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A Hawksbill hatchling, making its way to the ocean for the first time. Read about the endangered sea turtle.
Photo by Peter Bosted |
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED HONUʻEA – Hawksbill sea turtles – are now considered the rarest population of sea turtles in the world, according to Lauren Kurpita, Director of the Hawksbill Recovery Project.
Addressing an audience of about 60 Kaʻū residents at a recent Coffee Talk, Kurpita explained that these elusive creatures nest on ten beaches on the Big Island – all of which are located in Kaʻū. During the nesting
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Lauren Kurpita, holding a Hawksbill model.
Photo by Annie Bosted |
season, usually May to December, volunteers work in shifts to ensure that most of the beaches are patrolled every night and that the precious nests are protected from predators and vandals.
Monitoring takes place from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. and involves searching for female turtles laying nests, or recently made nests. Volunteers document the nesting activity and where possible, identify the females involved. They also measure the turtles and note any injuries to the animal. Sometimes the volunteers have to move nests to a safer spot if the nests are in danger of being washed away.
Kurpita explained the long and hazardous process the dwindling population of Hawksbills must go through in order to breed on the few remaining undeveloped beaches in Hawaiʻi. Ninety per cent of the state's documented nesting sites are in Kaʻū.
Said Kurpita, "We estimate that Hawksbills reach sexual maturity when they are about 30 years old, and according to our records, females nest only once in every three to six years.
Nesting is a complicated process for a female Hawksbill. Firstly, she has to swim to the beach where she was born, which may involve a journey of hundreds of miles. Then she has to recognize the beach at night, using a mysterious skill that we refer to as 'imprinting.' Once ashore, she must find a suitable spot, preferably under the naupaka shrubs.
"Under cover of darkness, she uses her rear flippers to dig away at the sand, and may spend anywhere from 45 minutes to several hours digging a suitable chamber for her eggs. She will typically lay a clutch of about 180 eggs, and then cover them with sand and carefully camouflage them before she heads back to the ocean before dawn.
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| A slide from the Hawksbill talk. Photo by Annie Bosted |
"Often, her subtle flipper tracks are the only visible sign that a nest has been created, so our volunteers have to carefully monitor the beaches to find this evidence before they are obliterated and then protect the nest by enclosing it in a cage. The cages keep away predators, such as rats, feral cats and mongoose, and also alert people using the beaches to stay away.
"The eggs incubate for about 55 to 70 days, depending on the ambient temperature of the sand. The leathery eggs are about the size of a ping-pong ball. When the time is right, the eggs hatch and the little hatchlings work together to push their way through the sand, using their agile front flippers. They emerge at night. They instinctively scuttle across the beach and towards the water, likely attracted by the reflection of the moon on the ocean.
"This light cue is very important for them, but it also makes beaches near human development unusable for nesting, as, if the hatchlings see an electric light, they may go towards that light and never reach the ocean. Once in the ocean, the tiny hatchlings must negotiate waves and currents and avoid predators."
Kurpita explained that Hawksbills live exclusively in the deep water just off shore of the islands, feeding on sponges. This is in contrast to the Green Turtle, which feeds on algae on the rocks, and regularly rests on beaches.
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Volunteers dig out a Hawksbill turtle nest at Punaluʻu
Black Sand Beach. Photo by Annie Bosted |
Little is known about their lives as they grow from hatchlings to adulthood, but Kurpita's team of about 25 interns and volunteers are studiously using various methods of documenting this critically endangered species.
Kurpita said, "We have been tagging turtles since 1991. Since then, we have been diligently reading the tags of all the nesting females we see on the beach and recording the information. Working from this data we have, over the years, established the identity of 166 nesting females. Unfortunately, we have not seen some of them in many years, which means we have no clear estimate of the female breeding population. We have one female who was tagged in 1993 and she is still nesting.
According to a project report, turtle number 22 has nested at Kamehame beach in 1995, 1998, 2002, 2005, and 2015.
"We generally only see the females when they come ashore to nest and lay eggs," said Kurpita. "If we are unlucky and miss seeing them on the beach, we can't read their tags and so that turtle's visit is a mystery. Our best season was in 2015 when we identified 25 Hawksbills, of which 12 were returnees and 13 were newly tagged. This was in spite of the fact that four beaches in Kaʻū were not monitored at night, so no data was collected there, although nests were identified during the day.
"We have absolutely no clue as to how many males are out there. The best we can do is to analyze the DNA of dead hatchlings and try to work out how many males there are in the genetic pool. I have never seen a male turtle in the wild.
"Recently we have been inserting tiny microchips in their rear flippers – the same kind that pet owners use to identify their dogs and cats. This may, in the future, make identifying them a bit more reliable.
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Hawksbill hatchlings make their way to the ocean, down a smoothed ramp of sand, at Punaluʻu Balck Sand Beach.
Photo by Annie Bosted |
"We can use epoxy glue to attach satellite transmitters to the turtle's hard shell, which gives us invaluable information on where the turtle may go and where it lives. Unfortunately, these transmitters are bulky and are often knocked off and lost. But while they are attached, they give us data we could not get any other way. These animals live in deep water, so just finding them is difficult, and observing them for any length of time would be almost impossible," explained Kurpita.
The Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project is partnered or supported by Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association, NOAA Fisheries, World Turtle Trust, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, Three Mountain Alliance, Hawaiʻi County, Nani Kahuku ‘Āina, Hawai‘i State Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.
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THE DIGITAL EQUITY ACT OF 2019, introduced this week by Sen. Mazie Hirono and nine colleagues, would help give rural communities like Kaʻū more access to internet and technological resources, information, and education. It would establish two federal grant programs to support projects at state and local levels.
Said Hirono, "The Internet is a powerful tool that has become instrumental in economic and social mobility, and civic engagement. In 2009, Hawaiʻi capitalized on funds made available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to expand broadband to schools and public computer centers, making it one of the most-connected states in the country.
"But physical infrastructure is only part of the equation. The Digital Equity Act will provide grants for things like digital literacy and digital skills education to low-income populations, and improve the online accessibility of social services for individuals with disabilities that will allow the people of Hawaiʻi, including historically underserved populations like the Native Hawaiian community, to make full use of what broadband has to offer. Only then can they fully participate in our society, democracy, and economy."
In the United States, people from communities of color, people with disabilities, low-income households, and rural communities, in particular, face a digital skills gap. This gap puts them at higher risk of being excluded from today's advanced, technology-driven economy and society, thereby exacerbating wealth and income gaps, states a release from Hirono.
The Digital Equity Act seeks to close the digital gap by strengthening federal support for digital equity plans for all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, by funding comprehensive digital equity plans with an annual $125 million formula grant program. A $125 million competitive grant program would go to support digital equity projects undertaken by individual groups, coalitions, or communities of interest. Five percent of funds from each grant would be set aside for Native Hawaiian organizations, Indian tribes, Alaska Native entities, and one percent of funds set aside for U.S. territories. The Act would also task the National Telecommunications and Information Administration with evaluating digital equity projects, and providing policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels with detailed information about their effectiveness.
More information about the bill can be found
here, and a summary section-by-section is available
here. Read the full bill,
here.
A GRANT TO HAWAIʻI PUBLIC RADIO FROM HAWAIʻI COMMUNITY FOUNDATION will help expand local reporting and community outreach efforts. HPR1 is available in Kaʻū at KANO. HPR2 is available at 91.3 KAHU.
The $200,000 grant over two years will enable HPR to hire a general assignment reporter and extend its coverage of locally relevant community, economy, and education topics. These additional stories will air on local broadcasts of HPR-1 programs such as NPR's
Morning Edition,
All Things Considered, and HPR's
The Conversation; they will also be available on the HPR mobile app and on the HPR website. In addition to news reporting, HPR, in partnership with HCF, will also produce a series of town square-style outreach events to engage the community on those same issues of community, economy, and education.
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The partnership was announced this week by HPR President and General Manager José A. Fajardo and HCF CEO and President Micah Kāne jointly on HPR-1, as part of the station's Spring Fund Drive.
Said Fajardo, "We are delighted to partner with HCF on this endeavor, as it is perfectly aligned with our goal to provide the highest quality local news reporting about and for all of Hawaiʻi. It will also further our efforts to bring the community together to discuss local issues throughout the state."
The collaboration is part of HCF's CHANGE Framework, a platform to encourage collaborative conversations, engagement, and a will to act to address the community's most critical challenges. The Framework focuses on providing a common set of data and research to inform how communities are performing across the state, analysis to identify gaps within each area and geography, and opportunities to create shared goals and partnerships to amplify impact.
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Said Kāne, "HPR and HCF believe that a more informed community results in a more engaged community. This partnership will not only benefit partners coming together around the CHANGE Framework, but more importantly the community as a whole."
Currently, about 30 percent of HPR's programming is produced and/or hosted locally. The grant will allow HPR to expand its award-winning local news coverage and provide deeper insights and findings on topics that align with the CHANGE Framework.
The partnership goes into effect on July 1, and news stories will begin airing in Fall 2019.
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VETERANS MEMBER BUSINESS LOAN ACT, by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and bipartisan colleagues, was introduced this week. The Act would increase veterans' access to loans for small business purposes from a credit union.
It would exclude veterans' loans from the statutory credit union member business loan cap. The bill would amend the Federal Credit Union Act to exclude extensions of credit made to veterans from the definition of a member business loan, covering loans to any veteran who served on active duty and was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.
Said Gababrd, "In 2018, the national unemployment rate for military veterans was 3.5 percent. We can and must do more to empower our veterans as they transition from military to civilian life. The Veterans Member Business Loan Act will create opportunities for more veterans to start their own businesses and help reduce unemployment among their fellow veterans as well as in the communities in which they live."
Credit Union National Association's President and CEO Jim Nussle said, "This bipartisan legislation will make it easier for America's veterans to access capital and invest in themselves and their communities. Credit unions proudly serve tens of millions of active duty and veteran members and fully support veteran entrepreneurs and their families."
The full bill text can be viewed
here.
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LAVA THICKNESS MAP FINALIZED. Read about it in this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. It is entitled:
Recent ground control survey helps finalize USGS lava thickness map.
In February 2019, the USGS HVO released a preliminary map of lava flow thicknesses for Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. This map was produced by comparing pre- and post-eruption models of the flow field, a process described in greater detail in HVO's
March 7, 2019, Volcano Watch.
There were two primary reasons the lava flow thickness map was considered preliminary when released, and HVO geologists have been working to resolve those issues.
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A high-precision GPS unit – on white "T" in foreground – records its
position at a ground control point along Pohoiki Road. This marker was
painted in July 2018 and is visible in numerous aerial photographs taken by
HVO geologists throughout Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption last
summer. GPS data are recorded over a period of four minutes at each
location, enabling vertical precision of approximately 18 cm (7 in).
USGS photo by M. Zoeller, March 22, 2019 |
First, the August 2018 unmanned aerial systems (UAS) flights, which collected images to build the lava thickness model, were unable to survey the entire flow due to range limitations of the aircraft. Last month, HVO geologists corrected the deficiency by completing a helicopter photographic survey of the missing areas, mainly flows in the Malama-Kῑ forest southwest of
Pohoiki Road. This will enable construction of another digital elevation model (DEM) using structure-from-motion (SFM) techniques, similar to the DEM from the UAS images, with which it will be joined.
Second, the DEM made from the UAS images required better "geolocation"– real-world geographic placement.
It's fairly simple to build a three-dimensional model using SFM software, which automatically analyzes features common to multiple images to determine their relative positions. The tricky part is getting the software to understand where the model should be placed geographically on the globe. Because the feature positions are only relative, the SFM software has no knowledge – initially – of their absolute locations, so the model could be "floating in space" as far as it can tell.
Fortunately, the UAS carried a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver that stored latitude, longitude, and altitude data for each image it collected. When the SFM software analyzes these data, it can place the resulting model on the globe. In other words, when a feature is visible in two or more photographs, and we know the geographic location of the UAS when each photo was snapped, it’s possible to triangulate the geographic position of the feature on the ground.
However, the geographic triangulation process is not perfect, which caused some errors in the resulting model.
Comparison with other lower East Rift Zone DEMs from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) surveys – completed before and during the 2018 eruption – showed that the surface of the SFM DEM diverged by as much as 3 m (10 ft) vertically, even in places not inundated by lava. This meant that some lava thicknesses on the preliminary map were slightly overestimated, while others were underestimated.
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Ropy pahoehoe, behind USGS HVO Scientist-in-Charge Tina Neal,
rises up in the background. USGS photo |
The solution devised by HVO geologists to correct these errors has been to complete a ground control survey around the 2018 flow field. Features visible in the UAS images are surveyed on the ground using a high-precision GPS unit, which provides a known latitude, longitude, and elevation at a certain point in the DEM. Each ground control point (GCP) is then used to "tie down" the surface of the DEM so that it no longer "floats above" or "dives below" the actual ground surface.
HVO geologists have now identified and surveyed 23 GCPs dispersed around the 2018 lava flow. Ideal features are distinct, sharp, and flat so that the coordinates can be placed in the model with pinpoint accuracy using the SFM software. The features also need to be unmoved since August 2018, when the UAS imagery was collected.
During the eruption, USGS geologists intentionally painted several GCPs onto abandoned roads because that is the ideal way to conduct a ground control survey. Unfortunately, access limitations at the time prevented an even distribution of the GCPs. As a result, it has been necessary in our recent survey to use preexisting features, such as the ends of roadway centerlines or the corners of concrete slabs, for GCPs.
The 23 GCPs were accessed by air or from the ground, including hikes through dense forest, all in the interest of achieving a uniform distribution around the 2018 lava flow. Preliminary results are encouraging, as the GCP elevations fall consistently within 1 m (3 ft) of the surfaces in the LiDAR DEMs.
Work to reprocess the structure-from-motion DEM with the ground control data is ongoing, but it should result in HVO's publication of a finalized lava thickness map – hopefully in the near future – for Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption.
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| Lava approaching Puna Geothermal mounds up as it oozes. Photo from PGV |
Volcano Activity Updates Kῑlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL.
Rates of seismicity, deformation, and gas release have not changed significantly over the past week. Deformation signals are consistent with refilling of Kīlauea Volcano's deep East Rift Zone magma reservoir. Sulfur dioxide emission rates on the ERZ and at Kīlauea's summit remain low and have been steady over the past several months.
Two earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi during the past week: a magnitude-2.6 quake 27 km (17 mi) west of Pepeʻekeo at 25 km (16 mi) depth on April 10 at 1:11 p.m. HST, and a magnitude-0.9 quake 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Volcano at 7 km (4 mi) depth on April 6 at 6:37 p.m. HST.
Hazards remain at the lower ERZ and summit of Kīlauea. Residents and visitors near the 2018 fissures, lava flows, and summit collapse area should heed Hawai‘i CountyCivil Defense and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closures and warnings. HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlaueafor any sign of increased activity.
The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL.
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.
DONATE TO SUPPORT MILOLIʻi-KĀʻŪ VOLLEYBALL CLUB on trips to Oʻahu and
California this summer for tournaments. Donations will be applied to 10U travel to Oʻahu for the Aloha Summer Classic as well as 12U and 14U to
Anaheim for the Summer Soirée Tournament.
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| Leahi Kaupu |
Leahi Kaupu said, "I'm helping to
raise funding for our Miloliʻi-Kaʻū Volleyball Club. We still need your help in order to reach our goal. You can share our fundraiser on social media, email, or via text with anybody you think may be willing to help. We've setup easy tools for you to share our campaign with a few clicks of a button. Thanks so much for your support."
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| Chelsea Velez |
Chelsea Velez said, "Your help allows us to provide our young ladies with a supportive and competitive club so they can compete to the best of their abilities… help us offer a higher quality experience for all participants.
Raising dollars for extra curricular activities is very difficult to do but is vital for our program. If you could please spread the word about our fundraiser by sharing it with your friends via Email, Facebook, and Twitter we would greatly appreciate it. Our young ladies have been training hard to properly represent this great town and club, any support is truly helpful. Here's to another great season of Miloliʻi-Kaʻū Volleyball Club."
To become a sponsor or make a donation directly, contact coach Gen Shibuya, (808) 209-7137, kikulaki@hotmail.com, P.O. Box 491 Nāʻālehu HI 96772.
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Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on |
Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports ScheduleBaseball:
Fri., April 19, BIIF Semi-Finals
Sat., April 20, BIIF Semi-Finals
Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals
Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals
Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA
Softball:
Fri., April 19, BIIF Finals
Sat., April 20, BIIF Finals
Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA
Boys Volleyball:
Wed., April 17, 6 p.m., Kamehameha
Fri., April 19, 6 p.m., host Honokaʻa
Mon. April 22, BIIF First Round
Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals
Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals
Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA
Track:
Sat., April 20, 9 a.m., @Kamehameha
Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals
Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals
Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA
JUST ANNOUNCEDOCEAN VIEW PICKLEBALL ASSOCIATION invites the public to join in games played at KahukuPark, located on Paradise Circle, across from St. Jude's Church in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Equipment provided. Questions? Contact Jacquie at 929-7092.
MURDER MYSTERIES are the theme for the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences Middle School Theater Night 2019. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders each perform a one-act murder mystery on Thursday, May 16,
6 p.m., in Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater.
Grade 6 performs Café Murder by Nathan Hartswick. Rosemary Saint-John is a
hypochondriac convinced she is allergic to water. Celebrating her birthday at a restaurant with her four sisters, Rosemary's self-centeredness makes enemies with everyone around her. When she disappears, she is presumed murdered. Which one of the people who Rosemary angers did it? No one is above suspicion among this cast of characters.
Grade 7 performs
No Body to Murder by Edith Weiss. Bad news threatens the guests at the Come On Inn of Nova Scotia: an escaped convict in the area and an incoming bad storm. After a power outage, the gung-ho aerobics instructor, Billie Body, has been mysteriously murdered. Suspicions rage: Was it the gardener who weeds with an axe? An inept doctor on holiday from malpractice suits? A hairdresser who constantly changes her appearance? Everyone has a hidden motive to want Billie Body dead.
Grade 8 performs Dinner at Eight, Dead by Nine By Michael Druce. The action takes place around the head table of a banquet room where guests are expecting a dinner theatre show. When the guest of honor, Eleanor Van Heusen, falls face first into her plate of spaghetti, the guests are suddenly witness to a murder. All her family members and even the chef have motives to kill her, yet all claim innocence. Luckily, Inspector Bungles is there to help solve this whodunit.
Admission is free; donations gratefully accepted. Park entrance fees may apply.
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UPCOMING
SUNDAY, APRIL 14
Palm Sunday Services, April 14, 9:30 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. 939-7000
Ocean View Easter Egg Hunt at Kahuku Park happens Sunday, April 14, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sponsored by D-Tech solutions, Robert Unger, 238-8441, is accepting donations of plastic eggs and individually wrapped candy.
Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, April 14, 2nd Sunday monthly, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527
MONDAY, APRIL 15
Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Monday, April 16, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church,
Ocean View. Low income pet parents and those with limited transportation qualify for mobile spay/neuter service. Free. Surgery by appointment only. Hawai‘i Island Humane Society,
hihs.org, 796-0107
Discovery Harbour Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Monday, April 15, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576,
discoveryharbour.netHypertension Management, Monday, April 15 and 22, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym, with Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi.
TUESDAY, APRIL 16
Walk for Fitness, Tuesday, April 16-June 25, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. 18+. Registration ongoing. Free. 929-9113,
hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreationArts and Crafts Activity: Spring Collage, Tuesday, April 16, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 8-12. Free. 929-9113,
hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreationHula Hoop Challenge, Tuesday, April 16, 2:45 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 8-12. Free. 929-9113,
hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreationDiscovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Tuesday, April 16, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576,
discoveryharbour.netWalk & Fit, Tuesday and Thursday, April 16-May 23, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. 18+. Register April 3-15. Shoes required. 928-3102,
hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreationAfter Dark in the Park: The Amazing, Almost Unbelievable, Story of the Coconut Palm, Tuesday, April 16, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. John Stallman of the Friends Institute of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, guides attendees on the epic journey of the modern palm, what has been called, "the most useful tree on Earth." Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011,
nps.gov/havoWEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
Early Head Start, Wednesday, April 17, 10 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033,
ovcahi.orgEaster Craft Day, Wednesday, April 17, 11 a.m. – pau, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. Free; all ages. 939-2442
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, April 17, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033,
ovcahi.org
Arts and Crafts Activity: Spring Basket, Wednesday, April 17, 3:30-5p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki grades K-6 April 8-16. Free. 928-3102,
hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreationTHURSDAY, APRIL 18
Family Reading Night, Thursday, April 18, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033,
ovcahi.orgSlide Show Presentation: On Sacred Ground, Thursday, April 18, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Dino Morrow, documentary and portrait photographer, shares an intimate collection of hula images. Free; $5 donations accepted. 967-8222,
volcanoartcenter.orgFRIDAY, APRIL 19
Keiki Jiggle Bums, Friday, April 19, 3rd Friday monthly, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., Ocean View Community Center. Discover the joy of early learning through song and musical instruments. For keiki 0-4 years. Nicola, 238-8544
SATURDAY, APRIL 20
Fee-Free Day at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Saturday, April 20. Park entrance fees waived in celebration of National Park week.
nps.gov/HAVOHawai‘i Wildlife Fund Earth Day Community Cleanup, Saturday, April 20. Free; donations appreciated. BYO-4WD welcome. RSVP: kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest Application Deadline, Saturday, April 20. sales@kaucoffeemill.com,
kaucoffeemill.com,
kaucoffeefestival.comAnnual Wellness Fair and Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym. Easter Egg Hunt begins at 10 a.m. Educators encouraged to participate. Volunteers welcome. Free.
Junior Ranger Day at Kahuku, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Program debut. Keiki who complete the junior ranger handbook (illustrated by Hawai‘i artists) earn a wooden junior ranger badge, junior ranger certificate, and will be sworn in by a National Park Service ranger. Free. 985-6011,
nps.gov/havoOcean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033,
ovcahi.orgHam Radio Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center.
ovcahi.org ONGOINGBeginning 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.
Exhibit: On Sacred Ground by Dino Morrow is open daily through Sunday, May 5 at Volcano Art Center Gallery. The public is invited to see documentary and protrait photography of Hula Arts at the Kīlauea Program. Visit
volcanoartcenter.org for more information.
Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade happens Saturday, June 29 at
11 a.m. The parade route begins at the Nāʻālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nāʻālehu Hongwanji Mission. To participate, call Debra McIntosh, 929-9872.
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On Saturday, May 4, people from across the U.S. will participate in Community Wildfire Preparedness Day, a day to take action to increase wildfire safety in the community. As part of the festivities the following week, May 10 and 11, Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization and Nā Mamo O Kāwā, two non-profit organizations, are teaming-up for a weekend of fun, learning, and action-taking.
