The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Hands of Time, with Kaʻū Coffee Fest emcee Makana Kamahele, right, drummer Dennis Salmo, leader Calvin Ponce,

and Chase Cabudol, left, launched the entertainment at the Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday. Photo by Peter Anderson

KAʻŪ COFFEE FESTIVAL drew thousands of people to its biggest event Saturday, the ninth day of activities that took participants from rainforest and ranches high in the hills to coffee farms, a mill, historic home, and Pāhala community center. The Hoʻolauleʻa yesterday saw Kaʻū Coffee farmers and baristas show off their top coffees. The event also supported the broader community with fundraisers for organizations and entertainment for all. Organizer Chris Manfredi thanked volunteers Julia Neal, Brenda Iokepa and Maria Miranda with awards of appreciation for their work on the festival, which completed its eleventh year. See photos and stories of Kaʻū Coffee Festival events in this week's daily Kaʻū News Briefs..

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Helena Nihipali Sesson has gained a reputation of helping

out wherever she goes. On Saturday, she cleaned the floor at Coffee Experience
where baristas prepared Kaʻū Coffee for tasting. Photo by Michael Worthington

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REDUCING INVASIVE SPECIES GETS ANOTHER PUSH FROM GOV. DAVID IGE in his latest newsletter. He reminds the public that the Hawai‘i Invasive Species Council urges everyone to become more informed and vigilant about helping the state monitor invasive outbreaks before they become too widespread to manage.

HISC coordinator Josh Atwood said, "Invasive species impact every aspect of our lives. The public is our eyes and ears to find new infestations. The state can't be everywhere so we rely on people to report invasive species sightings to us."

Foggy, singing a song he wrote about Kaʻū paniolo, entertained in

the morning, Willie Nelson style. Photo by Peter Anderson

Little fire ant stings can cause blindness in pets, severe pain and allergic reactions in people, and damage to crops and wildlife. Infestations have been found on nearly every island in the state. The good news is that the ants and other invasives can be eliminated in an area if found early enough.

In addition to the fire ants, state agencies monitor the spread of albizia trees, which become hazardous especially during storms; rapid ʻōhiʻa death, which threatens vital watershed forests; and mosquitos, which can spread disease, such as zika and dengue fever. Ige's administration developed the state's first interagency biosecurity plan and works with volunteer invasive species committees on each island to monitor threats and take action where needed.

Ige's newsletter points out that he chairs the Western Governors' Association, where he makes biosecurity a priority. He works with experts from other states and across the Pacific to coordinate the war on invasive species.

Atwood said that the governor's support has helped to bring more attention to the issue.
"He's also emphasized the importance of getting more funding and positions."

At a recent public forum sponsored by the state Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land and Natural Resources, speaker after speaker described the need for more staffing in the war against invasives as well as public awareness of what citizens can do to help.

Atwood remarked, "We save so much in costs to the state by investing in people to do this work. It affects virtually every aspect of our lives — our health, economy, culture, and agriculture."

Call HDOA's statewide pest hotline at 643- PEST to report any invasive pests and go to stoptheant.org for easy ways to test for little fire ants.

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Hannah's Makana ʻOhana hālau was the first group with hula to take the grassy stage. Photo by Peter Anderson

THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S AIR MONITORING STATIONS will be removed from Volcano and Kalapana now that the eruption is over, according to Big Island Video News. The new state of Hawaiʻi Air Quality Reporting Data website will continue to stream from stations in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View, and other sites throughout the state.
Anna Koethe, Public Health Information Coordinator for the Department of Health, Clean Air Branch, told Big Island Video News that a grey symbol with dashed lines on the air quality map indicate that the station is offline. Koethe told Big Island Video News that Volcano, Leilani Estates, and Kalapana monitoring sites were "temporarily established to provide data during the Kīlauea volcanic eruption. Since the eruption has stopped, the Volcano and Kalapana temporary sites have been taken down and will be removed from the website shortly."

Kaʻū Coffee Festival tents filled with people enjoying Kaʻū Coffee, entertainment, and food, as well as learning more

about Kaʻū Coffee culture. Photo by Peter Anderson

Koethe said the Leilani Estates site "is being converted from a temporary portable monitoring unit and re-established with longer term regulatory equipment. Once the data is available at the Leilani Estates site, the data will be streamed to the website and accessible for viewing by the public."

The new site provides near real-time data on air quality statewide, with 12 of the 18 total stations located on Hawaiʻi Island. See air.doh.hawaii.gov/home/map. Find out more on May 1 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.

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.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

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.

UPCOMING

MONDAY-THURSDAY, MAY 6-9

Summer Fun Registration, Monday-Thursday, May 6-9, 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., at Nā‘ālehu Community Center and at Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Program, for keiki completing grade K-6, runs Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., June 12-July 19. $40 fee. $50 portion of registration fee funded by Councilwoman Maile David. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

MONDAY, MAY 6

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, May 6, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MAY 7
Family Engagement Night, Tuesday, May 7, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, May 7 (Committees), Wednesday, May 8 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
Volcano Bay Clinic Mobile Health Unit Visit. Dental, Wednesday, May 8, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Medical, Thursday, May 30, 1 – 5 p.m. Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Must be Bay Clinic, Inc. patient. 333-3600 for appt. thecoopercenter.org

Kākou, Wednesday, May 8, 10 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Author and ethnographer, P.F. "Ski" Kwiatkowski, speaks about Hawaiian kākau – tattoos – their origins and counterparts in other aspects of Hawaiian crafts. Displaying collection of tattoo needles and the materials that are used in creating the needles, the ink and the tattoos themselves. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Arts and Crafts Activity: Mother's Day Keepsake, Wednesday, May 8, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 2-7. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MAY 9
Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thursday, May 9, 6:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

After Dark in the Park – The Road to Recovery: A Year Later, Thursday, May 9, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Park managers will present a community update about the challenges and successes of 2018, and how staff is working hard to open more areas. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

FRIDAY, MAY 10

ReadySetGo! Wildfire Preparedness Workshop, Friday, May 10, 5:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. Educational, free and family-friendly. Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization. Pablo Akira Meimler at pablo@hawaiiwildfire.org. hawaiiwildfire.org, or 808-885-0900

Light, Sound & Spirit by Ken Goodrich of Hawai‘i Photo Retreat, Friday, May 10, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Talk and presentation of seven videos synthesizing music and projected imagery. Free, $5 donation suggested. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Community Dance, Friday, May 10, 7 p.m. – 10 p.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, MAY 11

Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, May 11, 8 a.m. – 11 a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, Saturday, May 11-June 16, daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Multi-media exhibition of seven artists. Opening reception Saturday, May 11, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Free; National Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day – Wildfire Preparedness, Saturday, May 11, meet 9:30 a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. Bring a water bottle, lunch, closed toed shoes, long sleeved t-shirt, and pants. Tools, gloves, water, and light refreshments provided. nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

Zentangle Inspired Labyrinth Art with Lois and Earl Stokes, Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. All welcome, no prior experience necessary. Supplies provided. Students invited to bring snack to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

SUNDAY, MAY 12
Kauwela Tour, The Mo‘olelo of Mana Wāhine – Nā Wai Chamber Choir Concert, Sunday, May 12, 11:30 a.m., Kauaha‘ao Congregational Church. Free admission. Donations welcome. nawaichamberchoir.com

3rd Annual Mother's Day Chamber Music Concert, Sunday, May 12, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Music by Volcano Chamber Players Susan McGovern, viola, Glenda Johnson, violin, Meg Saunders, cello, Rumi Reeves, violin, guest Gerdine Markus on recorder and operatic vocals of D'Andrea Pelletier. Complimentary pupu. Beverages and flowers for purchase. $20/VAC ember, $25/non-member, free to children 12 and under. Funds raised support Niaulani Sculpture Garden and ongoing programs. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Full-Time Teaching Assistant Sought by Tūtū & Me to implement curriculum for caregivers and keiki in Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool in Kaʻū. Competitive salary and benefits package, including medical, dental, drug, and vision; flexible spending plan; 403b retirement plan; vacation, sick days, and 14 paid days off; and more.

Minimum requirement is a high school diploma. Early Childhood Education, related coursework, and/or experience working children preferred. For more, visit pidf.org/about/careers. Apply by emailing resume and cover letter to hr@pidfoundation.org or fax to 808-440-6619.

Hi-Employment Seeks Student Employees to work in a macadamia nut orchard on weekends and holidays. Duties include hand-harvesting macadamia nuts, filling and transporting nut bag and buckets, loading 25-plus pound bags into truck beds, and possible clearing of brush and branches. Applicants must be at least 15 years old, have a work permit, two forms of ID, and transportation to "Panaʻewa Stretch." Call for more details, 238-3741, hi-employment.com.

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.

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.

Nā Wai Chamber Choir comes to Waiʻōhinu and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in May. See story, below.
Photo from Jace Saplan

BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM is the state department to be managed by Mike Macartney, who is strongly supported by East Kaʻū and Volcano Sen. Russell Ruderman. McCartney was confirmed last Thursday as chief of DBEDT, following his tenure as Gov. David Ige's chief of staff from December 2014 through January 2019, when Ige appointed him director of DBEDT. The state Senate voted to confirm McCartney with 15 ayes and 10 nays. Ruderman and Hilo Sen. Kai Kahele voted in support; west Hawaiʻi Sen. Dru Kanuha voted in opposition.

Mike McCartney is the new chief of
the DBECDT.

Ige said McCartney "has a diverse resume with experience in the private and public sectors that will serve DBEDT well, including past president and chief executive officer of the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, executive director of the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association, director of the Department of Human Resources Development Management and president and CEO of PBS Hawaiʻi. Mike also served in the Hawaiʻi State Senate for 10 years."

Ruderman spoke in favor of the confirmation: "I can't help but note that there was no opposing testimony to the nomination and a hundred percent supportive testimony. Mr. McCartney came to Puna to spend the day with me during our crisis last year, not once but twice. I observed in him a good, caring person with a good heart and a lot of aloha."

Ruderman said he was disappointed in legislators' negative comments on McCartney during his confirmation hearing. " I watched a good man and a friend treated with shocking disrespect. Only once before have I seen such mistreatment of a nominee in our house. No one's perfect. He's been criticized for a lack of communication. Communication is a two-way street. If you treat someone with antagonism instead of aloha, it's hard to expect open communication," said Ruderman.

Ruderman referred to the chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, Economic Development & Tourism, Glenn Wakai, who said, "Those running the state cannot be just nice and kind. They have to be competent. They have to be responsible. Mr. McCartney's mantra is 'to go fast you have to go slow.' That is not how businesses function. I urge you to vote no with me on Mr. McCartney's confirmation. The public deserves much better."

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KAʻŪ MEMBERS OF HAWAIIAN ROYAL SOCIETIES plan to walk in the early morning on Wednesday, May 8 in Kona to commemorate King Kamehameha's passing. A procession of chanters and Hawaiian royal societies will walk in the early morning hours along Aliʻi Drive to Kamehameha's Ahuʻena Heiau located at Kamakahonu. The community is invited.

Kahu Kealoha Kaʻopua and Kauhane Heloca will lead a procession of chanters and Royal Societies starting at 5 a.m. from Hale Hālāwai, proceeding along Aliʻi Drive to Kaʻahumanu, fronting Kailua Pier, and leading to a 5:55 a.m. sunrise ceremony with protocols at Ahuʻena Heiau.

At Ahuʻena Heiau, the procession will be met by Kai ʻOpua Canoe Club's convoy of canoes in Kamakahonu Bay. The procession of chanters and Royal Societies will face Hualālai. Then, the Kahu will lead the Royal Order Kamehameha I Moku o Kona in the chant E Ala Ē at sunrise. Presentation of hoʻokupu – offerings – by the Royal Societies and others will follow.

ʻAhahui Kaʻahumanu's Kona, Waimea, and Kohala chapters and the Daughters of Hawaiʻi will participate. Other Hawaiian societies, cultural entities, civic clubs, and others are invited to attend and present hoʻokupu.

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A CONCERT TO RAISE MONEY FOR STEWARDSHIP OF THE KAʻŪ COAST will be held on Saturday, May 26 at 6 p.m.at Pāhala Plantation House on the corner of Maile and Pikake Streets. The concert is one in a series of performances during the Hawaiʻi International Festival, in its third season in the islands. The series is called Of Water.

In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash and check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.

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R&G Farms with farmer Bong Aquino, Melveen Camba, Gynard Camba, and Lois Yokata. Family member Gloria Camba is President of the Kaʻū Coffee Growers Cooperative, which sponsors Kaʻū Coffee Fest. Photo by Julia Neal

Berta Miranda with her award winning coffee. Her

daughter Maris is a former Miss Kaʻū Coffee and

works on sponsorships for the festival.

Photo by Julia Neal

THE ELEVENTH ANNUAL KAʻŪ COFFEE FEST blew more than visitors and local coffee enthusiasts into Pāhala for its Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday. The wind whipped the shade cloth covering farmer coffee tastings and the grand stage, but the sun remained shining for the all day event.
Many businesses, Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority other government agencies, and the Edmund C. Olson Trust supported the event. The Kaʻū Coffee Farmers Cooperative and community group ʻO Kaʻū Kākou provided volunteers to stage the Hoʻolauleʻa. Hawaiʻi Coffee Association President Chris Manfredi was a major organizer of the event along with Brenda Iokepa Moses, of Kaʻū Valley Farms and Kaʻū Mahi. See more photos in this week's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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NO TSUNAMI THREAT to Hawaiʻi from a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that happened near Papua New Guinea this morning, reports Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense.

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Kaʻū's Aliʻi Hawaiian Hula Hands Coffee is a family affair with farmer Francis Marques, right, and his daughter Connie
Koi, middle, who is also manager of Punaluʻu Bake Shop. Trini Marques is director of the Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant.
Photo by Julia Neal

AMERICAN JOB CENTER HAWAIʻI JOB FAIR happens Friday, May 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Old Kona Airport Pavilion. This event is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending are encouraged to come prepared with resumes and dressed professionally, as interviews may be done on-site. Businesses interested in participating may contact the Office of Housing and Community Development at 961-8379 for more information, or to request a registration packet; space for booths is limited.

Coffee drinks and mac nuts enjoyed by local residents at the Kaʻū Coffee Fest

Hoʻolauleʻa last Saturday. Shane Augustine, right, is a mac nut machinery

mechanic. Ed Olson, far left, owns thousands of acres of macadamia

and coffee in Kaʻū, and has been a major sponsor of the festival

for a decade. Photo by Julia Neal

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A USED VEHICLES AND PARTS AUCTION will take place through Thursday, May 23 at 10 a.m. in the Council Chambers of the CountyBuilding, located at 25 Aupuni Street, Suite #1401, Hilo. County of Hawai‘i accepts sealed bids of used equipment and vehicles "as is" and "where is." The County issues a "no warranty" sale to the highest bidder. Items listed as "Junked Vehicles" are for parts only; no new title will be given.

Items are located at and may be viewed 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at County of Hawai‘i, Automotive Division – 630 E. Lanikaula Street, Hilo; Waiakea Fire Station Annex – 95 Kea‘a Street, Hilo; or East Hawai‘i Regional Sort Station adjacent to Hilo Landfill – 1651 Ho‘olaulima Road, Hilo.

Kaʻū Farm Bureau discusses feeding Hawaiʻi with attendees at Kaʻū Coffee

Fest Hoʻolauleʻa last Saturday. Its president Phil Becker, along with Merle
Becker, held Kaʻū Coffee & Cattle Day at their Aikane Plantation.
Photo by Julia Neal

Bidders must deposit 25 percent of the bid price in cash or draft drawn on a financial institution – cashier's check, traveler's check, or money order – payable to the Director of Finance, County of Hawai‘i, with their sealed bid. Personal checks, debit and credit cards will not be accepted for the deposit payment. Bids must be at or above the upset price and will be accepted in whole dollars only. Successful bidders will need to pay the outstanding balance within seven days of the close of bids, by 4 p.m. on Friday, May 30, or forfeit their deposit. Any bidder defaulting on the payment will be rejected, and the next highest bidder will be awarded the bid.

See the publication list of vehicles in the Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald and West Hawaiʻi Today on Saturday, May 11 and 18.

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A SHEEP AND GOAT PARASITE MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP happens Saturday, May 18, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Register for the Hawaiʻi Sheep and Goat Association's Workshop by Sunday, May 12. $40 for HSGA members, $55 for non members (includes 2019 membership); includes one raffle ticket per person for donated prizes and lunch.

Kaʻū Lily celebrates agriculture by making many local jams and syrups and
presenting them at Kaʻū Coffee Fest. Photo by Julia Neal

The first half of the day will be at North Hawaiʻi Education and ResearchCenterin Honokaʻa. Hands-on training takes place after lunch at Ahualoa Farm. Dr. Christie Balcomb instructs on controlling parasites in sheep and goats by: Doing fecal checks under microscope; Learning how to calculate Eggs Per Gram; Knowing parasite control medications; Learning when and how to use dewormers.
Sign up at hsga.net/events. Send questions to hisheepandgoat@gmail.com.

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FREE LEGAL CLINICS will take place on Saturday, May 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kona KTA on Palani Roadand at Hilo KTA on East Puainako Street. The clinics are free and open to the public, no fees or appointments. Topics include: bankruptcy, child custody, family law, elder care, employment law, landlord tenant, traffic court, motor vehicle citations, and trust, estate, and probate. Law Week community service event from the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. HSBA.org/LawWeek, yldlawweek@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 Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

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 UPCOMING

MONDAY, MAY 6

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, May 6, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MAY 7
Family Engagement Night, Tuesday, May 7, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, May 7 (Committees), Wednesday, May 8 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
Volcano Bay Clinic Mobile Health Unit Visit. Dental, Wednesday, May 8, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Medical, Thursday, May 30, 1 – 5 p.m. Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Must be Bay Clinic, Inc. patient. 333-3600 for appt. thecoopercenter.org

Kākou, Wednesday, May 8, 10 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Author and ethnographer, P.F. "Ski" Kwiatkowski, speaks about Hawaiian kākau – tattoos – their origins and counterparts in other aspects of Hawaiian crafts. Displaying collection of tattoo needles and the materials that are used in creating the needles, the ink and the tattoos themselves. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Arts and Crafts Activity: Mother's Day Keepsake, Wednesday, May 8, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 2-7. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MAY 9
Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thursday, May 9, 6:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

After Dark in the Park – The Road to Recovery: A Year Later, Thursday, May 9, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Park managers will present a community update about the challenges and successes of 2018, and how staff is working hard to open more areas. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

FRIDAY, MAY 10

SATURDAY, MAY 11

Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, May 11, 8 a.m. – 11 a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, Saturday, May 11-June 16, daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Multi-media exhibition of seven artists. Opening reception Saturday, May 11, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Free; National Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day – Wildfire Preparedness, Saturday, May 11, meet 9:30 a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. Bring a water bottle, lunch, closed toed shoes, long sleeved t-shirt, and pants. Tools, gloves, water, and light refreshments provided.
nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

Zentangle Inspired Labyrinth Art with Lois and Earl Stokes, Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. All welcome, no prior experience necessary. Supplies provided. Students invited to bring snack to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

SUNDAY, MAY 12
Kauwela Tour, The Mo‘olelo of Mana Wāhine – Nā Wai Chamber Choir Concert, Sunday, May 12, 11:30 a.m., Kauaha‘ao Congregational Church. Free admission. Donations welcome. nawaichamberchoir.com

3rd Annual Mother's Day Chamber Music Concert, Sunday, May 12, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Music by Volcano Chamber Players Susan McGovern, viola, Glenda Johnson, violin, Meg Saunders, cello, Rumi Reeves, violin, guest Gerdine Markus on recorder and operatic vocals of D'Andrea Pelletier. Complimentary pupu. Beverages and flowers for purchase. $20/VAC ember, $25/non-member, free to children 12 and under. Funds raised support Niaulani Sculpture Garden and ongoing programs. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, May 12 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

Mother's Day Buffet, Sunday, May 12, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Main entrees: Prime Rib, Lemon Butter Fish w/Tropical Salsa and Vegetable Stir Fry w/Tofu. $29.95/Adults, $14.95/Child (ages 6-11). Reservations required, 967-8356. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Free STD Testing, Monday, May 13 – 2nd Monday, monthly – 9 a.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

ONGOING

Summer Fun Registration runs through Thursday, May 9, 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., at Nā‘ālehu Community Center and at Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. The Summer Fun Program, for keiki completing grade K-6, runs Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., June 12-July 19. $40 fee; $50 portion of registration fee funded by Councilwoman Maile David. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Full-Time Teaching Assistant Sought by Tūtū & Me to implement curriculum for caregivers and keiki in Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool in Kaʻū. Competitive salary and benefits package, including medical, dental, drug, and vision; flexible spending plan; 403b retirement plan; vacation, sick days, and 14 paid days off; and more.

Hi-Employment Seeks Student Employees to work in a macadamia nut orchard on weekends and holidays. Duties include hand-harvesting macadamia nuts, filling and transporting nut bag and buckets, loading 25-plus pound bags into truck beds, and possible clearing of brush and branches. Applicants must be at least 15 years old, have a work permit, two forms of ID, and transportation to "Panaʻewa Stretch." Call for more details, 238-3741, hi-employment.com.

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Nine percent of Hawaiʻi Island's energy generation comes from Tawhiri's wind farm at South Point.
Photo by Peter Anderson

TAWHIRI'S PAKINI NUI WIND FARM at South Point contributes 20.5 megawatts of renewably sourced electricity to Hawaiʻi Island's electric generation, according to Hawaiian Electric's 2018-19 Sustainability Report, released today.

About nine percent of the island's entire energy generation comes from the Kaʻū wind farm, two-thirds of the wind energy generated on island. Of all the islands, Hawaiʻi is doing best with renewable energy, at 44 percent. Oʻahu is at 22 percent, and MauiCounty– which includes Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lanaʻi – is at 38 percent.

"Hunnay" Rhyan Faith Anoʻi Demello, of
Ocean View, winner of the solo title at
E Mālama Mau I Ka Hula Festival
in October, recently returned from
a world dance competition and performed
at Kaʻū Coffee Fest last Saturday with the
hālau of Bula Akamu. Photo by Julia Neal

The sustainability report focuses on the 2045 goal of statewide 100 percent renewable energy. The Smart Electric Power Alliance named Hawaiian Electric Light, Hawaiian Electric, and Maui Electric the 2018 Investor-Owner Utilities of the Year, citing "collaboration with customers and communities" on grid-modernization plans.

Palaka shirt, grass skirt for the paniolo
hula from Bula Akamu's hālau.
Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

The utilities' annual use of fossil fuel is down 88 million gallons, or about 19 percent, over the past 10 years. Nearly 4,000 new private rooftop solar installations came online in 2018, continuing Hawaiʻi's leadership in residential rooftop solar in the U.S.More than 4.4 million solar panels are expected to be online by 2022. More than 8,000 electric vehicles are registered in the state.

According to the report, in 2018, the Hawaiian Electric Companies achieved a consolidated renewable portfolio of 27 percent, up from 9 percent just a decade ago. However, the same numbers were reported in 2017. Oil used for power generation has gone down 66 million gallons since 2011. But more than 350 million gallons are still used each year statewide. Greenhouse gas emissions are down to 18.9 percent below the 2010 baseline – and greenhouse gases raised back up .1 percent from 2017 to 2018.

Hula maiden from Kona captures the eyes of volunteers at the Kaʻū Coffee Fest Hoʻolauleʻa.
Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

The report states that, by 2022, Hawaiʻi Island will have an additional 70MW from renewable energy and 240 megawatt hours of storage. Also by 2022, more than a dozen wind, solar, and battery storage projects statewide will come online; fossil fuel use in Hawaiʻi will have dropped by 60 percent since 2009, with carbon dioxide emissions down by 1.2 million tons. The utilities have an additional 800 MW from independent producers in the pipeline, plus more than 80,000 total private rooftop solar systems in planning.

Alan Oshima, President and CEO of Hawaiian Electric, wrote in the report, "Achieving some of the most ambitious clean energy goals in the nation will pose new challenges, and collaboration will become increasingly important, which is why the theme of this report is Together, Building a Stronger Hawaiʻi. We will continue to work with our communities to make the best choices for Hawaiʻi's future, and we invite you to learn about our progress and the ways you can participate.

Keiki hula showcased the Bula Akamu
hālau last Saturday at Pāhala Community Center.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

"We will continue to support the state's efforts to replace fossil-fueled combustion engine buses with cleaner, quieter, more efficient electric buses." Hawaiian Electric is also offering to install electric vehicle charging stations. There is one at Punaluʻu Bake Shop in Nāʻālehu and another at the Kaʻū District Gym.

See the full report at hawaiianelectric.com/clean-energy-hawaii/sustainability-report.

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THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IS UNDER REVIEW by Gov. David Ige. During a press conference this week, Ige said he is "concerned, and as I've talked with governors from other states who have gone through recreational. You know, people assume that once it becomes recreational or decriminalized that it's legal. And it's not legal by federal law. And I think that that becomes the confusion, and that's always been my concern. I'll be looking at the bill and trying to make an assessment of what it means, and then deciding."

If allowed by the governor, House Bill 383, which passed the 2019 Hawaiʻi Legislature, would make possession of up to three grams of marijuana only punishable by a $130 fine. It would also allow expungement of criminal records for possession of three grams or less, and would establish a taskforce to research marijuana use penalty outcomes, with an eye toward possible changes.

Arguments against decriminalization made by some legislators focus on the fact that marijuana is still illegal, federally.

Hula at the Hoʻolauleʻa last Saturday in Pāhala.
Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

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NEW STATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT RULES will soon go into effect. Gov. David Ige announced today that on July 30 he will sign updated rules for the state EIS process. They will take effect Aug. 9 with a repeal and replace of the old rules.

The new EIS rules allow for exemptions for building urban affordable housing in certain circumstances, make considering sea level rise and greenhouse gas emissions explicit, and require a public scoping meeting at the beginning of an EIS. They incorporate changes in the EIS statute made by the Hawaiʻi Legislature and rulings by the Hawai‘i Supreme Court. They clarify roles and responsibilities in the process, require agencies to publicly list their exemptions on a monthly basis, among other changes.

The Office of Environmental Quality Control and State Environmental Council submitted its final rules to the governor at the beginning of April after completing a nearly two-year effort to modernize the existing rules. To develop new rules, the Council prepared four working drafts and held about 30 public meetings, including nine public hearings with at least one on each island. "These rules strike the right balance to ensure public involvement in government decision making and the disclosure of activities that might affect our environment," said Ige.

Kaʻū Productions Sound & Lighting crew grew up with the music of
the Akamu family and provided their services for the Hoʻolauleʻa.
Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

Scott Glenn, director, Office of Environmental Quality Control, said, "The work that the volunteers on the Environmental Council and the OEQC staff have done to build consensus has been impressive. Setting the date for the end of July will give our state and county agencies time to prepare for the new requirements and to make sure projects have time to comply with the new rules."

For more information go to the OEQC webpage, which includes links to all of the rules documents and a timeline of the effort: health.hawaii.gov/oeqc/rules-update.

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Gene Akamu and his son Bula came home to Pāhala for Kaʻū Coffee Fest, with their music and hula.
Photo by Julia Neal

ENTERTAINMENT AT KAʻŪ COFFEE FESTIVAL HOʻOLAULEʻA included a welcome home for Gene and Bula Akamu, who brought their hālau with them from Kona. The Akamu family was one of the leading musical families of Ka`ʻū for generations. After the sugar plantation shut down, where Gene Akamu worked until 1996, the family moved to Kona for work opportunities.

Son Bula Akamu continued with the music tradition he learned in Kaʻū. He attended Berkeley College of Music in Boston, where he studied music education and earned a masters degree in guitar. He became a Hawaiian music teacher in the public schools on this island. His teaching developed into his own hālau as he grew to become Kumu. The Akamu family also became known for Hawaiian weddings and performances in Kona, and for original songs and recordings. See bulamusic.com for more and for their schedule of performances.

See more photos of the Kaʻū Coffee Festival on this and upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs.

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A CONCERT TO RAISE MONEY FOR STEWARDSHIP OF THE KAʻŪ COAST will be held on Saturday, May 25 at 6 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation House on the corner of Maile and Pikake Streets. The concert is one in a series of performances during the Hawaiʻi International Music Festival, in its third season in the islands. The series is called Of Water.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more. Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi Internaional Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash and check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.

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.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

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.

UPCOMING

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

Volcano Bay Clinic Mobile Health Unit Visit. Dental, Wednesday, May 8, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Medical, Thursday, May 30, 1 – 5 p.m. Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Must be Bay Clinic, Inc. patient. 333-3600 for appt. thecoopercenter.org

Kākou, Wednesday, May 8, 10 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Author and ethnographer, P.F. "Ski" Kwiatkowski, speaks about Hawaiian kākau – tattoos – their origins and counterparts in other aspects of Hawaiian crafts. Displaying collection of tattoo needles and the materials that are used in creating the needles, the ink and the tattoos themselves. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Arts and Crafts Activity: Mother's Day Keepsake, Wednesday, May 8, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 2-7. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MAY 9
Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thursday, May 9, 6:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

After Dark in the Park – The Road to Recovery: A Year Later, Thursday, May 9, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Park managers will present a community update about the challenges and successes of 2018, and how staff is working hard to open more areas. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Friday, May 10, 9 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Free disability legal services provided by Hawai‘i Legal Aid. ovcahi.org, 939-7033

Arts and Crafts Activity: Mother's Day Card, Friday, May 10, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, May 1-8. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ReadySetGo! Wildfire Preparedness Workshop, Friday, May 10, 5:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. Educational, free and family-friendly. Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization. Pablo Akira Meimler at pablo@hawaiiwildfire.org. hawaiiwildfire.org, or 808-885-0900

Light, Sound & Spirit by Ken Goodrich of Hawai‘i Photo Retreat, Friday, May 10, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Talk and presentation of seven videos synthesizing music and projected imagery. Free, $5 donation suggested. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Community Dance, Friday, May 10, 7 p.m. – 10 p.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, MAY 11

MONDAY, MAY 13
Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Monday, May 13, and 27, 1 p.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

TUESDAY, MAY 14
Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Tuesday, May 14, 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 phone appointment only. Hawai‘i Island Humane Society, hihs.org, 796-0107

Wonderful World of Wine & Watercolor, Tuesday, May 14, 4 p.m. – 7pm, Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC members, $35/non-member, plus $17 supply fee.Learn to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper while sampling several wines from Grapes in Hilo. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

After Dark in the Park – Kauwela Tour, The Mo‘olelo of Mana Wāhine – Nā Wai Chamber Choir Concert, Tuesday, May 14, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Musical journey that honors the music of both historic and modern-day mana wāhine. Honolulu-based Nā Wai Chamber Choir is a professional vocal ensemble that preserves, propagates, and innovates the legacy of Hawaiian choral music. Hilo native Dr. Jace Kaholokula Saplan leads ensemble on annual kauwela tour. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

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Co-organizer of the Kaʻū Coffee Fest Brenda Iokepa Moses (right) was in charge of vendors and educational displays at last
Saturday's Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa. She visited the Kaʻū Coffee Mill booth and took along her company's Kaʻū Valley Coffee. She received an award for her volunteer work in producing the festival. See more photos from last
Saturday's Kaʻū Coffee Fest Hoʻolauleʻa, below. Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

THE USGS HAWAIIAN VOLCANOES OBSERVATORY TEAM IS NOMINATED for a government services "Oscar" and the public can vote beginning this Friday. The 2019 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal, the Sammies, award finalists were announced by the Partnership for Public Service, which named 26 federal employees and teams from more than 20 federal agencies. Sammie winners will be announced Oct. 16 during a gala in Washington, D.C.

The Service to America Medal Meet the Finalists webpage states that HVO Chief Scientist and research geologist Christina Neal and her team are recognized for their work in 2018, when they "carefully monitored a large and sustained eruption of Kīlauea Volcano in Hawaiʻi and provided vital updates to protect residents, tourists and property from ash, lava, and toxic fumes." The HVO team is among five finalists in the Science and Environment category of the Sammies.

USGS HVO Scientist-in-Charge Tina Neal, in orange, with a Park ranger
and a group at the edge of Kīlauea caldera. USGS photo

More info on HVO's 2018 achievements is provided in a Meet the Finalists post.

Beginning this Friday, May 10, members of the public can vote online for the People's Choice Award to honor the federal employee or team who made the most significant contribution to the American people in the last year. Voting ends July 8. The winner will be announced at a Partnership for Public Service event on July 18.

See more on the Partnership for Public Service awards.

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THE WORD ON THE KAʻŪ COFFEE FEST HOʻOLAULEʻA is that it recovered on Saturday from slightly lower attendance last year following the 6.9 earthquake on May 4, 2018. One day before the event, last year's temblor shook the region and the annual Kaʻū Coffee & Cattle Day at Aikane Plantation. Last Saturday, it was a different story.

The community celebrated clean air with more stable ground and without the volcano's ash, as music mingled with a brisk breeze. The Hoʻolauleʻa drew the maximum number of participants who offered tastings and sold their Kaʻū Coffee, teas, honey, crafts and ready to eat foods. The number of sponsors grew and the community showed its resilience with the many volunteers who represented educational, health, sports, culinary, and environmental groups, ready to help with life in Kaʻū. See photos in this Kaʻū News Briefs and all this week.

Volunteer fire departments at Volcano, Pāhala, Discovery Harbour, and Ocean
View are all looking for new recruits of citizens 18 and older. They took their
message, Be a Hero in Your Community, to the Kaʻū Coffee Fest Hoʻolauleʻa
this weekend. Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

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A REVIEW OF THE 2019 HAWAIʻI LEGISLATURE was released today by Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action. Led by Gary Hooser, a former state Senator, the opinion piece points out that the bill to increase minimum wage died. Writes Hooser, "A subsistence wage is $17 according to Hawaiʻi's Department of Business and Economic Development. Both the House and the Senate, and the Governor, have stated publicly they supported a $15 per hour increase, phased in over time. But instead, the minimum wage will remain stuck at $10.10."

Hooser calls the result, "shameful really. Though legislators and government administrators will all be getting their raises, regular low income working people will get nothing - zero."

He assesses the water bill that may lead to users of water diverted from streams to put the water back into their natural flow "a huge victory on many levels." However, it leaves Kaʻū ranchers and farmers in limbo, as the water from state sources comes from horizontal wells drilled into the side of Mauna Loa in the old sugar plantation days. While not a diversion of streams, their water permits have been included in measures to resolve the overall problem, and could lead to expensive environmental assessment costs and putting permits up to public bids, they fear.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou volunteers help to set up the Ho'olaulea and provide security,
along with the community group's own shave ice stand to raise funds for its
many projects. Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

Hooser publishes a list of shortcomings at the 2019 Hawaiʻi Legislature, writing: "Not one measure of substance dealing with climate change was passed. The defining issue of our generation, an issue upon which the entire planet's future is based – and our state legislature is content to nibble at the edges of the problem.
"Dedicated funding for education – failed. Banning of single use styrofoam food containers – failed. Legalization of cannabis for responsible adult use – failed. Automatic voter registration – failed. Banning of candy flavored tobacco products – failed. Regulating 'Pay Day Lenders'– failed."

To improve results at the legislature, Hooser writes: "We can carry signs, and we should. We can organize and we can march, and yes we should do this as well. And absolutely we must offer testimony and write letters to the editor. And we must vote, and make sure that all our friends and neighbors vote. But if we want real change that will make a tangible difference in our lifetime, we must identify, recruit, and train a new generation of politically engaged leadership in Hawaiʻi."

Hooser's organization founded The Kuleana Academy to train future leaders. Among those who completed the training, two have been elected to the state House of Representatives and two are County Council members, with many others leading campaigns in their communities. For more, see a video on HAPA and KuleanaAcademy or go to hapahi.org.

Pickled Mango and Pipinola Salad were among the favorite offerings
by local chefs at Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday.
Photo by Kamalani Kaluahine Salmo

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MARSHALLESE LIVING IN KAʻŪ FACE TOUGHER documentation requirements when renewing or applying for a state driver's license or identification card.

People from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palaucan migrate freely to the U.S., under the congressional Compact for Free Association, relating to military use of the islands, including conducting nuclear tests on some of them in the past. The islanders can travel and live in the U.S. without a visa.
Once here, in order to apply for or renew a state drivers license or ID, new rules, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, have recently come into play. Since December, in order to receive a drivers license good for eight years, Homeland Security has required visa or employment authorization documentation. Applying for employment authorization documents is free, but documents can take six months to arrive.

Kaʻū Valley Farms, above Nāʻālehu, presented coffee and other

farm products. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

Hawaiʻi may issue "non-compliant" state IDs. Hawaiʻi may also issue non-compliant drivers licenses, good for one year. The non-compliant drivers licenses and ID's, however, would not be valid for traveling on airplanes and entering some federal buildings, beginning Oct. 1, 2020. Federally mandated Real Id, or Real Id compliant drivers license, would be required. The 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature is expected to take up the issue.

See more on new ID requirements at the Department of Homeland Security's website.

Sen. Mazie Hirono said Sunday the Homeland Security guidelines contradict Congress' intention to help COFA citizens. "I am concerned that the Trump administration is ignoring the spirit of the law and making it unnecessarily difficult for COFA citizens to get the IDs and driver's licenses they need to live and work in this country. Everyone deserves equitable access to identification, and I will continue to explore all avenues to force the administration to comply with the letter and intent of the law."

Several of the questions at dhs.gov/real-id-public-faqsanswer questions about IDs for Freely Associated State citizens.

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THE VICTIM IN SINGLE-VEHICLE FATAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENT on Sunday, May 5 is identified as 70-year-old Hawaiian Ocean View Estates resident Michael A McCormick. He was in Kona on Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway, headed north, .1 mile south of KeaholeAirport road. McCormick was driving a red 2010 Chevrolet Coloradopick-up.

Rusty's Hawaiian coffee farm, operated by the Obra family, with the

Navarro Coffee Farm tasting in the distance. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

Responding to a 9:20 a.m. call, police determined the pick-up had crossed the merge lane on the mauka side of the roadway. The Chevrolet continued to drive on the rock shoulder/embankment and finally came to rest on the right northbound lane. McCormick was transported to KonaCommunityHospital,where he was later pronounced dead at 1:18 p.m.

Police do not believe speed or alcohol are factors in the crash. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

The Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a Coroner's Inquest investigation and is asking for anyone who may have witnessed the accident to contact Officer Kimo Keliʻipaʻakaua at (808) 326-4646 ext. 229.

This is the seventh traffic fatality on island this year, compared to nine at this time last year.

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HAWAIʻI CONSERVATION CONFERENCE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS are available. In partnership with Hau‘oli Mau Loa Foundation's Environmental Leadership Pathways Initiative, the Hawai’i Conservation Alliance and Foundation, applications are due by Friday, May 24. The registration fee will be lowered to $50 from $160 if accepted. Applicants must be a junior, senior, or recent graduate of a Hawaiʻi high school; a current post-secondary student; or an emerging professional with no more than three years work experience, working in Hawaiʻi. Apply at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeX
oCsDlVdXl64h0_RHIOXg-DbsxIDW6w2FhkFcsAsXXyH87A/viewform.

A travel stipend reimbursement of up to $200 is also available for neighbor island attendees, including student scholarship applicants.

The 26th conference, He ʻaʻaliʻi kū makani au: Resilience in the Face of Change, happens Tuesday through Thursday, July 9 – 11, at Hawaiʻi Convention Center on Oʻahu. Sign up at hawaiiconservation.org/conference/2019-registration/. Questions? Email capacity@hawaiiconservation.org, conference@hawaiiconservation.org, or call (808) 944-7417.

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.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED

BIG ISLAND GIRLS SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION offers islandwide play for young wahine five to 18 years of age. Sign-ups start Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m. to noonat Kealakehe High School Gym. Practices start Monday, May 27. All skill levels welcome; teams will be grouped by skill level. Special first season fee is $20. Email bigislandgirlssoftball@gmail.comor text only to (808) 345-2210.

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.

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, MAY 9

Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thursday, May 9, 6:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

FRIDAY, MAY 10

SATURDAY, MAY 11

Arts and Crafts Activity: Watercolor Painting, Wednesday, May 15, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 9-14. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ONGOING

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

A CONCERT TO RAISE MONEY FOR STEWARDSHIP OF THE KAʻŪ COAST will be held on Saturday, May 25 at 6 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation House on the corner of Maile and Pikake Streets. The concert is one in a series of performances during the Hawaiʻi International Music Festival, in its third season in the islands. The series is called Of Water.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more. Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi Internaional Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.meand at the door – cash and check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.

Berta Miranda clutches her Bible, fearing her coffee farm burned during the 2012 fires that raged around Pāhala.

She was spared. Predictions are that fire risks have increased. A workshop will be held for farmers, ranchers,

homeowners, and land mangers this Friday, 6 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation House, sponsored by Hawaiʻi

Wildlife Management Organization and Nā Mamo O Kāwā. Photo by William Neal

PEAK WILDFIRE SEASON IS FAST APPROACHING, Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization announced today. The organization pointed out that its representatives will be on the scene in Kaʻū this weekend, with a free workshop for the public at Pāhala Plantation House on Friday, beginning at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. A field trip with fire prevention volunteer work is set for Saturday.

Pablo Aldra Beimier, Community Outreach Coordinator for Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management, said, "With a weak El Niño starting to kick in, experts predict wildfire activity will increase due to worsening drought conditions and the enormous vegetative growth from a rainy past several of months." He noted that last Saturday, May 4, people from across Hawaiʻi and the U.S. participated in Wildfire Community Preparedness Day "to take action to

Large flames engulf pastures along Hwy 11 next to the Ann Fontes farm
just outside of Pāhala, makai of Hwy 11, in June 2012.
Photo from Hawaiʻi County Fire Department

increase wildfire safety in the community." With Kaʻū farmers and residents busy hosting the annual Coffee Festival last Saturday, the Wildfire team decided to come to Kaʻū this Friday and Saturday to "keep the spirit of #WildfirePrepDay alive this weekend."
Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization and the stewardship organization Nā Mamo O Kāwā will host the Friday night workshop at Pāhala Plantation House and a field trip, with volunteer fire prevention work, on Saturday. They describe it as a weekend of "learning and action-taking."
HWMO is a Waimea-based non-profit dedicated to protecting communities and natural resources across the Hawaiian Islands from wildfire. Nā Mamo O Kāwā is the Hawaiian non-profit that facilitates the care for the precious cultural and natural resources of Kāwā through community-based, self-determined stewardship efforts.
The 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday session is free, family-friendly, and educational. It is called ReadySetGo! Participants will learn how to use proper landscaping techniques and home structure modifications to protect family and property from wildfire, and to work as a community towards the common goal of fire protection for

Paʻauʻau Gulch burned; the fire jumped Hwy 11 and headed toward Kaʻū
Hospital and homes. Photo by John Cross

villages, farms, and ranches. HWMO will also share information on how to develop a clear, achievable family emergency plan, what actions to take during a wildfire, and proper evacuation procedures. Each attendee will receive a free copy of the ReadySetGo! Hawaiʻi Wildland Fire Action Guide, which can be used as a step-by-step tool for carrying out the recommended actions.
The next day, this Saturday, May 11 is a volunteer work day to reduce wildfire hazards and restore the native habitat of Kāwā. The work day will be from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Those who would like to join, meet at the Northern entrance for Kāwā for sign-in, safety briefing, and opening protocol. Bring a water bottle, lunch, closed toed shoes, long sleeved T-shirt, and pants. Tools, gloves, water, and light refreshments provided.
Learn more at hawaiiwildfire.org and nmok.org.

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KAʻŪ COFFEE FEST DREW MUCH APPRECIATION FOR THE LAND of this district that supports Kaʻū Coffee farmers and nature.
Musician Bolo arrived to sing the song written about the mystical mountain of Kaiholena, which rises above the coffee farms and ranches. The song was composed at an earlier Kaʻū Coffee Fest songwriting workshop with Daniel Ho. Participants, including Bolo, wrote the song in a group and the composition was included on a Grammy winning album. Its words include:

Bolo brought back the song, written at an earlier Kaʻū
Coffee Fest music workshop, called Kaiholena,
one of the mountains looking over Kaʻū Coffee farms
and ranches. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

As I walk through the valley on my ancestors' feet. Memories entwined with desired eyes.
Kaiholena, Kaiholena.
Gold pushing through green misty skies. ʻUa falling on watchful eyes,
Kaiholena, Kaiholena.
Voices from the past, visions that will last in Kaʻū. Mana of the land, coming from the hand of Akua - Kaʻū.
Also participating in Kaʻū Coffee Fest were conservation and stewardship groups that care for lands conserved along the Kaʻū Coast and other special places.
Keoni Fox represented the Ala Kahakai Trail Association. Chris Reid represented Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, which manages the makahiki grounds. Wendy Vance and Leilani Rodrugues represented the Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. They all shared their conservation efforts with presentations and education for the public.
See more on the Kaʻū Coffee Fest all week in the Kaʻū News Briefs.

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SUNSCREEN LEGISLATION concerning the health of coral reefs and humans was introduced in the U.S. Congress this week by Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Tusli Gabbard. They introduced the Oxybenzone and Octinoxate Impact Study Act of 2019. Gabbard also introduced the Reef Safe Act of 2019.
The first measure would direct the Environmental Protection Agency to analyze impacts of chemicals in sunscreen on public health and the environment, and require findings be provided to Congress and the public within 18 months.
The Reef Safe Act would require the Food and Drug Administration to develop standards for a "Reef Safe" designation for nonprescription sunscreens.
Said Gabbard, "The ingredients in many common sunscreens are chemicals that have been proven to kill coral reef, harm marine life, and raise serious concerns about the impact they may have on people who use them. While proper skin protection is extremely important, we must make sure the ingredients used are safe for people and not jeopardizing the coral reef vital to local marine habitats and that help reduce coastal flood risk."

Keoni Fox represented Ala Kahakai Trail
Association at Kaʻū Coffee Fest. The
organization will manage Waikapuna
and other coastal lands recently preserved.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

Said Hirono, "In Hawaiʻi, we understand that our way of life depends on a healthy ocean. We cannot afford to continue losing our coral reefs, which are suffering from a number of threats such as warmer temperatures, more acidic waters, and disease. That is why Hawaiʻi has become a leader in taking steps to mitigate the harmful impacts of sunscreen on our marine environment."
U.S. Geological Survey issued a report last month on coral reefs protective value to local communities. The study found that the annual value of flood risk reduction provided by U.S. coral reefs is more than 18,000 lives and over $1.8 billion, Hawaiʻi being one of the greatest beneficiaries of this protection.
About 14,000 tons of sunscreen enter the world's reefs every year, according to a 2015 paper published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. Oxybenzone and octinoxate cause mortality in developing corals, increase coral bleaching, and induce genetic damage to coral and other marine organisms, as well as decreased fertility in fish, impaired algae growth, induced defects in mussel and sea urchin young, and accumulation in the tissues of dolphins.
An FDA study released on May 6 found that it takes just one day of sunscreen use for oxybenzone to enter a person's bloodstream.
Last year, Hawaiʻi became the first state to enact legislation designed to protect coral reefs and marine ecosystems by banning sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate. The ban goes into effect in 2021.

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ʻALALĀ NESTING IN THE WILD have sparked joy at the ʻAlalā Project, which issued an announcement this week saying, "For the first time in almost 20 years, there is an ʻAlalā nest! The presence of eggs has yet to be confirmed but, based on the female's behavior, it seems she is incubating. This is another positive step in the long journey to recovery for this species."
The ‘Alalā in the Pu‘u Maka‘ala Natural Area Reserve reached this milestone in early April. Team members observed ‘Alalā named Manaʻolana and Manaiakalani beginning to build a nest platform structure near their 2017 release site. Biologists caution there are many factors to impact success of this first nest. First-time parents are not usually successful, and it is not uncommon that birds in the wild will make several attempts before they can successfully fledge their chicks.

Dr. Alison Greggor, Postdoctoral Research Associate, with the Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, said, "While it's difficult to see exactly what's in the nest from observations on the ground, we do believe that Manaiakalani is likely sitting on eggs and we've observed her male partner, Manaʻolana, bringing her food regularly."

ʻAlalā Manaʻolana and Manaiakalani, beginning to build a nest

platform structure. Photo by San DiegoZoo Global

ʻAlalā typically lay between three and five eggs, and will incubate them for an average of 21 days. If these eggs hatch the chicks would be the first ʻAlalā hatched in the wild in two decades.

Another pair, Kia’ikūmokuhāli’i and Ola, have been seen placing sticks in the nook of an ʻōhiʻa tree. Although the structure and number of sticks were not enough to call it a nesting platform, Greggor said she is encouraged to see the beginnings of nesting behavior by at least two pairs of ʻAlalā.

Since there are no adult ʻAlalā in the wild to learn from, the reintroduced birds have had to learn how to build nests, breed, and incubate, all guided by instincts. Jackie Gaudioso-Levita, the ʻAlalā Project coordinator and a wildlife biologist with the state Department of Land & Natural Resources, Department of Fish & Wildlife, commented, "While these are exciting and encouraging steps in the reintroduction process of ʻAlalā, the journey is far from over. There are many stages in the process, before the young fledge; the pair encounters natural and introduced threats, as well as environmental challenges. The team tries to help nesting birds as much as possible without causing disturbance."

Team members monitor the nest discreetly, from a far distance, and document observations of the behaviors of Manaʻolana and Manaiakalani.

Rachel Kingsley, Education and Outreach Associate for The ʻAlalā Project, said, "Hawaiian forests are family; there is a shared ancestry among the people, plants, animals, and landscapes. By returning the ʻAlalā to the wild, we are welcoming home a family member that has been away for a long time. The fact that these birds have been able to build a nest on their own shows that these birds are comfortable in the forest they live. Our family is growing."

Michelle D. Bogardus, Maui Nui & Hawaiʻi Island Team Manager for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, said, "Regardless of the success of this particular nest, the fact that there is a nest at all is an encouraging and inspiring milestone in the long term success of this project."

ʻAlalā exhibiting mating behavior.
Photo by San Diego Zoo Global, hearts added by the ʻAlalā Project

These nesting ʻAlalā, a native Hawaiian crow that went extinct in the wild nearly a quarter of a century ago, were hatched and reared at the Keauhou and Maui Bird Conservation Centers in a partnership between DLNR, DOFAW, San Diego Zoo Global, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Over the past two years, 21 birds have been released into protected forest areas on the island of Hawaiʻi.

ʻAlalā have historically been known to be monogamous. However, if something were to happen to one of the birds, the surviving bird would most likely try to find a new mate. Once mates are chosen, the pair start to establish a territory, and will interact less with the rest of the social group. These behaviors all start to develop once the birds reach breeding age, which is around two to four years old. Pairs will develop long-term bonds with each other and certain behaviors such as grooming each other and playing with sticks together.
The birds released in 2017, after hatching in 2016, are now three years old. The field monitoring crew started to see some changes to the social structure and behaviors within the released ʻAlalā earlier this year.

The outcome of this nest will help to guide future reintroduction efforts for the ʻAlalā. The next release of birds is scheduled for later in 2019. Keep updated on this story at facebook.com/alalaproject.

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SOME KAʻŪ HIGH AND PĀHALA ELEMNTARY STUDENTS WERE HOUSED IN THE OLD GYM due to a road closure from a fire along Highway 11 between mile markers 61 and 62 this afternoon.
The fire was above Honuʻapo, mauka of the Makahiki Grounds and police station. Parents and guardians of students who normally bus in that direction were instructed to call the school at 313-4100 for more details. See a future Kaʻū News Briefs for an update on the fire.

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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.

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UPCOMING

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Friday, May 10, 9 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Free disability legal services provided by Hawai‘i Legal Aid. ovcahi.org, 939-7033

Arts and Crafts Activity: Mother's Day Card, Friday, May 10, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, May 1-8. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ReadySetGo! Wildfire Preparedness Workshop, Friday, May 10, 5:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. Educational, free and family-friendly. Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization. Pablo Akira Meimler at pablo@hawaiiwildfire.org. hawaiiwildfire.org, or 808-885-0900

Light, Sound & Spirit by Ken Goodrich of Hawai‘i Photo Retreat, Friday, May 10, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Talk and presentation of seven videos synthesizing music and projected imagery. Free, $5 donation suggested. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Community Dance, Friday, May 10, 7 p.m. – 10 p.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, MAY 11

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day – Wildfire Preparedness, Saturday, May 11, meet 9:30 a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. Bring a water bottle, lunch, closed toed shoes, long sleeved t-shirt, and pants. Tools, gloves, water, and light refreshments provided. nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

Zentangle Inspired Labyrinth Art with Lois and Earl Stokes, Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. All welcome, no prior experience necessary. Supplies provided. Students invited to bring snack to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

SUNDAY, MAY 12
Kauwela Tour, The Mo‘olelo of Mana Wāhine – Nā Wai Chamber Choir Concert, Sunday, May 12, 11:30 a.m., Kauaha‘ao Congregational Church. Free admission. Donations welcome. nawaichamberchoir.com

3rd Annual Mother's Day Chamber Music Concert, Sunday, May 12, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Music by Volcano Chamber Players Susan McGovern, viola, Glenda Johnson, violin, Meg Saunders, cello, Rumi Reeves, violin, guest Gerdine Markus on recorder and operatic vocals of D'Andrea Pelletier. Complimentary pupu. Beverages and flowers for purchase. $20/VAC ember, $25/non-member, free to children 12 and under. Funds raised support Niaulani Sculpture Garden and ongoing programs. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, May 12 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

Mother's Day Buffet, Sunday, May 12, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Main entrees: Prime Rib, Lemon Butter Fish w/Tropical Salsa and Vegetable Stir Fry w/Tofu. $29.95/Adults, $14.95/Child (ages 6-11). Reservations required, 967-8356. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Free STD Testing, Monday, May 13 – 2nd Monday, monthly – 9 a.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

MONDAY, MAY 13
Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Monday, May 13, and 27, 1 p.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

TUESDAY, MAY 14
Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Tuesday, May 14, 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 phone appointment only. Hawai‘i Island Humane Society, hihs.org, 796-0107

Wonderful World of Wine & Watercolor, Tuesday, May 14, 4 p.m. – 7pm, Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC members, $35/non-member, plus $17 supply fee.Learn to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper while sampling several wines from Grapes in Hilo. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

After Dark in the Park – Kauwela Tour, The Mo‘olelo of Mana Wāhine – Nā Wai Chamber Choir Concert, Tuesday, May 14, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Musical journey that honors the music of both historic and modern-day mana wāhine. Honolulu-based Nā Wai Chamber Choir is a professional vocal ensemble that preserves, propagates, and innovates the legacy of Hawaiian choral music. Hilo native Dr. Jace Kaholokula Saplan leads ensemble on annual kauwela tour. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, May 15, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Instructional Tennis, Wednesday, May 15-June 19, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, May 6-10. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts and Crafts Activity: Watercolor Painting, Wednesday, May 15, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 9-14. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MAY 16

Story Time with Auntie Linda from Tūtū and Me, Thursday, May 16, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. Free; includes craft activity. 929-8571

ONGOING

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A concert to raise money for stewardship of the Kaʻū Coast will be held on Saturday, May 25 at 6 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation House on the corner of Maile and Pikake Streets. The concert is one in a series of performances during the Hawaiʻi International Music Festival, in its third season in the islands. The series is called Of Water.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more. Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi Internaional Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.meand at the door – cash and check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.

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Annabelle Orcino gasps for joy, surrounded by friends and family as she takes home the $1000 check
from Kaʻū Coffee Fest's Buy Local It Matters campaign last Saturday. Photo by Lora Butanova

SPINLAUNCH IS NO LONGER A WORRY for Kaʻū residents. The rocket launching facility, proposed last year for land below Ocean View, will be constructed in southern New Mexico.

SpinLaunch garnered much public comment last year, most of it vehemently against allowing it here. SpinLaunch's kinetic-energy-based launching system is designed to catapult small satellites cheaply and quickly into space, avoiding the use of expensive, large rockets. Local residents said they worried about noise, an accident, and the spaceport growing into a large facility along the Kaʻū Coast.

Some University of Hawaiʻi researchers and state space agency advocates welcomed the project. However, the SpinLaunch crew decided to look elsewhere.
SpinLaunch broke ground on ten acres at Spaceport America this week, with support from New Mexico's Economic Development Department. SpinLaunch founder and CEO Jonathan Yaney said, "The commercial space market is expected to grow to a trillion-dollar industry within the decade, and this new agreement with Spaceport America will expedite our ability to service that emerging market."

SpinLaunch will be accompanied at at its new campus by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic project, which announced today that it will move its operations, along with 100 employees from the Mojave Desert in California, to Spaceport America. Virgin Galactic is working on commercial space flights, which are expected to cost the first passengers some $250,000 per ticket.
New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham said, "New Mexico is the gateway to space."

SpinLaunch faced community concern at a meeting in Nāʻālehu last
year and decided to go to New Mexico. Photo by Julia Neal

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PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE WIND FARM AT SOUTH POINT and its practices to prevent harm to endangered species is sought by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which will hold a public meeting on Thursday, May 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Nāʻālehu Community Center. The ʻōpeʻapeʻa, Hawaiian hoary bat; nēnē, Hawaiian goose; and ʻuaʻumu, Hawaiian petrel are the endangered species that sometimes fly into windmills or become disturbed by windmills in their living space.
Windmill operators are required to develop a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement to address potential direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of wind farm operations and maintenance activities on the three endangered species. The EIS and windmill operators' habitat conservation plans for the South Point and other wind farms in Hawaiʻi are available at fws.gov/pacificislands. Public comment is open through June 10.

Pakini Nui Wind Farm at South Point, Auwahi Wind and Kaheawa Wind Power II projects on Maui, and the Kawailoa Wind Power project on Oʻahu are all being reviewed for their protection of endangered species, under the federal Endangered Species Act. It requires windmill farms to apply for incidental take permits and permit amendments. They address the accidents that could injure or kill the bat, nēnē, and petrel.

The South Point wind farm Pakini Nui, operated by Tawhiri, has submitted a Habitat Conservation Plan, which is a voluntary agreement between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the landowner - Kamehameha Schools, and the wind farm operator. A statement from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says that it "regularly engages conservation partners, the public, landowners, government agencies, and other stakeholders in an ongoing effort to identify innovative strategies for conserving and recovering species while supporting important economic and energy initiatives."

Pakini Nui wind farm has submitted its plans for minimizing interaction and protecting endangered native
Hawaiian species. A meeting will be held in Nāʻālehu, May 23. Photo by Peter Anderson

To request additional information or submit written comments: email, HIwindPEIS@fws.gov. Fax, 808–792–9580, Attn: Field Supervisor. Mail the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3–122, Honolulu, HI, 96850. In correspondence, include Wind Energy HCPs and PEIS and reference FWS–R1–ES–2019–N032 in the subject line of your request, message, or comment. Written comments will be accepted if postmarked or received by June 10. All comments and materials received become part of the public record. Fish & Wildlife advises that the entire comment – including personal identifying information – might be made publicly available at any time.

More information, including the draft PEIS, amended HCPs, and mitigation plans, can be found at fws.gov/pacificislands, where public comment can be made online.

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Honua Ola Bioenergy plant being retrofitted for eucalyptus burning.
Photo from boilermakers.org

THE HŪ HONUA CASE INVOLVING EUCALYPTUS TREES FARMED IN KAʻŪ TO BE BURNED AT A POWER PLANT NORTH OF HILO faces a Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruling issued today. The court sent the Power Purchase Agreement between Hawaiʻi Electric Light and Hū Honua back to the state Public Utilities Commission for reconsideration.
The five judges ruled unanimously. They said the PUC erred when it denied the environmental organization Life of the Land "due process with respect to the opportunity to be heard" regarding impacts that the biofuel plant "would have on Life of the Land's right to a clean and healthful environment."
The Hū Honua plant, with a new company name of Honua Ola Bioenergy, has been under construction on the coast at Pepeʻekeo. It has faced opposition from groups concerned about polluting the ocean and Green House Gases. Honua Ola Bioenergy states that growing trees and using them to produce electricity is an important component of the plan to relieve Hawaiʻi from dependence on fossil fuels.
The court ruled that the PUC failed to consider the reduction of Green House Gases in approving a Power Purchase Agreement between the biofuel plant and the electric company.
Eucalyptus trees are farmed in Kaʻū and up the Hilo and Hamakua Coasts for the project. Kaʻū trees are being harvested now.

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Halema‘uma‘u sunrise with nēnē in flight from Keanakāko‘i, with Mauna Loa in the background.

Photo from NPS/Janice Wei

HAWAIʻI TOURISM AUTHORITY IS MOVING AWAY FROM VOLCANO as a major attraction on this island, now that the lava lake is gone at the summit of Kīlauea. The agency gave its presentation on marketing the island Wednesday at ʻImiloa AstronomyCenter. According to a report in Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald, "with liquid lava now absent from the surface of the island, it no longer makes sense to market Hawaiʻi Island as 'The Volcano Island,'" said Jay Talwar, senior vice president of Hawaiʻi Tourism United States." Instead, the new paradigm for the island's marketing will be "The Island of Endless Adventures."

The more general slogan Island of Endless Adventures that could apply to many visitor destinations veers away from messaging to visitors about the volcanic creations of the island, including the calderas, lava flows, and some of the tallest mountains in the world, from the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa to the sea floor. HTA still plans to emphasize nature experiences such as hiking and camping, and other outdoor activities. HTA is working with social media "influencers" to broaden awareness of the island's attractions, said the article, and is partnering with Equinox Fitness, a luxury fitness company.

Visitors from Chinapose for a photo on a 1974 lava flow in January.

Photo from NPS/Jessica Ferracane

"We need to expand our brand from the one-legged stool of the volcano," Talwar said. He presented ads for Hawaiʻi Island. Talwar said Hawaiʻi Island visitor levels are almost the same as immediately before the eruption began last year. He noted West Hawaiʻi visitor numbers are recovering much faster than Hilo.

Japanese tourism to Hawaiʻi Island remains down. Eric Takahata, managing director of Hawaiʻi Tourism Japan, said Japan accounts for about 8 percent of visitors to the island. Takahata said Japanese travelers tend to be "extremely cautious," and also said that their attitude toward Hawaiʻi Island is "compounded by a host of misinformation surrounding the extent of the eruption."

Takahata and Talwar said more than $1 million has been spent by HTA on advertising focused on Hawaiʻi being safe. Takahata said a full-page ad in Japan's largest newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, explained the eruption's effects, and educated the public about the geography and attractions of the island. More ads were broadcast around Japan, on TV and online, in transit hubs, and on taxi video screens.

Talwar said mainland press campaigns had national news outlets reporting "there has never been a better time to visit Hawaiʻi," helping to convince Norwegian Cruise Lines to resume service to the island.

HTA will take its emphasis on island exploration on a bus trip promoting Hawaiʻi Island at several West Coast trade events in September.

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Buy Local It Matters provided the winning $1000 check to Annabelle Orcino, left, flanked by emcee
Makana Kamahele, Kaʻū Coffee Queen Helena Nihipali Sesson, and Kaʻū Coffee Fest organizer
Chris Manfredi. Photo by Lora Botanova

BUY LOCAL IT MATTERS is a leading theme of the Kaʻū Coffee Fest, which offered many locally grown, prepared, and crafted items for sale at its Hoʻūolauleʻa last Saturday. The campaign encourages people to buy locally to support the Kaʻū community. The winner, who came up with the most business cards and receipts from participating area businesses, won the prize. This year it went to Annabelle Orcino, whose family plants, tend, and sells Kaʻū Coffee. Buy Local It Matters is a campaign originated by the state Department of Agriculture. Kaʻū Coffee Festival offers its own Buy Local It Matters competition. Another Kaʻū Coffee farmer and marketer who assisted in developing the Buy Local campaign is Joan Obra. See more on the Kaʻū Coffee Festival in Saturday's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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PAVING SOUTH POINT ROAD FROM HWY 11 TO KAMĀʻOA ROAD begins this Monday, May 13. The County of Hawaiʻi Department of Public Works Highway Maintenance Division will conduct paving work through Thursday, May 16 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., weather permitting.

The southbound lane of South Point Road will be paved from Hwy 11 to Kamā‘oa Rd. onMonday, May 13 and Tuesday,May 14. The northbound lane of South Point Rd will be paved Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16.

All vehicles needing access must take a detour from Hwy 11 to Kamā‘oa Rd. South Point Road will be open to local traffic only. Traffic pattern may change depending on conditions.

Motorists are advised to drive with caution as heavy vehicles will be in the work zone. Signs will be posted on Hwy 11 advising motorists of the roadwork and traffic control personnel will be posted in the area to facilitate traffic movement.

DWP issued a statement of apology "for any inconvenience this may cause and thanks the community for their patience and understanding."

If there are any questions or concerns, call the Highway Maintenance Division at 961-8349.

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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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

HAWAIIAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL at Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park happens June 29 and 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., to celebrate the park's 58th anniversary as a unit of the National Park Service. On Saturday, June 29, activities will include canoe rides in Hōnaunau Bay, lauhala and coconut frond weaving, kapa beating, traditional lei making, and more. On Sunday, June 30th, the celebration continues with traditional Hawaiian foods tasting and hukilau (traditional fishing) demonstration.
The theme is I ka wā mua, ka wā ma hope– The future is in the past.
The fee-free Cultural Festival takes visitors back in time so they can experience how Hawai‘i would have felt in the 1800s. Practitioners in traditional dress will provide visitors with a uniquely Hawaiian experience, honor the culture and traditions of cultural experts and the Hawaiian people, and provide visitors and community members a time and place to gather, learn, and share.
Visit nps.gov/puho or the park's new Facebook page, facebook.com/PuuhonuaoHonaunauNPS for details. In order to protect fragile resources and preserve the historic setting, picnicking, coolers, and chairs are not allowed in the Royal Grounds. No food is available in the park.

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UPCOMING

SATURDAY, MAY 11

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, May 15, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Instructional Tennis, Wednesday, May 15-June 19, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, May 6-10. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts and Crafts Activity: Watercolor Painting, Wednesday, May 15, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 9-14. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MAY 16

Story Time with Auntie Linda from Tūtū and Me, Thursday, May 16, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. Free; includes craft activity. 929-8571

Family Reading Night, Thursday, May 16, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Volcano School of Arts and Sciences Middle School Theater Night, Thursday, May 16, 6 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater. Each grade will perform a one-act murder mystery. Free admission, donations welcome. Park entrance fees may apply. volcanoschool.net

ONGOING

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___________________________________________________________________
A CONCERT TO RAISE MONEY FOR STEWARDSHIP OF THE KAʻŪ COAST will be held on Saturday, May 25, 6 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation House on the corner of Maile and Pikake Streets. The concert is one in a series of performances during the Hawaiʻi International Music Festival, in its third season in the islands. The series is called Of Water.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

Wildfire at South Point in June of 2014, remembered by volunteer firefighters who met in Pāhala yesterday as
part of a Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization meeting to plan for more protection of
Kaʻū homes, ranches, farms and communities. Photo by Isaac Davis

MUCH FUEL FOR WILDFIRES is held within the tall grasses covering the South Point area of Kaʻū. The cattle ranches and wildlands experienced a wet winter, leading to a large volume of vegetation that could burn this summer, said volunteer firefighters attending Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization's meeting in Pāhala on Friday.

Representatives of Volunteer Fire Departments, land stewardship organizations,
and the coffee industry met to discuss the wildfire season and safety.
Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization offered help.
Photo by Julia Neal

Other possible burn areas surround most villages and neighborhoods of Kaʻū. Volunteer firefighters from Ocean View, Discovery Harbour, and Pāhala, along with other residents, vowed to reach out to their communities to help make them safer from destruction by wildfires.
Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management representatives Pablo Beimler and Carson Magoon said they will work with homeowners to make dwellings more fire safe and to develop evacuation plans. They offered to work with large landowners on mapping properties for fire risks, escape routes, and possible firebreaks. They offered to go into the schools to teach children about fire safety. They distributed the Ready, Set, Go! Your Personal Wildland Fire Action Guide.

They said that communities could become firewise-certified and may in the future receive lower fire insurance rates from some insurance companies, like USAA.
James Akau, of Nā Mamo o Kāwā, cosponsored the meeting and a work day at Kāwā today. He talked about planting fire-resistant native plants.
Beimler said the prediction is that wildfires will become more numerous and more frequent in Hawaiʻi and across the planet.
He reviewed preparedness for homeowners and talked about the 10-foot rule: keeping most vegetation, bushes, and trees at least ten feet from buildings. Beimler talked about "ladders" - vegetation, with branches, acting as ladders for fire to climb up the side of a house and burn it. He said post and pier homes collect kindling beneath them and recommended blocking off the area under houses with a mesh. Pāhala fire Captain Ron Ebert emphasized using stainless steel mesh so that it will last a long time.
The Wildfire Management team mentioned wildfires that combine and become so hot that nothing can survive. They noted the Australia fires that trapped hundreds who died on a highway, and the Paradise, California fire that trapped people and took out most of the town.
They talked about building materials that are "hardened" against fire. While it would be expensive to cover an old wooden home with fire retardant siding, it would be advisable to use fire retardant materials for additions, they said. When replacing roofing, choose fire retardant materials.
Embers were a major theme of the presentation. Embers can blow under houses and light up the kindling of leaves, dry grass, and other materials beneath the floors. Embers can enter into roof openings. Embers can float from long distances, where wildfires are burning, and make it through a window screen. They are a major ignitor of fires, they said.
Communities can come together to work on fire prevention plans for neighborhoods. Sometimes grants are available. Waikoloa Village created a kind of firebreak that also serves as a walking trail on the outskirts of a neighborhood and created landscapes with plants that don't burn easily, said the representatives of Wildfire Management. They presented the idea of landscaping with native plants, particularly those more resistant to fire.
The Ready, Set, Go! Hawaiʻi, a Personal Wildland Fire Action Guide is available to download.

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The University of Shorbrooke crew tests Hoʻōla One at Kamilo Beach. DLNR photo

HOʻŌLA ONE REMAINS ON THE ISLAND TO HELP HAWAIʻI WILDLIFE FUND clean up Kamilo and other beaches where plastics wash ashore. The machine, invented by a group of students from Shorbrooke University in Quebec, came to Hawaiʻi Island for a shakedown. Hoʻōla One became more efficient removing microplastics from the sand with each adjustment by its creators.
Last month, the Hoʻōla One team worked for some two weeks at Kamilo Beach in Kaʻū, testing their machine that they hope will lead to making smaller versions that will clean microplastics from beaches all over the world.

The name given Hoʻōla One by its designers means giving life back to the sand. The team of university engineering students worked for more than two years, spending about $70,000 (Canadian) to build the machine. Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund raised $15,000 to ship the large machine and its creators to Kaʻū. Pāhala Plantation Cottages put up their housing.

Said Megan Lamson of Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, "The potential application for this machine both in Hawaiʻi and around the world can be huge. We've always kind of joked about having a marine debris plastic magnet and this is the closest and most innovative project that I've seen. I've got a lot of hope for this and I'm really stoked."

During the last full week of April, the students rotated duty watching over their creation during the night. By day, they all worked together to identify design flaws, kinks, and adjustments needed to get Hoʻōla One operating as close to their design vision as possible.

Hoʻōla One cleans Kamilo Beach, known for its plastic problems. DLNR photo

Student Jean-Felix Tremblay said, "We spent thousands of hours, many nights and weekends, working on the Hoʻōla One." He joked that their goal was not to get good grades but just to build a practical, working machine – which became their entire academic focus. Three of the students continue to work full-time on Hoʻōla One, with the goal of producing smaller models, after starting their own company.

The Hoʻōla One concept originated with Alexandre Savard, who says he became motivated by the issue of marine debris after viewing films and videos. He said, "I just wanted to contribute to solving the problem. When I found out about Kamilo and its reputation as the most micro-plastics polluted beach in the world, I proposed to my fellow students, that if we can clean up this beach, we can clean up any beach anywhere."

Marine plastic pollution is a threat to aquatic wildlife because they can ingest it. The plastics can
be a vector for transmission of invasive species and diseases. Brian Neilson, Administrator of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Nature Resources Division of Aquatic Resources, said, "All of this rubbish is created by someone, somewhere. We can't point the finger and blame a specific country or any one industry. This is a global problem and we can all contribute to solving it by practicing the 4R's (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)."

Steve Bergfeld, Hawaiʻi Island Branch Manager for the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife, said, "Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund and its many, many volunteers have done extraordinary work in bringing Kamilo Point, part of the Kaʻū Forest Reserve, back from the brink of being totally covered by plastics and other marine debris. Unfortunately, it's a never-ending challenge and I can't tell you how appreciative we are of their work, as well as the efforts of the Hoʻōla One team."

After leaving Kaʻū, some of the team members traveled to Honolulu to meet with numerous beach-clean up organizations as well as potential funders to secure the money needed to build additional machines.

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A MEETING ON FUTURE SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀʻĀLEHU will be held Sunday, May 26 at 4 p.m. at Nāʻālehu Community Center. The session is sponsored by ʻO Kaʻū Kākou, which is purchasing property mauka of Highway 11 at the site of the old Nāʻālehu Fruit Stand for the project. A statement from the organization says the meeting will include an update on support necessary to take the project to the next step. Fundraising ideas will be entertained. "Please put your well-planned suggestions in writing," says the OKK statement.

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VOLCANO WATCH, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates, this week focuses on new insights gained from Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 summit collapses:

A year ago, USGS HVO scientists and Island of Hawaiʻi residents were in the throes of an historically unprecedented series of events for Kīlauea.

By early April 2018, the volcano showed signs that change was coming. But details were elusive, even as monitoring instruments tracked an increasingly pressurized magmatic system from Kīlauea's summit to Puʻu ʻŌʻō on the East Rift Zone.

On April 30, the Puʻu ʻŌʻō cone split open under heavy cloud cover. Lava emerged briefly from a crack on the cone's west flank before the remaining magma drained into the rift zone. Unsupported, the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater collapsed, leaving a seemingly bottomless, dusty pit.

Ash rises above Halemaʻumaʻu within Kīlauea's summit caldera in this May 27 telephoto image from near Volcano House Hotel in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. By the time Kīlauea's summit collapse events ended on August 2, Halema‘uma‘u was 2.5 km (1.5 mi) wide and 500 m (1600 ft) deep; prior to the 2018 collapses, it was about 1 km (0.5 mi) wide and 85 m (about 280 ft) deep. A segment of a long-closed Park trail is visible winding across the caldera floor (lower left). USGS Photo by K. Anderson

Magma below Puʻu ʻŌʻō was immediately on the move, heading toward the lower East Rift Zone. The ground heaved slightly in response, with earthquakes delineating the path of molten rock as it pushed downrift and toward the surface.

On May 3, lava erupted within Leilani Estates. So began the largest eruption on Kīlauea's LERZ in over 200 years.

Over the next weeks, the summit lava lake withdrew deeper into the volcano as magma emptied into the LERZ, as if a valve had been opened at the bottom of an overflowing rain barrel. Aided by the nearly 3,000-foot elevation difference between the summit and LERZ vents, the lava lake steadily drained and Kīlauea's summit collapsed inward. This in turn prompted many felt earthquakes as the volcano's roof began to strain due to the loss of underlying support.

Recession of the lava lake resulted in near-constant rockfalls into the empty, steep-walled conduit, each one liberating clouds of rock dust and glassy ash. Explosions sent towering columns of ash skyward and, in some cases, littered the ground around Halemaʻumaʻu with dense blocks of rock. Volcano Village and downwind Kaʻū communities experienced dustings of sulfurous ash.

By late May, Kīlauea summit explosions were replaced by episodic collapse events, a process witnessed only a few times at volcanoes around the world, and never with such clarity.

All told, 62 collapse events rocked Kīlauea's summit, each one releasing energy equivalent to about a magnitude-5.3 earthquake. The repeated shaking took its toll: HVO's building cracked, as did Jaggar Museum in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Highway 11. Park roads and water system, and residential foundations in Volcano, were also damaged.

A year later, HVO scientists and colleagues continue to process data from 2018. A recent Volcano Watch, volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=1409, mentioned what we're learning from the LERZ eruption.

Scientists use a laser diffraction particle size analyzer to examine fine ash from the 2018 Kīlauea summit explosions. The research examines fine ash – grains 1 millimeter to 1 micrometer – and investigates the processes of eruption, fragmentation, and respiratory health hazards (PM10, PM2.5). USGS image by A. Van Eaton

We're also gaining new insights from Kīlauea's 2018 summit events. Here are a few highlights:

Prior to 2018, long-held models indicated that explosive summit activity was driven by steam explosions produced by the interaction between groundwater and the hot conduit below Kīlauea's caldera. But data from several 2018 explosions suggest that magmatic gas is the primary driver.

Rather than necessarily occurring as one big drop, Kīlauea caldera collapse can proceed incrementally over long periods of time, with ground shaking during sustained, rapid summit deflation and episodic collapse posing a major hazard.

Under certain conditions, Kīlauea's summit and LERZ can be extremely well-connected through the core of the rift zone. This is supported by the rough equivalence of the LERZ erupted volume and the summit collapse void, both on the order of 1 cubic kilometer (roughly 1 billion cubic yards.) Increases in fissure 8 lava output after some collapses attested to the transit of a pressure wave from the summit down the rift zone.

A study led by an international group of scientists has found evidence that seismic velocity – the speed at which seismic waves travel – within Kīlauea's summit showed measurable changes leading up the 2018 activity. This finding potentially offers another means to forecast eruptive activity.

The 2018 Kīlauea LERZ eruption and summit collapse profoundly impacted people on the Islandof Hawai‘i and beyond. While the events were inspiring to us as scientists, they were also deeply sobering as we witnessed up close the great losses suffered by family and friends.

HVO staff honor the resilience and aloha of island residents, who continue to help each other. We also honor the dedication of everyone who worked to keep people safe. Finally, we thank affected communities and local, state, and federal partners for supporting HVO. Kīlauea's 2018 events did indeed take a village!

Volcano Activity Updates

Three earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-3.1 quake 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Kahaluʻu-Keauhou at 2 km (1 mi) depth on May 4 at 12:01 p.m. HST; a magnitude-2.9 quake 10 km (6 mi) south of Leilani Estates at 7 km (4 mi) depth on May 3 at 1:20 p.m. HST; and a magnitude-3.3 quake 16 km (10 mi) south of Fern Acres at 7 km (4 mi) depth on May 3 at 4:28 a.m. HST.

Kῑlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL.

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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

CELEBRATION OF LIFE LANTERN FLOATING EVENT happens Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 25 from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Reed's Bay in Hilo. As a pre-event, the motorcycle and classic car community is invited to ride from Reed's Bay to Kaʻū Hospital to greet and meet the patients, staff, and Kaʻū community.

The hospital parking lot will be cleared to have the motorcycles and classic cars create a viewing procession pass all the patients and staff. All riders will stop for 45 minutes to greet the patients and community while displaying their bikes and cars for all to see. A special glow-in-the-dark Celebration of Life bracelet will be worn by all riders in support of keiki bereavement and the Celebration of Life event. The bracelets are available online now for a $10 donation, with a limited supply available at Kaʻū Hospital during the bikers visit.

Riders will arrive to Kaʻū Hospital approximately 1:15 p.m.and will leave for Reed's Bay at 2 p.m.The public is invited to join the procession at Reed's Bay for the 15th annual Celebration of Life Lantern Floating Event.

The event is organized by Hawaiʻi Care Choices services, from Laupahoehoe Point to South Point Road in Kaʻū. They offer Palliative Care, a pre-hospice program focused on pain relief and discomfort due to cancer, congestive heart failure, COPD, and kidney failure; Hospice Care, end of life comfort; and bereavement care, with a free weekly support group in Hilo. Inquire about their services by calling 969-1733, visiting hawaiicarechoices.org, or asking a primary care physician. They work with Kaʻū Hospital, Nāʻālehu Bay Clinic, and the Kaʻū Rural Health Resource Center.

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

UPCOMING

SUNDAY, MAY 12

Kauwela Tour, The Mo‘olelo of Mana Wāhine – Nā Wai Chamber Choir Concert, Sunday, May 12, 11:30 a.m., Kauaha‘ao Congregational Church. Free admission. Donations welcome. nawaichamberchoir.com

3rd Annual Mother's Day Chamber Music Concert, Sunday, May 12, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Music by Volcano Chamber Players Susan McGovern, viola, Glenda Johnson, violin, Meg Saunders, cello, Rumi Reeves, violin, guest Gerdine Markus on recorder and operatic vocals of D'Andrea Pelletier. Complimentary pupu. Beverages and flowers for purchase. $20/VAC ember, $25/non-member, free to children 12 and under. Funds raised support Niaulani Sculpture Garden and ongoing programs. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Monday, May 13, and 27, 1 p.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

TUESDAY, MAY 14
Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Tuesday, May 14, 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 phone appointment only. Hawai‘i Island Humane Society, hihs.org, 796-0107

Wonderful World of Wine & Watercolor, Tuesday, May 14, 4 p.m. – 7pm, Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC members, $35/non-member, plus $17 supply fee.Learn to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper while sampling several wines from Grapes in Hilo. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

SATURDAY, MAY 18
Stained Glass Basics I, Saturday and Sunday, May 18, 25, and June 1 and 2, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $90/VAC member, $100/non-member, plus $15 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 6 adults. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko – Kumu Hula Wahineaukai Mercado with haumana (students) of Ke Ana La‘ahana Public Charter School, Saturday, May 18, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.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 w/Wes Awana, Saturday, May 18, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series #1, Saturday, May 18, noon – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Hand-build porcelain ceramic tea bowls with Volcano artist and tea farmer Chiu Leong. Includes history of tea bowl culture and brief overview of local tea farming by Eva Lee. Focused cupping, tasting and education on Hawaii grown white teas. Pre-event for A Taste of Tea Pottery Fundraiser on August 25. Workshops designed to be attended as a series; #2 set for May 18, #3 set for July 27. No experience necessary. $60/VAC member, $75/non-member for series. Individual workshop, $25 each. Registration limited. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, May 18, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

ONGOING

___________________________________________________________________
A CONCERT TO RAISE MONEY FOR STEWARDSHIP OF THE KAʻŪ COAST will be held on Saturday, May 25, 6 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation House on the corner of Maile and Pikake Streets. The concert is one in a series of performances during the Hawaiʻi International Music Festival, in its third season in the islands. The series is called Of Water.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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Kaʻū Coffee farmers were serious about their challenges at Kaʻū Coffee College last week in Pāhala. Miles

Mayne of Silver Cloud Coffee in WoodValley discusses the future.

See story below. Photo by Lora Botonov

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES BEGAN INTERISLAND SERVICE FROM KONA TODAY. Service is four flights each way between EllisonOnizukaInternationalAirport (KOA) and Honolulu (HNL).

The airline expects to soon start service from Hilo International Airport (ITO). Yesterday, a Southwest spokesperson said the carrier intends to add a fifth service point in the Hawaiian Islands: "Specific details regarding both the timing and the number of interisland flights offered to and from Hilo will be shared at a later date." Lihue (LIH) is also on the list of Hawaiʻi locations Southwest plans to add. The airline is already flying between Maui (OGG) and Honolulu.

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VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ART AND SCIENCES' NEW CAMPUS WILL RECEIVE MONEY through state Capital Improvement Project funds. The school serves 215 PreK through 8th grade students, hailing mostly from Puna, Kaʻū, and South Hiloat two campuses. The facilities at Keākealani on Haunani Road and on Old Volcano Road – while maintained by the community since the school's founding – are old and deteriorating, says a release from the school. The new campus "is critical for the school's sustainability and growth so that it can continue to provide a quality, place-based educational program for students," says the release.

East Kaʻū Rep. Richard Onishi fought for the $12 million in CIP funds: "VSAS is doing terrific work, and I am very happy to support the school. I'm thrilled that our children from Volcano and from all of East Hawaiʻi will have the opportunity to attend a public charter school that is doing such good work. We realize that not all charter schools are able to access state CIP funds, so we are especially fortunate that VSAS is on Department of Education land and the legislature was able to support the school in this way."

VSAS Principal Kalima Kinney said, "We are immensely grateful to Rep. Onishi for making this possible. His dedication and service to the people he represents make us so proud to be in his district! We cannot thank him enough for responding to this critical need and for carrying out the esteemed late Sen. Gil Kahele's vision to see this project completed. We would also like to thank both Rep. Onishi and Sen. Russell Ruderman for their long-standing support for our school and community."

The Friends of The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences, a non-profit dedicated to supporting the growth and sustainment of VSAS and the communities it serves, is responsible for overseeing construction and fundraising for the campus. The total project is estimated at $16.4 million. $1.4 million was raised via grants-in-aid, the Atherton Family Foundation, and private donors. VSAS and Friends of VSAS are pursuing private and federal funding to raise the remaining $3 million needed to complete the project.

The late, renowned Volcano architect Boone Morrison provided the design for the new campus on Haunani Rd. It complements the surrounding landscape while providing adequate space for learning and play, says the release. When completed, the campus will accommodate up to 250 students and will consist of 16 classrooms for PreK through 8th grade, including space for experiential, project-based learning; group breakout spaces; two STEAM labs; gardens; a multi-purpose center; a commercial kitchen; and an administrative building. The campus design "reflects the VSAS vision of a learning village surrounding a center piko courtyard for gathering, outdoor learning, and play," says the release.

An existing two-story historic classroom building built circa 1933 will be preserved and become an integral part of the new campus design in a manner that both enhances its historic status as a community landmark and provides an ideal environment for students.

VolcanoSchool of Arts and Sciences is a Hawaiian-focused public charter school dedicated to the mission of learning through Volcano's unique natural and cultural resources to become creative global citizens. VSAS is open and is accepting enrollment applications. Contact 808-985-9800, or email enrollment@volcanoschool.net to enroll.

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REOPENING CLOSED AREAS OF HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK was the subject of a special After Dark in the Park presentation by Park managers Thursday night. During the free, public event, Road to Recovery: One Year Later, attendees learned how the Park came to its current state of recovery, and how the future may look, reported Michael Brestovansky of Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald.

Two Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park staff, assessing damage
to Crater Rim Trail. NPS photo

The presentation began with a review of the 2018 Kīlauea eruption events. The frequent – usually less than 36 hours apart – 5.3-magnitude-equivalent earthquakes, thousands of smaller quakes, and explosive events of ash and ejecta from Halemaʻumaʻu, were main causes of the Park shuttering for 134 days. This closure kept all humans – including Park staff – from entering the Park.

Jon Christensen, Chief of Facilities Management, said, "I'm in charge of the built environment, which is pretty much everything that was damaged during the eruption." He said after the eruptive events at the summit died down, park staff returned to assess damage from the eruptive events and the effects of nature having free reign. There was substantial damage to trails, buildings, and utilities, said Christensen, and grass and mildew had grown wild.

Christensen said staff shortage was a main reason some parts of the park have taken – or are still taking – time to reopen. He said personnel who needed to work to reopen the Park also had to run it. Trail assessment is assigned only two staff members, said Christensen.

In addition, Christensen said, "It takes all kinds of 'ologists," to study areas of the Park to see if they can safely be reopened.

Danielle Foster, Environmental Protection Specialist, said most of the Park has been reopened to some capacity. She provided a list of two kinds of Park features that remain closed. The first group are areas that need further evaluation, like Kaʻū Desert Trail, parts of Crater Rim Drive and Trail from Jaggar Museum to Keanakako‘i Crater, Napau Trail, and Thurston Lava Tube. She said Thurston has been looked at but results are still pending.

The second group consists of Park features whose futures are yet to be determined, including Iliahi Trail, parts of Halema‘uma‘u Trail, parts of Crater Rim Drive and Trail, part of Devastation Trail, and the area around Jaggar Museum.

Andrea Kawabata from University of Hawaiʻi Extension Service
encourages coffee farmers to seek science, keep records,
and spend wisely. Photo by Lora Botonnova

Foster said it's possible areas around Jaggar might be opened so visitors can see the damage from thousands of earthquakes during the eruption, but that safety considerations will dictate that decision.

Visitor rates have dropped from early last year, said Director of Interpretation Ben Hayes. However, he said, the Park is unique among national parks, since higher visitor numbers are frequently tied to more dramatic volcanic activity. Hayes said the park is updating visitor publications, including the drive guide and visitor brochure, which is usually updated only every two years.

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KAʻŪ COFFEE COLLEGE drew many coffee farmers, buyers, roasters, and enthusiasts to Pāhala Community Center to wrap up the eleventh annual Kaʻū Coffee Festival last Sunday.
Andrea Kawabata, of the University of Hawaiʻi Agricultural Extension Service, gave a presentation on increasing yields on farms. She laid out some basic rules: Seek science, keep records, spend wisely. Understand that time is money and be committed.
She advised that the simplest way to grow more coffee is to plant more coffee in areas where coffee trees are weak. Replace them where coffee trees have died or been taken out.

Gloria Camba and Bong Aquino, right, still smile after a week of Kaʻū
Coffee events. Photo by Lora Botonova

She also emphasized proper use of pesticides, and provided examples of using poisons that can weaken the coffee plant and lead to mites and other infestations, that lead to a higher cost and losses in the long run. She said that keeping trees healthy is the best practice, along with careful pesticide management when needed.
Kawabata provides coffee berry borer integrated pest management recommendations to growers throughout the state, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, and in an emerging coffee growing business in California.
Dr. Adel Youkhana, of University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, advised farmers on making accurate predictions of their Kaʻū coffee crops. He is also an expert on productivity and carbon sequestration on the growing of coffee, particularly in shade grown coffee.
Brittany Horn, founder and owner of Pacific Coffee Research, talked about introduction of coffee yeast to the Kaʻū Coffee fermentation process. Ongoing trials with coffee cupping feedback help each farmer to determine the yeast protocol for coffee. Yeast helps to quicken the fermentation process, which is one of the key steps in processing coffee.
Cal Westergard, of the state Department of Agriculture, advised farmers on the safe use of pesticides on their Kaʻū Coffee farms.
See more soon about Kaʻū Coffee College on kaucoffeefestival.com.

Brittany Horn instructed coffee farmers on using yeast during processing. Photo by Lora Boronova

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HIGH SURF ADVISORY for south-facing shores of all Hawaiʻi Islands is in effect through 6 p.m. Monday, reports the National Weather Service. Surf of five to nine feet is expected. Strong breaking waves, shore break, and strong longshore and rip currents are expected to make swimming difficult and dangerous, reports NWS. "Heed all advice given by ocean safety officials and exercise caution. Boaters should expect recreational surfers utilizing harbor channels to access surfing areas."

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.

UPCOMING

MONDAY, MAY 13

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, May 18, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Ka‘ū Little League Benefit Concert, Sunday, May 19, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., The Terraces, 92-1885 Princess Ka‘iulani Blvd., Ocean View. Lopaka Rootz and D-Tech Solutions, live. Tickets, $10 in advance, $15 at the door, plus can of food at entry. Sponsored by Criminal Justice Solutions and Kahuku Park Block Watch. Gabe Morales, gcmorales2020@gmail.com, Kathi Griffeth, kathiegriffeth@gmail.com

ONGOING

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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Officers handle a folded American flag during a ceremony at Hilopolice station to today. In observance of Police Week,

they honor officers who have fallen or been disabled in the line of duty. Photo from Big IslandVideo News

POLICE WEEK HONORS FALLEN AND DISABLED OFFICERS starting today through Friday, May 17. A ceremony was held at Hilopolice station this morning. Ka Malu Aloha Peace reads the wall where the name of fallen Officer Bronson Kaimana Kaliloa was added today. This is the first Police Week since Kaliloa was killed by gunshot on July 18, 2018.

Kona police station hosts a ceremony tomorrow, Tuesday, May 14 at 10 a.m. The ceremony will include pre-ceremony entertainment and a tribute to Hawaiʻi County officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.

Hawaiʻi County station tours are offered to the public for all districts. Hilo Police station tours happen Friday, May 17 at 9 a.m.and 1 p.m. Call Sergeant Jason Grouns at (808) 961-2269 to schedule an appointment.

Fallen Officer Bronson Kaimana Kaliloa.

Photo from odmp.org

Also remembered were Officer Manuel Cadinha, who gave his life in the line of duty in 1918; Officer William "Red" Oili, who gave his life in the line of duty in 1936; Officer Ronald "Shige" Jitchaku, who gave his life in the line of duty in 1990; Officer Kenneth Keliʻipio, who gave his life in the line of duty in 1997; and Park Ranger Steve Makuakane-Jarrell, who gave his life in the line of duty in 1999.
HPD Chief Paul Ferreira spoke at the Hiloceremony: "Sadly for the Hawaiʻi Police Department, this year, in addition to the names of our fallen brethren that have been recognized during ceremonies in previous years, we pay special tribute to our brother Officer Bronson Kaimana Kaliloa."

He said HPD sent officers to the National Police Week ceremonies at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C. Said Ferreira, "That memorial honors all of America's federal, state, and local law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, dating back to the first known law enforcement officer's death in 1792.

"During the ceremony in WashingtonD.C., Officer Kaliloa's name will be unveiled on the blue-gray marble walls of the memorial, which now displays 21,910 names of law enforcement officials that paid the ultimate price, while upholding the laws created to protect all people. With the addition of Officer Kaliloa, there are now the names of 56 officers from the State of Hawaiʻiwho are memorialized on the National Law Enforcement Memorial.

"For us here on Hawaiʻi Island, the names of our fallen heroes are etched onto the Hawaiʻi Police Department's law enforcement memorial, Ka Malu Aloha. With the tragic loss of Officer Bronson Kaimana Kaliloa last year, his name has been memorialized on our wall through the unselfish donation of Mr. Michael Sasaki, who also donated his talents during the building of our Memorial."

Hawaiʻi Police Chief Paul Ferreira, right, salutes a fellow officer during

today's ceremony at Hilopolice station. Photo from Big IslandVideo News

Police Week is a nationally recognized week of activities in support of police work. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed every May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day; this year, it falls in National Police Week.

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DISTRACTED DRIVER ENFORCEMENT on Hawaiʻi Island has increased in 2019, according to a Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald article today by John Burnett. Hawaiʻi Police Department officers conducted "distracted driving projects," specifically looking for drivers using electronic devices, about every other day so far this year. In 2018, they conducted those tests about every three days, Burnett reports.

The projects involve an officer spotter, watching for drivers using cell phones while driving, or breaking any other driving law, such as not wearing a seat belt. The officer then radios to a colleague, and the second officer pulls the driver over to issue a citation.

Torey Keltner, program manager for HPD Traffic Services Division, told the Tribune Herald that during Distracted Driving Month in April 2019, HPD "stepped up enforcement of the distracted driving statute." Grants funded police offers to work extra hours on distracted driving.

Through the state Department of Transportation, the National Highway Safety Administration provided $57,430 for the distracted driving program. "Highly visible and sustained enforcement remains the most effective countermeasure in reducing distracted driving-related crashes and fatalities," according to the project statement. HPD predicted that "approximately 450 citations for cellphone/electronic device use and other citations" would be issued per year.

Police are making an extra effort to enforce distracted driving laws to change public behavior.
Image from imgrumweb.com

Last year, during the distracted driver program, officers pulled over 1,381 drivers and issued 1,390 citations, reports Burnett. HPD issued 714 electronic device violations, 288 seat belt violations, nine child safety seat violations, reports Burnett, and 379 various traffic violations, such as driving without insurance or a license, or having expired safety inspection tags.

So far this year, reports Burnett, HPD has stopped 418 drivers and issued 530 citations: 243 electronic device violations, 126 seat belt violations, two child safety seat violations, and 159 various traffic violations.

Illegal use of an electronic device while driving garners a fine of $297 – $347 in a school zone – and seatbelt and child seat violations garner a $102 fine.

Keltner told the Tribune Herald that the number of citations for distracted driving is expected to decease as as drivers' habits change. "The goal of the projects is to influence drivers to operate the vehicles more safely even when they don't see law enforcement officers. If drivers know that they will receive a citation if they are observed using an electronic device, I believe they are less likely to commit the violation.

"It only takes a fraction of a second to alter or end a life forever. Officers are out on patrol and at special projects performing duties to keep the people of Hawaiʻi Island safe. It is all of our responsibility to drive safely, wear our seat belts, don't drink and drive, don't drive distracted – which especially includes not using a cellphone," Keltner told the Tribune Herald. See the story in the Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald.

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Civilian Conservation Corps at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Photo from HVNP archives

ROOSEVELT'S TREE ARMY: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Hawai‘i is the subject of May's Coffee Talk at Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Friday, May 31, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Visitor Contact Station. Dr. Jadelyn Moniz Nakamura will present the story of how, during the Great Depression, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps, a program to get unemployed young men back to work in agricultural and conservation projects.

The National Park Service used the men on projects from fire prevention, to erosion and insect control, trash cleanup, reforestation, landscape maintenance, and construction jobs. They were responsible for building or reinforcing much of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park's infrastructure of the time, says the event announcement, and were instrumental in completing emergency war projects in the early 40s.

Civilian Conservation Corps worked on Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
National Park roads. Photo form HVNP archives

Nakamura is a Hilonative and UH-Mānoa graduate. She began her career with the US Army Garrison Hawai‘i, as the archeologist at the Pōhakuloa Training Area where she developed the Cultural Resources Program in the new Environmental Office. She has worked extensively across disciplines, has experience in both natural and cultural resources, and is currently the Research Coordinator to the Hawaiʻi Pacific Islands Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit.

Coffee Talk at Kahuku is an opportunity to get to know the Park and neighbors, and join an informal setting on a different topic on the last Friday of each month. BYOC – Bring Your Own Cuppa. The entrance is just south of mile marker 70.5, on the mauka side of Hwy 11.

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AERIAL INSPECTION OVERFLIGHTS of Hawai‘i Electric Light's major overhead transmission lines happen Monday, May 20 to Friday, May 24, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., dependent on weather.

Inspections will be conducted in a Manuiwa Airways helicopter and require the aircraft to fly low and slow, which may cause some noise disturbances. Hawai‘i Electric Light apologizes for any disruption this may cause and sincerely thanks the community for their cooperation and understanding.

Call 969-6666 with questions or concerns.

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

PAVING WORK ON SOUTH POINT ROAD CONTINUES daily, weather permitting, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through this Thursday. Tomorrow's paving will be the south bound lane of Hwy 11 to Kamāʻoa Road. On Wednesday and Thursday, the north bound lane will be paved, according to a statement form the County of Hawai’i Department of Public Works Highway Maintenance Division.
All vehicles needing access must take a detour from Hwy 11 to Kamā‘oa Rd. South Point Road will be open to local traffic only. Traffic pattern may change depending on conditions.
Motorists are advised to drive with caution as heavy vehicles will be in the work zone. Signs will be posted on Highway 11 advising motorists of the roadwork and traffic control personnel will be posted in the area to facilitate traffic movement.

The County of Hawai‘i Department of Public Works apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause and thanks the community for their patience and understanding. If there are any questions or concerns, please call the Highway Maintenance Division at 961-8349.

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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.

REMINDER

LAST CHANCE TO SEE NĀ WAI CHAMBER CHOIR on Hawaiʻi Island during their Kauwela Tour is tomorrow night, Tuesday, May 14, 7 p.m., at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. The Moʻolelo of Mana Wāhine is a concert from the Honolulu-based professional vocal ensemble, which preserves, propagates, and innovates the legacy of Hawaiian choral music. Hilo native Dr. Jace Kaholokula Saplan leads the ensemble. Free; donations welcome. Park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

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

UPCOMING

TUESDAY, MAY 14

Wonderful World of Wine & Watercolor, Tuesday, May 14, 4 p.m. – 7pm, Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC members, $35/non-member, plus $17 supply fee.Learn to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper while sampling several wines from Grapes in Hilo. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

After Dark in the Park – Kauwela Tour, The Mo‘olelo of Mana Wāhine – Nā Wai Chamber Choir Concert, Tuesday, May 14, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Musical journey that honors the music of both historic and modern-day mana wāhine. Honolulu-based Nā Wai Chamber Choir is a professional vocal ensemble that preserves, propagates, and innovates the legacy of Hawaiian choral music. Hilo native Dr. Jace Kaholokula Saplan leads ensemble on annual kauwela tour. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, May 15, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Volcano School of Arts and Sciences Middle School Theater Night, Thursday, May 16, 6 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater. Each grade will perform a one-act murder mystery. Free admission, donations welcome. Park entrance fees may apply. volcanoschool.net

SATURDAY, MAY 18
Stained Glass Basics I, Saturday and Sunday, May 18, 25, and June 1 and 2, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $90/VAC member, $100/non-member, plus $15 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 6 adults. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko – Kumu Hula Wahineaukai Mercado with haumana (students) of Ke Ana La‘ahana Public Charter School, Saturday, May 18, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Monday, May 20 (Committees), Tuesday, May 21, (Council), Hilo. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Summer Musical Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song Auditions, Monday, May 20, and Tuesday, May 21, Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater. Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network. Parts for all ages and ability. Cold readings. Dress comfortably to move on stage, be prepared to sign a song that best shows vocal range. Show to run July 12-28. Park entrance fees may apply. 982-7344, kden73@aol.com

ONGOING

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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 Cemetery, on a hill above the ocean, with its open air stone chapel, is one of eight Kaʻū cemeteries that have been

restored and are maintained by volunteers from community nonprofit ʻO Kaʻū Kākou. See story, below. OKK photo

NEW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT RULES that include consideration of greenhouse emissions and sea level rise, go into effect August 9 for the state of Hawaiʻi. Gov. David Ige posted to Facebook: "For the first time in 23 years, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) rules will be revamped. Developing these new rules took nearly two years, four working drafts, (and) about 30 public meetings, including nine public hearings with at least one on each island. These rules ensure public involvement in government decision making and the disclosure of activities that might affect our environment. My vision since taking office is to create a state government that is honest, transparent and responsive to its citizens. I will be proud to sign the EIS on July 30."

Changes to EIS rules include how and when EIS and less laborious Environmental Assessments are required. They include requiring a public meeting at the start of an EIS; making greenhouse gas emissions and sea level rise considerations a major concern; requiring public listing of approved exemptions; and more clearly defining some terms, among many other changes.
The state Supreme Court, in a recent five to zero vote, confirmed that greenhouse gases and global warming shall be considered in determining whether EIS and Environmental Assessments are required.
Go to Office of Environmental Quality Control Hawaiʻi to see the full new rules, with changes from the original marked.

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The grounds of the Methodist area of PāhalaCommunityCemeteryhave landscaping fabric under gravel

to improve maintenance efforts. OKK photo

PRESERVING HISTORIC CEMETERIES IN KAʻŪ is illustrated in a new photo collection produced by the community nonprofit ʻO Kaʻū Kākou. Aerial and close-up views of graves dating back many generations can be seen at okaukakou.org.
The cemeteries represent the multiethnic backgrounds of villages and towns. Punaluʻu Cemetery is a historic Hawaiian place of burial on a hill above Punaluʻu Beach Park, with an open air stone church. Pāhala Cemetery is comprised of a large Japanese area connected to the Pāhala Hongwanji temple, an older area of Chinese graves, and a place of burial for sugar workers who immigrated to Kaʻū and are buried in plots that were cared for by the Methodist Church.

Chinese graves in PāhalaCommunityCemetery. OKK photo

For years, ʻO Kaʻū Kākou has preserved history by maintaining these cemeteries, including rebuilding rock walls and landscaping.
A message on the OKK website says, "Part of keeping and maintaining a sense of community is knowing the history of the land, its people, and traditions."
Eight cemeteries under OKK's stewardship are the ones at Punaluʻu and Pāhala, along with Keaiwa Japanese Cemetery in Wood Valley; Honoʻapo Cemetery; LDS Cemetery in Nāʻālehu; and Waiʻōhinu Catholic Cemetery.

Many of the headstones date back to the 1800s. Some of the writings are in English, others in Chinese and Japanese. Many headstones bear family names of locals who still live in Kaʻū. With the cemeteries under OKK's constant care, they are accessible for everyone who can see the flowers and mementos left by loved ones.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou volunteers, at work capping the rock wall

around Punaluʻu Cemetery. OKK photo

See okaukakou.org.

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NEW FEDERAL DISASTER RELIEF FUNDING for recovery from flooding and last year's volcano disaster is on its way to help Hawaiʻi Island, reports Sen. Brian Schatz.
Schatz said the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide $66.9 million through its Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program to "help state and local governments rebuild impacted communities, especially in low- and moderate-income areas, and provide resources to help businesses recover."

Sen. Brian Schatz. Photo from Instagram

A member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Schatz said he worked with federal agencies, and state and county officials, to "ensure Hawai‘i submitted a strong application to receive the maximum amount of funding." The new funding allocation, he said, was part of the $1.7 billion housing disaster recovery package Congress passed last year.

Said Schatz, "As we continue to recover from the series of natural disasters that hit our state, these new federal grants will be a huge help. And while this is good news for Hawai‘i, it is not our only chance at additional federal funding. I will continue to fight for federal resources at every opportunity to help Hawai‘i recover."

With the nearly $67 million in housing grants announced, said Schatz, Hawai‘i has been allocated more than $429 million in federal relief funding to help the state recover from the historic storms in April 2018, Hurricane Lane, and 2018 Kīlauea eruption.

According to Schatz, those funds include $12 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in individual assistance to help people who have lost their home; $206 million from FEMA in public assistance to help local and state governments clean up and repair public infrastructure such as facilities, parks, and water lines; $93.1 million from the Department of Transportation to help rebuild roads and highways; $47.2 million from the Small Business Administration in subsidized loans to help individuals and businesses pay for repairs not covered by insurance; $4 million from the Department of Labor in Disaster Unemployment Insurance to help those who lost their job temporarily or permanently because of a disaster and are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits; and $187,000 from the Economic Development Administration to provide technical assistance for economic development activities in disaster impacted areas.

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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 June 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 Kīlauea Visitor Center.

See how kapa kuiki, Hawaiian quilting, is done at ‘Ike Hana No‘eau,

Experience the Skillful Work, on Wednesday, June 12. NPS photo

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

Kapa Kuiki Demonstration. Hawaiians learned the basic method of kuiki (quilting) with the arrival of the missionaries in the early 1800s. As the art evolved, so did the patterns, which are inspired by nature. Cyndy Martinez shares her knowledge about the beautiful art known as kapa kuiki. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes'‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops. Wednesday, June 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai.

The Story of the Hawaiian ‘Amakihi. The introduction of avian malaria to the Hawaiian Islands in the early 1900s led to devastating declines in many native Hawaiian birds, but not the ‘amakihi. Jon Gabrielle Nunes, Ph.D. student from U.C. Davis, has spent four years studying the mystery of how this endemic little bird appears to be beating this deadly disease on Hawai‘i Island. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series, Tuesday, June 18, 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium.

Comic Journalism with Andy Warner – June's Artist in Residence. New York Times' bestselling comics journalist, author and artist Andy Warner was selected as the park's artist in residence for June. During his residency, Warner plans to explore the human accommodation to life around volcanoes, and parlay personal stories of culture, science, and tradition into a long-form nonfiction comic that explores the aftermath and recovery from the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series, co-sponsored by the National Park Arts Foundation. Tuesday, June 25, 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium.

Comic Journalist Andy Warner in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park's June

Artist in Residence. Learn what he's doing during his residency at

After Dark in the Park on Tuesday, June 25. Image from Andy Warner

Lei Tī Demonstration. Learn how to twist your own tī leaf lei. Join rangers and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff who will share their knowledge and love of one of the most popular lei in Hawai‘i. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes'‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops. Wednesday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai.

Stewardship of Kīpukapuaulu. Help remove troublesome plants at Kīpukapuaulu, home to diverse native forest and understory plants. Meet every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in June: 6, 13, 20, and 27; at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11 in the Park. Bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat, and water. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothing that you don’t mind getting permanently stained from morning glory sap. Be prepared for cool and wet or hot and sunny weather. New volunteer? Contact Marilyn Nicholson for more info, nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

Stewardship at the Summit. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at 8:45 a.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center on Friday, June 7 and 28, or Saturday, June 15 and 222. 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 nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

A visitor explores the geologic formations of Kahuku. Learn more on how to

explore this portion of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, below. 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 leads a tour of his tiny lab located below the Volcano House, showing 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. Space is limited; pick up free ticket at Kīlauea Visitor Center's front desk the day of the program. Program includes climbing stairs and entering a confined space. Supported by the Kīlauea Drama Entertainment Network. Meet at Kīlauea Visitor Center Tuesdays in June: 4, 11, 18, and 25, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. Each performance is about an hour.

Explore Kahuku. Kahuku Unit is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free. Take a self-guided hike, or join rangers on Sundays in April 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 Volcanoes National Park on the mauka (inland) side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5. Kahuku is located in Ka‘ū, and is about a 50-minute drive south of the park's main entrance. Sturdy footwear, water, raingear, sun protection and a snack are recommended for all hikes.

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NO TSUNAMI THREAT to Hawaiʻi from a 7.5 magnitude earthquake near Papua New Guineathis morning at 4 a.m., reports the PacificTsunamiWarningCenter.

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AN INSTRUCTIONAL WORKSHOP ON GROWING CACAO happens Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hawaiʻi Community College, Building 388, Room 101-102, in Kona. Deadline to register is Thursday, June 6. $15 per person. Register at (808) 934-2700.

Three Hawaiʻi Island cacao farmers will lead the workshop, and attendees will have a chance to ask questions. Susan Bassett of Mauna Kea Cacao will speak on the fermenting and drying process. Claranne Knittel of Deep Dirt Cacao, secretary of the East Hawaiʻi Cacao Association, and an organizer of the Hilo Cacao & Chocolate Festival will speak on germination and planting. Patrick Merritt of Hawaiian Acres, who helped found and is president of the EHCA and director of Cacao Farmers of Hawaiʻi, will speak on combating pests.

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HI-PAL BOXING INVITATIONAL happens at Panaʻewa Park Gymnasium in Hilo,100 Ohuohu Street on Saturday, June 1, 5:30 p.m. The free event is sponsored by Hawaiʻi Police Activities League, in partnership with Hawaiʻi International Boxing Club.

Coaches who are interested in entering athletes, who are registered with USA Boxing and are ages 8-17, contact Officer Kaeo Drummondo at (808) 961-8121.

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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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

ANDY MCKEE PLAYS IN VOLCANO at KīlaueaMilitary Camp's Kīlauea Theater on Saturday, June 1. Tickets are $48. Show begins at 7:45 p.m. A Park entrance fee may apply if arriving before 7:30 p.m.

McKee is an acoustic guitar "virtuoso, a master practitioner" of folk, blues, bluegrass, and other musical genres, says the event description. Call (808) 896-4845 for information or to purchase tickets. From his website: "He entertains both the eye and the ear as he magically transforms the steel string guitar into a full orchestra via his use of altered tunings, tapping, partial capos, percussive hits and a signature two-handed technique.

McKee has been featured as a cover story in Acoustic Guitar Magazine in the U.S.and in the UK, and is the figurehead of the Guitar Masters tours. McKee has toured through Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America, including tours with Prince and Dream Theater.

He also performs Thursday, May 30 in Hilo at ʻImiloa Astronomy Center and in Kainaliu on Friday, May 31 at Aloha Theater.

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UPCOMING

TUESDAY, MAY 14

Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Tuesday, May 14, 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 phone appointment only. Hawai‘i Island Humane Society, hihs.org, 796-0107

Wonderful World of Wine & Watercolor, Tuesday, May 14, 4 p.m. – 7pm, Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC members, $35/non-member, plus $17 supply fee.Learn to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper while sampling several wines from Grapes in Hilo. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

After Dark in the Park – Kauwela Tour, The Mo‘olelo of Mana Wāhine – Nā Wai Chamber Choir Concert, Tuesday, May 14, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Musical journey that honors the music of both historic and modern-day mana wāhine. Honolulu-based Nā Wai Chamber Choir is a professional vocal ensemble that preserves, propagates, and innovates the legacy of Hawaiian choral music. Hilo native Dr. Jace Kaholokula Saplan leads ensemble on annual kauwela tour. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

Story Time with Auntie Linda from Tūtū and Me, Thursday, May 16, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. Free; includes craft activity. 929-8571

Family Reading Night, Thursday, May 16, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Volcano School of Arts and Sciences Middle School Theater Night, Thursday, May 16, 6 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater. Each grade will perform a one-act murder mystery. Free admission, donations welcome. Park entrance fees may apply. volcanoschool.net

SATURDAY, MAY 18
Stained Glass Basics I, Saturday and Sunday, May 18, 25, and June 1 and 2, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $90/VAC member, $100/non-member, plus $15 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 6 adults. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko – Kumu Hula Wahineaukai Mercado with haumana (students) of Ke Ana La‘ahana Public Charter School, Saturday, May 18, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.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 w/Wes Awana, Saturday, May 18, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series #1, Saturday, May 18, noon – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Hand-build porcelain ceramic tea bowls with Volcano artist and tea farmer Chiu Leong. Includes history of tea bowl culture and brief overview of local tea farming by Eva Lee. Focused cupping, tasting and education on Hawaii grown white teas. Pre-event for A Taste of Tea Pottery Fundraiser on August 25. Workshops designed to be attended as a series; #2 set for May 18, #3 set for July 27. No experience necessary. $60/VAC member, $75/non-member for series. Individual workshop, $25 each. Registration limited. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, May 18, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Summer Musical Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song Auditions, Monday, May 20, and Tuesday, May 21, Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater. Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network. Parts for all ages and ability. Cold readings. Dress comfortably to move on stage, be prepared to sign a song that best shows vocal range. Show to run July 12-28. Park entrance fees may apply. 982-7344, kden73@aol.com

TUESDAY, MAY 21

Arts and Crafts Activity: Memorial Day Lei, Tuesday, May 21, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, May 13-17. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ONGOING

Paving work on South Point Road continues daily, weather permitting, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through this Thursday. On Wednesday and Thursday, paving will be the north bound lane of Hwy 11 to Kamāʻoa Road. The south bound lane will already be paved, according to a statement form the County of Hawai’i Department of Public Works Highway Maintenance Division.

All vehicles needing access must take a detour from Hwy 11 to Kamā‘oa Rd. South Point Road will be open to local traffic only. Traffic pattern may change depending on conditions.

Motorists are advised to drive with caution as heavy vehicles will be in the work zone. Signs will be posted on Highway 11 advising motorists of the roadwork and traffic control personnel will be posted in the area to facilitate traffic movement.

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, runs through June 16, daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery. Multi-media exhibition of seven artists. Free; National Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
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Mauna Loa Observatory image from its webcam this evening, where the highest CO2 levels in human
history were recently recorded, setting off a new alarm about global warming. Image from Mauna Loa Observatory

GREENHOUSE GAS CARBON DIOXIDE has reached its highest concentration since humans evolved, according to conclusions drawn from measurements on May 11 at Mauna Loa Observatory. Mauna Loa hosts the oldest greenhouse gas measuring station, founded in 1958, alerting scientists worldwide to the threats of climate change.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography chose Hawaiʻi Island to set up its station because of its distance from pollution on the Earth's continents. Vegetation, which can interfere with air quality tests, is sparse around Mauna Loa Observatory, making it one of the best scientific stations to measure CO2 on the planet. Dr. Charles Keeling, whose scientific research led to the discovery of global warming, is the namesake of the Keeling Building at Mauna Loa Observatory.

Meteorologist Eric Hothouse said, "This is the first time in human history our planet's atmosphere has had more than 415 PPM CO2. Not just in recorded history, not just since the invention of agriculture 10,000 ears ago. Since before modern humans existed millions of years ago. We don't know a planet like this."
Scientists conclude that human activity is causing the rise of CO2 levels and temperatures with the burning of fossil fuels. The C02 levels also reached this level some 2.5 to 5 million years ago during the Pliocene Epoch, when Arctic sea ice retreated.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned last year that the planet could warm by 1.5 C by 2052 and 3 C by the end of 2200, making Earth a profoundly different place, with no coral reefs, massive extinctions, and destructive heat waves and wildfires. Some islands and coastal areas would become inhabitable. Limiting global warming to 1.5 C "would require rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society," said the report.
The Mauna Loa atmospheric CO2 concentration measurements taken since 1958 constitute the largest continuous record of atmospheric CO2 available in the world, according to Scripps Institute

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Recent image of Kīlauea Crater captured byBig Island Video News from USGS film.

A SHORT TIME FRAME TO FOREWARN THE NEXT ERUPTION of Kīlauea volcano is expected when – not if – it erupts again, report U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory scientists. Yesterday's weekly update on the active volcano confirms Kīlauea remains at NORMAL/GREEN status, and that it is not erupting.
However, since early March, tiltmeters at the summit have recorded modest inflationary tilt. Over about the same time period, a GPS station within the 2018 collapse area recorded approximately 3 inches (5 cm) of uplift. Satellite radar data (InSAR) show "deformation consistent with inflation of the shallow Halemaʻumaʻu source, confirming the trends noted by both tiltmeters and GPS," said HVO. "One possible interpretation is that magma has begun to slowly accumulate within the shallow portion of the Kīlauea summit magma system, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) below ground level. Gas measurements have yet to indicate significant shallowing of large volumes of melt. HVO continues to carefully monitor gas output at the Kīlauea summit and East Rift Zone for important changes."
Further east, GPS stations and tiltmeters continue to show motions consistent with refilling of the deep East Rift Zone magmatic reservoir in the broad region between Puʻu ʻŌʻō and Highway 130, said HVO. This trend has been observed since the end of the 2018 eruption, said HVO, "and while its significance is unclear, monitoring data do not suggest any imminent change in volcanic hazard for this area."

Tiltmeter registration at Kīlauea summit over last two days. USGS image

Monitoring data over the past nine months show "relatively low rates of seismicity, deformation, and sulfur dioxide emissions at the summit and East Rift Zone, including the area of the 2018 eruption," said HVO. No significant changes in volcanic activity were observed over the past week, and "generally low seismicity" continues across the volcano, with earthquakes occurring primarily in the summit and south flank regions.

The largest Kīlauea earthquake over the past week was 2.9-magnitude near Keanakākoʻi Crater on May 11, at a depth of 3.1 km (1.9 miles) below ground level. USGS received 6 felt-reports for this event.
HVO continues to closely monitor seismicity, deformation, and gas emissions for any sign of increased activity at Kīlauea. HVO maintains visual surveillance of the volcano with web cameras and occasional field visits. HVO continues to issue a weekly update every Tuesday, and will issue additional messages as warranted by changing activity. HVO recommends Hawaiʻi residents be familiar with the long-term hazard map for Kīlauea Volcano, https://pubs.usgs.gov/mf/1992/2193/.

Fissure 8 lava fragments falling from the fountains built a

cinder-and-spatter cone around the vent. USGS photo

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CHOOSING A HAWAIIAN NAME FOR FISSURE 8 and other geographic features created during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption moves forward tomorrow, Thursday, May 16, 5 p.m., at Pāhoa Community Center, 15-3022 Kauhale Street. Open to the public, the meeting is led by the Hawaiʻi Board on Geographic Names, which will make the final decisions.
The Board was formed by the 1974 Hawaiʻi Legislature. It is comprised of the chairs or their representatives for the state Board of Land & Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Department of Hawaiian Homelands; director of the Office of Planning; president of the University of Hawaiʻi; the State Land Surveyor; and director of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum.

Name suggestions received by the board from the public include:

Puʻu Leilani, Hill of Leilani, from Dale A. Smith.

Puʻu ʻO ʻAilāʻau, Hill of Medicine or Healing, from Gary E. Smith.

Keahiluawalu O Pele, from Mahealani Kaiwikuamoʻokekuaokalani-Henry, who said it comes from a dream given to her from "Papa and Waikea."

Puʻu Kupaianaha, Hill of Surprise (also means strange, wonderful or marvelous), from Mele Stokesberry.

Ahuʻailāʻau, Mound/shrine/altar/cairn of Hawaiʻi, "deity for the volcano and lava; predates Pelehonuamea," from Kalani Makekau-Whittaker, on behalf of Piʻilani Kaʻawaloa, Keone Kalawe, and Lei Kaleimamahu.

Puʻu ʻO Luku, Hill of Destruction, from Rick LaMontagne.

Hanaiaʻna Enoho Hou Hoʻomaka, Creation Regeneration New Beginnings, from Feeyah Hutchinson.

The tallest lava fountain during the 2018 LERZ eruption was Fissure 8, but others of the total 24 fissures

spouted gasses and lava. USGS photo

Keahilapalapa, spreading or blazing fire, from Vanessa Lee-Miller.

Kekohehoʻohenonohoikalaʻiop unapaiaʻalaikahala, cherished crease occupying the calm of Puna of the forest bower fragrant with pandanus, from D. Leilehua Yuen. She said it could be shortened to Kekohe or Kekoheopuna.

Ke Ahi ʻEnaʻena, Raging Fire, from Hannah Hana Pau.

Luana-Lani, because Fissure 8 is at the intersection of Luana and Leilani Avenue, from RJ Quiocho.

Fountains from Fissure 8 spatter cone supplied lava to an

open, braided channel that went all the way to the ocean,

and was as much as 300 meters wide. USGS photo

Papalauahi, which means smoked. The name, from Larry Kimura, would be for the entire 24 fissure volcanic eruption area. He said it is the traditional name for the location.

Pōhāhā, Lightning, from Kainana Francisco and Drew Kapp.

Pohākaʻena, Exploding Rage, from Hannah Hana Pau. She said "It was not only an angry flow, it was exploding in rage. Its enormous body mass moved with a vengeance of insatiable appetite, devouring forests, consuming homes, swallowing an entire lake, and belching forth lava bombs. Its aftermath - devastating."

See more on Hawaiʻi Board on Geographic Names, and the list, at planning.hawaii.gov/gis/hbgn/.

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A BAN ON ABORTION UNDER MOST CIRCUMSTANCES, signed into law today by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, brought strong response from Sen. Mazie Hirono. The law makes abortion at any time an illegal act, with the exceptions of when the mother's life is in danger from the pregnancy, in cases of ectopic pregnancy, and when the "unborn child has a lethal anomaly." There are no exceptions made for cases of pregnancy by incest or rape. Doctors who perform abortions outside those exceptions face up to 99 years in prison.

Hirono states the law "is a direct attack on Roe v. Wade and a woman's constitutional right to choose, and it's just the latest move in Republicans' war on women."

She charged that Republican men are "abusing their power in a quest to turn back the clock on women's rights, threatening millions of women's lives, health, and safety by returning us to the days of back-alley abortions – the battles we fought so long and hard to win don't stay won.

"I will continue to fight to stop the GOP from overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating a woman's right to choose. In this moment, we need all the support we can get… Together, let's rise up and show these Republican lawmakers they don't know who they're messing with." She urges a donation to Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.

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SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR KAʻŪ HIGH & PĀHALA ELEMENTARY start with Uplink All-Stars on Friday, June 7 through Friday, June 28 for students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Monday, June 10 through Friday, June 21, Algebra camp is also open to students in grades 6, 7, and 8.

For high school students, EarlyCollegeruns from Wednesday, June 12 through Thursday, July 11.

All three programs require registration by calling 313-4100.

Open to all people under age 18, the Seamless Summer Program offers free breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., and free lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., on weekdays in the school cafeteria. No registration required.

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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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

BASIC HUNTER EDUCATION CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, a two-day course, is held in Pāhala at Kaʻū District Gym on Friday, June 28 from 5:45 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday, June 29 from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Register for the free program, presented by Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, no later than Friday, June 14. Space is limited. For ages ten and up. Valid Id or birth certificate for youth; full name, including middle initial; mailing address; date of birth; and telephone number.

To register or for more information, call (808) 887-6050, and use code KAU.

TODDLER AND PRE-K STORY TIME with Auntie Linda from Tūtū & Me happens at Pāhala Public and School Library on Wednesday, May 22 at 10:30a.m. The free event includes a craft activity.

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UPCOMING

THURSDAY, MAY 16

Story Time with Auntie Linda from Tūtū and Me, Thursday, May 16, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. Free; includes craft activity. 929-8571

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko – Kumu Hula Wahineaukai Mercado with haumana (students) of Ke Ana La‘ahana Public Charter School, Saturday, May 18, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.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 w/Wes Awana, Saturday, May 18, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series #1, Saturday, May 18, noon – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Hand-build porcelain ceramic tea bowls with Volcano artist and tea farmer Chiu Leong. Includes history of tea bowl culture and brief overview of local tea farming by Eva Lee. Focused cupping, tasting and education on Hawaii grown white teas. Pre-event for A Taste of Tea Pottery Fundraiser on August 25. Workshops designed to be attended as a series; #2 set for May 18, #3 set for July 27. No experience necessary. $60/VAC member, $75/non-member for series. Individual workshop, $25 each. Registration limited. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, May 18, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SUNDAY, MAY 19

ONGOING

Paving work on South Point Road continues daily, weather permitting, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through tomorrow. On Thursday, paving will be the north bound lane of Hwy 11 to Kamāʻoa Road. The south bound lane will already be paved, according to a statement form the County of Hawai’i Department of Public Works Highway Maintenance Division.

All vehicles needing access must take a detour from Hwy 11 to Kamā‘oa Rd. South Point Road will be open to local traffic only. Traffic pattern may change depending on conditions.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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Hukilau Hula throwing nets to the sea, at May Day celebration for students of all ages in Pāhala.
See more photos and story below. Photo by Julia Neal

A BUSY HURRICANE SEASON IS PREDICTED for the Central Pacific, including Hawaiʻi Island, according to reports today from AccuWeather and other experts. Hurricane season officially begins June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. Last year was the fourth-busiest hurricane season for the Eastern and Central Pacific on record, tied with 1982, with 23 named hurricanes.
For 2019, AccuWeather predicts six to eight named storms, four to six hurricanes, three to five major hurricanes and one to two direct impacts on land in the Central Pacific.

Paʻaʻau Gluch, from the bridge at Hwy 11, on Aug. 24
during Hurricane Lane. Photo by Julia Neal

Dan Kottlowski, of AccuWeather, said that "the onset of an El Niño typically increases the total number of storms and hurricanes in the basin." This increase in tropical cyclone activity will increase the chances of a Hawai`i impact. He said "The most worrisome track for an impact on Hawaiʻi is from the south." AccuWeather reminds Hawaiʻi residents that "Only four hurricanes have taken this track into Hawaiʻi and brought significant impacts since 1950, but Hurricane Lane did so just last year. The combination of a more active season and warmer-than normal ocean water south of Hawaiʻi could set the state for a tropical system to approach from the south this season. The most likely time of the year for an impact on Hawaiʻi will be from July into early October."

Hurricane Lane in August of 2018
caused wind and flood damage.
Image from AccuWeather

Hawaiʻi Island was threatened by six hurricanes in 2018 – the average is four or five. In August, Hurricane Lane hung off South Point for several days, then passed south, causing damage all over the state.
Hurricane Olivia made landfall on Maui and Lanaʻi. Hurricane Walaka largely washed away East Island in French Frigate Shoals, north of the main Hawaiian Islands, destroying a major birthing place for endangered Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, and endangered and threatened seabirds. Other storms not powerful enough to be called hurricanes also caused flooding and wind damage.
The National Hurricane Center,

William Aila, Jr.
Photo from the governor's office

nhc.noaa.gov, updates its tropical weather status a minimum of four times a day, every day of hurricane season. The site provides tracking of large weather disturbances, including the predicted path and wind speed of any hurricanes, and how to prepare for hurricanes.

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WILLIAM AILA, JR. is appointed by Gov. David Ige as chairman of the Hawaiian Homes Commission and director of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, effective Friday, May 17. Aila's appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.

Aila was confirmed as deputy to the commission chair in April. He has been serving as acting chairman since the departure of Jobie Masagatani on May 2. He served as deputy to the chairman of the Hawaiian Homes Commission from 2014 to 2018. Previously, he headed the Department of Land and Natural Resources and was harbor agent for the Wai‘anae BoatHarbor on O‘ahu, under the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation under DLNR.

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands property in Kaʻū.
Map from DHHL

Said Ige, "William is a proven leader and steward of Hawai‘i's natural resources. I am confident that he will continue to lead the department as it works to create vibrant homestead communities for native Hawaiians."

Aila said, "I thank Gov. Ige for this opportunity to continue to serve the Hawaiian community, and I look forward to working closely with homestead leaders to advance the vision of Prince Kuhio."
Prince Johnah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole successfully campaigned for the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act by the U.S. Congress in 1921, when he served as a Delegate from the Territory of Hawai‘i. The act set aside 200,000 acres as a permanent homeland for native Hawaiians. About 11,300 of those acres are located in Ka‘ū, including lands at South Point, above Punalu‘u, and near Wai‘ōhinu.

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A MAY DAY PROGRAM ENTERTAINED FAMILIES AND THE PUBLIC at Kaʻū District Gym today, with presentation of the May Day Court and attendants, comprised of Kaʻū High School students, and hula and song from Pāhala Elementary School. The program was directed by Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder with assistance from local musicians Makana Kamahele, Ty Chun, and Terry Lewis. May Day has been a tradition for many generations of students attending school on the Pāhala
campus.

May Day Court welcoming the Queen and King at Kaʻū District Gym today where preschool to high school
celebrated with hula and music. Photo by Julia Neal

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PĀHALA'S LONGS DRUGS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL DELIVER PRESCRIPTIONS to Ocean View Community Center on Tuesdays between 8 a.m. and noon. When patients receive alerts that their prescriptions are ready, they may call Longs at 928-6252 to request delivery to OVCC. No controlled substances, such as opiates, are included in this program. If payment is required, patients must have a payment card on file at Longs in Pāhala. Kaʻū Wellness patients' prescriptions will be delivered to 92-8691 Lotus Blossom Lane in Ocean View for pick up. Questions? Call Longs at 928-6252 and ask for Leisha.

Pāhala kumu Debbie Ryder taught hula and joined with local
musicians Makana Kamahele, Ty Chun, and Terry Lewis to
present the May Day program to the public.
Photo by Julia Neal

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A LACK OF A REPLACEMENT FOR STYROFOAM FOOD CONTAINERS, TO BE BANNED FROM FOOD VENDING STARTING JULY 1, was the subject of two public hearings this week.

In 2017, Bill 13 passed the County Council, banning use of polystyrene – Styrofoam – containers from restaurants, food vendors, and on county property. This includes banning the public from using them at county-supervised pavilions, parks, cabins, and other facilities. The polystyrene ban doesn't affect packaging for raw meat or eggs, coolers or ice chests intended for reuse, or containers from out of state. The law requires the use of recyclables or compostables in place of polystyrene.

A sitting hula as the May Day court watches over the elementary students. Photo by Julia Neal

     On December 1, 2018, Hawaiʻi County discontinued recycling plastic "clamshell" food containers, a major replacement of polystyrene for businesses that offer items such as plate lunch.
     According to a report by Nancy Cook Lauer in West Hawaiʻi Today, Hawaiʻi County Council Chairman Aaron Chung is working on a new bill, because "Everyone was led to believe it was a polystyrene ban." Lauer reports Chung said the original bill, which he opposed, is now "a ban on plastics. A lot of people who weren't affected are now affected."
     A public hearing Tuesday about rules implementing the current law, reports Lauer, quickly turned into questions about what might change. A second public hearing happened at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center.

Hula is taught in all of the preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school grades in Pāhala. Photo by Julia Neal

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STUDENTS USE SCIENCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR COMMUNITIES notes this week's Volcano Watch written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geophysicist Jefferson Chang:

During the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano, when fissures erupted and lava flowed in the lower East Rift Zone, many Puna residents were displaced from their homes. We, as a community, watched from the sidelines as the eruption went on, helpless in averting the course of nature.

Keiki from Pāhala Elementary School sing for the public
at the annual May Day celebration today. Photo by Julia Neal

Although the 2018 event was profound, residents not in the eruption's path had to tend to their daily duties. People still went to work and students still went to school.

In the middle of this, only a few weeks after joining the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff, I met a group of enthusiastic high school students from Kea‘au, Hilo, Honoka‘a, Konawaena, and Kealakehe. They were enrolled in an Upward Bound summer program at the University of Hawai‘i Hilo, led by instructor Adam Low. The program, Teaching Through Technology (T3), was aimed at teaching students Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, and discovering how STEM can help address societal and environmental concerns.

During the program, the students became familiar with simple sensors and an inexpensive credit-card sized computer called a Raspberry Pi raspberrypi.org. One of their early projects involved attaching a camera to the Raspberry Pi and creating a "photo booth" at an incoming freshmen orientation event. The students coded their own software so that when a photo was taken, the computer would send the image to the subject's email address.

Preschool students perform a sitting Baby Doll Hula. Photo by Julia Neal

Empowered with their newly minted skillsets, the students decided to apply their classroom activities beyond academic learning and into a more practical and needed application.

As lava erupted from fissures in Leilani Estates on Kīlauea's LERZ, so did noxious gases. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is an extremely irritating gas that is released from shallow or erupting lava. This gas reacts in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid droplets, which can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat.

The Hawai‘i State Department of Health, as well as other agencies, monitor SO2 gas and particulate matter emitted from Kīlauea. These data are provided in near-real time to the public via the HDOH website air.doh.hawaii.gov/home/map.

T3 students install an air-quality monitoring station outside the Dragon's Eye

LearningCenter on Papaya Farms Road. Photo from Adam Low, T3 Alliance

About half of the students were either directly impacted, or related to someone directly impacted, by Kīlauea's LERZ eruption. The students decided that they could help their communities by deploying air-quality sensors. They put together a proposal and submitted it to UH-Hilo Upward Bound director, Len Woods, for funding. The proposal outlined their mission and the equipment needed.

With funding in hand, the students built and deployed six air-quality monitoring stations using a PLANTOWER PMS5003 sensor for particulates and a SPEC GDS-SO2 968-038 sensor for ambient temperature, humidity, and SO2 concentration. They installed the stations in communal hubs, such as the Dragon's EyeLearningCenteron Papaya Farms Road, the VolcanoSchoolof Arts & Sciences in VolcanoVillage, the Ka‘ū Coffee Mill in Pāhala, and the evacuation shelters at the Kea‘au Armory and PāhoaCommunity Center.

Another station was co-located with a HDOH air-quality station at RainbowFalls in Hilofor ground-truthing. They programmed a screen display to show the level of ambient temperature, humidity, particulates, and SO2 at each site, and created a website that showed real-time readings from their monitoring stations at t3alliance.org/vog.

At Kīlauea Volcano's summit, episodic collapses within the caldera were producing unprecedented levels of seismic activity. So, the students also installed a Raspberry Shake, which is a small seismic sensor connected to a Raspberry Pi, at the Volcano School of Arts & Sciences, to monitor the hundreds of earthquakes happening daily. Data from the Raspberry Shake were streamed and publicly shared with a global community of citizen seismologists via raspberryshake.net/stationview/#?net=AM&sta=RDCB.

T3 Alliance students install a large display showing measurements

from their air-quality monitoring station outside the PāhoaCommunity

Center, which was used as a temporary shelter for displaced residents from

Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 eruption. Photo from Adam Low, T3 Alliance

Seventeen high school students did all of this. All it took was a bit of knowledge, support, and passion. I look forward to working alongside this next generation of colleagues and using science for the benefit of our communities.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kῑlauea and Mauna Loa Volcanoes are not erupting and both USGS Volcano Alert levels remain at NORMAL.

Since early March, tiltmeters at Kīlauea's summit have recorded modest inflationary tilt. During the same time period, a GPS station within the 2018 collapse area has recorded approximately 5 cm (3 in) of uplift. On Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, GPS stations and tiltmeters continue to show motions consistent with refilling of the deep magmatic reservoir in the broad region between Puʻu ʻŌʻō and Highway 130. This trend has been observed since the end of the 2018 eruption.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates on Kīlauea’s ERZ and summit remain low. Gas measurements have not indicated significant shallowing of large volumes of magma, but HVO continues to closely monitor gas emissions at both the summit and ERZ of Kīlauea for any changes.

One earthquake with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-2.7 quake 4 km (2 mi) southwest of VolcanoVillage at 1.8 km (1.1 mi) depth on Saturday, May 11 at 6:51 p.m.

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.

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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

ALL ABOUT BUDDHISM in the Jodo Shinshu Tradition book study and talk story happens Wednesdays at 5 p.m.at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. Materials and light refreshments provided. Robert Kobzi, the new temple president, said sessions "will be ongoing for quite some time. Let me know if you need more information."

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UPCOMING

SATURDAY, MAY 18

Stained Glass Basics I, Saturday and Sunday, May 18, 25, and June 1 and 2, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $90/VAC member, $100/non-member, plus $15 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 6 adults. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko – Kumu Hula Wahineaukai Mercado with haumana (students) of Ke Ana La‘ahana Public Charter School, Saturday, May 18, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, MAY 19

TUESDAY, MAY 21

Arts and Crafts Activity: Memorial Day Lei, Tuesday, May 21, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, May 13-17. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22
Story Time with Auntie Linda of Tūtū & Me, Wednesday, May 22, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Pāhala Public and School Library. Free; includes craft activity. 929-8571

Arts and Crafts Activity: Memorial Day Star Hanging, Wednesday, May 22, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 16-21. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MAY 23
Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, May 23, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

ONGOING

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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.

U.H. Economic Research Organization predicts slow growth for Hawaiʻi County and all the islands.
Image from UHERO

THE ECONOMY OF HAWAIʻI COUNTY is predicted to rebound somewhat from the volcanic disaster last year, and continue with slow growth through 2021, according the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization. Entitled Counties See Synchronized Slowing, the report, dated May 17, predicts that economic growth will flatten out statewide, leaving the "underlying economic health largely intact." While Hawaiʻi will be "more vulnerable to adverse shocks, whether arising locally or in the global economy," the slower growth also "provides breathing space in counties that have struggled to absorb the impact of sustained growth on resources and communities."

Visitor spending trends downward during the last year.
Image from UHERO

The UHERO forecast explains that visitation to Hawaiʻi County shot up by 13.6 percent in 2017, but dropped 2.5 percent in 2018. The visitor count is expected to recover by growing 3.3 percent in 2019, around 2.8 percent in 2020, and 1.9 percent in 2021.

During the eruption year, visitor arrivals from the U.S. mainland to Hawaiʻi Island dropped from a 9.9 percent increase in 2017 to a .3 percent increase in 2018. The forecast is for mainland arrivals to increase 4.5 percent in 2019, followed by 2.1 percent in 2020 and 1.5 percent in 2021.

While the number of Japanese visitor arrivals to this island grew 32.6 percent in 2017, it declined after the eruption - by 6.4 percent in 2018. Japanese visitor arrivals are expected to grow 5.3 percent in 2019, another 3.4 percent in 2020, and 1.1 percent in 2020.

Visitors from everywhere but the U.S. mainland and Japan increased by 17.4 percent to Hawaiʻi County in 2017 and declined by 8.7 percent in 2018. The count is expected decline again by 1.6 percent in 2019, and go up by 5.1 percent in 2020 and 3.8 percent in 2021.
The UHERO report says that statewide "visitor growth will generally trend lower than in the past, given a weak external environment, high tourism costs, and capacity constraints."

The Nature Conservancy is one of the sponsors
of the UHERO reports on the economy.

The report states that "construction activity has pulled back a bit in most counties, although it remains at a healthy level. A pipeline of public-sector, resort, and residential projects will maintain industry activity near current levels for the next several years."
UHERO also sent out an economic forecast update on May 3, saying "Hawaiʻi's slowdown is becoming more entrenched. Better get used to it," and "Tourism is past its peak." It pointed out that visitors are spending fewer days and that visitor spending is falling. "Job growth has largely stalled and income gains have receded. At best this represents a new normal for Hawaiʻi."
UHERO predicts overall job growth of less than 1 percent this year and next.

See the forecast at uhero.hawaii.edu/assets/19Q2_County_Public.pdf.
UHERO is sponsored by U.H., Hawaiʻi Business Roundtable, banks, electric companies, Hawaiian Airlines, Matson transportation, DH Horton construction, and The Nature Conservancy.

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Join the community on Sunday to raise funds to help rebuilt the home of

Orlando, Roxana, Yasmin, and Flor Argueta. Photo from Argueta Family

A FUNDRAISER FOR A FAMILY WHO LOST THEIR HOUSE TO A FIRE WILL BE HELD this Sunday, May 19 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Miranda Farm, 93-7136 Mamalahoa Hwy 11, next to Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
The goal is to raise funds to help support members of the Argueta family, who lost their newly built Ocean View home in a fire on April 23.

The event will kick off with fresh homemade tacos, Salvadoran tamales and Mexican Tamales, and Miranda Farm's coffee. The auction of a variety of donated baked goods will begin at 2 p.m.

Maria Miranda, former Miss Kaʻū Coffee, of Miranda Farm, is organizing the event. She told The Kaʻū Calendar: "On April 23, 2019, my family received a devastating call that our family's house in Ocean View, Hawaiʻi had been engulfed in flames. My Aunt Roxana and my Uncle Orlando had been close to completing the construction of their first home, when in an instant they were left with nothing but the debris of fallen ashes.

An officer stands down the street from the fire that raged in HOVE on April 23,

destroying the two-story home of the Argueta Family. Photo from Argueta Family

"Unfortunately, since the house was under construction, there was no insurance coverage for the house. Over ten years of savings was completely lost. The loss from the fire is estimated at over $125,000 of material and labor.

"This tragedy has shaken them, but they are standing strong and are grateful that no one was harmed. They have faith in God that they will rebuild their dream home in the future. I humbly ask that if you find it in your heart to give to this wonderful family, your support would be greatly appreciated."

Interested in making a dessert to donate toward the auction? Please call (808) 936-3362 or (808) 929-7572. See facebook.com/events/439773063253157/.

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HVO and Jaggar Museum, abandoned after earthquakes
and destabilization of the ground beneath them.
USGS photo

THIRTY EMPLOYEES OF HAWAIIAN VOLCANOES OBSERVATORY will remain in Hilo and Keaʻau for now as they plan for a new home, which could be funded through a $72.3 million disaster recovery bill coming up for a vote in Congress soon.
The USGS scientists left their HVO headquarters on the rim of Halemaʻumaʻu, adjacent to JaggarMuseum in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, last year, when all-day earthquakes and the collapse of Kīlauea crater threatened the building. The staff set up a temporary station at University of Hawaiʻi, followed by the customs building at Hilo Harbor and a warehouse in Keaʻau.

According to a report in today's Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald, the HVO crew is again on the move, into the old IronworksBuildingin Hilo, with part of the staff and equipment remaining in Keaʻau.
HVO awaits the congressional funding to pay for a permanent home with a new building or renovation of an existing building, site to be determined.

The story by Tom Callis says that "Planning for a new permanent home hinges on Congress approving a disaster recovery bill that has been stalled." Callis also reported that some of the staff may relocate to Oʻahu. The story quotes HVO chief scientist Tina Neal saying, "The Oʻahu part of the mix remains just an idea for primarily adding technical capacity. It's not the intent at all to move the HVO operations over there."

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.

UPCOMING

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, May 18, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Arts and Crafts Activity: Memorial Day Star Hanging, Wednesday, May 22, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 16-21. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MAY 23
Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, May 23, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

ONGOING

Minimum requirement is a high school diploma. Early Childhood Education, related coursework, and/or experience working children preferred. For more, visit pidf.org/about/careers. Apply by emailing resume and cover letter to hr@pidfoundation.org or fax to 808-440-6619.

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, runs through June 16, daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery. Multi-media exhibition of seven artists. Free; National Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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Tulsi Gabbard is the first woman combat veteran to run for U.S. President. She is also second youngest contender for
the Democratic Party nominee, nine months older than Mayor Pete Buttigeig, who is also a vet. Both have
qualified for the televised debates. Gabbard is Kaʻū's Congresswoman. Photo from Tulsi 2020

KAʻŪ'S CONGRESSWOMAN has qualified for nationally televised debates for the Democratic Party nomination for U.S. President. According to a story in Friday's Washington Post, she is among 11 candidates who are assured a place on the stage. Joining her, in alphabetical order, are former vice president Joe Biden; Sen. Cory Booker; South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigeig; former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro; Sen. Kamala Harris; Sen. Amy Klobuchar; former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke; Sen. Bernie Sanders; Sen. Elizabeth Warren; and businessman Andrew Yang.

Candidates qualify by 65,000 persons donating to their campaigns from at least 20 states or receiving at least 1 percent support from three polls that the Democratic National Committee deems qualified. Gabbard announced in mid April that her campaign reached 65,000 donors, which guarantees her the debate stage. According to Real Clear Politics, Gabbard also reached 1 percent in several polls this week.

Tulsi Gabbard, successfully vying for a seat in the state House of
Representatives to serve Kaʻū and rural areas of the Hawaiian Islands,
during a rally at Hilo Bandstand in 2012. Photo by Julia Neal

Gabbard is the first woman combat veteran to run for President. She is the second youngest in the race, at 38, about nine months older than Buttigieg. She represents Kaʻū and rural Hawaiʻi in her fourth term serving Hawaiʻi's Second District in the U.S. House of Representatives. She serves on the House Armed Services and Financial Services Committees. She previously served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Homeland Security Committee.

In 2002, at age 21, she was elected to the Hawaiʻi Legislature, becoming the youngest person ever elected in the state. She was elected to the Honolulu City Council in 2010. Gabbard has served in the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard for 16 years, is a veteran of two Middle East deployments, and continues to serve as a Major.

See her interview yesterday with Judy Woodruff on the PBS News Hour.

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REP. TULSI GABBARD HELPED TO PASS THE EQUALITY ACT on Friday. She is one of the original co-sponsors who helped shepherd it through the U.S. House of Representatives. H.R. 5 passed the House by a vote of 236-173. The bill goes to the Senate for its consideration.

"By passing the Equality Act today, we affirm that all Americans must be treated equally under the law — regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or national origin," said Gabbard. "I urge the Senate to promptly take up and also pass this important legislation to end the discrimination that still plagues our fellow Americans."

The Equality Act was introduced in March 2019 with strong, bipartisan support. It would amend existing civil rights legislation to include explicit protection to the LGBT community. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, federal jury service, public accommodations, and the use of federal funds.

Gabbard has cosponsored and supported anti-discrimination legislation like the Fair and Equal Housing Act, Freedom from Discrimination in Credit Act, Juror Non-Discrimination Act, Student Non-Discrimination Act, Safe Schools Improvement Act, Do No Harm Act, and the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act. Additionally, Rep. Gabbard has advocated in support of the LGBT community serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. For more on the congresswoman's work to fight for civil rights and equality, click here.

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SINE DIE, NOW WHAT? is a training session, hosted by the Membership Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. The training happens Thursday, May 30 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at DPH HQ in Honolulu. Teleconference by dialing (712) 451-0200 and entering meeting ID 938390#. Videoconference at join.freeconferencecall.com/dph2018, enter meeting ID dph2018. To teleconference or videoconference, please also RSVP by email to info@hawaiidemocrats.org. to receive hand-outs before the training starts.
All training by MCDPH, unless otherwise stated, are for Democratic Party of Hawai‘i members only. To sign up, go to hawaiidemocrats.org/join/. Facebook Event, click here.

The training session covers what to do if a bill passed and is on the Governor's Desk as well as what to do if a bill failed.
In preparation for 2020, the Membership Committee is recruiting volunteers for several standing committees. To sign up, complete this online form eepurl.com/graAOf. The respective co-chair(s) will reach out to applicants.

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KAʻŪ RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION'S 21st annual Rural Health Conference and General Membership Meeting will partially focus on embracing and understanding the cultural transition of Marshallese. The meeting happens Friday, May 24, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at PāhalaCommunity Center.
The meeting features youth achievements recognition and community resource networks, and offers free health screenings, informational booths, food exhibits, and door prizes.

Special guests are Dr. Neal Palafox, MD, MPH Professor; University of Hawaiʻi; John A. Burns School of Medicine; and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.
To be a vendor at the event, call the Resource and Distance Learning Center at 928-0101.
Kaʻū Rural Health, with a slogan of Nānā I Ke Kumu O Kaʻū, Look to the Source of Kaʻū, is a community-based membership non-profit charitable organization which evolved from a community grassroots coalition to preserve quality healthcare access in rural communities. In 1998, that coalition kept Kaʻū hospital's 24-hour emergency room services open. See krhcai.com.

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LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM announced this week that applications will be open June 3 through 28. LIHEP offers two programs to assist with payment of heating and cooling costs for low income families. Energy Crisis Intervention is for households on the verge of utility disconnect; Energy Credit is for non-crisis utility payment.

Beginning June 3, sign up at Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity office in Nā‘ālehu, back of Senior Center, Wednesdays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Ocean View Community Center, Mondays and Tuesdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. All offices are closed Tuesday, June 11 for the Kamehameha Day holiday.

To qualify, household members must be U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents; all adults in the household must sign the application and provide picture ID; and household members over one year must provide a social security card. Household income must be below 150% of Federal Poverty Level. Applicants must also bring a current electric or gas bill, secondary proof of residence, and proof of income for all household members.

See hceoc.net/programs/energy for full list of requirements and to download forms.

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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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

SURF-N-TURF SUNDAYS at Kīlauea Military Camp's Crate Rim Café, located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, happens 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays in June, except Father's Day. Menu is a 12 oz. Rib Eye Steak and a 4 oz. Lobster Tail, Salad Bar, Potato Bar, and a beverage, for $29.95. Reservations required; call 967-8356. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

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.

UPCOMING

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Fundraiser for the Argueta Family, who lost their newly-built home in a fire, happens Sunday, May 19 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Miranda Farm, 93-7136 Mamalahoa Hwy 11, next to Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The event kicks off with fresh homemade tacos, Salvadoran tamales and Mexican Tamales, and Miranda Farm's coffee. The auction of a variety of donated baked goods will begin at 2 p.m.

Interested in making a dessert to donate toward the auction? Please call (808) 936-3362 or (808) 929-7572. See facebook.com/events/4397
73063253157/. See yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs for more.

MONDAY, MAY 20

Arts and Crafts Activity: Memorial Day Lei, Tuesday, May 21, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, May 13-17. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22
Story Time with Auntie Linda of Tūtū & Me, Wednesday, May 22, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Pāhala Public and School Library. Free; includes craft activity. 929-8571

Arts and Crafts Activity: Memorial Day Star Hanging, Wednesday, May 22, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 16-21. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MAY 23
Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, May 23, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

SATURDAY, MAY 24

Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association's 21st annual Rural Health Conference and General Membership Meeting happens Friday, May 24, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. The meeting features youth achievements recognition and community resource networks, and offers free health screenings, informational booths, food exhibits, and door prizes.

Special guests are Dr. Neal Palafox, MD, MPH Professor; University of Hawaiʻi; John A. Burns School of Medicine; and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. A focus of the event will be embracing and understanding the cultural transition of Marshallese.

To be a vendor at the event, call the Resource and Distance Learning Center at 928-0101. See krhcai.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 25
15th Annual Celebration of Life Lantern Floating, Saturday, May 25, 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Reed's Bay, Hilo, same day Pre-Event, 1:15 p.m. – 2 p.m., Ka‘ū Hospital, Pāhala. Pre-event features motorcycle and classic car community riding in procession to the hospital to meet and greet patients, staff and Ka‘ū Community before riding to main event. Celebration of life bracelet available online, $10 donation, limited supply. Public welcome to both events. Benefits Hawai‘i Care Choices. 969-1733, hawaiicarechoices.org

Support Ka‘ū Cost Stewardship by attending the Of Water concert at Pāhala Plantation House on Saturday, May 25, at 6 p.m. Reserved seating tickets are $25, donations for stewardship are welcome. See more, below.

ONGOING

Minimum requirement is a high school diploma. Early Childhood Education, related coursework, and/or experience working children preferred. For more, visit pidf.org/about/careers. Apply by emailing resume and cover letter to hr@pidfoundation.org or fax to 808-440-6619.

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, runs through June 16, daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery. Multi-media exhibition of seven artists. Free; National Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
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PONC wants to preserve the area in white, where Manākaʻa Fishing Village is located. Map from Big Island Video News

PRESERVATION OF ANOTHER 1.2 MILES OF KAʻŪ COAST is up for consideration by the countyPublic Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission. The 348 acre Kawala parcel includes a portion of the Ala Kahaki Trail and the Manākaʻa Fishing Village. It is contiguous to already-preserved state land that is contiguous to the 2,013 acre Kahilipali-Waikapuna property, which is finalized for purchase for conservation.

During the PONC meeting last Monday, assurance of public access to the Kawala property came up. Keoni Fox, of the Ala Kahakai Trail Association, said access would come from adjacent mauka property owners and Ala Kahakai Trail. The Trail Association has agreed to steward the Kahilipali-Waikapuna properties along with the Ala Kahakai Trail through Kawala and along all of the Kaʻū Coast. He said Ala Kahakai is a federally established trail open to the public and noted that public use of the trail was established by Queen Liliuokalani in 1892, when "she passed the highways and trails act. All trails and highways and roads that were in existence at that time were to be owned by people and that law has since been adopted by our state constitution. Even though these properties are all private, we try to remind the public that they have rights to use those trails."

PONC commissioner Rick Warshauer. Photo from Big Island Video News

The Kawala property is owned by Kawala, LLC, of Waimea. It is designated agriculture, except for the makai portion near the pali, which is designated conservation. More than a decade ago, owners of the property proposed a consolidation and resubdivision of the land which would have created long, narrow lots above the coast for maximum value and views. The current ownership group has agreed to sell the coastal property for preservation. See 2013 and 2014 stories in The Kaʻū News Briefs.
PONC commissioner Rick Warshauer said, "The protection of the Kaʻū Coastline has been a long standing goal of the community, as expressed in the Community Development Plan and interests in other related projects, particularly those along the Ala Kahakahi where connectivity along that trail is important." He described the Kawala property as being geologically old, having a special prominence, making it higher than some surrounding properties. In terms of a link along the Ala Kahakai Trail, he said, the view is "particularly good on the makai side where you can sweep along, as you walk along the coast, you can see east, you can see south, and you can see makai." He also noted that, due to its age, much ash has accumulated on the land and it has been largely used for agriculture. He said that its importance is less for native organisms and more for its view, its cultural significance, and protection of the coastline along that trail. "It's an important link in the chain."

A focus of the preservation effort are the remains of the Manākaʻa Fishing Village. It is located in a kipuka, which takes up a good portion of the property, and is surrounded by a stone wall. Warshauer said the remains of the village are "mostly overgrown," which lends protection to the site; "it's not obvious where all the features are." Manākaʻa is named after a man "who was turned to stone by Pele as he grieved over the loss of his children, Kanoa and Pōpōʻohai," according to ulukau.org.

More than a decade ago, owners of the Kawala property planned to consolidate and resubdivide the land to create high
value lots along the coast. Instead, it is now being considered by PONC for conservation.
Subdivision map from Hawaiʻi County Planning Department

PONC is determining which properties suggested by the public islandwide should be slated for for purchase with two percent of property taxes collected in Hawaiʻi County, designated for conserving special lands. PONC's recommendations go to the County Council and the mayor for approval. Members of PONC are E. Koonan Paik Mander, Kaiʻena Bishaw II, Shelly Bee Allen Naungayan, Dr. Wayne Frank, Rick Warshauer, Kekaulike P. Tomich, and Susan Weiss Fischer.
The PONC administrative secretary and contact is Maxine Cutler at 961-8069, Maxine.Cutler@hawaiicounty.gov.

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ʻŌpeʻapeʻa, the Hawaiian hoary bat, can be affected by windfarms.

Photo from Animalia-life.com

GIVE INPUT ON PAKINI NUI WIND FARM'S SOUTH POINT OPERATIONAL PLANS aimed at reducing danger to endangered endemic animals. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service holds a public meeting this Thursday, May 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Nāʻālehu Community Center. Animals of concern are ʻōpeʻapeʻa, Hawaiian hoary bat; nēnē, Hawaiian goose; and ʻuaʻumu, Hawaiian petrel. These animals occasionally fly into the windmills and are sometimes disturbed by windmills in their living space.

The windfarm produced 20.5 megawatts of renewable power to Hawaiʻi Electric Light last year, contributing almost 10 percent of the island's power.

See fws.gov/pacificislands. Public comment is open through June 10.

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PUNA GEOTHERMAL IS IN TALKS WITH HELCO to restart operations and sell electricity to the utility. Tom Callis of Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald reported Saturday that price talks between HELCo and Puna Geothermal Venture are ongoing in light of PGV preparing to reopen. The geothermal plant closed shortly before part of its facilities were covered by lava during last year's volcanic eruption.

Before it shut down, geothermal contributed, in 2017, 38 megawatts, 31 percent of renewable energy used on the island.

Lava approaching Puna Geothermal last year. The owners hope to

reopen by the end of this year. USGS photo

Mike Kaleikini, senior director of Hawaiʻi affairs for Ormat, PGV's parent company, told Callis part of the renegotiation is disconnecting the cost of oil from the price PGV charges HELCo for electricity. The current agreement ties oil cost to the first 25MW sold to HELCo during peak hours, reported Callis. The Public Utilities Commission, reports Callis, is encouraging HELCo and PGV to lower prices.

Kaleikini told Callis that PGV plans to be operational by the end of the year, and that the plant is assessing the wells that were quenched or covered prior to the lava inundation. New wells could be built. Kalekini told Callis that PGV is permitted to operate as many as 28 geothermal wells. When the geothermal plant shut down, it was operating seven production wells and five injection wells. Two wells were covered by lava.
At a meeting in Pāhoa on Friday, PGV plant manager Jordan Hara said corrosion issues make the reopening a big job, as everything at the plant, including generators, must be rebuilt. "We probably have an average of about 40 to 50 contractors on site giving us a hand, from all over the United States," he said.

In preparation for reopening, PGV built Pioneer Road over hardened lava to its plant. The road opened in April, and is accessible for PGV contractors and employees but also to about 250 landowners whose lots were cut off by the lava flow. See more in the Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald.

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NO TSUNAMI THREAT from a 6.7 magnitude earthquake this morning near the Loyalty Islands, north of New Zealand, reports the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

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

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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

FATHER'S DAY BUFFET at Kīlauea Military Camp's Crate Rim Café, located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, happens 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 16. Prime Rib, Lemon Butter Fish, and Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu will be the main entrees. No reservations required. For more information, call 967-8356. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

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.

UPCOMING

MONDAY, MAY 20

TUESDAY, MAY 21

Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association's 21st annual Rural Health Conference and General Membership Meeting happens Friday, May 24, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at PāhalaCommunity Center. The meeting features youth achievements recognition and community resource networks, and offers free health screenings, informational booths, food exhibits, and door prizes.

To be a vendor at the event, call the Resource and DistanceLearningCenter at 928-0101. See krhcai.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 25
15th Annual Celebration of Life Lantern Floating, Saturday, May 25, 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Reed's Bay, Hilo, same day Pre-Event, 1:15 p.m. – 2 p.m., Ka‘ū Hospital, Pāhala. Pre-event features motorcycle and classic car community riding in procession to the hospital to meet and greet patients, staff and Ka‘ū Community before riding to main event. Celebration of life bracelet available online, $10 donation, limited supply. Public welcome to both events. Benefits Hawai‘i Care Choices. 969-1733, hawaiicarechoices.org

Support Ka‘ū Coast Stewardship by attending the Of Water classical piano and opera concert at Pāhala Plantation House on Saturday, May 25, at 6 p.m. Reserved seating tickets are $25, donations for stewardship are welcome. See more, below.

SUNDAY, MAY 26

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Public Update on Senior Housing happens Sunday, May 26, 4 p.m. okaukakou.org

ONGOING

Summer Programs for Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary registrations are open. Uplink All-Stars on Friday, June 7 through Friday, June 28 for students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Monday, June 10 through Friday, June 21, Algebra camp is also open to students in grades 6, 7, and 8.

For high school students, Early College runs from Wednesday, June 12 through Thursday, July 11.

All three programs require registration by calling 313-4100.

Open to all people under age 18, no registration required, the Seamless Summer Program offers free breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., and free lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., on weekdays in the school cafeteria.

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, runs through June 16, daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery. Multi-media exhibition of seven artists. Free; National Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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 than $7,000 will go to the Roxana and Orlando Argueta family, following Sunday's fundraiser at Miranda Farm.
The family and donors prayed for the fire victims. Photo by Julia Neal

OVER $7,000 WAS RAISED YESTERDAY at a fundraiser for the Argueta family, who lost their newly-built home in a fire in April in Ocean View. Miranda Farm, on Highway 11 near the Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, hosted the event, with fresh homemade tacos, Salvadoran and Mexican Tamales, and Miranda Farm's coffee. An auction of donated baked goods helped raise more dough.

Maria Miranda helps Pastor Bob Stevenson auction off a dessert during a
fundraiser for her family members whose new home burned down in
Ocean View in April. Photo by Lee McIntosh

Maria Miranda, former Miss Kaʻū Coffee, of Miranda Farm, organized the event. She told The Kaʻū Calendar what happened to her family's home: "On April 23, 2019, my family received a devastating call that our family's house in Ocean View, Hawaiʻi had been engulfed in flames. My Aunt Roxana and my Uncle Orlando had been close to completing the construction of their first home, when in an instant they were left with nothing but the debris of fallen ashes.

The entrance to Miranda Farm from Hwy 11.
Photo by Michael Worthington

Miranda said her family reported that neighbors saw someone leave the house just before it went up in flames. Anyone with clues or information regarding the possibility of arson is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
Miranda Farms representatives said they hope to hold more fundraisers for the Argueta family to help to rebuild the house lost to fire.
To donate, see gofundme.com/f/my-aunts-house-burnt-down-today.

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 COUNTY GAME MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION TOLD THE STATE last week that it wants to provide more input to a Game Management Plan for the island. Commissioners, DLNR representatives, and members of the game hunting community gathered at a public meeting in Hilo last Tuesday.

Pele Defense Fund leader Palikapu Dedman, originally from Kaʻū, told the commission to develop the plan with input from local hunters before passing it on to the state Department of Land & Natural Resources. Commissioner Teresa Nakama said the Game Management Plan is "for our people that we represent; DLNR does not represent us. They are a political entity telling us what to do."

Palikapu Dedman.
Photo from Big Island Video News

Richard Hoeflinger, who has long worked on developing a plan on behalf of hunters, said they spent a dozen years on a plan for Hawaiʻi Island. In 2007, a group of Hawaiʻi Island hunters met with DNLR officials to ask for a plan that would "sustainably manage Hawaiʻi's resources," to include game that many local people hunt to feed their families. The game includes wild pigs, sheep, turkeys, and other game birds. After the hunters approached the state, DNLR hired a game management planner.

For three years, DLNR staff and hunters started drafting a plan. It identified game animals and their habitats, the human resources that could manage habitats and hunting, and economics of hunting. The process stalled before a final plan was implemented. Hoeflinter said, "From April 2010 to April 2017, nothing happened."
In April of 2017, DLNR sent the working group of hunters an "extensively revised version" of the game management plan. Hoeflinger said that DLNR reported during meeting of the working group in May 2018 that it would also issue a contract to create a game bird management plan.

DLNR wildlife biologist Kanalu Sprout and Steve Bergfield, Hawaiʻi Island forestry manager, both working for DNLR, said they plan to draft a new version of the game management plan from earlier versions, to be presented to the Hawaiʻi County Game Management Commission.

Steve Bergfield and Kanalu Sproat of DLNR.
Photo from Big Island Video News

Sproat and Bergfield said the commission should take concerns to state Game Management Advisory Commission representative, Ryan Clauson, first deputy director of DLNR, Bob Matsuda, or DNLR's Division of Forestry & Wildlife administrator, Dave Smith.

Palikapu Dedman said that DLNR has a "bad habit" of telling local communities what to do with game, fishing, and other natural resources, and that Hawaiʻi Island should be responsible for its own natural resources management.

Donald Garo, with niece Cileyna holding his daughter

Dlyla, weigh their pig at the Olson Trust weigh in

site in Pāhala during the second annual Kaʻū

Multicultural Society Pig Hunt. Photo by Aloha Vierra

Dedman said the commission needs to listen to hunters so they can "tell how much pigs they catch. How much boars they see. How many billies they see. How many nēnē they see. What part of the district they stay in." He said the "heart of every hunter" is about taking care of "this island, its future, its resources."

Dedman remarked that game animals could become backup for imported food to survive, in case of disaster. "Get a count, get a map, get everybody kōkua."

He questioned the classifying of wild boar as an invasive species, saying pork had been "used in our ceremonies for how long?"

Teri Napeahi, also of Pele Defense Fund, said she is concerned that the present rules are only about control and eradication of invasive species.

Danny Itos, a hunter who spoke on behalf of himself and other hunters, asked what is being done about invasive weeds.

Mark Carvilio said he raises goats and sheep to help control invasive plant species without disturbing endemic plants. He will be the guest speaker at the next commission meeting, in June.

Richard Hoeflinger.
Photo from Big Island Video News

The Hawaiʻi county Game Management Advisory Commission is comprised of Stanley Mendes, Kean Umeda, James O'Keefe, Naniloa Pogline, Abraham Antonio, Grayson Hashida, Bronsten-Glenn "Kalei" Kossow, Teresa Nakama, and George Donev.

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TEACHERS NEEDING SCHOOLROOM SUPPLY HELP can sign up at ClassroomGiving.org. The site helps link donors with specific classrooms. Teachers can sign their classroom up by creating a supplies wish list on Amazon; verifying school employment, contact, and delivery information; and emailing the information to give@classroomgiving.org. Teachers can see the instructions at https://sites.google.com/site/classroomgiving/get-listed.

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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

RED PIN BOWLING happens every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at Kīlauea Military Camp Lanes, located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Bowl a strike with the RED PIN in the head pin position and get that game free. $3 per game, $1.75 shoe rental – don't forget to bring socks. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

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.

UPCOMING

TUESDAY, MAY 21

Support Ka‘ū Coast Stewardship by attending the Of Water classical piano and New York Metropolitan Opera soprano concert at Pāhala Plantation House on Saturday, May 25, at 6 p.m. The soprano is a member of the Lorie Obra family of Ka`u Coffee fame. See more, below.

SUNDAY, MAY 26

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Public Update on Senior Housing happens Sunday, May 26, 4 p.m. okaukakou.org

MONDAY, MAY 27
Memorial Day Ceremony, Monday, May 27, 3 p.m., Front Lawn, Kīlauea Military Camp. Keynote speaker: Lt. Col. Loreto Borce, Jr., Commander of Pohakuloa Training Area. Open to public. In case of rain ceremony will be moved indoors. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8371, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Memorial Day Buffet, Monday, May 27, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. BBQ Pork Ribs, Local Styles Fried Chicken, Smoked Vegetable Kabobs, salads and more. $20.95/Adults, $11.95/Child (ages 6-11). No reservations required. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

ONGOING

For high school students, Early College runs from Wednesday, June 12 through Thursday, July 11.

All three programs require registration by calling 313-4100.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenbaum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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

See the entire Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks 2018 Impact Report online, with its history of challenges
brought on by the volcanic activity of 2018. Cover image from Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association

HAWAIʻI PACIFIC PARKS ASSOCIATION released its 2018 Impact Report yesterday afternoon, detailing its challenges and accomplishments. During the earthquakes, eruption, and destabilization of the Jaggar Museum, the Association lost its book store there, one of three inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
A letter from the Association's board chair Rosemary Stancampiano and its Executive Director Margot Griffith introduces the report. It says 2018 is notable for "the great hulihia (overturning, change) wrought to the lands of Kīlauea, the landscape of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park - and to all of us who are privileged to live and work on or near this wahi pana (legendary place)."
The letter notes that in early 2018, "Visitors flocked to the viewing platform at Jaggar Museum... to enjoy the awe-inspiring sight of the active lava lake in the Summit Overlook Vent, which had overtopped its rim and flowed onto the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu in April.

"Then came the series of volcanological events that began on April 30th: the draining of the lava lake in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō on Kīlauea's Middle East Rift Zone; the onset of the eruption in the Lower East Rift Zone on May 3; the 6.9 earthquake on May 4; and the draining of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u. In anticipation of elevated activity at the summit, most of the park was closed for an indeterminate amount of time beginning on May 11." The two largest Hawaiʻi Pacific Park Association venues closed. "In the days and weeks that followed, Halema‘ma‘u and the surrounding caldera floor subsided dramatically, accompanied by collapse explosions registering as 5+ magnitude earthquakes, thousands of smaller magnitude felt earthquakes, and 60,000 quakes overall."
The letter describes a "remarkable staff" who moved the Association to temporary locations and "ventured in to Jaggar Museum to affect the rescue of our inventory and equipment." Staff "sorted out real estate, insurance, and other matters; and adapted to new sales environments outside the park in Hilo, all while continuing to deliver service with aloha, and remaining positive."
After the period of calm on Kīlauea began in early August, lava stopped erupting in lower Puna, and summit subsidence and earthquakes ceased, the park reopened on Sept. 22. The Association resumed operations at Kīlauea Visitor Center, and visitors are returning to the park and its "new normal."
The letter notes that "More areas are opening all the time, but the park will have tremendous needs in the near future, as the results of assessments of roads, trails, and infrastructure become clear. This time has not been easy for our board, staff, or our park partners. We have had to employ a considerable amount of belt-tightening to our overhead budget, with impacts to staff, and continuing to provide aid to parks funding to our partners has also been challenging. We continued to fund key park programs such as West Hawai‘i park cultural festivals, and fulfilled our commitment of $40,000 in support of endangered species protection at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park."

In 2018, Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association provided financial support to the Park for Interpretation and Volunteers, Species Protection, Hale Rehabilitation, Cultural Programs and Events, and Youth Programs, valued at $690,764 of in-kind support and money, much of it raised through the stores at Kīlauea Visitor Center, Kahuku Unit, and before it closed, Jaggar Museum.
The Association also supports Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site on the north Kohala Coast; Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, north of Kailua-Kona; Haleakalā National Park on Maui; and National Park of American Samoa.
See the entire Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks 2018 Impact Report online.
See more at hawaiipacificparks.org.

Nippon Air passengers can purchased a stuffed Flying Honu
named Lani on flights to and from Hawaiʻi.
Image from All Nippon Airways

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ike this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

THE SECOND OF THREE AIRBUS PASSENGER PLANES -- PAINTED UP LIKE HONU, the threatened Hawaiian green sea turtle -- was recently delivered from its French manufacturing plant to All Nippon Airways. Aviation Pulse news says the planes come in "a unique livery. Inspired by the
crystal-clear water of the ocean surrounding

Inflatable Flying Honu toys.
Image from All Nippon Airways

Hawai‘i, the green livery depicts the face of a Hawaiian Honu (turtle) with a welcoming smile."

Flying Honu model plane.
Image from All Nippon Airways

Aviation Pulse quotes Yutaka Ito, Executive Vice President of All Nippon Airways: "We are excited to welcome the second A380 into our world class fleet of aircraft. With its visually distinct livery that evokes the folklore and traditions of Hawai‘i, and the outstanding features of the A380, the beautiful Emerald Green FLYING HONU lives up to the ANA standard of excellence. We are ready to welcome the plane to Narita Airport so that we can begin operations."
The three Aribus A380 Flying Honu are planned for flights between Narita, Japan and Hawai‘i. The first Flying Honu will begin service May 24, the second in June. Passengers can make purchases of Flying Honu toys, including a model Flying Honu plane, inflatable Flying Honu planes, and a soft toy Honu named Lani.

All Nippon Air received 2,197 entries in its design contest for its
new planes. The Honu design won. Photo from All Nippon Airways

To come up with the Flying Honu name and design, All Nippon Airways launched a design contest in 2016. The airline received 2,197 entries and reported, "For the winning entry, we chose a turtle family-themed design featuring a sea turtle relaxing together with its children in the blue Hawaiian ocean."
A statement on the All Nippon Airways website says that good luck went into the decision to use the honu for its new aircraft: "The Hawaiian word 'honu' is a term of endearment used towards the sea turtle, and reflects the widespread love that the Hawaiian people feel for this animal. It is believed to be a sacred creature in Hawai‘i, and those who manage to catch a glimpse of one are said to be blessed with good fortune and prosperity. We decided to name these special liveries FLYING HONU (meaning 'flying sea turtle') in the hope that our customers traveling to Hawai‘i on these aircraft will also be blessed with good fortune."

All Nippon Airways decorates its three new Airbus passenger planes, made in France, with images of
the threatened Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle, the Honu, and has named the fleet the Flying Honu.
Image from All Nippon Airways

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A MEETING ABOUT THE WIND FARM ON KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOL LANDS at South Point will be held this Thursday, May 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Nā‘ālehu Community Center. Public input on the Pakini Nui Wind Farm, operated by Tawhiri, along South Point Road, will be taken by the Environmental Protection Agency. The concern is for protection of endangered species such as native Hawaiian bats and endangered birds. The wind farm has presented a plan to help prevent their injury and death. The meeting also concerns wind farms on Maui and O‘ahu. See more in the May 10 Ka‘ū News Briefs.

Cattle grazing near Pakini Nui at South Point. Photo by Peter Anderson

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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

KĪLAUEA LUAU BUFFET happens every Friday night from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.in Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café, located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Adults $16.25, keiki ages 6 to 11$8.25. Free Hula Show on June 7, 14, and 21 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Call 967-8356 for more information. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

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.

UPCOMING

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22

Story Time with Auntie Linda of Tūtū & Me, Wednesday, May 22, 10:30 a.m. – noon, Pāhala Public and School Library. Free; includes craft activity. 929-8571

Arts and Crafts Activity: Memorial Day Star Hanging, Wednesday, May 22, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 16-21. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

To be a vendor at the event, call the Resource and Distance Learning Center at 928-0101. See krhcai.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 2515th Annual Celebration of Life Lantern Floating, Saturday, May 25, 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Reed's Bay, Hilo, same day Pre-Event, 1:15 p.m. – 2 p.m., Ka‘ū Hospital, Pāhala. Pre-event features motorcycle and classic car community riding in procession to the hospital to meet and greet patients, staff and Ka‘ū Community before riding to main event. Celebration of life bracelet available online, $10 donation, limited supply. Public welcome to both events. Benefits Hawai‘i Care Choices. 969-1733, hawaiicarechoices.org

Support Ka‘ū Coast Stewardship by attending the Of Water classical piano and opera concert at Pāhala Plantation House on Saturday, May 25, at 6 p.m. Reserved seating tickets are $25, donations for stewardship are welcome. See more, below.

SUNDAY, MAY 26

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Public Update on Senior Housing happens Sunday, May 26, 4 p.m. okaukakou.org

After Dark in the Park – Hawai‘i's Landfill Crisis: From Hopeless to Hopeful, Tuesday, May 28, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Special guest speakers Lori Kahikina, P.E. Director, Department of Environmental Services and Jim Howe, Emergency Services Director present sobering look at Hawaiʻi’s future and a call to action that provides hope while separating myth from reality. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

For high school students, Early College runs from Wednesday, June 12 through Thursday, July 11.

All three programs require registration by calling 313-4100.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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.

NOAA GOES-15 satellite image shows Hurricane Lane positioned about 300 miles south of Hawaiʻi Island on Aug. 22.

NOAA image

CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER PREDICTS FIVE TO EIGHT CYCLONES during the 2019 Hurricane Season that begins June 1. Operated by the National Weather Service, the Center presented its forecast today, pointing out that an average hurricane season sees four to five cyclones originating or passing through the Central Pacific, which includes Hawai`i. The prediction does not narrow the odds to storms expected to directly these islands.

The heightened activity is expected with warmer Pacific Ocean waters that could fire up cyclones during this El Nino year. A prediction of lighter wind sheer means tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, could have an easier path toward the islands.

Central Pacific Hurricane Center Director Chris Brenchely forecasts a 70 percent chance of a busier than average hurricane season, a 20 percent chance of a normal season with four to five tropical cyclones and a ten percent chance of a lower than average season. He urged residents to make preparations. "It is essential that you know where and how to get official information, even in the event of a power failure, and that you have your emergency supply kit ready well before any storms threaten."

Last week, AccuWeather predicted much the same for the Pacific: six to eight named storms, four to six hurricanes, three to five major hurricanes and one to two direct impacts on land in the Central Pacific.

Gerry Bell, Ph.D., NOAA's lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at the Climate Prediction Center, said El Niño is likely to continue through November, and that ocean temperatures are likely to remain above average. This decreases vertical wind shear, making more and stronger tropical cyclones more likely, and storms originating near the U.S. mainland and Central America more likely to travel across the Pacific.

Last year's Hurricane Olivia. NOAA image

NOAA's Central Pacific
Hurricane Center, nhc.noaa.gov,
continuously monitors weather conditions, employing a network of satellites, land- and ocean-based sensors, and aircraft reconnaissance missions operated by NOAA and its partners. This array of data supplies the information for complex computer modeling and human expertise, which are the basis for the center’s storm track and intensity forecasts that extend out five days.

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WOODEN POWER POLES RECENTLY INSTALLED TO REOPEN PUNA GEOTHERMAL BEGAN TO SMOLDER and Hawai‘i Electric Light will replace them with steel. The 13 wooden polls and 12 kilovolt lines were put up for distribution service to PGV.

Power poles, like these, are put in place to reconnect PGV and HELCo. Four
on PGV's land are being replaced with steel poles, as the wooden ones are
smoldering. Photo from HELCo

HELCo reports that four of the new wooden poles – all on PGV's property – "need to be immediately replaced with steel poles, due to residual underground heat causing the wood poles to smolder." Residual heat can be "fully mitigated with the use of steel poles. The Company considers this to be an emergency safety concern that must be and is being addressed in advance of filing its forthcoming application for Commission approval," reports HELCo.

The poles, which are sized to also carry transmission lines above the distribution lines, vary in height from approximately 60 to 65 feet above the ground. Both transmission line and distribution line conductors were installed on the poles. HELCo tied the new transmission lines to its 6500 line on May 8. None of the new transmission lines were energized.

When the smoldering was discovered, HELCo reports work on the transmission lines was "immediately stopped," the newly installed wires were disconnected from the 6500 line, and the transmission conductors removed from the poles that are outside PGV's property.

Once the four steel replacement poles are installed, reports HELCo, the conductors will be transferred over, and the four wooden poles will be removed. PGV will pay for the entire cost of the existing line and replacement poles. Distribution line work is continuing to tie in service to the PGV facility, also at PGV's expense, reports the utility.
Before hooking up the power for PGA, the Public Utilities Commission will require "an overhead line proceeding" and public hearing.

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THE ADOPTEE CITIZENSHIP ACT of 2019 was introduced Tuesday by Sen. Mazie Hirono and bipartisan members of the U.S. Senate. This legislation would close a loophole in the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 that prevents internationally-adopted children from receiving U.S. citizenship despite being legally adopted by U.S. citizens. Co-sponsor is Sen. Roy Blunt.

Said Hirono, "Thousands of internationally-adopted children, who were raised by American parents, have been denied the same rights of citizenship as biological children. These adoptees were raised as Americans in American families and would have received the stability and security that the Child Citizenship Act provided if they had been under the age of 18 when that law went into effect. The Adoptee Citizenship Act would fix this loophole and right this wrong."

Image from Facebook

Adoptees who were age 18 or over in February 2001 fell in this loophole and were denied citizenship, despite being legally adopted as children by U.S. citizens and raised in the United States. The Adoptee Citizenship Act would fixes this problem by making citizenship automatic for international adoptees who were legally adopted by U.S. citizens as children, regardless of how old they were when the Child Citizenship Act took effect.
While the CCA guarantees citizenship to most international adoptees, the law applies to adoptees who were under the age of 18 when the law took effect on

International adoptees who lack citizenship face many barriers, such as difficulty applying for a passport, license, or student financial aid. In some cases, outdated immigration laws have resulted in adoptees facing deportation to the country in which they were born, where they may have no known family.

Hirono previously cosponsored the Adoptee Citizenship Act in the 114th and 115th Congresses.
The bill is also supported by the Adoptee Rights Campaign, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the National Council For Adoption, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, Adoptees For Justice, Policy and External Affairs at Holt International, the Center for Adoption Policy, and the Family Coalition for Adoptee Citizenship.

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More than 260,000 Filipino soldiers fought in World War II.
Photo from American Immigration Council

FILIPINO VETERANS FAMILY REUNIFICATION ACT was introduced in both U.S. houses today. Sen. Mazie Hirono introduced legislation to the Senate. Rep. Ed Case introduced companion legislation to the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would expedite the visa process for children of Filipino World War II veterans. Processing their permanent resident applications may still take years if not decades. "As these veterans near the end of their lives, they deserve the certainty of a non-revocable permanent solution,"said Hirono. "This bill would grant them that. In this Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and in further recognition of the selfless service and contributions of Filipino veterans of World War II to our country, I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting and passing this bill."

Said Case, "In 2016, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services created the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program, a temporary administrative fix that allows these veterans to request parole for their children or siblings. Under this policy, they can live in the U.S.

Said Hirono, "During World War II, Filipino soldiers stepped up and answered the call to service, fighting and sacrificing alongside American service members. However, because these family members have been stuck in a decades-long visa backlog, they have not been able to reunite with their relatives in the United States. The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act would fulfill our nation's promise to honor Filipino World War II veterans' service to our country and reunite these families."

Filipino veterans, near the end of their lives, still wish their
families to join them in the United States.
Photo from George Bush White House Archives

More than 260,000 Filipino soldiers followed America's call to fight under the American flag in World War II. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush granted U.S. citizenship to about 26,000 Filipino nationals in recognition of their service to the United States during World War II. However, the 1990 law did not confer citizenship or residency to the veterans' children, who remained separated from their parents. Due to a visa backlog, Filipino applicants must wait more than two decades before their applications are considered.

In 2016, after years of advocacy by Hirono, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services began implementation of the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole program to reunite veterans and their surviving spouses with adult children and certain other relatives. However, the program is limited and provides no guarantee that these veterans will reunite with their loved ones. In 2017, Hirono urged the Trump Administration to continue the FWVP program. The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act provides a permanent solution, amending the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt from global limits the sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans who were naturalized under the 1990 law or other specified laws.

The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice support the 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.

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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

WORK EXCHANGE PROGRAM APPLICATIONS are open for individuals interested in committing eight service hours or more in exchange for attending the 26th annual Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference, including a t-shirt and one day's worth of beverage and lunch coupons. Assignments in the Work Exchange Program include assistance with registration and check-in, welcoming conference attendees, session supervision, information technology, and logistics such as t-shirt sales, set up, and break down. WEP attendees have a mandatory orientation on Monday, July 8, from 10 a.m.to 1 p.m., the day before the conference. Limited spots available. For more information, contact hccwep@gmail.com or see hawaiiconservation.org/conference/2019-wep.

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.

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, MAY 23

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, May 23, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

FRIDAY, MAY 24

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Public Update on Senior Housing happens Sunday, May 26, 4 p.m. okaukakou.org

TUESDAY, MAY 28
HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, May 28, 10 a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

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

After Dark in the Park – Hawai‘i's Landfill Crisis: From Hopeless to Hopeful, Tuesday, May 28, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Special guest speakers Lori Kahikina, P.E. Director, Department of Environmental Services and Jim Howe, Emergency Services Director present sobering look at Hawaiʻi’s future and a call to action that provides hope while separating myth from reality. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

For high school students, Early College runs from Wednesday, June 12 through Thursday, July 11.

All three programs require registration by calling 313-4100.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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.

Operators of Pakini Nui Wind Farm at South Point plan to contribute to the protection of Hawaiian petrels nesting
within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, as part of windmill Habitat Conservation Plan.
Photo by Geoffrey Jones/ Smithsonian Magazine

WINDMILLS AND ENDANGERED FLYING SPECIES were the focus of a public meeting held by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service tonight at Nāʻālehu Community Center.
Representatives of Fish & Wildlife explained the effort on the part of windmill operators at South Point, and on Maui and Oʻahu, to minimize risk to ʻōpeʻapeʻa, the Hawaiian hoary bat; nēnē, the Hawaiian goose; and ʻuaʻumu, the Hawaiian petrel. They also asked for public comment, which is due June 10.
The windmill operators are applying for a permit, which requires approval by Fish & Wildlife to continue to operate. The permit proposals estimate possible harm to the endangered species and ways to mitigate and offset it. The federal government will decide whether to approve the plans, to approve them with additional requirements, or to deny them. No opposition to the windmills was heard at the meeting.

A new nēnē breeding area would be assisted through a
contribution from Pakini Nui Wind Farm at South Point.
Photo by Julia Neal

Operators of Pakini Nui Wind Farm at South Point seek a 20-year permit and offer to minimize risk to the birds and bats by turning off the turbines when wind speed is low. They also propose to offset any incidental, unintentional harm with three programs described in a Habitat Conservation Plan - a voluntary agreement between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the landowner (Kamehameha Schools), and the wind farm operator.
One program would work with the state Department of Forestry & Wildlife to construct a new seven-acre predator proof nēnē breeding area on this island. Another would assist with management of a petrel colony, with fencing, within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. A third would assist with invasive plant removal and native plants and forest restoration in the Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National park in order to increase habitat for the hoary bat.

Pakini Nui Wind Farm, owned by Tawhiri Power LLC, is a 21-megawatt energy facility that started operating April 3, 2007. Pakini Nui operates 14 General Electric 1.5-MW SE turbines and provides almost all of the energy it produces to Hawaiʻi Electric Light Co.
When windmills were first operated on the very windy South Point lands, it was unknown whether there would be an impact on endangered species, explained the Fish & Wildlife representatives at the Nāʻālehu meeting.

Hawaiian hoary bats live alone in the forest and are
found around South Point. Photo from Bishop Museum

Hoary bats live alone in trees, rather than caves, and are often seen in native forests. During recent years, Pakini windmill operators conducted studies documenting the presence of the hoary bat, nēnē, and petrel, and their interactions with the windmills. They estimated the possible dangers, using desktop-based risk assessments and avian field surveys.
The plans offered by the windmill companies are evaluated, using the Endangered Species Act concept of the word "take." Fish & Wildlife representatives explained "take" means to harass and harm, pursue, hunt and shoot, wound, or kill the endangered species. The number of unintentional, incidental takes allowed are authorized in the permit, along with mitigating and offsetting measures.

Fish & Wildlife reported that mitigation measures were developed with the intention of providing a net ecological benefit to the species in alignment with state and federal recovery goals.

Pakini Nui is requesting "authorized incidental take" amounts of 26 per year for the ʻōpeʻapeʻa bat; three for the ʻuaʻu petrel; and three for the nēnē. Pakini Nui's projections show "no other listed, proposed, or candidate species have been found or are known or expected to be present in the Project Area, with the exception of the federally and state-listed band-rumped storm-petrel," which is in such small numbers on Hawaiʻi Island, it is not projected to be affected.

South Point wind farm, Pakini Nui, sells almost all the power it produces to Hawaiʻi Electric Light. Photo by Peter Anderson

The Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Pakini Nui is available to read and make comment online at fws.gov/pacificislands. Public comment is open through Monday, June 10. To request additional information or submit written comments (must be sent or postmarked by June 10): email, HIwindPEIS@fws.gov. Fax, 808–792–9580, Attn: Field Supervisor. Mail the Field Supervisor, U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service, PacificIslandsFish and Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3–122, Honolulu, HI, 96850. In correspondence, include Wind Energy HCPs and PEIS and reference FWS–R1–ES–2019–N032 in the subject line of your request, message, or comment. All comments and materials received become part of the public record. Fish & Wildlife advises that the entire comment – including personal identifying information – might be made publicly available at any time.

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KĪLAUEA'S MAUNA ULU ERUPTED 50 YEARS AGO. Volcano Watchcommemorates the event with a look back at the five-year eruption. It is written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta:

May 24, 2019, is a notable date in Kīlauea Volcano's history. It is the one-year anniversary of several key events in the 2018 Kīlauea eruption, most notably, the reactivation of fissure 8 with intermittent spattering while fissures 7 and 21 were producing two ‘a‘ā flows. It is also the 50th anniversary of another important event on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone: the start of the 1969‒1974 Mauna Ulu eruption.

This fountain was about 540 m (1770 ft) tall on Sept. 6, 1969. The tephra cone,
eventually named Mauna Ulu, can be seen in the fallout area (right of the fountains,
(middle of image). It is now a 121 m (397 ft) tall lava shield in Hawaiʻi
Volcanoes National Park. In the foreground, lava cascades into ‘Ālo‘i crater,
where it began to spread across the crater floor. USGS photo by D. Swanson

Fifty years ago, on May 24, 1969, the opening fissure of the Mauna Ulu eruption broke ground where Kīlauea's east rift and the Koa‘e fault zone intersect. This fissure behaved similarly to fissures 17, 20, and 22 of the 2018 eruption with 30-meter- (100-foot-) tall lava fountains emerging from a linear crack. This style of eruption is classic to Hawaiʻi and is called "Hawaiian fountaining" in volcanology textbooks around the world.

At Mauna Ulu, the fissure system stretched 4.5 kilometers (3 miles) from east to west, and cut straight through ‘Ālo‘i and Ala‘e pit craters within the Park. The fountains were confined to two main areas: one between the two pit craters and the other west of ‘Ālo‘i crater. ‘Ālo‘i crater filled with 25 meters (82 feet) of lava, which then drained back into a drowned fissure vent on the crater floor, even though lava was coming out of the ground on either side of the pit crater.

On the first day of the Mauna Ulu eruption, the western fountaining zone erupted for 18 hours. The eastern zone erupted for 36 hours, but not much is known about that activity because the Chain of Craters road was cut by the western fountains, making the eastern fountains visible only in the far distance.

The five-year-long Mauna Ulu eruption was preceded by a series of East Rift Zone fissure eruptions that occurred in 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 (2), 1965 (2), 1968 (2), and February 1969, each lasting between 1 and 15 days. At the time, there was no way to know that the eruptive activity that began on May 24, 1969, was the start of something bigger. In fact, at only 36 hours long, it seemed rather insignificant.

The episode 1 fissure produced spatter in linear ramparts several meters (yards) high on the north (upslope) side of the fissures. Ramparts did not generally form on the south side of the fissures because the spatter was rafted away on lava as it flowed downslope.

Ultimately, this brief fissure was the first of 12 lava fountaining episodes during the early Mauna Ulu eruption that continued through December 31, 1969. Beginning with episode 2, activity was localized to only the eastern fountaining zone. The vent would often have dual fountains, which erupted side-by-side, occasionally with both the same height, ranging from several tens to several hundred meters (yards) high.

Red dashed line delineates the May 24-25, 1969, fissure of the Mauna Ulu eruption. Pink denotes the lava flow field

produced by this episode 1 activity. Black lines show the extent of the flow field at the end of the Mauna Ulu

eruption in July 1974. A dashed black line indicates sections of the original Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Chain of Craters Road that were covered by Mauna Ulu lava. Map source: USGS Professional Paper 1056

The lava fountains eventually built a tephra cone 50 m (150 ft) tall. This cone, made of scoria, pumice, and yellow-gold reticulate, was named Mauna Ulu, growing mountain. It was later covered in 70 m (230 ft) of lava and is a prominent landmark still visible from the Chain of Craters Road in the Park.

In January 1970, the Mauna Ulu eruption became effusive, producing lava flows that traveled south through the national park, and ultimately reached the ocean. A lava lake formed within the tephra cone, allowing HVO researchers to document and understand gas pistoning behavior. Lava also filled in ‘Ālo‘i and Ala‘e pit craters.

After a 3.5 month pause – October 1971 to February 1972 – eruptive activity resumed for two more years, until July 1974, when the eruption finally ended.

This eruption produced invaluable scientific advancements in volcano science, including an improved scientific understanding of how pāhoehoe and ‘a‘ā form. Mauna Ulu provided the first detailed observations of pillow lava forming underwater – filmed by brave divers. The development of large lava flow fields, the formation of lava tubes, and the origin of tree molds were also documented.

Indeed, May 24 marks an important anniversary: The Mauna Ulu eruption was the largest, most voluminous, and best documented eruption recorded at Kīlaueain the 20th century, until 1983, when the next long-lived eruption began.

Mauna Ulu, right. NPS photo

Volcano Activity Updates

Kῑlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL. HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa for any signs of increased activity. For definitions of USGS Volcano Alert Levels, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html.

At Kῑlauea, rates of deformation, gas release, and seismicity have not changed significantly over the past week. Since early March, tiltmeters at the summit have recorded modest inflationary tilt. During the same time period, a GPS station within the 2018 collapse area has recorded approximately 5 cm (3 in) of uplift. On Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, GPS stations and tiltmeters continue to show motions consistent with refilling of the deep magmatic reservoir in the broad region between Puʻu ʻŌʻō and Highway 130. This trend has been observed since the end of the 2018 eruption.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates on Kīlauea's ERZ and summit remain low. Gas measurements have not indicated that large volumes of magma have become significantly shallow, but HVO continues to closely monitor gas emissions at both the summit and ERZ of Kīlauea for any changes.

One earthquake with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-3.0 quake 10 km (6 mi) southeast of VolcanoVillage at 6 km (4 mi) depth on May 19 at 4:15 p.m.

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FRIDAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR THE BOGO BOOKFAIR at Nāʻālehu Elementary at the school library until 2:30 p.m. Librarian Linda Morgan offers the buy-one-get-one free sale as incentive to get books into the hands of students for summer reading. Instead of students bringing cash to school, families can opt to set up an ewallet for their student to purchase books. The ewallet allows an adult to set a purchase limit and only items that are actually purchased will be charged to the account. Check out scholastic.com/bf/naalehuelementaryschool for more information. The public is invited to the book fair, but asked to check in the office during school hours.

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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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

SMALL AGRICULTURE BUSINESS WORKSHOP to promote Native Hawaiian entrepreneurship happens Friday, June 7, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Hiloat Komohana Research and ExtensionCenter, Conf. Rm. D202, 875 Komohana Street. Organized by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Mana Ka Lāhui, Empower the People, presenters include Megan Blazak of The Kohala Center, and Kierstan Akahoshi of University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources. RSVP and questions, contact Kamaile Puluole-Mitchell at 808-933-3106 or kamallep@oha.org.

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UPCOMING

FRIDAY, MAY 24

To be a vendor at the event, call the Resource and Distance Learning Center at 928-0101. See krhcai.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 25

15th Annual Celebration of Life Lantern Floating, Saturday, May 25, 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Reed's Bay, Hilo, same day Pre-Event, 1:15 p.m. – 2 p.m., Ka‘ū Hospital, Pāhala. Pre-event features motorcycle and classic car community riding in procession to the hospital to meet and greet patients, staff and Ka‘ū Community before riding to main event. Celebration of life bracelet available online, $10 donation, limited supply. Public welcome to both events. Benefits Hawai‘i Care Choices. 969-1733, hawaiicarechoices.org

Support Ka‘ū Coast Stewardship by attending the Of Water Hawai`i International Music Festival classical piano and opera concert at Pāhala Plantation House on Saturday, May 25, at 6 p.m. Reserved seating tickets are $25, donations for stewardship are welcome. See more, below.

SUNDAY, MAY 26

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Public Update on Senior Housing happens Sunday, May 26, 4 p.m. okaukakou.org

Memorial Day Buffet, Monday, May 27, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. BBQ Pork Ribs, Local Styles Fried Chicken, Smoked Vegetable Kabobs, salads and more. $20.95/Adults, $11.95/Child (ages 6-11). No reservations required. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

TUESDAY, MAY 28
HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, May 28, 10 a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

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

After Dark in the Park – Hawai‘i's Landfill Crisis: From Hopeless to Hopeful, Tuesday, May 28, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Special guest speakers Lori Kahikina, P.E. Director, Department of Environmental Services and Jim Howe, Emergency Services Director present sobering look at Hawaiʻi’s future and a call to action that provides hope while separating myth from reality. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wednesday, May 29 – last Wednesday, monthly – 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Seniors 60 years and 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

THURSDAY, MAY 30
Summer Keiki Learn-to-Swim Registration, Thursday, May 30, and Friday, May 31, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Pāhala Swimming Pool, Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary School Campus. $15 per session; cash or check accepted. Payable to County Director of Finance. 928-8177, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-aquatics

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

ONGOING

For high school students, Early College runs from Wednesday, June 12 through Thursday, July 11.

All three programs require registration by calling 313-4100.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
___________________________________________________________________

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Park visitors stop for a rest and a photo opportunity on Kīlauea Iki Trail on April 20. See how Hawaiʻi Volcanoes

National Park benefits neighboring communities, below. NPS Photo/Janice Wei

HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK VISITATION CREATED $94.1 MILLION IN ECONOMIC BENEFITS for communities near the Park in 2018, revealed a National Park Service report released today. It says visitor spending in 2018 supported 1,040 jobs locally and a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $123 million. There were 1,116,891 visitors to the Park, a drop from

2017, when more than two million visited the Park to spend $166 million within and near the Park. That spending supported 2,020 jobs and a cumulative benefit to the local economy of about $222.4 million.

Acting Superintendent Rhonda Loh said, "It's not surprising to see a decrease in visitor spending during 2018 since most of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park was closed for 134 days due to unsafe and unpredictable volcanic activity. What's important to note is that dangerous eruptive activity has ceased, and the vast majority of the park is open. Visitors are enjoying the park under clear skies free of volcanic gas, and are out hiking trails and marveling at scenic vistas near the summit, on Chain of Craters Road and Mauna Loa."

Park staff survey a closed and earthquake-damaged section of the south side

of Crater Rim Drive, March 29. NPS Photo/J.Ferracane

Loh added that the Park's Kahuku Unit, located about an hour south of the park's main entrance, remained open during the volcanic incident and increased its operational hours. As a result, Kahuku visitation in 2018 increased 181 percent from 2017: 9,097 visitors to 25,535.

The 2018 report shows nationwide, a $20.2 billion of direct spending by more than 318 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending nationally supported 329,000 jobs with 268,000 of them in gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S.economy was $40.1 billion.

Lodging expenses account for the largest share of visitor spending, about $6.8 billion natinoally in 2018. Food is the second largest expense. Visitors spent $4 billion in restaurants and bars, and another $1.4 billion at grocery and convenience stores. Visitor spending on lodging supported more than 58,000 jobs and more than 61,000 jobs in restaurants.

Visitor spending in recreation industries supported more than 28,000 jobs.

Spending in retail supported more than 20,000 jobs.

A hiker explores spatter ramparts - geologic features from the fissure eruption
of Mauna Ulu - on its eve of it's 50-year eruption anniversary, May 24.
NPS Photo/Janice Wei

Economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas and Egan Cornachione of the U.S. Geological Survey, and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service, conducted the peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis. They produced an interactive tool to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm.

To learn more about national parks in Hawai‘i and how NPS works with Hawai‘i communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to nps.gov/state/hi/index.htm. The Park's continued eruption recovery progress is updated at nps.gov/havo/recovery.htm.

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FIGHTING TO KEEP MORE THAN 17,000 MILITARY MEDICAL PERSONNEL AT WORK is a goal of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Along with Republican Rep. Brian Mast (FL), she wrote a bipartisan letter to the Director of the Defense Health Agency and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. It expresses concern over the impact of losing many medical personnel on service members and their families.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Photo from Gabbard's Facebook

Gabbard said military commands "have been instructed to prepare for the elimination of over 17,000 military medical personnel by October 1. These include physicians, social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professional billets, some even serving in areas where civilian practitioners are unavailable." Neither she nor the letter specify who provided the information of the pending removal of those personnel.
Said Gabbard, "Service members and their families have made the ultimate commitment to our country. Making sure they get the healthcare they need is essential. To cut so many healthcare professionals runs the risk of compromising our troops' health and wellbeing, readiness, and operational capacity. It could disproportionately impact rural and underserved areas where we already face a shortage of medical professionals and specialists. In light of these concerns, we need answers."

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MORE THAN $80 MILLION IN FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDS won approval by the U.S. Senate on Thursday. If the bill package passes, more than $98 million will help build a new Hawaiʻi Volcano Observatory headquarters and support ongoing functions, said Sen. Brian Schatz.

Sen. Mazie Hirono and Schatz both voted for the $19.1 billion relief package in an 85-8 vote. The funds would also go toward helping other U.S. areas affected by natural disasters, like Puerto Rico. The package now goes to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Said Hirono, "I will continue working to ensure our communities receive the assistance they deserve by calling on my colleagues to take this legislation up immediately in the House of Representatives and send it to the President's desk."

Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory and Jaggar Museum gain a more direct view into Halemaʻumaʻu. However, the months
of earthquakes and explosive eruptive events caused what may be irreparable damage to the buildings. NPS photo

Said Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, "I will continue to fight for federal resources at every opportunity to help Hawai‘i recover."

Said Hirono, "Last year's natural disasters seriously impacted thousands of Hawaiʻi residents, and they have been waiting too long to receive federal assistance as they recover. This legislation will provide much needed resources for homeowners impacted by flooding on Kauaʻi, communities impacted by volcanic activity on the BigIsland, and citizens living in U.S. Territories.

Hirono said the Hawaiʻi priorities she "fought to include in the Senate Disaster Supplemental Bill" include:

- Allowing Hawaiʻi farmers and producers impacted by volcanic activity and flooding to participate in the USDA's Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program, with over $3 billion in funding to provide assistance beyond insurance.

- Providing $98.5 million to U.S. Geological Survey to support immediate needs of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory personnel operating in temporary space and to rebuild HVO which was damaged beyond repair during the Kīlauea eruption.

- Funding over $82 million to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in construction related to 2018 disasters, including the flooding event on Kauaʻi which damaged Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge.

The lava river from Fissures 16 through 20. The flows from the
fissures in Puna buried homes, farms, recreational areas, and
more, under feet to yards of fresh, hot land. USGS photo

- Providing $2.43 billion for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program to support communities and neighborhoods rebuilding after natural disasters. The provision expands on last year's $1.68 billion investment in the CDBG-DR program, which included $67 million for Hawaiʻi natural disasters. Another provision provides $600 million for the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Assistance Programs, through which Hawaiʻi has already received nearly $200,000 to rebuild infrastructure in communities recovering from disasters.

In addition to Hawaiʻi priorities, said Hirono, the recovery bill "provides much needed resources to territories impacted by recent disasters," including an additional $36 million in Medicaid funding for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and $18 million for disaster nutrition assistance for American Samoa.

The bill also provides $605 million in disaster nutrition assistance and $304 million in Community Development Block Grant funding to Puerto Rico, and directs the administration to disburse previously appropriated disaster aid within 90 days.

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"EATING A SLUG ON A DARE" is responsible for one of the confirmed rat lungworm infections sustained by visitors to Hawaiʻi Island since December, reports the Hawai‘i Department of Health. DOH received notification from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that its laboratory recently "confirmed three unrelated cases of angiostrongyliasis, or rat lungworm disease." All three are adult residents of the U.S.mainland and were traveling in Hawai‘i when they were infected with the parasite causing rat lungworm.

The semi-slug is a common rat lungworm vector, or carrier.
See a video on prevention. Photo from CTAHR

The individual who "became infected by purposely eating a slug on a dare," reports DOH, visited East Hawai‘i in December 2018. The visitor became ill in late December and was not hospitalized for symptoms. This was the eighth of ten people confirmed infected on Hawai‘i Islandin 2018.

The other two infected visitors traveled the west side of Hawai‘i Island. The first became ill in early January 2019 and was not hospitalized. According to the report, "It is not known how the individual was infected. However, they do remember eating many homemade salads while on vacation."

The second person became ill in late February 2019 and was hospitalized for a short time. According to the report, "The investigation was not able to identify an exact source of infection, but the individual likely became infected while 'grazing,' or eating unwashed raw fruits, vegetables, and other plants straight from the land."

Rat lungworm parasite, angiostrongyliasis, magnified.

Image from Jarvi Lab, UH-Hilo

The statewide total as of May 24, is five confirmed cases of rat lungworm in 2019, all contracted on Hawai‘i Island.

State Health Director Bruce Anderson said, "It's important that we ensure our visitors know the precautions to take to prevent rat lungworm disease, which can have severe long-term effects. Getting information to visitors about the disease is just as critical as raising awareness amongst our residents. We recognize that there is more work to be done in educating residents and visitors and making sure they know how to prevent the spread of this disease."
Health official recommendations to prevent rat lungworm disease include: Wash all fruits and vegetables under clean, running water to remove any tiny slugs or snails. Pay close attention to leafy greens. Control snail, slug, and rat populations around homes, gardens and farms. Get rid of these disease-carrying agents (vectors) safely by clearing debris where they might live, and using traps and baits. Always wear gloves for safety when working outdoors. Inspect, wash, and store produce in sealed containers, regardless of whether it came from a local retailer, farmer's market, or backyard garden.

See a video on controlling slugs and snails atyoutube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=8PzqNrcMlzk.

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Some members of Kaʻū Little League. Photo from Gabe Morales

THE BENEFIT CONCERT FOR KAʻŪ LITTLE LEAGUE on Sunday, May 19 brought in $800. Gabe Morales of non-profit organization Criminal Justice Solutions presented Joshua Crook with the funds, which will go toward team equipment. Several boxes of food were also collected and donated to Kaʻū Food Pantry. The Crook family, Morales told The Kaʻū Calendar, "was instrumental in bringing a Little League team to Kaʻū." Over 50 people attended the fundraiser at The Terraces in Ocean View. D-Tech Solutions performed live at the venue, Lopaka Rootz performed live from Kona. Sponsored by Criminal Justice Solutions and Kahuku Community Block Watch, "Helping our youth and community via physical fitness and teamwork."

Kaʻū Little League Minors and Majors continue to seek donations and sponsors to help the young baseball players of Kaʻū participate in Kaʻū's Little League and play games all over Hawaiʻi Island. Monetary donations go to offsetting registration fees, and uniform and equipment costs.

Contact Josh or Elizabeth Crook at 345-0511 or kaulittleleague@yahoo.com.

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A CONCERT TO RAISE MONEY FOR STEWARDSHIP OF THE KAʻŪ COAST will be held tomorrow, Saturday, May 25, 6 p.m., at Pāhala Plantation House on the corner of Maile and Pikake Streets. The concert is one in a series of performances during the Hawaiʻi International Music Festival, in its third season in the islands. The series is called Of Water.

Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy
Shoremount-Obra. HIMF photo

2018 International Bach Competition
Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum.
HIMF photo

The recital features internationally acclaimed artists Metropolitan Opera Soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and 2018 International Bach Competition Prize Winning Pianist Andrew Rosenblum. They will perform works by Turina, Mahler, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, Duke, and more.
Donations accepted at the event go to Kaʻū Coast non-profit stewardship organizations, including Nā Mamo O Kāwā, nmok.org; Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo, honuapopark.org; Ala Kahakai Trail Association, alakahakaitrail.org; Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, wildhawaii.org; and Hoʻomalu Kaʻū, hoomalukau@gmail.com.
In addition to the opportunity to donate to coastal stewardships, an opportunity to support Hawaiʻi International Music Festival is available by reserving best seats for $25 each. They are available at recitalpahala.bpt.me and at the door – cash or check only. See the concert schedule for other islands at himusicfestival.com. For overnight accommodations, contact Pāhala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.

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.

JUST ANNOUNCED

A UNIVERSE OF STORIES All Ages Summer Reading Program runs from Saturday, June 1 through Saturday, July 13. Sponsored in part by the Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi, participants are eligible to win a round trip for four anywhere Alaska Airlines files. Free activities, programs, reading rewards, and prize drawings. Learn more and register at librarieshawaii.beanstack.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.

UPCOMING

SATURDAY, MAY 25

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Public Update on Senior Housing happens Sunday, May 26, 4 p.m. okaukakou.org

FRIDAY, MAY 31
Coffee Talk at Kahuku, Roosevelt's Tree Army: Civilian Conservation Corps in Hawai‘i, Friday, May 31, 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Talk story with Dr. Jadelyn Moniz Nakamura. "Bring your own cuppa." Free. nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

Summer Programs for Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary registrations are open. Uplink All-Stars is on Friday, June 7 through Friday, June 28 for students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Monday, June 10 through Friday, June 21, Algebra camp is also open to students in grades 6, 7, and 8.

For high school students, Early College runs from Wednesday, June 12 through Thursday, July 11.

All three programs require registration by calling 313-4100.

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 News Briefs, Sunday, May 5, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, May 6, 2019

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Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, May 9, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, May 10, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, May 11, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, May 12, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, May 13, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, May 16, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, May 17, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, May 18, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, May 19, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, May 20, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, May 23, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, May 24, 2019