 9 to 11a.m., instead of at Pāhala Community Center. All participants receive screening for near and far vision. Keiki are screened for color deficiencies, adults for eye diseases. Keiki receive free sunglasses, adults free reading glasses. Sponsored by Tūtū & Me and Project Vision Hawaiʻi, projectvisionhawaii.org, 808-282-2265.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed., March 6, 3 p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1 p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1 p.m., host Keaʻau

Thu., March 21, 3 p.m., @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 1 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Thu., March 28, 3 p.m., @Kohala

Softball:

Tue., March 5, host Konawaena

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kamehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Wed., March 20, @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 11 a.m., host Honokaʻa

Wed., March 27, @Kohala

Boys Volleyball:

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Tue., March 19, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Wed., March 27, 6 p.m., host Kohala, Varsity

Track:

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

Sat., March 23, 9 a.m., @Waiakea

NEW and UPCOMING

PARKS AND RECREATION VOLLEYBALL PROGRAMS FOR KEIKI, 14 years old and younger, are underway at Nā‘ālehu Community Center courts, through Mar. 27. Registration is ongoing.
For keiki ages 10 and under, the program meets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. For keiki ages 14 and under, the program meets Mondays through Thursdays, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
For more, contact Recreation Director Richard Karasuda at 939-2510. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours and address.

OPEN GYM TO ADULTS AT KA‘Ū DISTRICT GYM, Monday through Thursday, through Mar. 28, from 2:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Open registration.

For more, contact Recreation Director Nona Makuakane at 928-3102. Ka‘ū District Gym is located on the Ka‘ū High School campus on Kamani Street in Pāhala. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours of operation.

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.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, March 5, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

Ash Wednesday Service, Wednesday, March 6, 3p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

Women's Support Group, Thursday, March 7 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

All Ages Game Nite, Thursday, March 7, 5:30-7:30p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym. Register through March 5. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

Mardi Gras Fundraising Dinner, Friday, March 8, doors open at 5:30p.m., dinner served 6-8p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. $8/single meal, $15/couple, $20/family. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, March 9, 8-11a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

The Business of Art, Saturday, March 9, 9a.m.-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Intensive training for artists who want to grow their business, led by Ira Ono. Fee tba. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Stained Glass Basics 2, Saturday, March 9, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. For those with prior copper foil stained glass experience. Fee tba. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day, Saturday, March 9, meet 9:30a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

MONDAY, MARCH 11

Free STD Testing, Monday, March 11 – 2nd Monday, monthly – 9a.m.-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Hawai‘i Department of Health. Call for appt. on different day or time. Teenagers 14+ do not need parent/guardian consent. Always confidential. Free condoms and lube. 895-4927

Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Monday, March 11 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3-5p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

ONGOING

Free eye exams and reading glasses drew residents of Pāhala on Tuesday to the campus of River of Life Church in Pāhala.
Among them were Tutu & Me families. Next: free screenings at the Pāhala school campus. Photo by Julia Neal

FREE EYE SCREENING IS COMING TO ALL STUDENTS at Pāhla Elementary, Intermediate, and Kaʻū High School in coming weeks. The crew is from Project Vision Hawaiʻi, a nonprofit organization that aims to achieve better access to healthcare for Hawaiʻi's people, with a focus on vision health. One of its three mobile units arrived in Kaʻū this week to offer free vision screenings at the Kauhaʻao Church in Waiʻōhinu and River of Life Church in Pāhala.
Families involved with Tutu & Me program for early education took advantage of the screenings as did adult members of the community. The team photographed the eyes of individuals, with the images to be passed onto an eye doctor who will evaluate each person and create a report.

Project Vision Hawaiʻi mobile unit. Photo by Julia Neal

Keiki were screened for color deficiencies, adults for eye diseases. Keiki received free sunglasses, adults free reading glasses.
At the school the screening results will be accompanied by consent forms for families to allow the program to provide additional testing and free glasses to the children who need them. See projectvisionhawaii.org. For more information, call 808-282-2265.

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

HAWAIʻI'S POOREST CITIZENS use a higher percentage of their income to pay taxes than middle and high income people. Hitting Hawaiʻi's poor the hardest are sales and property taxes, according to personal finance website WalletHub. A report by The Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy, analyzed by WalletHub, found that sales and property taxes, plus other state and local taxes, take more money out of the pockets of Americans, as a percentage of income, in the lower- and middle-income brackets than from wealthier families.

WalletHub's analysis revealed Hawaiʻi sales - the excise tax - impacts lowest earners most. They use 8.43 percent of their income on sales taxes. Middle class people use 5.96 percent and the highest earners use 3.31 percent on sales taxes, placing Hawaiʻi in 50th out of all the states plus Washington, D.C. for the tax burden on those with lowest incomes.

In paying income tax, Hawaiʻi's middle earners use 3.74 percent of their income, highest earners use 5.26 percent, and those with the least earnings use 2.09 percent.
Hawaiʻi property taxes eat up 2.42 percent of the income of lowest earners, 1.9 percent for middle, and 1.77 for highest earners.

The report calls Hawaiʻi taxes regressive. The analysis looked at overall tax burden as a percentage of income, including adjustments for cost of living.

In its tax burden, Hawaiʻi ranks 49th on lower income individuals and families who make up 20 percent of the population and earn at least $25,000 per year. They pay 12.94 percent of income in taxes. In its tax burden, Hawaiʻi also ranks 49th on middle income people, who make up 20 percent of the population and earn at least $50,000 a year; they pay 11.59 percent of their income on taxes. In its tax burden, Hawai`i ranks 45th on the highest income people - the top one percent, who make at least $150,000 per year. They pay 10.34 percent of their income in taxes.

Nationwide, the lowest-income people pay 11.4 percent of their income for taxes. Middle income people pay 9.9 percent, and the top 1 percent pay 7.4 percent.

Read the WalletHub report here, the ITEP report here.

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

BILLS BANNING STYROFOAM FOOD CONTAINERS, AND PLASTIC BOTTLES, UTENSILS, STRAWS, and more, are moving from the state Senate to the House of Representatives. The bills have passed Senate Committees on Agriculture and Environment; Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health; Judiciary; and Ways and Means.

Senate Bill 522 SD2, cosponsored by east Kaʻū's Sen. Russell Ruderman, "Prohibits the purchase, use, sale, or distribution of plastic beverage bottles, utensils, stirring sticks, polystyrene foam containers, and straws by state and county agencies after July 1, 2021," and bans their sale through businesses selling food and beverages after July 1, 2022." The bill would also ban "distribution or sale of plastic bags after July 1, 2023." It would creates a "plastic source reduction working group to make recommendations for eliminating single-use plastic packaging." The bill would appropriate funds."

Ruderman told the Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald, "We've already banned plastic bags and that turned out to be no big deal. There are whole countries that don't use plastic utensils… adding plastic utensils to the list of banned products sets SB522 beyond previous bills that have flirted with plastic bans, while the addition of the working group will serve as a fallback option in case the bill gets 'watered down.'"

As president of supermarket chain Island Naturals, Ruderman, told the Tribune Herald, that "moving society away from plastic dependency outweighs business concerns," but added that if enough places enforce similar plastic bans, then companies will adapt their own practices and switch to more sustainable packaging materials. "I'm willing to be part of that change as both a Hawaiʻi resident and a businessman."

SB367 SD1, cosponsored by west Kaʻū's Sen. Dru Kanuha and Hilo's Sen. Kai Kahele, would "prohibit food service businesses and stores from the sale, use, or distribution of polystyrene foam containers, expanded polystyrene food service products, plastic straws, and plastic bags."

Last year's SB2498, which would have prohibited the sale of "polystyrene foam containers and serving of prepared foods using polystyrene foam containers statewide,",and provided funding to "educate" customers about "proper disposal of nonreusable food containers and litter reduction," didn't make it through the state House of Representatives.

Testimony tends strong both in favor and against the proposed bans.

From environmental groups and individuals, the general message is that the bans are essential for the environment.
Surfrider Foundation Hawai`i manager, Stuart H. Coleman, wrote, "Polystyrene food containers are one of the most littered items in our Islands. Opponents will say it's recyclable, but the fact is that less than 1 percent is ever recycled. They will also say that it's a 'litter problem,' but the San Francisco, and there was a 30 percent decrease in EPS litter within one year… Industry lobbyists will also say that phasing out polystyrene food containers and other single-use plastics will hurt small businesses, but there are many restaurants that have dropped these products and are doing just fine. In fact, the new Ocean Friendly Restaurants Hawaiʻi program has registered more than 200 restaurants that are foam-free in the last 24 months! They have also committed to only offering straws on request and not using plastic bags, plates, cups or utensils onsite…

plastics industry has been using this tactic and blaming the public for decades without producing products that are actually recyclable. An EPS foam ban was implemented in

"During our monthly beach cleanups around the state, EPS foam products are among the top items we find every single time. In fact, as part of International Coastal Cleanup Day, 17,383 cups, plates and pieces of EPS foam were removed from Hawaiʻi's beaches in a single day on Sat., Sept. 19, 2015! But plastic straws, utensils and stirring sticks are high on the list of the most littered items that we remove from our coastal areas. That's why we need this bill, which would help reduce these litter problems and environmental issues by requiring restaurants and food service vendors to stop using toxic EPS foam containers.

"Hawaiʻi has one of the highest per capita rates of take-out food in the country. Locals and visitors tell us they are shocked by the number of polystyrene food containers they see in restaurants and later find on the beaches. The same goes for single-use plastic straws, stirrers, and utensils. The amount of testimony for these bills was overwhelmingly in favor of reducing polystyrene food containers. Though it's tempting to be swayed by the exaggerated claims of lobbyists for a few local foam producers and distributors, these same companies already carry and distribute more eco-friendly recyclable and compostable products because they see the writing on the wall. Scientific research and public sentiment have created a compelling case against polystyrene and plastic products, and more than 110 cities and counties have already enacted successful foam bans. Polls show that most people in Hawaiʻi support banning foam food products.

Plastic Beach aka Kamilo, in Kaʻū.
Photo from fhvnp.org

"A recent study in Science showed that plastics are a major cause of coral reef disease and decline, and our Islands are dependent on our coral reefs for seafood, ocean recreation and tourism. We appreciate that Hawaiʻi's legislators have been environmental leaders in moving forward policies like the bills to ban plastic bags and create smoke-free parks & beaches. Now, we ask you to assert that same leadership on this issue. Because polystyrene food service products and single-use plastic bags, straws, and utensils are toxic to the environment, their use should be phased out gradually. There are many affordable alternatives that are non-toxic, biodegradable, and not damaging to the environment or human health. On top of that, it will cost the counties less to clean up. The state needs a consistent policy of eliminating these and other single-use products. Protecting our land and people should be our top priority, not allowing a few companies to profit from outmoded products that harm the environment and our wildlife."

Hawaiʻi Restaurant Association's Legislative Lead, Victor Lim, urged Senators "to be patient with these aggressive deadlines for implementation… The food industry and their supply chains are working but the 2023 deadline is not reasonable and achievable. We do support the bills and initiatives that state that straws should be given out only upon request at full service restaurants similar to the CaliforniaState law that was passed in 2018. How beverages are consumed varies greatly from the sit down restaurants to the quick service restaurants with drive-thru where many food and beverages are consumed on the go. Alternate straws made from paper, bamboo, metal are all being tested around the world with limited success due to its performance, durability, after taste, and costs. Supply chain is seeking and working towards an alternate product but will not be ready with a good alternate product by July 1, 2021.

Hawaiʻi Food Industry Association Executive Director Lauren Zirbel, contended, the bill would "raise prices on essential items for Hawaiʻi consumers and not address the underlying causes of global marine debris or local littering and waste mismanagement. Grocery stores and other food retailers would be especially hard hit by this measure. A recent audit of polystyrene and bag bans by the City and County of Honolulu City Auditor determined that: 'Any attempt to regulate the food service industry will impact a wide segment of Honolulu residents, largely in the form of price increases passed on to customers. Some impacts to certain vulnerable classes of residents need to be closely examined to prevent unnecessary effects and harms.' The City and County of Honolulu City Auditor also determined that: 'Minimizing litter to keep our natural environment safe from harm is an important community objective. To be successful, the city should pursue comprehensive methods rather than a simplistic ban on a single kind of litter/trash that is unlikely to effectively reduce the overall amount of litter and its harm to the environment.' For these reasons we ask that this measure be held."

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.

FEMA YOUTH PREPAREDNESS COUNCIL applications are being accepted through Sunday, March 31, open to students in 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th grade who have engaged in community service, or are interested in emergency preparedness. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard encourages applicants from Hawaiʻi: "Our Hawaiʻi communities know the impact disasters can have. They also know that preparation can make all the difference."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency created the Youth Preparedness Council in 2012 to bring together young leaders who are interested in supporting disaster preparedness and making a difference in their communities, by completing disaster preparedness projects nationally and locally. The Council supports FEMA's commitment to involve America's youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides an avenue to engage young people by taking into account their perspectives, feedback, and opinions.

Youth Council members meet with FEMA staff throughout their term to provide input on strategies, initiatives, and projects. Members also attend the annual Youth Preparedness Council Summit in Washington, D.C., meet periodically with FEMA representatives, and work to complete a number of emergency preparedness projects.

Apply online or download the application and submit a PDF copy of the application here. Applicants must complete the application form and submit two letters of recommendation along with their academic records by March 31.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed., March 6, 3 p.m., @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 1 p.m., host Kohala

Sat., March 16, 1 p.m., host Keaʻau

Thu., March 21, 3 p.m., @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 1 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Softball:

Thu., March 7, @Kamehameha

Sat., March 9, 11 a.m., host Kohala

Mon., March 11, host Kamehameha

Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa

Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau

Wed., March 20, @Waiakea

Sat., March 23, 11 a.m., host Honokaʻa

Boys Volleyball:

Fri., March 8, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity

Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea

Tue., March 19, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe

Track:

Sat., March 9, 2 p.m., @Keaʻau

Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena

Sat., March 23, 9 a.m., @Waiakea

NEW and UPCOMING

KAHUKU PARK HOSTS A SPRING WREATH MAKING ARTS AND CRAFT ACTIVITY, for those 18 years old and above, on Tuesday, Mar. 12, from 10 a.m. to noon. Register through Friday, Mar. 8. Free.

For more, contact Recreation Technician Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. Kahuku Park is located at 92-8607 Paradise Circle Mauka, Ocean View. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours.

KAHUKU PARK HOSTS A SPRING FLOWER COLLAGE ARTS AND CRAFT ACTIVITY, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years old, on Wednesday, Mar. 13, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Register through Friday, Mar. 8. Free.
For more, contact Recreation Technician Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. Kahuku Park is located at 92-8607 Paradise Circle Mauka, Ocean View. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours.

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.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

Ash Wednesday Service, Wednesday, March 6, 3p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

Women's Support Group, Thursday, March 7 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

All Ages Game Nite, Thursday, March 7, 5:30-7:30p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym. Register through March 5. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

Mardi Gras Fundraising Dinner, Friday, March 8, doors open at 5:30p.m., dinner served 6-8p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church. $8/single meal, $15/couple, $20/family. 939-7000, stjudeshawaii.org

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, March 9, 8-11a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

The Business of Art, Saturday, March 9, 9a.m.-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Intensive training for artists who want to grow their business, led by Ira Ono. Fee tba. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Stained Glass Basics 2, Saturday, March 9, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. For those with prior copper foil stained glass experience. Fee tba. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day, Saturday, March 9, meet 9:30a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

MONDAY, MARCH 11

TUESDAY, MARCH 12

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, March 12 (Committees), Wednesday, March 13, (Council), Hilo. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Spring Wreath Making - Adults, Tuesday, March 12, 10a.m.-noon, Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Ages 18+. Register March 4-8. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

C.E.R.T. Discovery Harbour/Nā‘ālehu, Tuesday, March 12, 4-6p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Community Emergency Response Team info and training scenarios. Public welcome. Dina Shisler, dinashisler24@yahoo.com, 410-935-8087

The Wonderful World of Wine and Watercolor, Tuesday, March 12, 4-7p.m., Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $17 supply fee. Enjoy a sampling of several wines from Grapes, Hilo, during class. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

After Dark in the Park: Pahu Manamana o ‘Umi - Ancestral Brilliance, Tuesday, March 12, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Pualani Kanahele of the Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation takes audience on a virtual visit to Pahu Manamana o ‘Umi, a stellar instrument positioned 7,752 feet up on the southwest slope of Mauna Loa. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, February 14, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, February 15, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, February 16, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, February 17, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, February 18, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, February 21, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, February 22, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, February 23, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, February 24, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, February 25, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, February 28, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, March 1, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, March 2, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, March 3, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, March 4, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, March 5, 2019