The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Runit Island along the Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands is subject of a study approved in the 2020 House
version of the National Defense Authorization Act. The concrete dome is a nuclear storage facility. Photo from NPR

REQUIRING AN UNCLASSIFIED PUBLIC REPORT ON THE STATE OF NUCLEAR WASTE on the Marshall Island of Runit is included in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, through the initiative of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. The Runit Dome nuclear waste storage site is located on one of 40 islands of Enewetak Atoll of the Marshalls. The Defense Act passed the House Armed Services Committee and the report would involve the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Defense.

The Okenos Foundation sailing canoe carried a Marshall Arts
Project team in 2018 to map the island and the nuclear waste site.
Photo from Marshallese Arts Project

Runit Dome, called The Tomb by the Marshallese, contains 111,000 cubic yards of radioactive nuclear waste created by U.S. nuclear testing in the 1940's and 1950's. Gabbard said, "The Marshallese people are gravely concerned about environmental threats to the integrity of the storage site and the impact on their country. The U.S. government is responsible for this storage site and must ensure the protection of the people and our environment from the toxic waste stored there."
The report would assess the current condition of the dome's outer construct, it's environmental impacts, and safety of food sources, and people residing in the vicinity of Runit Dome.
In 2018, the Marshall Arts Project group mapped the island using drones, after sailing to Runit on a modern walao style Pacific canoe, operated by the non-profit Okeanos Foundation. The boat uses wind, solar, and coconut biofuel to operate.

In addition to the Runit Dome study, Gabbard cosponsored H.R. 1377, the Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act, which would provide treatment of veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll and were likely exposed to radiation that led to disabilities acknowledged by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Current law only covers service members who participated in active nuclear tests, not those who participated in the cleanup. Gabbard serves on the House Armed Services and Financial Services Committees. She is in her fourth term in the House and is one of more than 20 candidates for President.

Marshallese group on top of the nuclear waste storage Runit Dome. Photo from the Marshall Arts Project

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TULSI GABBARD will take the stage for the nationally televised Democratic debate on the first night, Wednesday, June 26. According to the Democratic National Committee's announcement today, Gabbard will be on stage with presidential candidates Cory Booker, Julian Castro, Bill de Blasio, John Delaney, Jay Inslee, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O`Rourke , Tim Ryan and Elizabeth Warren. The second night, Thursday, June 27, candidates debating will be Michael Bennet, Joe Biden, Jr. Pete Buttigieg, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, John Hickenlooper, Bernie Sanders, Eric Swalwell, Marianne Williamson and Andrew Yang.
See yesterday's Ka`u News Briefs for the qualifying rules and a statement from Gabbard's campaign, saying she will make the risk of nuclear war a major point in her statement. The debates, staged in Miami, will be shown in Hawai'i from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on MSNBC and NBC.

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Location of planned Pāhala wastewater treatment plant. County map

A TEN MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET IS APPROVED TO START THE PĀHALA AND NĀʻĀLEHU WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROJECTS. The money is included in the County of Hawaiʻi Budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The County Council approved the budget last week.

The county budget allows the county to sign on for a $10 million loan for the Pāhala and Nāʻālehu wastewater treatment systems during the coming fiscal year. The money is coming from a state revolving fund. The fund offers a lower interest rate than money that would be garnered if the county issued a bond. With the revolving fund, the county would pay interest as the money is used.

Kaʻū's County Council member Maile David said the $10 million commitment will provide initial funding for such work as conducting environmental assessments for both treatment plants. The goal is to shut down old gang cesspools that are now illegal under federal law, and to replace them with sewage treatment plants and distribution lines. The sites for the facilities are still to be finalized, following Environmental Assessment to determine if the sites are environmentally acceptable, she said.

Approvals to borrow additional money for both projects are included in two bills, unanimously passed by the County Council Finance Committee last week and sent to the full County Council for final approval.

Bill 75 for Nāʻālehu includes $7 million for a Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System and Drainage Modifications; $2 million for a Wastewater Collection System; and $1 million for a Sewage Pump Station and Force Main.

The Pāhala Bill 76 includes $15 million for Wastewater Collection System and $22 million for Large Capacity Cesspool Conversion.

Red lines indicate where sewer lines are planned in Nāʻālehu. County map

Several community members in Pāhala have objected to the proposed site above Highway 11 next to the Norfolk Pine lane coming into the village. Several have also opposed the Nāʻālehu location, which has been moved away from the Makahiki Grounds and Nāʻālehu Elementary School.
County Council member Karen Eoff emphasized that interest the county will pay on money borrowed for both projects will be low. Deanna Sako, county Director of Finance, said interest is about .5 percent and that no payments or interest are due until money is withdrawn.
She said the county committed to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's ruling deeming Large Capacity Cesspools illegal more than ten years ago. She said an environmental assessment will be completed on the project once funding has been secured, and that a draft EA is expected in October.

Dora Beck, Wastewater Division Chief, said the the now-defunct sugar company that provided housing for employees asked the county to help change the sewer system since the company was going through dissolution. She said options were septic tanks or a sewer system, and that a community vote approved a county owned sewer and treatment system. She said the county agreed to take over the Large Capacity Cesspools by 2010 and to work toward replacing and closing them.

"Since then, we've been trying to move the LCC closures along," said Beck, noting that the process has taken longer than expected, mostly due to site concerns. She said the EPA "understands the problems we have been having."

Beck said there is a $1.8 million federal grant for the Pāhala project, which was issued in the early 2000s. Testimony at the meeting came from several island residents.

Wastewater treatment engineer Michelle Sorensen goes over the plan with a Nāʻālehu property owner
during an earlier community meeting. Photo by Julia Neal

John Olson from Pāhoa testified that the small population of Pāhala "will need some help paying for this… This is not socially going to have a very good outcome."

Jerry Warren from Nāʻālehu testified the Nāʻālehu Senior Center was converted from LCC to septic, a project that "came in under budget," and that the "same solution can be applied to Pāhala's" and Nāʻālehu's LCCs. He contended that the cost of the planned lagoon treatment project for the two towns is too high, that there is a lawsuit against the Nāʻālehu Project, and that the Finance Committee should not consider letting this "boondoggle" progress.

Shelly Mahi testified that a methane conversion plant could benefit everyone by making the wastewater an energy source, that there are more ways to dispose of waste, and that those alternatives should be looked into.

Sandra Demoruelle testified that no environmental assessments on either project have been published for public comment in "over 12 years." She said EAs are required to be completed early in the project process, "before decisions like bills 75 and 76 are made by you, the county council."

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HIGH SURF ADVISORY for all south-facing shores from Kona to Puna is in effect through Saturday, reports the National Weather Service and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense. Surf will be higher than normal, and shore break and rip currents could cause injury or death, and make swimming difficult and dangerous. Beach-goers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by ocean safety officials and exercise caution. Beaches may be closed without notice but there are no beach closures at this time.

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.

HILINAʻI INITIATIVE COMMUNITY MEETING happens Wednesday, June 19, 6 p.m., at VolcanoSchool of Arts & Sciences Keakealani campus, second floor at 19-4024 Haunani Rd., in VolcanoVillage. Facilitated by Bob Agres and Keiko Mercado County of Hawaiʻi Kīlauea Recovery Initiative Community Engagement Team, the goal is to move toward a "comprehensive community resilience plan for upper Puna and Kaʻū."

Hilinaʻi Kaʻū, kālele iā Puna; Hilinaʻi Puna, kālele iā Kaʻū: Kaʻū is independent, supported by Puna; Puna is independent, supported by Kaʻū, is the slogan on the announcement.

Dinner is provided, and attendees are welcome to bring a local, healthy dish to share, if can. To get involved, email resilience@volcanoschol.net.

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

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.

UPCOMING

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, June 15, 10a.m.-1p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko - Kumu Hula Lorna Lim w/Hālau Kawehileimamoikawekiu‘okohala, Saturday, June 15, 10:30-11:30a.m., hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula w/Kumu Moses Kaho‘okele Crabbe, Saturday, June 15, 11a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Drawing Mandalas as Meditation w/Lisa Maria Martin, Saturday, June 15, 11a.m.-2p.m., Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. All supplies provided. Open to all levels. No art or meditation experience needed. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, June 15, 2-3p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

Opera Concert w/D'Andrea Pelletier, Saturday, June 15, 5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Tickets are $20/VAC member, $25/non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

SUNDAY, JUNE 16
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Community Clean-Up, Sunday, June 16. Free; donations appreciated. Space available and BYO-4WD ok. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Father's Day Buffet, Sunday, June 16, 5-8p.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Main entrees: Prime Rib, Lemon Butter Fish and Vegetable Stir Fry w/Tofu. $29.95/Adults, $14.95/Child (ages 6-11). No reservations required, 967-8356. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

MONDAY, JUNE 17

Help Keiki Learn About Alzheimers with Aunty Leona and Aunty Roxane, with Wordsworth Dances the Waltz, Monday, June 17, noon to 1:30 p.m., at Story Time and Activity Hour at Pāhala Public & School Library. Book by Hawaiʻi Island native Frances Kakugawa. Keiki are introduced to the concept that as grandparents age, they may become different, and even forget important things – but "that doesn't mean they aren't still a part of the family nor do they love us any less than they did before." Visit librarieshawaii.org/branch/pahala-public-and-school-library or call 808-928-2015.

After Dark in the Park - Surviving Against the Odds: The Story of the Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi, Tuesday, June 18, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Gabrielle Names, UC Davis PhD student, studying the mystery of how this unique little bird appears to be beating avian malaria, a deadly disease, on Hawaiʻi Island. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

AdvoCATS, Tuesday, June 19, 7a.m.-4:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Free spay/neuter for cats. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, June 19, 12:30-1:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Taiko Drumming Presentation by Endo and his Taiko Ensemble happens Wednesday, June 19, 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., at Pāhala Public & School Library. This free event is in celebration of the Summer Reading Program. Hear contemporary pieces such as Soaring, Jugoya (Crystal Clear Moon), Moonwind(a.k.a. Backside of the Moon), and Winds of Change. Free 45-minute program is suitable for all ages. Young children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver. Visit librarieshawaii.org/branch/pahala-public-and-school-library or call 808-928-2015.

Hilinaʻi Initiavtive Community Meeting happens Wednesday, June 19, 6 p.m., at VolcanoSchool of Arts & Sciences Keakealani campus, second floor at 19-4024 Haunani Rd., in VolcanoVillage. Facilitated by Bob Agres and Keiko Mercado County of Hawaiʻi Kīlauea Recovery Initiative Community Engagement Team, the goal is to move toward a "comprehensive community resilience plan for upper Puna and Kaʻū."Hilinaʻi Kaʻū, kālele iā Puna; Hilinaʻi Puna, kālele iā Kaʻū: Kaʻū is independent, supported by Puna; Puna is independent, supported by Kaʻū, is the slogan on the announcement.

Dinner is provided, and attendees are welcome to bring a local, healthy dish to share, if can. To get involved, email resilience@volcanoschol.net.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20
SIGN UP for Nā‘ālehu July 4th Parade, open until Thursday, June 20. Parade and Keiki Fun Day held June 29, 10a.m.-1:30p.m. - see separate event listing. Sponsored by ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Call Debra McIntosh, 929-9872. okaukakou.org

ONGOING

Purchase Tickets for Miss Hawaiʻi Island Teen USA and Miss Hawaiʻi Island, Sunday, June 16 at The Grand Naniloa Hotel in Hilo, from Teen USA candidate Kailee "Kamalani" Kuhaulua-Stacy. Tickets are $25; contact Kamalani at 808-315-4252 through Saturday, June 15 to purchase. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., the pageant begins at 6:30 p.m. The evening includes both competition for Miss Hawaiʻi Island Teen USA, for contenders 14 to 18 years of age, and Miss Hawaiʻi Island, for contestants 18 to 28.

See misshawaiiisland.com.

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meals Tuesday, June 11 and Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, runs through Sunday, 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

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou's Annual Nāʻālehu 4th of July Parade and Summer Fun Fest happens Saturday, June 29. The Nā‘ālehu Independence Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nā‘ālehu Hongwanji Mission. The parade features floats, Paʻu riders, Kaʻū Coffee Court members, and more.
The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required.
To participate in the parade, volunteer, or donate, contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 by Thursday, June 20. okaukakou.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.

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 bags 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.

Experience Volcano Festival is still looking for vendors. Booths for the event are $25 per day for Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28. The event is coordinated with the new ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash on the 27th. Apply at experiencevolcano.com/vendor-application.
Experience Volcano is a group of businesses and residents helping to rebuild the economy of Volcano, following last year's volcanic disaster that shut down Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and drastically reduced the visitor county which is now recovering.

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash happens Saturday, July 27 in Volcano Village, It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register at ohialehuahalf.com.

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.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.

Mokumanamana, Necker Island, is the destination for Edith Kanakaole Foundation and Na Kalai Wakaʻa in the
Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Monument. The voyagers plan to meet on the summer solstice,

next Friday, June 21. Photo from NOAA

PAPAHĀNAUMOKUĀKEA is the destination of voyagers numbering 13 from the Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation and 14 from Na Kalai Waʻa. Members of the Edith Kanakaole Foundation set off yesterday on the 96-foot research and education vessel the Searcher. The team includes Native Hawaiian researchers Dr. Pua Kanakaʻole Kanahele and Kalei Nuʻuhiwa. The two have studied traditions and cultural sites of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument for more than a decade, focusing on Mokumanamana and Nīhoa, the two most easterly Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The Nā Kalai Waʻa crew launched from Kawaihae and passed Mahukona on the northwest side of Hawaiʻi Island on a 30 day journey aboard the traditional Polynesian Voyaging Society canoe Makaliʻi. The two voyaging groups will meet to conduct cultural training, research, and protocol in the Marine Monument.

Upright wayfinding stones at a temple on Mokumanamana with
frigate birds nesting. Photo from NOAA

Office of Hawaiian Affairs CEO/Ka Pouhana released a statement saying OHA is "proud to kōkua the efforts of Nā Kalai Waʻa and Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation in creating the next generation of Hawaiian wayfinders and furthering our cultural understanding and connections to Papahānaumokuākea. We wish the voyagers favorable weather, calm waters, and the best of luck. The ʻike they will return with will have a profound impact on the cultural foundation of our Lāhui moving forward."

Mokumanamana (Necker Island) is a remote and rugged 46-acre island where the voyagers gain "insight into traditional concepts of time, space, the geological creation of the islands, and the way our kūpuna connected all the islands in Hawaiʻi together. The Nā Kalai Waʻa voyagers will lend their wayfinding expertise to assist Edith Kanakaole Foundation with better understanding the alignments of 33 cultural sites on Mokumanamana to stars and other celestial phenomenon during and around the Summer Solstice on June 21," says the OHA statement.

The Nā Kalai Waʻa voyage, called Hanaunaola, is the capstone of a three-year grant from the Administration for Native Americans. The grant helped Nā Kalai Waʻa members grow and preserve their own food to provision all 14 voyagers for the full length of the journey. The sail is the first time in 200 years that the route from the heiau Koʻa Holomoana in Mahukona in Kohala on Hawaiʻi Island to Mokumanamana has been used to train new wayfinders and voyagers. This voyaging route was a traditional test for apprentice navigators, says the OHA statement.
Ceremonial sites on Mokumanamana may represent the highest concentration of heiau in the Hawaiian archipelago, with 52 archaeological sites identified, including 33 basalt upright shrines. They are believed to be celestially oriented, rising from stone alters and tied to Polynesian navigating by stars.

Dr. Pua Kanahele is on board the research ship headed
for Papahānaumokuākea. Photo from OHA

Keola Linday, OHA'S Chief Advoctae said: "As a co-trustee of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument with the specific kuleana of advocating for Native Hawaiian interests in the co-management of the area, OHA is honored to have a part in helping our beneficiaries with fiscal support as well as in working through the permitting and other requirements to enter the monument. Our goal is to assure that our people have the ability to access the area to conduct activities that perpetuate our cultural and traditional connections to these Kūpuna Islands."
Established by presidential proclamation in 2006, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is the largest contiguous fully protected conservation area in the United States, and one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. The OHA statement says that "the monument is cooperatively managed to ensure ecological integrity and achieve strong, long-term protection and perpetuation of Northwestern Hawaiian Island ecosystems, Native Hawaiian culture, and heritage resources for current and future generations."

Four co-trustees – the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of the Interior, State of Hawai‘i and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs – are assigned to protect Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. It was inscribed as the first mixed (natural and cultural) UNESCO World Heritage Site in the United States in July 2010.

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HELPING KEIKI LEARN ABOUT ALZHEIMERS is the subject of Story Time & Activity Hour, Monday, June 17, noon to 1:30 p.m. at Pāhala Public & School Library.

Aunty Leona and Aunty Roxane present Wordsworth Dances the Waltz, a book by Hawaiʻi Island native Frances Kakugawa. They introduce keiki to the concept that as grandparents age, they may become different, and even forget important things – but "that doesn't mean they aren't still a part of the family nor do they love us any less than they did before."

A special guest appearance of Wordsworth the Hawaiian Mouse will be featured. The program is free and suitable for all ages. All children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver.

For auxiliary aid or service, or other accommodation due to a disability, please contact the library at least seven days prior to the program date. Every attempt is made to fulfill all requests for accommodations. All programs are subject to change. For a list of upcoming library events, visit librarieshawaii.org/branch/pahala-public-and-school-library or call 808-928-2015.

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.

SEEING THE EARTH SHAKE ON YOUR SCREEN is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:

The USGS HVO, along with its partners at NOAA's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) and the National Strong-Motion Project (NSMP), operates a network of seismic monitoring stations on the Island of Hawai‘i and throughout the state.

HVO collects real-time data from these stations using computer processing software to detect, locate, and publish information about earthquakes that happen in Hawaiʻi. The data are used for cataloging of earthquakes and for assessment of earthquake, volcano, and tsunami hazards, as well as for engineering purposes, such as structural monitoring.

All seismic data are freely available to the public. How can you view these ground motion data? There are several ways. Below, we walk you through two options.

If you follow our volcano updates, chances are that you already frequent HVO's website. The earthquake page on this website, volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/earthquakes, by default, shows recent earthquake locations. To also see the monitoring stations, click on the tab labeled "0 Instruments Visible" on the right side of the webpage, and then click on "Seismometer" to show seismic stations. Many black triangle symbols will appear on the map, indicating the locations of seismic monitoring sites.

Screenshot of a seismic webicorder from the USGS HVO website showing 24 hours

of data from a seismic station located on the north flank of Mauna Loa Volcano.

In this plot, several earthquakes are visible, along with wind noise.

Clicking on a particular station symbol on the map will reveal a pop-up window that shows four panels of seismic data plots, known as webicorders, for time spans of 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours. You can click on each time span to enlarge the webicorder. You can also click on the "Open Image" link on the lower right corner of the pop-up window to access the image files for downloading or bookmarking. This same process applies to viewing other types of HVO monitoring data, such as that from GPS and tiltmeter instruments.

The seismic webicorder plots available on the HVO website are digital versions of the paper seismic drum recorders used in past decades. Each line shows the seismic record for 15 minutes, starting from the upper left, with the latest time in the bottom right. Thus, you read a webicorder like a book, from left to right and top to bottom. The start time of each line is shown in local time (Hawai‘i Standard Time, or HST) on the left, and the end time of each line is shown in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on the right.

Seismic data are shown in blue on webicorder plots, with each 15-minute span alternating between dark- and light-blue tones. The blue lines mimic ground motion under the seismic sensor: the line moves up if the ground shifts upwards, the line moves down if the ground moves downwards, and the line would be flat at "zero" if no ground motion is detected. The higher the amplitude of the ground motion, the taller the blue line will be. What is immediately apparent is that the ground is always moving up and down ever so slightly.

Seismic instruments are very sensitive and record anything that shakes the ground. So, wiggles on webicorder plots could be a record of wind, thunder, lightning, ocean waves crashing against the island, as well as of localized shaking from rockfalls, quarry blasts, or other explosions.

Earthquakes appear as blue smudges that often resemble a sideways tornado. Each has certain recognizable characteristics,

including P- (primary) and S- (secondary or shear) waves, which may have a sharp onset and then decay to background level. Greater separation between P and S waves indicate increasing distance from the seismic station to the earthquake. Other types of earthquakes, for example those due to the movement of magma or gas, look different, generally with longer period energy that can persist over longer time frames.

Another way to find seismic data online is through the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) website. IRIS is the world's repository for seismic data, including HVO's. IRIS offers many ways to find, view, and download data for various purposes. One of the easiest and most convenient methods is with the IRIS Station Monitor tool, iris.edu/app/station_monitor, which can be accessed in a website browser or in apps available for iOS and Android devices.

Video on reading webicorders.

For more tips on reading webicorders, check out this informative USGS video:
youtu.be/SkfR4 GBEIp8.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kῑlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. For definitions of USGS Volcano Alert Levels, see https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html.

Rates of deformation, gas release, and seismicity on Kīlauea have not changed significantly over the past week. Since early March, GPS stations and tiltmeters at Kīlauea's summit have recorded deformation consistent with slow magma accumulation within the shallow portion of the summit magma system. However, gas measurements have not indicated shallowing of large volumes of magma.

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, although there is an indication that this motion has been slowing down over recent weeks. Sulfur dioxide emission rates on Kīlauea's ERZ and summit remain low, but HVO continues to closely monitor gas emissions in both areas for any changes.

One earthquake had three or more felt reports this past week: a magnitude-2.8 quake beneath Captain Cook at 11 kilometer (7 mile) depth on June 6 at 3:02 a.m.

The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL. A slight increase in detected earthquakes was noted over the past month. GPS instruments show slow inflation of the summit magma reservoir. Gas and temperature data showed no significant changes the past month.

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.

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

SUNDAY, JUNE 16

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Community Clean-Up, Sunday, June 16. Free; donations appreciated. Space available and BYO-4WD ok. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Father's Day Buffet, Sunday, June 16, 5-8p.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Main entrees: Prime Rib, Lemon Butter Fish and Vegetable Stir Fry w/Tofu. $29.95/Adults, $14.95/Child (ages 6-11). No reservations required, 967-8356. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

MONDAY, JUNE 17

TUESDAY, JUNE 18
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, June 18 (Committees), Wednesday, June 19, (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

After Dark in the Park - Surviving Against the Odds: The Story of the Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi, Tuesday, June 18, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Gabrielle Names, UC Davis PhD student, studying the mystery of how this unique little bird appears to be beating avian malaria, a deadly disease, on Hawaiʻi Island. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

AdvoCATS, Tuesday, June 19, 7a.m.-4:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Free spay/neuter for cats. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, June 19, 12:30-1:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Dinner is provided, and attendees are welcome to bring a local, healthy dish to share, if can. To get involved, email resilience@volcanoschol.net.

Abstract Collaging Workshop with Darcy Gray, Saturday, June 22, 10a.m.-2:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. $85/VAC member, $90/non-member, plus $20 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 10 adults. See supply list. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily, June 22 through Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Opening Reception, Saturday, June 22, 2-4p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING

See misshawaiiisland.com.

The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required.
To participate in the parade, volunteer, or donate, contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 by Thursday, June 20. okaukakou.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.

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.

Fathers and father figures are saddling up for the Independence Day Rodeo in Nāʻālehu on Saturday and Sunday,
July 8 and 9. They often introduce keiki to the paniolo life at the Kaʻū Roping & Riding Association arena.
See more on the rodeo, below. Photo by Julia Neal

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY comes from Gov. David Ige's Team Ige, recognizing "all the fathers, including Governor Ige and the father-figures in Hawaiʻi, on this holiday. This Father's Day, we express sincere gratitude for their love, commitment, and sacrifices they make for our families and for our community. "

Team Ige states that the governor "was one of six siblings, and he has said that even though his family did not have much, he never knew it, because of his father's love and support. Since leading Hawaiʻi, he sees the impact that father figures have across the state, and even as a father of three children, he experiences firsthand how vital this role contributes to the community. So today, Team Ige wishes your families a happy Father's Day!"

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Kamehameha School volleyball players at home last

week at Pāhala Plantation House, with coach Guy

Enriques and host Julia Neal. The historic Kaʻū High

Gym hosted the team's workout and strategy sessions

before the girls headed to national USA Volleyball

play on the mainland. Photo by Yvette Slack

HEADED FOR THE MAINLAND, volleyball players entering seventh, eighth, and ninth grade at Kamehameha School Hawaiʻi Island will compete in Anaheim and Indianapolisafter four days of practice at the historic Kaʻū High School Gym and in Kona.

Coach Guy Enriques said these girls should become excellent high school players with their experience on the national stage. Many volleyball players are scouted during national play and receive college scholarships. Scouts will show up in Anaheimand Indianapolis where the girls will play in USA Volleyball tournaments.

Team members include ninth grader Alisha Andrade, with Kaʻū roots in the Andrade, Kaapana, Emmsley, Eleneki, Freitas and Wroblewski families; and Kaiyana Troy with Kaʻū roots in the Evangelista, Breithaupt and McComber families. Pāhala Plantation House hosted the team for their preparation for their trip to the mainland.

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.

Telia Espejo-Navarro when she
won Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower
in 2018. Photo by Julia Neal

MISS KAʻŪ COFFEE FLOWER 2018, TELIA ESPEJO-NAVARRO, took her beauty, grace, and fans to the Mini Miss Tropical Island Beauty Pageant at the Grand Naniloa Hilo Hotel yesterday. She is daughter of Elias and Alyssa Navarro, of Nāʻālehu, and headed to second grade.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant Director Trini Marques attended with Miss Kaʻū Coffee 2019 Helena Nihipali-Sesson, Miss Peaberry 2019 Lilianna Marques, and Junior Miss Kaʻū Coffee 2017 Calaysa Koi.

Mini Miss Tropical Island Beauty Pageant is one of three held simultaneously, for ages five through 13, to also name Jr. Teen Tropical Island Beauty and Little Miss Tropical Island Beauty.

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TAIKO DRUMMING WITH KENNY ENDO and his Ensemble comes to Pāhala Public & School Library this Wednesday, June 19, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. The event is free.
"Like all phenomena in this universe, taiko (Japanese drumming) is a result of forces interacting and affecting one another. Master taiko artist Endo has been inspired by space, the heavens, and universal energy in his original compositions," says a statement from the library.

Kenny Endo, master taiko artist, brings his ensemble to
Pāhala Public & School Library on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
Photo from festivalofsacredmusic.org

The Taiko Ensemble will perform contemporary pieces such as Soaring, Jugoya (Crystal Clear Moon), Moonwind(Backside of the Moon), and Winds of Change.

The 45-minute presentation is suitable for all ages. Young children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver.

Sponsored by Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i and the 2019 Summer Reading Sponsors, the program is a production of the University of Hawaiʻi at MānoaOutreachCollege's Statewide Cultural Extension Program with funding and support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, and the UH-Mānoa.
For a list of upcoming library events, visit librarieshawaii.org/branch/pahala-public-and-school-library or call 808-928-2015.

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THE FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL BUCKLE JULY 4 RODEO will kick up action and dirt at the Kaʻū Roping & Riding Association arena in Nāʻālehu on Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7.
Last year, bulls won the bull riding competition, as no paniolo could stay on board. A collateral event invites folks to pray and praise at Cowboy Church on Sunday at the arena.

Last year, the bulls won, as no rider could keep their seat at the

41st Annual Buckle July 4 Rodeo. Photo by Richard Taylor

Competitions are: Open Dally, Kane-Wahine Dally, Century Roping – where ages of the team members add up to 100 years or more, Ranch Mugging, Kane-Wahine Ribbon Mugging, Double Mugging, Wahine Mugging, Rescue Race, Poʻowaiʻu, Tie Down, Wahine Breakaway, Youth Barrels for children under 12, Dummy Roping for children four and under, Dummy Roping for children five to eight, Goat Undercorating for children four and under, Goat Undercorating for children five to eight, Calf Riding for children five to 12, and Bull Riding.

Slack starts at 8 a.m., show starts at noon, at the rodeo grounds behind Nā‘ālehuPark. Tickets are available at the gate for $8 per person. Pre-sale tickets are available for $7 person around town from Rodeo Queen contestants. Contact Ralph or Tammy Kaʻapana, 929-8079.

Entry blanks available at docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/09756f_1bbb3c630e8f499195b81a919c07db24.pdf, due by June 23, postmarked by June 19. Entries for most events are between $8 and $25 per person; bull riding is $50. Waivers available at docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/09756f_faf8e6653d064af9ac3327064b81e9f0.pdf.

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, JUNE 17

TUESDAY, JUNE 18

Dinner is provided, and attendees are welcome to bring a local, healthy dish to share, if can. To get involved, email resilience@volcanoschol.net.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22
Dementia Caregiver Boot Camp, Saturday, June 22, 9a.m.-4p.m., Kaʻū Rural Community Health Assoc. in Pāhala. RSVP by June 17. Free. Three workshops, movie, and lunch. Attend one or all segments. Learn more and RSVP at alz.org/Hawaii or 800-272-3900.

A-Mazing Triangles, Bookbinding Workshop with Charlene Asato, Saturday, June 22, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. $32/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. See supply list. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Abstract Collaging Workshop with Darcy Gray, Saturday, June 22, 10a.m.-2:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. $85/VAC member, $90/non-member, plus $20 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 10 adults. See supply list. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily, June 22 through Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Opening Reception, Saturday, June 22, 2-4p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

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.

The Hawaiʻi County Band is a regular at the Volcano July 4 Parade each year. See more on the parade,

festival, and craft fair below. Photo by Ron Johnson

MORE FUNDING FOR THE PĀHALA AND NĀʻĀLEHU SEWER PROJECTS goes before the full County Council this Wednesday, after unanimously passing the Council Finance Committee earlier this month.
The County Council meeting begins June 19 at 9 a.m. Bills 75and 76 are up for first reading to authorize the Mayor to apply to qualify for bonding the projects, which would allow the county to borrow, at low interest, $10 million for the Nāʻāleju project, and $37 million for the Pāhala project.

See more and some local testimony in the June 14 Kaʻū News Briefs.

Kaʻū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehuStateOfficeBuilding on Hwy 11 next to the post office. Testimony is accepted at the start of the meeting. Testimony can also be submitted by email to counciltestimony@hawaiicounty.gov, fax to 808-961-8912, or mail to Office of the CountyClerk, 25 Aupuni St., Hilo, HI, 96720. Agendas are at hawaiicounty.gov.
Testimonies to date have focused on the cost of the wastewater treatment facilities, locations, and archaeological and cultural sites. The county is obliged to replace old gang cesspools in both towns to comply with federal environmental standards.

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KAʻŪ COFFEE WILL BE CUPPED FOR BEST IN THE STATE and best in the Kaʻū Region during the 24th annual Hawaiʻi Coffee Association Conference July 25 - 27. The convention will be held on Oʻahu at Ala Moana Hotel and will include the 11th Annual Statewide Cupping Competition.

Kaʻū Coffee will be cupped against coffees from around the state
during the Hawaiʻi Coffee Association Conference July 25-27.
Photo from Miranda Farms

Kaʻū Coffee growers already submitted their prized coffees to be roasted for the cupping contest. Kaʻū ranked high over the years. In 2017, Miranda Farms took first in the state Commercial Division. Aliʻi Hawaiian Hula Hands and Rusty's 100 Percent Hawaiian Coffee have taken the grand champion statewide awards, and many local coffee farmers have ranked in the top ten in numerous divisions.
Hawaiʻi Coffee Association President Chris Manfredi, who resides in Kaʻū, said this year's program includes preliminary rounds for two national events: the 2020 Brewers Cup and the U.S. Barista Competition. The convention will include tours of the Ko Hana Rum Company and the Hawaiʻi Agriculture Research Center in Kunia.

Manfredi said the conference will take advantage of Oʻahu's "urban setting to reach new businesses and consumers, and help bridge the gap between these communities and our members who produce some of the finest coffees grown anywhere. What's more, we're witnessing the emergence of the next generation of coffee industry leaders.

"We're thrilled to be showcasing the best in Hawaiian coffee" at a venue on Oʻahu, "and the hard-working farmers and processors that produce it. More than ever, we will be highlighting those who market, brew, and serve Hawaiian coffee." He described the conference as "a must-attend event for all those with a connection to Hawaiian coffee."

Ric Rhinehart, past executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, will give the keynote address, The Future of Specialty Coffee. Rhinehart has been outspoken about the importance of sustainability work in the coffee sector, particularly regarding the millions of smallholder farmers on whom the coffee industry relies.

Headlining the speaker lineup of educational presentations is Dr. Sarada Krishnan to discuss Adapting to Climate Change: Knowledge About Coffee Pestand Diseases, Specifically Coffee Leaf Rust. The Director of Horticulture and Center for Global Initiatives at Denver Botanic Gardens, Krishnan owns coffee plantations in Jamaicaand was recently involved in developing the Global Strategy for the Conservation of Coffee Genetic Resources. Krishnan will introduce some of the major coffee pests and diseases while delving into coffee leaf rust.

Zack Scott of Lallemand/Lalcafe will present The Microbiology of Coffee Processing, to explore the background of yeast and the basic microbial activity at the mill.

President of the Hawaiʻi Coffee
Association, Chris Manfredi.
Photo by Julia Neal

Andrew Hetzel, of the Specialty Coffee Association, will host an "SCATown Hall" to update attendees on the latest SCA news and take questions.

Also of interest, a pair of speaker sessions will address the underlying technology and litigation surrounding the class action suit brought against alleged coffee counterfeiters.

Other presentations include the launch of a coffee science program by Dr. William Ristenpart, director of the U.C.DavisCoffeeCenter; Creating a Social Media Marketing Plan by content creator Denise Laitinen, and Soil Health in Hawaiʻi by Jayme Barton, horticultural scientist at HARC.

Workshops will cover coffee roasting, processing, harvesting and brewing. Presenters from several Hawaiʻi research facilities will provide project updates and answer questions.

The HCA conference offers a trade show and all activities are open to industry professionals and the media. Visit hawaiicoffeeassociation.org to sign up; registered attendees can receive a special HCA accommodations rate at the Ala Moana Hotel. Also available online are links for cupping contest entry, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities.

The Hawaiʻi Coffee Association's mission is to represent all sectors of the Hawaiʻi coffee industry, including growers, millers, wholesalers, roasters, and retailers. The HCA's primary objective is to increase awareness and consumption of Hawaiian coffees. A major component of HCA's work is the continuing education of members and consumers. Its annual conference has continued to grow, gaining international attention. Learn more about the HCA at hawaiicoffeeassoc.org. Learn more about the Hawaiʻi coffee industry at hawaiicoffeeindustry.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.

Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks march during the 2018 Volcano Community Association July 4 parade. The group runs the

commercial enterprise to support Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park's KīlaueaVisitorCenter. Photo by Janice Wei

VOLCANOVILLAGE4TH OF JULY PARADE, FESTIVAL, AND CRAFT FAIR happens Wednesday, July 4 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.The parade starts at the Volcano Post Office, travels down Old Volcano Road, and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Road. Free entry to activities, food, and entertainment. Leashed dogs allowed. Provided by Cooper Center Council, Volcano Community Association, and more. To be in the parade, download the entry form at volcanocommunity.org and email to vcainfo@yahoo.com. Vendors, download applications at thecoopercenter.org and email to idoaloha@gmail.com, or call Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Last year, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park sported costumes of endangered species, including Hawaiian butterflies

and bats, at the annual 4th of July Volcano Village parade. Photo by Janice Wei

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THE FIRST-EVER REPARATIONS BILL introduced into the U.S. Senate was submitted last week by Sen. Mazie Hirono and 12 of her Democrat U.S. Senate colleagues. S. 1083, the H.R. 40 Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act, focuses on descendants of slavery and policies of systematic racism.

Said Hirono, "The enslavement of Africans in Americahas had significant and long-lasting economic and social impacts on their descendants, who continue to face racial discrimination. It is time for a commission to study and suggest reparations proposals as part of a larger effort to ameliorate the systemic racism in American society. I hope we will see a report and recommendation from this commission before long."

A message from Hirono states that S. 1083 is the "only reparations bill ever introduced in the U.S. Senate in the post-Reconstruction era. Approximately 4 million Africans and their descendants were enslaved over the two and a half centuries during which slavery thrived in the United States. Even after the abolition of slavery, the institution and its legacy were transformed into policies and practices that systemically exploited African Americans. African-American families have an average of less than one-sixth of the wealth of white families, and the unemployment rate for African Americans is more than twice the current white unemployment rate. According to U.S. Census data, on average, black women were paid 61 percent of what non-Hispanic white men were paid in 2017."

Image from Dilemma X

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) introduced the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, which has 57 cosponsors, including Rep. Tusli Gabbard.

The full text of the bill is available here.

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FIREWORKS PERMITS will be issued Saturday, June 29 through Thursday, July 4 at 8 p.m., announced Fire Chief Darren Rosario. Public firework displays will be at Hilo Bay, Kona Bay, and at Queens' Marketplace in Waikoloa, at 8 p.m. on July 4.
Permits to set off fireworks may be purchased at:

- Phantom Fireworks Tent Hilo, Walmart Center Hilo

- Phantom Fireworks Tent Kona, Kona Commons Shopping Center Parking Lot

- Fire Administration Hilo, County Building, 25 Aupuni St. Monday, July 1 thru Wednesday, July 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Fire Administration Kona, West Hawai‘i Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Building E, 2nd floor, Monday, July 1 thru Wednesday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Each permit costs $25 and will entitle the holder to purchase up to 5,000 individual firecrackers. Permits will be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable. Permits are not required for novelties and paperless firecrackers. Firecrackers, with a valid permit, and consumer fireworks are allowed to be set off during the approved hours of 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4th only.

Fireworks permit are available starting Saturday, June 29.
Photo by Julia Neal

It is unlawful to buy, sell, possess, or set off any Aerial Luminary Device such as Sky Lanterns and Hawai‘i Lanterns. Any person in possession of any Aerial Luminary Device, who would like to dispose of it with amnesty, can contact the Fire Department at 932-2911.

The Fire Chief reminds the public that it is illegal for anyone to remove the powder or pyrotechnic contents from any firework or throw firework from a vehicle. It is illegal to set off any firework at any time not within the time period allowed; within 1,000 feet of any operating hospital, nursing home, home for the elderly, or animal hospital; in or on any school building or property; on any highway, alley, street, sidewalk, or other public way; in any park; or within 1,000 feet of a church during the periods when services are held. This includes the Hilo Bayfront and Liliuokalani Park areas. It is also illegal for any person to offer for sale, sell, or give any firework to minors, and for any minor to possess, sell, set off, ignite, or otherwise cause to explode any firework, except under the immediate supervision of an adult.

Aerial fireworks are not permitted for use or possession by
the public. Photo by Julia Neal

Hawai‘i Fire Department also asks everyone to do their part to prevent fires and injuries caused by fireworks by having a water hose connected to a water source or a fire extinguisher readily available and wetting down surrounding brush prior to setting off firework if need be. HFD reminds the public that children playing with firework must be under adult supervision at all times as "even the smallest of firework can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries." Fireworks should be set off in a safe area away from dry grass, buildings, vehicles, and flammable materials. Dispose of used firework properly by soaking in water prior to disposal.

HFD will conduct a collection of un-used and unwanted fireworks following the 4th of July holiday. Anyone interested in disposing of fireworks should call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911. Fireworks are not accepted for drop-off at local fire stations.

For more information on the purchasing of firework permits, disposal of fireworks, or tips on the safe use of fireworks, call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911."

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

TUESDAY, JUNE 18

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, June 18 (Committees), Wednesday, June 19, (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

After Dark in the Park - Surviving Against the Odds: The Story of the Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi, Tuesday, June 18, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Gabrielle Names, UC Davis PhD student, studying the mystery of how this unique little bird appears to be beating avian malaria, a deadly disease, on Hawaiʻi Island. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

AdvoCATS, Tuesday, June 19, 7a.m.-4:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Free spay/neuter for cats. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, June 19, 12:30-1:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hilinaʻi Initiavtive Community Meeting happens Wednesday, June 19, 6 p.m., at Volcano School of Arts & Sciences Keakealani campus, second floor at 19-4024 Haunani Rd., in Volcano Village. Facilitated by Bob Agres and Keiko Mercado County of Hawaiʻi Kīlauea Recovery Initiative Community Engagement Team, the goal is to move toward a "comprehensive community resilience plan for upper Puna and Kaʻū." Hilinaʻi Kaʻū, kālele iā Puna; Hilinaʻi Puna, kālele iā Kaʻū: Kaʻū is independent, supported by Puna; Puna is independent, supported by Kaʻū, is the slogan on the announcement.

Dinner is provided, and attendees are welcome to bring a local, healthy dish to share, if can. To get involved, email resilience@volcanoschol.net.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

MONDAY, JUNE 24
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, June 24. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required.
To participate in the parade, volunteer, or donate, contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 by Thursday, June 20. okaukakou.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.

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A Hawaiian honeycreeper drinks nectar from ʻōhiʻa lehua. Read story below about efforts to save the endemic trees from
two devastating fungi. Photo from Saving ‘Ōhi’a: Hawai‘i's Sacred Tree, which won three Emmy's last weekend.

THE SINGLE-USE STYROFOAM BAN goes into effect Monday, July 1, says a reminder issued yesterday from Mayor Harry Kim. County of Hawaiʻi Ordinance 17-63, which passed in September 2017, prohibits food service vendors from "providing food to a customer in disposable (single-use) food service ware that is made from polystyrene foam, sometimes referred to as 'Styrofoam.'"

Straws, lids, and cutlery are exempt. However, the County "encourages the use of environmentally preferable

Containers like these are no longer permitted for plate lunch
sold in Hawaiʻi County as of July 1. Photo from ewscripps

alternatives. Through this measure, it is the County's intent to improve environmental quality on the island and in the neighboring marine environment."

Email Polystyrene@hawaii county.gov or call 808-961-8098 with questions. See hawaiizerowaste.org for more information.

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TACKLING RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH WITH NATURAL, GENETIC RESISTANCE BREEDING may be the most promising way to save the native forest from two deadly fungi. Some of the largest pristine ʻōhiʻa forests in Hawaiʻi are under attack by Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death in Kaʻū and Volcano.
A weakened forest threatens the habitat of endangered wildlife, the watershed that provides drinking water for people, a place that visitors and residents enjoy, and Native Hawaiian cultural resources. A film entitled Saving ‘Ōhi’a: Hawai‘i's Sacred Tree won three Emmy's last weekend.

At the Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Science Symposium at ‘ImiloaAstronomyCenter in Hiloin May, scientists gave a detailed presentation on how genetic resistance might save – even restore – ʻōhiʻa in Hawaiʻi.

Richard Sniezko, a forest geneticist with USDA Forest Service, said resistance programs involve an "interactive process of selection, mating, and testing," that will produce "genetically diverse, adapted seed"– seed that is resistance to ROD. "Sometimes there's confusion" about tree-breeding, said Sniezko. He said it's not gene editing, transgenics, or the like. "Those are tools, but they're not required for a successful resistance program."

ʻŌhiʻa lehua give life to bees, among other wildlife. Photo from Saving ‘Ōhi’a: Hawai‘i's Sacred Tree

Sniezko put forth questions. How bad will ROD get? With funding a genetic resistance program "not cheap," how strong is public support? How will natural resistance be harnessed efficiently and in time to prevent forest devastation? Can resistance be harnessed without destroying natural genetic variation and integrity?

Sniezko said other species have seen success with natural resistance. He called it a "green," organic, sustainable solution, with few or no side effects.

Success requires "a few people who are really passionate and drive this – and have the public support it. A sense of urgency" is needed, said Sniezko.

Scientists studying ROD are still searching for
the reason the fungi attack the endemic trees
with such damaging results. UH-CTAHR photo

In starting this natural resistance study, Blane Luiz with the USDA Agricultural Research Service said he was "able to calculate disease severity" by inoculating four ʻōhiʻa varieties – newellii, incana, glaberrima, and polymorpha– with Ceratocystis lukuohia, the more virulent of the two Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death pathogens.

Said Luiz, "All the polymorpha varieties died – 100 percent mortality. However, with newellii, incana, and glaberrima, we did see some survivors emerge. After the 17 weeks, incana seems to be the most promising, having the most amount of survivors come out of it. We also are working on other metrosideros (tree) species in the Pacific. We have already tested M. excelsa/kermacadensis hybrids and the M. collina variety Tahiti Red in the lab. If I believe correctly, the M. excelsa/kermacadensis hybrids were not susceptible, but the M. collina was susceptible to disease."

Luiz said Hawaiʻi Island, "based on what we saw screening the different varieties," may have some disease-resistant trees, but further testing needs to be done.

Ceratocystis Resistance Working Group, comprised of U.S. Drug Administration Forest Service and Agricultural Research Service, Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, PurdueUniversity, Hawaiʻi Agricultural Research Center, and Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests, is working toward a full resistance program. The group has secured $150,000 from the USDA Special Technology Development Program, $120,000 from the USDA Pacific Southwest and Region 5, and $50,000 from Hawaiʻi DOFAW.

The Ceratocystis Resistance Working Group goal is improved understanding of resistance, and methods for screening and testing, for ROD; and creating a large supply of ʻōhiʻa for large-scale planting for restoration, landscaping, and biocultural applications.

Some ʻōhiʻa are said to be resprouting after ROD infection.
UH-CTAHR photo

People in the community have also been pitching in to try to help with ROD. Oils, minerals, and chemicals, and processes such as freezing, have been suggested by various members of the public to the ROD Facebook page. A posted response, made by Corie Yanger, Educational and Outreach Specialist at CTAHR Hawaiʻi County, let the public know that researchers do consider testing out these suggestions. Researchers ask: "Does the compound completely kill or stop the growth of the pathogen – Ceratocystis fungus – in the lab (in a petri dish)? If not, the process stops there. If yes, then they have to figure out how to apply the compound in a real world setting – meaning, to a live ʻōhiʻa. An 'effective' application means that the compound gets into the tree and comes into contact with the fungus."

Yanger posted that community members are "sharing that they see ʻōhiʻa trees, once thought to be dead, resprouting in lava-impacted areas of Hawaiʻi's Puna district." She said researchers say "We don't yet have data connecting a tested and confirmed ROD affected tree in that area to resprouting observations. That means we don't know for sure that Ceratocystis, the ROD-causing fungus, was actually the killer of those trees. Trees don't 'recover' from fungal infections the way that humans can – with medicine. An infected plant walls off progress of an infection and might grow out again from a healthy part. Trees affected by C. huliohia (less aggressive ROD fungus) might be able to wall off infection, but trees affected by C. lukuohia (highly aggressive ROD fungus), won't.

"It's definitely a positive sign that trees are flushing back. However, we can't say that there's any connection between the volcanic activity and ROD. There is one case on another part of (Hawaiʻi Island) where Ceratocystis lukuohia was confirmed in a tree and ~1.5 yrs later that tree was found to resprout. Our researchers are currently testing cuttings from that tree to learn more about what might be happening."

Healthy (green), diseased (red), and dead (grey) ʻōhiʻa. UH-CTAHR photo

Yanger posted that boot brushing station blueprints are available for anyone by contacting ohialove@hawaii.edu. "These stations have been established at all State Na Ala Hele trailheads on Hawaiʻi Island," she said, "and are starting to be installed on other islands. They were designed to catch dirt (that might have #rapidohiadeath fungal spores) and seeds that stow away on our shoes. Whether you use these, or your own brush and bottle of rubbing alcohol, you're helping to show how we help to take care of Hawaiʻi."

Yanger also posted that the 30-minute documentary, Saving ‘Ōhi’a: Hawai‘i's Sacred Tree, savingohia.com/full-documentary– made by Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, UH Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, CLUB SULLIVAN, Christy Martin, and the multiagency Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Response Team – was nominated for six and won three Emmy Awards last weekend.

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.

PREPARE FOR HURRICANES and other weather during this hurricane season - expected to be above average this year, through Nov. 30. Though hurricane season began more than two weeks ago, with little action on the storm front, Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency has issued additional warnings to prepare now to avoid long lines at gas stations, grocery stores, and ATMs.

HI-EMA states that, had last year's storm Lane made landfall, it "would have resulted in devastating potential damage to residents and their property" and would have caused "catastrophic destruction to our economy due to the isolated location of Hawaiʻi. With the shutdown of ports, goods and services would have been weeks or even months away."

Hawaiʻi Island, top center, was brushed by the edges of Hurricane Lane last season. Kaʻū escaped with comparatively
little damage. If landfall was made by Lane, the damage would have been much worse. NOAA image

Governor David Ige said, "Hurricane season brings the very real threat of high winds, rain, storm surge, and potential flooding to the Hawaiian Islands. There could be significant impacts even if a hurricane doesn't hit us directly. I urge Hawaiʻi's residents and businesses to prepare now. Make an emergency plan, talk about it with your families and employees, and gather supplies to ensure that our communities are resilient."
Emergency kits of a minimum of 14 days of food, water, and other supplies are recommended by HI-EMA. Thomas Travis, Administrator of HI-EMA, said the 14 days are recommended "because of Hawaiʻi's location in the Pacific... Everyone who plans ahead and prepares an emergency kit helps not only themselves, but... their entire community."
HI-EMA says: "Build an emergency kit – now." Keep emergency kit supplies fresh by rotating, consuming, and replenishing them over time, HI-EMA officials say. HI-EMA also recommends planning with family and neighbors; prepare for medication, medication refills, and other needs; keep important documents in protective containers; deciding to shelter in place or evacuate and under what circumstances; assessing living spaces and surrounding areas for storm hazards; secure buildings and equipment for high winds or flooding; prepare pets and pet supplies - a carrier is required to stay in a pet-friendly shelter; monitor weather updates and emergency broadcasts (i.e., HNL.Info); and keep vehicle gas tanks filled.
HI-EMA urges visitors to download the GoHawaii App and read the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority's Travel Safety Brochure.

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

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19

Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, June 19, 12:30-1:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hilinaʻi Initiavtive Community Meeting happens Wednesday, June 19, 6 p.m., at Volcano School of Arts & Sciences Keakealani campus, second floor at 19-4024 Haunani Rd., in Volcano Village. Facilitated by Bob Agres and Keiko Mercado County of Hawaiʻi Kīlauea Recovery Initiative Community Engagement Team, the goal is to move toward a "comprehensive community resilience plan for upper Puna and Kaʻū." Hilinaʻi Kaʻū, kālele iā Puna; Hilinaʻi Puna, kālele iā Kaʻū: Kaʻū is independent, supported by Puna; Puna is independent, supported by Kaʻū, is the slogan on the announcement.

Dinner is provided, and attendees are welcome to bring a local, healthy dish to share, if can. To get involved, email resilience@volcanoschol.net.

The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily, June 22 through Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Opening Reception, Saturday, June 22, 2-4p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

MONDAY, JUNE 24
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, June 24. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

TUESDAY, JUNE 25
Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Tuesday, June 25, 7:30a.m.-4p.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

HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, June 25, 10a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required.
To participate in the parade, volunteer, or donate, contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 by Thursday, June 20. okaukakou.org

Volcano Village 4th of July Parade, Festival, and Craft Fair happens Wednesday, July 4 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The parade starts at the Volcano Post Office, travels down Old Volcano Road, and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Road. Free entry to activities, food, and entertainment. Leashed dogs allowed. Provided by Cooper Center Council, Volcano Community Association, and more. To be in the parade, download the entry form at volcanocommunity.org and email to vcainfo@yahoo.com. Vendors, download applications at thecoopercenter.org and email to idoaloha@gmail.com, or call Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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 bags 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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Location of planned Pāhala wastewater treatment plant. Read testimony given to the county council today at the first
reading of Bills 75 and 76, to fund the proposed facilities, below. County map

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WOULD GO TO HAWAIʻI IN THE FEDERAL SPENDING BILL that passed the U.S. House of Representatives today. Congressman Ed Case, who serves on the House Committee on Appropriations, issued a statement, saying that increased funds for Native Hawaiian programs are approved for healthcare and education.

Agencies to be funded include Partners In Development, which operates Tutu & Me in Kaʻū; Alu Like; INPEACE; Keiki O Ka ʻĀina; and University of Hawaiʻi Center on Disability Studies. Funding for the East West Center would be restored, should it be included by the U.S. Senate, providing $17 million. Last term, the House zeroed out the funding.

One of the local agencies that would be funded
if the Federal spending bill passes.

The budget calls for an increase in military spending in Hawaiʻi for missile defense, computer modernization, and Impact Aid for the continued education of dependent children whose parents are based in Hawai‘i. Hilo harbor is budgeted for $582,099 in improvements. Additional money is budget for Flood Plain Management Service; a National Shoreline Management Study; and Planning Assistance to State and Coastal and Deep-Draft programs. The Energy and Water Development budget supports programs that will mitigate and adapt to climate change and improve the water infrastructure in Hawai‘i.

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WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANS FOR NĀʻĀHALU AND PĀHALA received unanimous approval, on first reading, from the County Council today. Bills 75 and 76would authorize the Mayor to apply to qualify for bonding the projects, which would allow the county to borrow, at low interest, $10 million for the Nāʻāleju project, and $37 million for the Pāhala project.

Marine biologist Megan Lamson-Leatherman, who works on coastal cleanups and restoration in Kaʻū, testified in favor of the county's plan to create lagoon-style wastewater facilities. The design calls for treatment of sewage through aeration and absorption through soil, plants, and native trees. She said they are "well worth the money."

Red lines indicate where sewer lines are planned in Nāʻālehu. County map

Sandra Demourelle, of Nāʻālehu, referred to a petition she submitted last year, urging the county council conduct a fiscal and performance audit of both projects to ensure compliance with federal and state environmental statutes and the Kaʻū Community Development Plan.

In testimony submitted today, she wrote: "The Kaʻū community is going to stop begging for a legislative audit." She called it "too expensive" and accused the county of "public corruption." She said she plans to take her case to the FBI Public Corruption Officer. She said, "This fraud needs an investigation."

Via video conferencing from Nāʻālehu, Demoruelle said she is concerned that the proposed Nāʻālehu site is too close to a viable water well. She said there is a "big lie" about the well failing, that it has "100,00 gallons a day of overflow." She also said there are alternatives to the lagoon-style facilities, but that the county cannot move forward until a final environmental impact statement is done. She opposed the lagoon facility in favor of a less expensive septic system.

William Kucharski. Photo
from WestHawaiiForum.org

Jerry Warren, of Nāʻālehu, also expressed concerns for the high cost of the lagoon systems and the location "next to the county water well." He contended the "original 2007 septic tank plan" would save $20 million over a lagoon-style system in Pāhala.

Director of the county Department of Environmental Management, William Kucharski, explained that both projects must move forward. He said the EPA has issued an administrative order of consent on the projects, and the current Large Capacity Cesspools, which are illegal under federal law, must be closed "as soon as possible." He said they were to have originally been closed in 2005.
Regarding cost, Kucharski said $8 million is "a direct result" of moving the proposed location away from Nāʻālehu Elementary School. He said he worked "very hard" to find the new location.
Kucharski said the purpose of the new wastewater treatment facilities is to "not endanger" the communities, but to make them "cleaner and safer." He said he didn't know what to say about having to "spend a lot of money to do the right thing."

With today's approval, the measure to fund the projects moved to a second reading before the council. Watch all the testimony from today at hawaiicounty.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=1440. See more testimony in the June 14 Kaʻū News Briefs.

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"LEARN ABOUT YOUR ANCESTORS," encourages Jan Sweetin of the FamilyHistoryCenter, located at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Nāʻālehu. The center is open to the public, free of charge, on Sundays from 11 a.m.to noon and on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.Entrance is off parking lot with FamilyHistoryCentersign on wall. "Please come check us out and learn more about the joy of finding your ancestors. We are happy to instruct beginners as well as supply resources for more experienced genealogists," says Sweetin. Call 808-731-7133 with any questions.

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 QUANRDRY OF SELF CARE: TAKING CARE OF SELF TO HELP OTHERS, is a free Brown Bag Lunch Talk, featuring Lindsey Miller who works in Nāʻālehu at the PARENTS Inc. office. Attend the event Thursday, June 20, noon to 1 p.m., at Ku‘ikahi MediationCenter, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, 655 Kīlauea Avenue, Hilo.

     In this interactive talk, learn simple self-care ideas, and mindfulness techniques like breathing and setting intentions.
     Said Lindsey, "In our culture of extroverts and outward appearances, it's important to take good care of ourselves in order to feel grounded and peaceful in our bodies and spirits. Focusing on ourselves and what we need in the day-to-day moment is often the best way to take care of others."
     Ku‘ikahi's Brown Bag Lunch Series is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch, enjoy an informal and educational talk-story session, and meet others interested in "Finding Solutions, Growing Peace." For more information, contact Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center Program Coordinator Majidah Lebarre at (808) 935-7844 x 3 or majidah@hawaiimediation.org. No RSVP needed – walk-ins welcome.

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

HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK continues to share Hawaiian culture and tradition with its Cultural Festival in mid July, ongoing ‘Ike Hana No‘eau demonstrations, After Dark in the Park talks, volunteer programs, and opportunities to explore its Kahuku Unit. Unless otherwise noted, events are free. Here are the July events:

Celebrate Hawaiian culture at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Cultural Festival at Kahuku Unit on Saturday, July 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free, family-friendly day shares the connection of Hawaiian people to this storied place on Mauna Loa volcano. See more details in tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs.

Living history actor Dick Hershberger points out the large boulder in the Park

that has "Wanderer" and "B Boyd" carved into it. NPS photo/Janice Wei

Kīlauea 2018 Volcanic Pollution: from Source to Exposed Communities is the After Dark in the Park program on Tuesday, July 2, 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium.
It will explain that gas and aerosol-rich volcanic plumes can have serious impacts on human health and the environment. While impacts from major components like sulfur dioxide have been the subject of multiple studies, the trace components such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium are poorly understood.
Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone eruption of 2018 provided an unprecedented opportunity for volcanologist Dr. Evgenia Ilyinskaya and her team from the Universities of Leeds, Cambridge and Oxford, U.K., to collaborate with U.S. Geological Survey and the State Dept. of Health to deploy ground-based and aerial monitoring equipment for analysis. Come for a fascinating look at what volcanic pollution really contains and its potential implications for environmental impacts.

Postcards from the Edge – Painting Workshop with Artist-in-Residence Alice Leese will be held Saturday, July 7, 10 a.m. to noon behind Volcano House. Artists of all abilities can participate in this rare opportunity to meet and paint with the Park's resident artist for July, Alice Leese, on the edge of Kīlauea Volcano. Leese, a Texas cattle rancher whose oil paintings and other mediums capture the colorful west, will provide one workshop during her residency. Limited to 12 people, attendees will receive a postcard-sized blank canvas but must bring their own paints and a small travel easel. Cost is $75, and includes lunch at Volcano House. Register with the Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Co-sponsored by the Volcano House and National Parks Arts Foundation.

Ranger Keoni demonstrates how to ku‘i kalo, pound the
kalo root. NPS photo

New Insights from Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 Lower East Rift Zone Eruption, part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series, happens Tuesday, July 9, 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. The May to August 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption resulted in numerous new insights into how Kīlauea Volcano works, and provided scientists new opportunities to improve their understanding of volcano hazards. Matt Patrick, a geologist with USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, describes the expected and unexpected aspects of this eruption, and discusses how the activity might be used to improve his and other scientists' ability to forecast future hazards on Kīlauea.

Kui Kalo Demonstration, part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes'‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops, happens Wednesday, July 10 from 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Make poi, the staple food of the Hawaiian diet. The root of the kalo plant is cooked and ku‘i, pounded, to create this classic Hawaiian dish. Join Ranger Keoni Kaholo‘a‘ā as he shares his knowledge of kale for this authentic cultural experience.

Texas Rancher & Painter Alice Leese – July's Artist in Residence, part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series, co-sponsored by the National Park Arts Foundation, happens Tuesday, July 16, 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Come see how Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will inspire Texan Alice Leese, who was chosen as July's artist in residence. Leese is renowned for her evocative and vibrant oil paintings of western landscapes – including wildfire – nature, and ranch life that she says don't necessarily capture a specific area, but instead, what it feels like to be there. While in the park, Leese – who works her family's 100-year-old ranch – will feel the volcanic panoramas, plants, and animals, then share her artistic interpretations with the public.

A Rock in the Park: Tale of the Wanderer, part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series, happens Tuesday, July 23, 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. A rediscovered rock near an overgrown hiking trail within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park reveals mysterious letters and words carved into it: Wanderer. What unfolds next are the amazing voyages of Benjamin Boyd and his yacht, Wanderer. Storms at sea, a daring rescue, pitched battles in the South Pacific: Join historian Hugh Montgomery and actor Dick Hershberger in a two-man play that brings this epic tale to life.

Kāhili feather standard. NPS photo

Kāhili Demonstration, part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes'‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, workshops, happens Wednesday, July 24 from 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Create a small kāhili pa‘a lima, a handheld feather standard. Kāhili are a form of Hawaiian feather work that traditionally acknowledged a person's status and genealogy, and offered spiritual protection. They are beautiful examples of Hawaiian art.

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 July, except July 4: 5, 11, 18, and 25; 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 can get 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, July 12 and 26, or Saturday, June 6 and 20. 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.

Oil painting of Frying Pan Fire by July 2019 Artist in Residence

Alice Leese. Photo from Alice Leese

A Walk into the Past with Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar. Meet at Kīlauea Visitor Center Tuesdays in July: 2, 9, 16, and 23, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. Each performance is about an hour. 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 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.

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.

See updates on 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.

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.

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

THURSDAY, JUNE 20

SIGN UP for Nā‘ālehu July 4th Parade, open until Thursday, June 20. Parade and Keiki Fun Day held June 29, 10a.m.-1:30p.m. - see separate event listing. Sponsored by ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Call Debra McIntosh, 929-9872. okaukakou.org

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, June 25, 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Performing Arts Activity: Karaoke Sing Along, Tuesday, June 25, 2-3p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6 & up, June 17-21. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wednesday, June 26 – last Wednesday, monthly – 9-11a.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

Lei Tī, Wednesday, June 26, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Hands-on demonstration with rangers and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff making tī-leaf lei. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required.
To participate in the parade, volunteer, or donate, contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 by Thursday, June 20. okaukakou.org

VolcanoVillage4th of July Parade, Festival, and Craft Fair happens Thursday, July 4 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.The parade starts at the Volcano Post Office, travels down Old Volcano Road, and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Road. Free entry to activities, food, and entertainment. Leashed dogs allowed. Provided by Cooper Center Council, Volcano Community Association, and more. To be in the parade, download the entry form at volcanocommunity.org and email to vcainfo@yahoo.com. Vendors, download applications at thecoopercenter.org and email to idoaloha@gmail.com, or call Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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

Hawaiian Telcom dug up and replaced its large underground fuel tank next to the telephone exchange building at
Maile and Pikake Streets in Pāhala this week. The tank holds fuel to power a generator to keep communications
going when the power goes out. See story, below. Photo by Julia Neal

THE STATE DISMANTLED TWO ʻAHU ON MAUNA KEA TODAY to make way for construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope. The $1.4 billion telescope is designed to be the most powerful and advanced telescope on the planet, 12 times sharper than the Hubble telescope, and "will allow astronomers to address fundamental questions in astronomy ranging from understanding star and planet formation to unraveling the history of galaxies and the development of large-scale structure in the universe," according to tmt.org. The ʻahu – temples – were removed, along with two other structures, "so that construction of the telescope can begin safely," said a statement from Gov. David Ige.

The governor also announced "a notice to proceed" for the telescope. The telescope project has weathered opposition all the way to the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, with a group of Native Hawaiians and their supporters contending that the telescope will desecrate a spiritual site.

ʻAhu were removed from Mauna Kea today to make way for the TMT project.
Photo from Big Island Video News/Leinaʻala Sleightholm

The four "unauthorized structures" were on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands property on Maunakea Access Road near the Daniel K. Inouye Highwayintersection; on Department of Land and Natural Resources property, near the mid-level facilities on Maunakea Access Road at the 9,000-foot elevation; and on the TMT site on the summit of the mountain. The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruled that the two ʻahu on the TMT site "did not constitute a traditional or customary right or practice, and they were removed with guidance from Native Hawaiian cultural advisors," states the release from the governor.

Big Island Video News reports that one of the structures, Hale Kukiaʻimauna, was "constructed by those in opposition to the Thirty Meter Telescope project in 2015." Another, called Hale Kūhiō, built in March 2018, "was the base of the Mauna Kea Rangers effort to collect data and was a symbol of the dissatisfaction with the state-run Department of Hawaiian Home Lands."

Image from tmt.org

The notice to proceed with the telescope is issued to University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, following DLNR confirmation that pre-construction conditions and mitigation measures required by a Conservation District Use Permit were met. TMT will be constructed on land sub-leased from UH. Use of the property will be overseen by the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Said Ige, "We will proceed in a way that respects the people, place, and culture that make Hawaiʻi unique. I will continue to work with the University of Hawaiʻi and all our partners to make meaningful changes that further contribute to the co-existence of culture and science on Mauna Kea."

Suzanne Case, Chair of BLNR, said, the TMT project plans have been "carefully reviewed" to align with the Conservation District Use permit. "As this project moves forward, I ask everyone who goes to Mauna Kea to respect this unique place, and its fragile natural and cultural resources."

Hawaiʻi state Attorney General Clare Connors said project managers, workers, and others from our community "will need safe access to the work site and safe conditions under which to work. The state will work to ensure their safety as well as the right of individuals to engage in speech about the project."

An intact cultural structure atop Mauna Kea. Bigstock photo

UH president David Lassner said, "This notice to proceed is an important milestone in what has been a decade-long public and consultative process through which every requirement in statute, policy, and procedure has now been met. We firmly believe in the benefits of the most advanced telescope in the world on the most magnificent and awe-inspiring mountain in the world. We also accept the increased responsibilities for the stewardship of Maunakea, including the requirement that as this very last site is developed for astronomy on the mauna, five current telescopes will be decommissioned and their sites restored."

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AN UNDERGROUND FUEL TANK was replaced by Hawaiian Telcom this week at Maile and Pikake Streets in Pāhala. Excavation equipment lifted the huge tank out of the ground next to Hawaiian Telcom's telephone exchange building. The fuel is needed to run a generator that automatically goes during power outages to keep the landline phones in Pāhala operable during power outages. Hawaiian Telcom also offers some media services in Pāhala.

Several crew members and large machines were needed to replace the underground tank for fuel to power
a backup generator to operate the Hawaiian Telcom building in Pāhala. Photo by Julia Neal

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THE EXPLORE AMERICA ACT was reintroduced today by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and two colleagues. The legislation would strengthen the Preserve America Grant Program, which supports state, tribal, and local government efforts to preserve and enhance heritage tourism.

The bill would prioritize gateway community coordination - such as with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and communities that surround it, like VolcanoVillage and Pāhala - by providing financial and technical assistance, tourism development and promotion, visitor management services, and access to federal resources. It also establishes a program to measure effectiveness and reports findings to Congress.

Said Schatz, "This bill is about returning control to the people who live in the places everyone else wants to visit. It gives local communities the chance to see more benefits from tourism, including better jobs, and it puts the story of Hawai‘i in the hands of our own residents. With this bill, we can strengthen what Hawai‘i has to offer, and make sure local people benefit along the way."

The Preserve America Program was established by Executive Order in 2003. The grant component of the Preserve America Program is a matching partnership between the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation and the Department of the Interior.

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THE CULTURAL FESTIVAL AT KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will celebrate 38 years with two hālau hula and three local bands from Hawai‘i Island performing. The free 38th annual event happens Saturday, July 13, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year's festival theme is E Ho‘omau: to continue. Last year's festival was canceled due to the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.

Taking the stage, in order of performance, are Debbie Ryder and Hālau O Leionalani; Russell Mauga and Da Kahuku Mauka Boyz; Mamo Brown and Hālau Ulumamo O Hilo Palikū; Demetrius Oliviera and Gene Beck of Keaiwa; and Brandon Nakano and the Keawe Trio. Each performance will last about 45 minutes.

Keiki making ‘ohe kāpala, bamboo stamping at Kahuku Cultural Festival.
NPS/Janice Wei

In addition to hula and mele, the festival offers visitors and the community a chance to connect to Hawaiian cultural practices through hands-on crafts and demonstrations.

National Park Service and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff will provide ‘oli, chant; ti leaf lei making; lau hala weaving; and ‘ohe kapala, bamboo stamping.

Capt. Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa will ply imaginations with his authentic Hawaiian sailing canoe, while the Ka‘ū Multicultural Society will share a fascinating glimpse into Kahuku Ranch's not-so-distant past with their popular paniolo, cowboy, photography exhibit.

As Hawaiian culture is deeply connected to the ‘āina, land, learn how to protect native species and about the latest conservation efforts from organizations like ‘Imi Pono no ka ‘Āina, Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death education and outreach, The ‘Alalā Project, and NPS Natural Resources Management.

Festival-goers are welcome to bring a picnic lunch, or purchase food and drink at the event. Volcano House will have food for sale, the Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will sell shave ice and soft drinks, and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association will sell Ka‘ū coffee and bottled water.

Sunscreen and a hat are recommended. Bring water, rain jacket, and ground mat or chair. This family experience is a drug- and alcohol-free event. Co-sponsored by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, the Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Volcano House, and the Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association. Can't make it? Follow the Park's official social media for live streaming, festival photos, and more.

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HEAD COACHES FOR COED JUDO, COED SWIMMING, AND BOYS BASEBALL are wanted by Kaʻū High School for the 2019-2020 school year. Applications, due Monday, July 1, can be picked up at the school office weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Coaches hired by Hawaiʻi Department of Education are required to pass a criminal background check. Contact Kaʻū High Athletic Director Kalei Namohala 313-4161 with questions.

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

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

Dementia Caregiver Boot Camp, Saturday, June 22, 9a.m.-4p.m., Kaʻū Rural Community Health Assoc. in Pāhala. RSVP by June 17. Free. Three workshops, movie, and lunch. Attend one or all segments. Learn more and RSVP at alz.org/Hawaii or 800-272-3900.

A-Mazing Triangles, Bookbinding Workshop with Charlene Asato, Saturday, June 22, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. $32/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. See supply list. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Abstract Collaging Workshop with Darcy Gray, Saturday, June 22, 10a.m.-2:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. $85/VAC member, $90/non-member, plus $20 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 10 adults. See supply list. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily, June 22 through Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Opening Reception, Saturday, June 22, 2-4p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

MONDAY, JUNE 24
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, June 24. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

TUESDAY, JUNE 25
Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Tuesday, June 25, 7:30a.m.-4p.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

HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, June 25, 10a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, June 25, 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Performing Arts Activity: Karaoke Sing Along, Tuesday, June 25, 2-3p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6 & up, June 17-21. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wednesday, June 26 – last Wednesday, monthly – 9-11a.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

Lei Tī, Wednesday, June 26, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Hands-on demonstration with rangers and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff making tī-leaf lei. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, June 27, 3-4p.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

THURSDAY, JUNE 27
Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, June 27, 4-6p.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

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

VolcanoVillage4th of July Parade, Festival, and Craft Fair happens Thursday, July 4 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.The parade starts at the Volcano Post Office, travels down Old Volcano Road, and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Road. Free entry to activities, food, and entertainment. Leashed dogs allowed. Provided by Cooper Center Council, Volcano Community Association, and more. To be in the parade, download the entry form at volcanocommunity.org and email to vcainfo@yahoo.com. Vendors, download applications at thecoopercenter.org and email to idoaloha@gmail.com, or call Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash happens Saturday, July 27 in Volcano Village, It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register at ohialehuahalf.com.

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.com

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A new Hale under construction inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in honor of Kumu Hula Ab Valencia, with

assistance from Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and many others. See story below.

Photo from Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

THE COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI'S $585.5 MILLION BUDGET became law this week for the fiscal year beginning July 1, without Mayor Harry Kim's signature. The mayor allowed it to stand without his veto, but said he believes, "we should be more conservative with spending." With a 9-0 vote of approval for the budget by the County Council, a veto would have likely failed.

The mayor wrote to the County Council this week saying he is concerned that the council approved extra expenditures of $1.6 million plus $1 million from county reserves. He pointed to $630,000 that the County Council members will spend through their contingency funds. He said the reserves come from county departments cutting their own budgets to save money for expected increases in county spending for employees from union bargaining.

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Keliʻi Freitas at a new ʻahu on Mauna Kea. Photo from Big Island Video News/Leinaʻala Sleightholm

NEW ʻAHU – TEMPLES – WERE ERECTED ON MAUNA KEA TODAY, after the state removed four "unauthorized structures" yesterday to make way for "safe" construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, reports Big Island Video News. See more on the removals on yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs.

A press release from Mauna KeaʻOhana, received by Big Island Video News, said the ʻahu were erected in the area where "the State destroyed and desecrated ʻahu as a direct attack against our cultural practices and rights yesterday." The release states the ʻahu were not erected "as a protest to the proposed devastating TMT development, as falsely inferred by the State," but "in the exercise of our traditional and customary rights and practices as Kanaka Maoli (aka Native Hawaiians)." The statement said ʻahu "were traditionally erected to honor and connect in lōkahi and aloha to our beloved mountain in alignment with summer solstice ceremonies on this day. The hundreds of ʻahu found in this area are evidence of our ancestors' pilgrimage to Mauna a Wākea. As such, we continue in the footsteps of our kupuna. We are Mauna Kea."

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Coral reefs support clouds of reef fish. DLNR photo

TO PRESERVE, SUSTAIN, AND RESTORE CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS via a prize competition is the goal of legislation introduced on Thursday by Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Ed Case. The Coral Reef Sustainability Through Innovation Act of 2019 addresses threats to U.S.coral reef ecosystems by directing the 12 federal agencies on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to use existing funding to carry out a coral health prize competition. The legislation allows federal agencies to work with private entities to both fund and administer the prize competition.

Said Hirono, "The waters surrounding Hawaiʻi are home to more than 620 square miles of coral reef and a quarter of the world's marine life, including thousands of native species found nowhere else in the world. Hawaiʻi's coral reefs generate nearly $800 million in economic activity each year for our state. We cannot afford to sit by as the health of our oceans continues to decline. This bill encourages federal agencies as well as the private sector to come together to find innovative solutions to help our declining reefs. Collaborative partnerships such as these are desperately needed to ensure that our marine environments and the numerous services they provide will be around for future generations."

Coral bleaching and other forms of coral death lead to a lack of reef fish.
DLNR photo

Said Case, "This no-cost bill amends the proven Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000... Prize competitions that encourage public-private partnerships, such as the one that this bill proposes, have an established record of spurring innovation that can be integrated into a next-generation federal ocean management strategy. This small step could generate huge leaps forward in the preservation and protection of one of the most critical and endangered corners of our natural world."
A peer-reviewed study commissioned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates the total economic value of coral reefs in the main Hawaiian Islands alone to be nearly $34 billion. Healthy reefs contribute to local economies through tourism and provide shoreline protection during severe weather events by mitigating damaging wave action.
Threats to coral reefs include climate change, bleaching, disease, overfishing, pollution, and more.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a cosponsor of the bill. Read the full text here. A one-page summary and fact sheet about the bill is available here.

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The Hale under construction at pa hula in Volcano uses ironwood instead of ʻōhiʻa posts to prevent the spread of

Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death. Photo from Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

The late Kumu Hula Ab Valencia.
Photo by Dinno Morrow

THE HALE PROJECT, supported by Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Puʻuohonua O Honaunau, is building a traditional Hawaiian structure at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes. Friends reports that money raised since 2015 is going toward reconstruction.

Friends Executive Director Elizabeth Fien said a promise was made to Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner Irenio "Ab" Kawainohoikalaʻi Valence to rebuild the Hale. "He was the original FHVNP project manager, and we were devastated when he passed in 2017. Every time we pass the Hale, we can feel his presence and love.

"The project started with the stripping of bark from ironwood logs (due to Rapid

ʻŌhiʻa Death, we no longer are able to use the ʻōhiʻa trees), and collecting materials to rebuild. The pa hula is a very special and significant cultural area. The Hale allows for dancers to get ready before a performance."

Those interested in volunteering to help build the Hale can call 985-7373, See more on Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park at fhvnp.org.

Heaviest boar of 2017 was captured by Team 12 led by Tyrell

Mason, of Kaʻū, weighing in at 150 lbs. Photo by Guy Sesson

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THE THIRD ANNUAL PIG HUNT HOSTED BY KAʻŪ MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY happens Saturday, July 20 at the parking lot adjacent to 96-3258 Maile Street, near the old Radio Station Building in Pāhala. The location for the home base of the event is provided by the Edmund C. Olson Trust.
The scale for the weigh-ins for the wild pigs will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Food booths and a variety of contests are featured, including Over-All Pua‘a prize for heaviest pig; Heaviest Boar/Laho‘ole; Heaviest Sow; Biggest Tusk; and the Smoke Meat Contest.
Contact Kalani Vierra at 938-2005, Darlyne Vierra at 640-8740, or Liz Kuluwaimaka at 339-0289.

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DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF HAWAIʻI'S 4TH OF JULY ANNUAL PICNIC happens at Old Kona Airport Makaʻeo Pavilion on Thursday, July 4 from noon to 2 p.m.

Entertainment is hula by Beamer-Solomon Hālau O Poʻohala. Hear and meet elected officials, candidates, and learn about 2020 presidential candidates.

Hot dogs provided, bring a potluck dish to share. Contact Bronsten Kossow at brons10kalei@gmail.com or 808-217-7285 with questions.

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CU HAWAIʻI FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, with branches in Nāʻālehu, Pāhala, and elsewhere on the island, launched new online banking services this week. Online banking, mobile banking, and bill pay services are now available to members.

The new features include access to all each member's CU accounts through a single login, with Fingerprint Touch, Face ID, or PIN access available on mobile devices. Other online tools include stop payment requests on a consecutive series of checks; notifications on credits and debits; transaction search function; transaction memo and image attachment; and secure messaging with Member Service Representatives during business hours.

Mobile Banking users will need to delete the old CU Hawaiʻi application and download the new app. Sub-account nicknames will not be converted to the new system and must be re-entered into Online Banking. All scheduled transfers will not be converted to the new system. All scheduled future transfers must be re-entered into Online Banking.

Future dated Bill Pay payments will continue to be processed on the new system as long as customers re-register. Once registered, Bill Pay payments may be made using any of the customer's checking accounts to any of their payees in Bill Pay. E Bills function in Bill Pay data will not be converted to the new system; re-input of information to the new E Bills system is necessary to ensure continuous payments. Availability of current E Bill payees may differ under the new system.

For technical support with the new system, call tech support at (512) 436-0767. Stop by the nearest CU Hawaiʻi branch, email info@cuhawaii.com, or call (808) 933-6700 or toll free 1-800-933-6706, with other questions.

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.

UPCOMING

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

TUESDAY, JUNE 25
Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Tuesday, June 25, 7:30a.m.-4p.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

HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, June 25, 10a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, June 25, 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Performing Arts Activity: Karaoke Sing Along, Tuesday, June 25, 2-3p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6 & up, June 17-21. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wednesday, June 26 – last Wednesday, monthly – 9-11a.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

Lei Tī, Wednesday, June 26, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Hands-on demonstration with rangers and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff making tī-leaf lei. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, June 27, 3-4p.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

THURSDAY, JUNE 27
Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, June 27, 4-6p.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

FRIDAY, JUNE 28
Coffee Talk at Kahuku: Planting Pono, Friday, June 28, 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Learn how to identify plants at home that don't need removal and how to integrate natives and non-invasive plants into the landscape. Free. nps.gov/havo

The Sky is Full of Stories with James McCarthy, Friday, June 28, 1:30-2:15p.m., Nā‘ālehu Public Library. McCarthy, a trained actor, storyteller and musician will captivate audience with wide variety of sky stories from myths and science, using tales and songs. Suitable for all ages. Young children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver. Free. 939-2442

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

Head Coaches for Coed Judo, Coed Swimming, and Boys Basketball are wanted by Kaʻū High School for the 2019-2020 school year. Applications, due Monday, July 8, can be picked up at the school office weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Coaches hired by Hawaiʻi Department of Education are required to pass a criminal background check. Contact Kaʻū High Athletic Director Kalei Namohala 313-4161 with questions.

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.

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The USS Daniel Inouye was christened today at a shipyard in Maine. Sen. Maize Hirono made the ceremony's principal address,
giving the history of Inouye. See story below. Photo from PCU USS Daniel Inouye DDG 118 Facebook

THE BIG IDEA - PEACE & PROSPERITY is the main point of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's bid for the U.S. Presidency, she said on a nationally televised interview on NBC today. The interview, conducted by reporter Harry Smith, is one in a series with candidates participating in this Wednesday and Thursday's debates for the Democratic Party's nominee for President of the United States. Gabbard, one of 20 who qualified for the debates, will be in the Wednesday lineup.
During today's interview, she told Smith she is running for President to "end wasteful wars and invest in our people…. in our future… There are so many things that we need to invest in, in this country… make sure our priorities are straight and put our resources where they're needed."

Presidential candidate, Kaʻū's Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
Photo from NBC

Smith said the Department of Defense's budget is about $700 billion, and asked how much of that Gabbard would like to take to use on other things. Gabbard replied that that figure "doesn't begin to capture the full cost of war." She said the U.S. has spent $6 to $8 trillion since 9/11 on "wasteful regime change wars, wars in places like Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan… wars that have been counteractive to our security; strengthened terrorist groups like Isis and Al Qaeda, making the American people less safe." She said that in countries where U.S. forces have gone to battle, civilians have experienced "more suffering, more death, more destruction." She also remarked that tensions are increasing between the U.S. and "nuclear-armed countries like Russia and China."

Smith asked Gabbard how she would handle pushback to refrain from war from industries that rely on Department of Defense projects for business. She said she would rely on "the power of our democracy and the American people standing up and saying, 'We are sick and tired of the military industrial complex and self-serving politicians in Washington who have been beating these wars drums for so long… when they're not the ones paying the price – we are.'"

Smith asked how her 16 years in the Army National Reserves, and two tours of duty in Iraq, shaped her views. Gabbard said, "Every single day, I was confronted by the high human cost… those that paid the ultimate price… those that made it home with us, but were still dealing with visible and invisible wounds… and then here, in Congress, serving over six years on the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees – seeing how destructive and costly our policies have been."

Gabbard said funds spent on wars should be going to "quality" healthcare and education, and clean water. Gabbard is Kaʻū's Representative in the U.S. Congress.

See the whole interview at nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/tulsi-gabbard-s-big-idea-extended-interview-62371397565.
Watch the debates in Miami this Wednesday and Thursday, June 26 and 27, beginning at 3 p.m. Hawaiian time on NBC, NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, the NBC News app, and Telemundo's digital platforms.
This Wednesday Gabbard will be on the debate stage with Elizabeth Warren, Beto O’Rourke, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, John Delaney, Julián Castro, Tim Ryan, Bill de Blasio, and Jay Inslee. Gabbard has also qualified for the second debate, hosted by CNN in Detroit on July 30 and 31. The third debate will be hosted by ABC News on Sept. 12 and 13.
This Thursday, candidates on the debates stage will be Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Andrew Yang, Joe Biden, Kirsten Gillibrand, John Hickenlooper, Eric Swalwell, Marianne Williamson, and Michael Bennet.

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Sen. Mazie Hirono and the late Sen. Daniel Inouye's wife, Irene Inouye

watched steamers fly over the warship named Inouye at the christening

at Bath Ironworks in Maine today. Photo from Navy Times

USS DANIEL INOUYE WAS CHRISTENED TODAY, with Sen. Mazie Hirono, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, delivering the principal address at the ceremony. The 509-foot ship, christened at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine, is the Navy's 68th Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, and is expected to arrive at its home port at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in 2020. The ship carries the "Go for Broke" motto of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in which the late Senator Inouye served.

The Navy Timesreported that "a tropical flair" was brought "to a state known for cold weather," with lei around the necks of dignitaries and "a giant one on the warship." Irene Hirano Inouye, the late senator's wife and the ship's sponsor, smashed a bottle of champagne on the bow of the future guided-missile destroyer, which is still under construction. She said the Hawaiian touch was important, reported the Navy Times.

"The traditions of the Navy are very special and historic. But to truly make it reflect of Dan's life, and the people on Hawaiʻi, our team had to find ways to bring a little bit of Hawaiʻi to Maine," said Inouye before the ceremony.

Hinoro said a christening is "when we solemnly dedicate, name, and commit a new ship to sea and service to our country." She said it is also intended to "invite good luck to the crew in carrying out their mission. This is especially important when the ship will be dispatched in defense of the UnitedState in uncertain times. Over the coming decades, thousands of sailors will serve aboard this ship – each of them answering their country's call to serve something greater than themselves."

Sen. Mazie Hirono and Irene Hirano Inouye. Photo from Hinoro's office

Hirono said the warship will be "under the prospective command of Commander DonAnn Gilmore," and play a "critical role in protecting and advancing American interests in the Indo-Pacific region – just as Senator Inouye did throughout his life and service in Congress. To the brave Sailors who will serve on the Navy's newest ship and who are here today, I commend you for continuing in the tradition of Senator Inouye's service to our country. To the crew, I wish you makani olu olu. I wish you all fair winds. Go for broke, as you serve the country on this incredible new ship."

Sen. Inouye was a Medal of Honor recipient and represented Hawaiʻi in the U.S. Senate for half a century. He lost his right arm in Italy, during combat in World War II. He died in 2012.

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TODAY WAS THE FIRST FULL DAY OF SUMMER but a heat wave broke and matched many high temperature records this Spring. The first half of June saw at lease 18 records matched or broken. In May, the number reached at least 27 across the state. Temperatures reaching 90 degrees have not been uncommon. Using air conditioners are on the rise, this year because of heat, last year because of the ash from the volcano.

Yesterday was the Summer Solsitce, the longest day of the year in Hawaiʻi, lasting 13 hours, 17 minutes, with just over 14 hours of visible light.

The Pacific's hurricane season, which began June 1, is very quiet so far.

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COMPOST PURCHASE REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM through Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture is available to agricultural producers who purchase compost from a Hawaiʻi Department of Health's Solid Waste Management Program certified processor, retailer, or wholesaler licensed to do business in Hawaiʻi.

Act 89, enacted in 2018, allocates $650,000 over a two-year period for the reimbursement of 50 percent of compost cost incurred by agricultural producers during fiscal year 2019 (July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019) and a portion of fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019 to March 30, 2020), not to exceed $50,000 per applicant per year.

Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser, chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture, said "This reimbursement program is aimed at providing assistance to farmers to ease some of the operational cost relating to the purchase of composting material."

Applicants must provide a W-9 tax form, sample invoice, and proof of compliance with federal, state, and county tax and business regulations. For more information and to download the application forms, go to hdoa.hawaii.gov/blog/main/compostreimbursement.

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READING THE RAINBOW is the title of this week's Volcano Watch, written by the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geophysicist Sarah Conway. Her subtitle is How to interpret an interferogram:

     Since the early 1990s, scientists have used radar satellites to map movement, or deformation, of Earth's surface. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) calculates the difference between two radar images acquired by an orbiting satellite taken at different times but looking at the same place on Earth. This difference is called an interferogram, and is essentially a map of surface deformation.
     Deformation is one of the main ways that HVO monitors activity of Hawaiʻi's volcanoes. Volcanoes can change their shape as magma moves in and out of their plumbing systems, as their slopes shift on faults or because of gravity, and when they have internal changes in pressure. Interferograms, together with GPS and tilt, help HVO scientists keep many eyes on a volcano when it's getting bent out of shape.
     Interferograms cover large areas of land – the entire Island of Hawaiʻi can fit into a single radar scene – and provide centimeter-scale accuracy of ground motion. This means seeing changes of less than half an inch, from space. However, interferograms can be tricky to read. This Volcano Watch will guide you through interpreting an interferogram, as well as explain how they are produced.

COSMO-SkyMed Interferogram for the period from April 6 to June 2, 2019, covering Kīlauea Volcano's summit region. Each color fringe represents 1.65 centimeters (0.65 inches) of ground displacement. The closely spaced color bands, or fringes, within the caldera indicate localized inflation, while the broader fringes on the northwest side of the caldera indicate a small amount of inflation centered near Jaggar museum. Each color cycle or fringe within the caldera is marked by white numbers on the interferogram for a grand total of 3 fringes or total displacement of 4.95 cm (1.95 inches). CSK data are provided to the USGS HVO by the Italian Space Agency for use in monitoring and research.

The difference in the distance to the ground between two satellite passes, known as the interferometric phase, is shown as fringes, or bands, of color in an interferogram. This difference includes deformation of the surface that occurred between passes, but it is also influenced by uncertainty in satellite orbits, topographic ambiguities, atmospheric conditions, and other sources of error. These all contribute to the interferometric phase. To get at the true movement of the ground, you have to compensate for these sources of error.

The first step in reading an interferogram is to determine "when" and "what." The dates of each image answer the question of "when" the deformation occurred. Different satellites use different wavelengths, and that controls the amount of ground deformation represented per colored fringe – the "what." In the interferogram shown above, the satellite used is the Italian Space Agency's COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) system. The radar wavelength for CSK is X-band – approximately 3.3 centimeters in total length. Because an interferogram is made using radar waves that travel to Earth from the satellite and back, the deformation is calculated in terms of half the wavelength. This means that when reading a CSK interferogram, one fringe is equal to 1.65 centimeters (or 0.65 inches) of change between the two dates.
Step two is to count the colored fringes to determine the amount of deformation shown in an interferogram. Volcanic deformation is often concentric in shape, so start on the outside of the fringe pattern and count the number of color cycles from the edge of the deformed area to the center. Multiply the number of colored fringes by the half wavelength to determine the magnitude of the deformation.

Colored and monochromatic fringes in a Michelson interferometer:

(a) White light fringes where the two beams differ in the number of phase

inversions; (b) White light fringes where the two beams have experienced

the same number of phase inversions; (c) Fringe pattern using

monochromatic light. Image from Wikipedia

     Step three is to determine if the surface moved up or down. To do this, as you count fringes from the outside to the inside of a concentric pattern, note the sense of color changes. Does the pattern go blue-purple-yellow in towards the center, or blue-yellow-purple? The color scale at the bottom of the image reveals that blue-yellow-purple is an increasing trend, which in this interferogram, means that the ground is moving towards the satellite – it is inflating. The color sequence should always be defined on a scale bar in the interferogram, along with the half wavelength, because not all interferograms use the same color sequence, and not all radar satellites have the same wavelength.
     The last step is to interpret the information you have collected. On the CSK interferogram shown above, there are 3 colored fringes inside Kīlauea Caldera, which means that the surface within this region moved towards the satellite, or inflated, by about 4.95 centimeters (1.95 inches) between April 6 and June 2, 2019. But remember, the colored fringes include not just displacement, but also other influences, like orbital errors and atmospheric anomalies. These sorts of anomalies are especially prevalent around tall mountains, like Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, and areas of very steep topography, like the south flank of Kīlauea. In this case, atmospheric anomalies are probably not an issue, since the area of deformation is smaller than most weather patterns. We also compensate for orbital errors, since we know the satellite orbits very precisely. But topographic errors due to the massive changes that took place at the summit in 2018 might introduce a small amount of error to the measurement. Also, because radar satellites don't look straight down on Earth, the deformation in interferograms is a combination of vertical and horizontal displacements, although vertical changes usually dominate.
And that's how you read an interferometric rainbow. For more information on how to read an interferogram, including a step-by-step infographic, check out UNAVCO's outreach products at unavco.org/education/outreach/infographics/infographics.html.
Volcano Activity Updates     Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. For definitions of USGS Volcano Alert Levels, see https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html. Rates of deformation, gas release, and seismicity on Kīlauea have not changed significantly over the past week.

Formation of fringes in a Michelson interferometer. Image from Wikipedia

     Monitoring data have shown no significant changes in volcanic activity over the past week. Rates of seismicity across the volcano remain low. The two largest recorded earthquakes were a M2.4 at the summit on June 15, at a depth of 2 km (1.2 miles), and a M3.4 in the Upper East Rift Zone on June 13, at a depth of 6 km (3.7 miles). One felt report was submitted for the M3.4 earthquake. Real-time sulfur dioxide emission rates from the summit remain low. Sulfur Dioxide emission rates at Puʻu ʻŌʻō remain below detection limits when last measured on May 23.
     Since early March, GPS stations and tiltmeters at the Kīlauea summit have recorded deformation consistent with slow magma accumulation within the shallow portion of the Kīlauea summit magma system (1-2 km or approximately 1 mile below ground level). However, 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. This trend has been observed since the end of the 2018 eruption, however there is an indication on tiltmeters that this motion has been slowing down over recent weeks. While the significance of this pattern is unclear, monitoring data do not suggest any imminent change in volcanic hazard for this area.
     Two earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-3.4 quake 13 km (8 mi) southeast of Volcano at 6 km (3.5 mi) depth on June 16 at 12:54 p.m., and a magnitude-2.8 quake 14 km southeast of Volcano at 6.8 km depth on June 13 at 1:19 p.m.
     The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL. A slight increase in detected earthquakes was noted over the past month. GPS instruments show slow inflation of the summit magma reservoir. Gas and temperature data showed no significant changes the past month.
     Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call 808-967-8862 for weekly Kīlauea updates. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

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

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

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

UPCOMING

MONDAY, JUNE 24

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, June 24. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

TUESDAY, JUNE 25
Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Tuesday, June 25, 7:30a.m.-4p.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

HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, June 25, 10a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tuesday, June 25, 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Performing Arts Activity: Karaoke Sing Along, Tuesday, June 25, 2-3p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6 & up, June 17-21. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, JUNE 27
Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, June 27, 4-6p.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

FRIDAY, JUNE 28
Coffee Talk at Kahuku: Planting Pono, Friday, June 28, 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Learn how to identify plants at home that don't need removal and how to integrate natives and non-invasive plants into the landscape. Free. nps.gov/havo

The Sky is Full of Stories with James McCarthy, Friday, June 28, 1:30-2:15p.m., Nā‘ālehu Public Library. McCarthy, a trained actor, storyteller and musician will captivate audience with wide variety of sky stories from myths and science, using tales and songs. Suitable for all ages. Young children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver. Free. 939-2442

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Mālama Nā Keiki Festival happens Saturday, June 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center. This third annual free event, presented by Health Resources and Services Administration, offers health screenings, education, and activities. Expectant and first-time mothers, women considering pregnancy, young families, and supporting ʻohana from across the county are especially invited to attend. Prizes, entertainment, free food, and keiki activities are offered. Health screenings include hearing, vision, height, weight, and blood pressure. Health education includes prenatal information and breastfeeding education with lactations specialists. Health activities include Grow Your Own Plant and Makahiki games.

For more, call 808-969-9220, or see hmono.org, facebook.com/hmono.org, or hui_malama on Instagram.

Paint Your Own Silk Scarf with Patti Pease Johnson, Saturday, June 29, 9a.m.-12:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Nā‘ālehu July 4th Parade Celebration & Keiki Fun Day, Saturday, June 29, 10a.m.-130p.m., from Nā‘ālehu Elementary School to Nā‘ālehu Community Center Ballpark, along Hwy 11. Parade followed by food, bounces houses, and inflatable water slides for kids. Afternoon of bingo and separate luncheon for seniors. Free. Sign-up for the parade before June 20 by calling Debra McIntosh, 929-9872

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series #2, Saturday, June 29, 1-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn tea propagation techniques with Eva Lee. Pre-event for A Taste of Tea Pottery Fundraiser - August 25. Workshops designed to be attended as a series - #3 set for July 27. No experience necessary. $60/VAC member, $75/non-member for series. Individual workshop $25 each. Requires minimum of 6 participants to be held. Registration limited. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

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Hikers marvel at the largest of the boulders that destroyed sections of Kīlauea Iki Trail in the fall of 2018. The
massive rocks crashed onto the crater floor after earthquakes dislodged them from near the rim.
See story, below, on the rehabilitation of Kīlauea Iki Trail and more programs from
Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Photo from NPS/Janice Wei

INPUT ON THE PROPOSED NĀʻ ĀLEHU LARGE CAPACITY CESSPOOL CLOSURE is requested from area residents by county consultant Earl Mastukawa of Wilson Okamoto Corp., who is preparing a draft Environmental Assessment. Mastukawa requests comments be mailed by July 20 to Wilson Okamoto Corp., 1907 S. Beretania St., Ste. 400, Honolulu, HI, 96826, Attn: Earl Mastukawa, AICP. Call with questions, 808-946-2277.

In a letter mailed to residents, Mastukawa states the project "maybe be funded by the state of Hawaiʻi Clean Water State Revolving Fund," and will include the Nāʻālehu Wastewater Collection System, Nāʻālehu Sewage Pump Station and Force Main, and Nāʻālehu Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System and Drainage Modification.

The letter from Mastuwaka states the closure of the three Large Capacity Cesspools in Nāʻālehu was supposed to be accomplished by April 5, 2005, as the federal Environmental Protection Agency determined they were not legal in 1998. In 2003, C. Brewer & Co., which owned and maintained the system of gravity-flow pipelines, asked the county of Hawaiʻi Dept. of Environmental Management to take over the closure. Prior to the transfer, states Matsuwaka, a vote was made by those "serviced by the LCCs" which "favored a new sewer collection, treatment, and disposal system" to be owned, operated, and maintained by the county.

Matsuwaka states that, in 2007, the county proposed a new system, routed on public streets and improvements which included large capacity septic tanks and conversion of the LCCs into seepage pits for treated effluent. This option was determined to be "infeasible," states Matsuwaka, leading to the current proposed treatment facility plans.

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Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Youth Ranger Class of 2019. FHVNP photo

REHABILITATION OF THE SECOND HALF OF KĪLAUEA IKI TRAIL is funded by Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The group was awarded $50,000 to match the Centennial Fund award, for a total of $100,000. Until repairs are made, only part of the trail is open, with walkers backtracking to where they started. The project will start in the next few months. This is part of the Friends' new program, Guardians of the Trails. The goal is to rehab as many front country and back country trails as possible over the next five years.

In its tenth year, the FHVNP Youth Ranger program Class of 2019 started working in the Park on June 17. Students are from Kaʻū, Puna, and Kona. The youth will be working in various parts of the Park, including Interpretation, Resource Management, and Facilities.

See fhvnp.org.

Kīlauea summit 2018 ash cloud comic. The artist
will meet the public at After Dark on June 25.
Photo from Andy Warner

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A LONG-FORM NONFICTION COMIC PRESENTATION will be given by Andy Warner, Artist in Residence at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The After Dark in the Park event is Tuesday, June 25 at, 7 p.m. in Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. The comics journalist, author, and artist has been busy talking to people impacted by the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.

During his June residency, Warner has explored the human accommodation to life around volcanoes, and has begun to 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.

Said Warner, "I want to tell the stories of real people and the real impact of the events last summer. I've interviewed residents, talked with Hawaiians, park rangers and scientists, and their stories form the backbone of this project.

Warner is a New York Times bestselling comics journalist and artist, whose comics range between journalism, documentary, and memoir. He has published two books of nonfiction history in comic form, and is a contributing editor of The Nib, an online publication for nonfiction comics. His newest book, This Land is My Land, is a collection of true stories about flawed utopias and artistic environments.

Comics journalist Andy Warner is Artist in

Residence in Volcanoes, enjoying the

island with his family.

Photo from Andy Warner

The Artist in Residence program is sponsored by The National Parks Arts Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to the promotion of the National Parks of the U.S. through creating dynamic opportunities for artworks that are based in our natural and historic heritage. All NPAF programs are made possible through the philanthropic support of donors ranging from corporate sponsors, small business, art patrons and citizen supporters of the parks.

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TASTE OF THE HAWAIIAN RANGE & Agriculture Festival happens Saturday, Sept. 7, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Waimea. Hawaiʻi Island farmers growing fruits, vegetables, or other crops are invited to register to sell products at the event. Vendors should contact tasteagfest@outlook.com to apply. Visit tasteofthehawaiianrange.com for more.

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FEDERAL AGRIBUSINESS GRANTS are available to those who apply for a Data Universal Numbering System number for a business by visiting dnb.com. When the business is issued a DUNS number, visit sam.gov to register for a Commercial And Government Entity Code with the System for Award Management. Contact Megan Blazak at mblazak@kohalacenter.org or 808-887-6411 for assistance.

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.

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION COST SHARE PROGRAM is available to compensate up to 75 percent of certification costs for producers and handlers. Visit the local FSA county office to apply. Applications for fiscal 2019 funding are due October 31. Need help completing an application? Contact Maile Woodhall at mwoodhall@kohalacenter.org for assistance.

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.

NEXT HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION EVENT happens from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Hilo on Saturday, Aug. 3 at the Hoʻolulu Complex parking lot and in Kona on Saturday, Aug. 10 at Old Kona Airport State Park. There are no Hawaiʻi County Household Hazardous Waste collection events in June. Visit hawaiizerowaste.org for more.

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, JUNE 24

The Sky is Full of Stories with James McCarthy, Friday, June 28, 1:30-2:15p.m., Nā‘ālehu Public Library. McCarthy, a trained actor, storyteller and musician will captivate audience with wide variety of sky stories from myths and science, using tales and songs. Suitable for all ages. Young children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver. Free. 939-2442

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Mālama Nā Keiki Festival happens Saturday, June 29, 9a.m.-1p.m. at Pāhala Community Center. This third annual free event, presented by Health Resources and Services Administration, offers health screenings, education, and activities. Expectant and first-time mothers, women considering pregnancy, young families, and supporting ʻohana from across the county are especially invited to attend. Prizes, entertainment, free food, and keiki activities are offered. Health screenings include hearing, vision, height, weight, and blood pressure. Health education includes prenatal information and breastfeeding education with lactations specialists. Health activities include Grow Your Own Plant and Makahiki games.

For more, call 808-969-9220, or see hmono.org, facebook.com/hmono.org, or hui_malama on Instagram.

Paint Your Own Silk Scarf with Patti Pease Johnson, Saturday, June 29, 9a.m.-12:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Nā‘ālehu July 4th Parade Celebration & Keiki Fun Day, Saturday, June 29, 10a.m.-130p.m., from Nā‘ālehu Elementary School to Nā‘ālehu Community Center Ballpark, along Hwy 11. Parade followed by food, bounces houses, and inflatable water slides for kids. Afternoon of bingo and separate luncheon for seniors. Free. Sign-up for the parade before June 20 by calling Debra McIntosh, 929-9872

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series #2, Saturday, June 29, 1-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn tea propagation techniques with Eva Lee. Pre-event for A Taste of Tea Pottery Fundraiser - August 25. Workshops designed to be attended as a series - #3 set for July 27. No experience necessary. $60/VAC member, $75/non-member for series. Individual workshop $25 each. Requires minimum of 6 participants to be held. Registration limited. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

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.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and its Scientist in Charge Tina Neal are in the top four finalists for the

People's Choice Award for federal service. Voting continues daily through July 8. The photo shows their work during

last year's volcanic eruption. While on a mapping mission on Aug. 10, 2018, the USGS notes that a section

of road fell into Halemaʻumaʻu Crater. See story below. USGS photo

NO MORE PRESIDENTIAL WARS is a resolution Rep. Tulsi Gabbard introduced into the U.S. Congress. The U.S. Presidential candidate said today that she aims to prohibit the President from starting a war without Congressional authorization. The resolution defines Presidential wars not declared by Congress under Article I, section 8, clause 11 (Declare War Clause) as impeachable “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

Said Gabbard, “The Trump Administration continues to escalate tensions with Iran, pushing us closer to the brink of war. This includes U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement, increasing crippling sanctions, designating Iran’s military as a terrorist organization, and sending more U.S. troops to the region. Congress bears the Constitutionally-mandated authority to declare war. Trump launching an attack against Iran without Congressional authorization would be illegal, unconstitutional, and kick off a war so devastating and costly, it would make the Iraq war look like a picnic.

“My No More Presidential Wars resolution will exact a clear consequence to any President that skirts the war powers authority of Congress and my NDAA amendments will make certain that nothing in this bill may be used to take America into yet another wasteful, counterproductive regime change war.”

Gabbard also announced that with ongoing threats by the Trump Administration to use military force against Iran, she secured two separate provisions in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, passed by the House Armed Services Committee, ensuring that no measure in the bill may be used as an authorization for the use of military force against either Iran or Venezuela.

A candidate for U.S. President, Gabbard will appear on the first day of debates for the nomination for President by the Democratic Party. The debate begins this Wednesday, June 26 at 3 p.m. Hawaiian time on NBC, NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, the NBC News app, and Telemundo's digital platforms.

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 VACATION RENTAL TAX BILL WILL BE VETOED BY GOV. DAVID IGE. He announced today that he plans to veto SB1292, which passed both the state Senate and House of Representatives in the 2019 Hawai`i Legislature. It would require booking platforms like AirBnB, Expedia and Booking.com to collect Transient Accommodations Taxes and General Excise Taxes and provide both to the state instead of the state relying on owners of the properties to report and pay these taxes on their businesses.
The governor pointed to efforts of the counties to require licensing and regulate all vacation rentals. The state accepting tax money from the online platform companies that sell accommodations could mean accepting tax money for unlicensed accommodations. The governor said accepting the taxes could be viewed as legitimizing unregistered short-term vacation rentals.

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COMMERCIALLY GROWING INDUSTRIAL HEMP IN HAWAI`I IS UNLIKELY IN THE NEAR FUTURE. Gov. David Ige announced today that he will veto SB1353, which would make hemp legal to cultivate, possess, and sell. It would also create an industrial hemp licensing program through the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of of Agriculture.

Industrial hemp may not be on its way from a pilot program to commercial
farms, with the announcement of a veto by the governor.
Image from the state Department of Agriculture

The governor said the bill creates a licensing structure that cannot be enforced, will not meet USDA requirements for an approved industrial hemp program, and creates practical problems in the enforcement of existing medical cannabis.
The University of Hawai'i and state Department of Agriculture operate pilot programs growing industrical hemp in locations around the state.

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 governor said he will veto a law that would allow
medical marijuana patients to travel with cannibis
between islands. Image from Marijuana Moment

LEGALY TRANSPORTING MEDICAL CANNABIS FROM ONE ISLAND TO ANOTHER IS UNLIKELY TO SOON BECOME LEGAL. Gov. David Ige said today he plans to veto the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. HB290 would authorize qualifying in-state patients and out-of-state
patients to transport medical cannabis between islands for their personal medical use.

Ige's rationale to veto: Federal law still lists cannabis, for medical or recreational use, as illegal. Both the airspace above Hawai`i and certain areas of ocean around the Islands are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government. This bill may lead travelers, acting in reliance on this provision, to erroneously believe they are immune from federal prosecution. He also lists operational concerns for the state Departments of Transportation and of Public Safety, said the governor.

SEE MORE ON THE 20 BILLS GOV. DAVID IGE PLANS TO VETO in tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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TINA NEAL AND THE HAWAIIAN VOLCANOES OBSERVATORY TEAM ARE AMONG TOP FOUR FINALISTS for the federal government's People's Choice Award for 2019. The public is invited to vote to choose the winner. Neal is Scientist in Charge for the U.S. Geological Survey at HVO.
The People's Choice Award honors the federal employee or team who made the most significant contribution to the American people in the last year. HVO is one of 26 nominees for this government services "Oscar."

USGS HVO Scientist in Charge Tina Neal.

Photo from servicetoamericamedals.org

The public can vote once every 24 hours through Monday, July 8.
The competition is organized by the Partnership for Public Service. The winner will be announced at a Partnership for Public Service event on July 18.
The organization also looked at federal employees and teams at more than 20 federal agencies to also present the 2019 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, the Sammies. Sammie winners will be announced Oct. 16 during a gala in Washington, D.C. Neal and HVO are nominated.

Service to America Medal site states that Neal and the HVO team "carefully monitored a large and sustained eruption of Kīlauea Volcano in Hawaiʻi and provided vital updates," 24 hours a day, "to protect residents, tourists, and property from ash, lava, and toxic fumes" in 2018. Neal and the HVO team are among five finalists in the Science and Environment category of the Sammies.

On the Meet the Finalists post on servicetoamericamedals.org, Neal and the HVO team are credited with the fact that the 2018 volcanic events suffered no fatalities, due to "close coordination with the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency" on earthquakes, lava eruptions, and associated hazards. They are also credited with keeping the media informed, so the public could stay informed; using technology creatively for better monitoring of volcanic activity, and better communication and data sharing with other scientists and emergency managers. They are also credited with using a drone to help rescue a resident "in danger of being surrounded by lava, leading him to safety on foot."

Neal is praised on the site for leading the way during the more than 100 days of the eruption.

USGS HVO personnel monitoring the 2018 eruption in the field, frequently in potentially unsafe conditions.
USGS photo

Dee Williams, the USGS Alaska regional deputy director, said, "Christina Neal turned science into actionable decisions about how to minimize damage and save lives. She was the authority on understanding how to interpret the data that was coming in and what it meant regarding the emergency response. Neal and her team worked under exhausting conditions through a dangerous situation to prevent really disastrous results."

Mayor Harry Kim said, "Good, timely information is critical to help people remain in any crisis. The whole island depended on this one operation run by Tina. She was in command and personable."

Ryan Brown of FEMA said Neal was "super calm, very professional, and was always there to answer questions. She always anticipated issues and got out in front of them. Without her leadership, it could have been a very different scenario."

Said Neal, the Kīlaueaeruption "really highlighted the value of our science and the impact of what we do. I was the leader, but our scientists have a lot of independence and they all just did what needed to be done."

See more on the Partnership for Public Service awards.

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Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park's July Artist in Residence
Alice Leese. Photo from Alice Leese

HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK'S JULY ARTIST IN RESIDENCE IS ALICE LEESE. She offers a special workshop, Postcards from the Edge, where artists of all abilities can join her to paint on the edge of Kīlauea Caldera, on Sunday, July 7 from 10 a.m. to noon. The $75 fee includes lunch at Volcano House. Limited to 12 people. Participants receive a blank postcard-sized canvas, but must bring their own paints and a travel-sized easel. Register at the Friends of Hawai‘i VolcanoesNational Park website, fhvnp.org.

The West Texas rancher and painter will then "unveil her evocative, colorful paintings, inspired by the Park's volcanic landscapes," says an announcement from the Park, at After Dark in the Park on Tuesday, July 16 at 7 p.m. in the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium.

Leese is also a cattle rancher on her family's 100-year-old ranch. She "shares her western landscape in bold, moody oil paintings rich with dramatic strokes of color. Wildfire, a penetrating bovine stare, the night sky and other subjects convey what it is like to be fully present in an area. It’s a source of pride for Leese," says the announcement.

West Texas Starry Night by Alice Leese.

Last year, Leese completed a residency at FortUnionNational Monument in New Mexico, painting the grass prairie, the Santa Fe Trail, and the territorial-style adobe remnants of the largest 19th century military fort in the region. These paintings and her other artwork can be seen at aliceleese.com.

Said Leese, "Presenting the plants and animals accurately in paintings helps the viewer get an idea of what is possible to see on a visit to a region. Many of my paintings have readily apparent animals and plants in the landscape and some have hidden animals that viewers like to discover, sort of like they discover animals in the wild by taking the time to stop, listen and look." For instance, says the announcement, the flames in her painting Frying Pan Fire may appear to be tentacles of a large octopus, or perhaps lava, to some viewers.

The Artist in Residence program is sponsored by the National Parks Arts Foundation. The National Parks Arts Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to the promotion of the National Parks of the U.S. through creating dynamic opportunities for artworks that are based in our natural and historic heritage. All NPAF programs are made possible through the philanthropic support of donors ranging from corporate sponsors, small business, art patrons and citizen supporters of the parks.

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.

2019 Kaʻū High School Athletics Schedule through August

See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates; Bowling TBA.

Football, Division II:

Mon., July 15, first day Conditioning, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Mon., July 22, first day Full Pads, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 24, 1 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kamehameha

Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:
Mon., July 29, 3 to 5 p.m., first day practice
Tue., Aug. 20, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Hilo
Fri., Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts St. Joseph
Wed., Aug. 28, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kohala

Cross Country:
Mon., Aug. 5, 2:30 to 4 p.m., first day practice
Sat., Aug. 31, 10 a.m., @Christian Liberty

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, JUNE 24

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, June 24. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

TUESDAY, JUNE 25
Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Tuesday, June 25, 7:30a.m.-4p.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

HOVE Road Maintenance Board Mtg., Tuesday, June 25, 10a.m., HOVE Road Maintenance office. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Controlled Substances Act. Food Pantry, Tuesday, June 25, 11:30a.m.-1p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Volunteers welcome. Dave Breskin, 319-8333

Performing Arts Activity: Karaoke Sing Along, Tuesday, June 25, 2-3p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6 & up, June 17-21. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, JUNE 27
Food Basket at Pāhala Community Center Multipurpose Room, Thursday, June 27, 11 a.m.-noon.

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, June 27, 4-6p.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

FRIDAY, JUNE 28
Coffee Talk at Kahuku: Planting Pono, Friday, June 28, 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Learn how to identify plants at home that don't need removal and how to integrate natives and non-invasive plants into the landscape. Free. nps.gov/havo

The Sky is Full of Stories with James McCarthy, Friday, June 28, 1:30-2:15p.m., Nā‘ālehu Public Library. McCarthy, a trained actor, storyteller and musician will captivate audience with wide variety of sky stories from myths and science, using tales and songs. Suitable for all ages. Young children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver. Free. 939-2442

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

For more, call 808-969-9220, or see hmono.org, facebook.com/hmono.org, or hui_malama on Instagram.

Paint Your Own Silk Scarf with Patti Pease Johnson, Saturday, June 29, 9a.m.-12:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

MONDAY, JULY 1
Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, July 1, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

Volcano Village 4th of July Parade, Festival, and Craft Fair happens Thursday, July 4 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The parade will feature riders on horseback, organized by Merle Becker of Aikane Plantation. It starts at the Volcano Post Office, travels down Old Volcano Road, and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Road. Free entry to activities, food, and entertainment. Leashed dogs allowed. Provided by Cooper Center Council, Volcano Community Association, and more. To be in the parade, download the entry form at volcanocommunity.org and email to vcainfo@yahoo.com. Vendors, download applications at thecoopercenter.org and email to idoaloha@gmail.com, or call Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Experience Volcano is a group of businesses and residents helping to rebuild the economy of Volcano, following last year's volcanic disaster that shut down Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and drastically reduced the visitor county which is now recovering.

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.

Project Vision Hawaiʻi will roll into the third Mālama Nā Keiki festival at Pāhala Community Center this Saturday,
June 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Services include near and far vision screening for keiki and adults. Photo by Julia Neal

TULSI 2020, THE CAMPAIGN TO ELECT KAʻŪ'S CONGRESSWOMAN TO THE PRESIDENCY, today released a summary of her platform, leading up to her participation in Wednesday's debate among 20 candidates vying to become the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. In her words:

On being a soldier president: "You deserve a President who will put your interests ahead of the rich and powerful. As your President, I will bring this soldier's heart—that spirit of service above self—to the White House, putting people ahead of profits. Putting your interests as the American people above all else."

On caring for the sick: "I'll crack down on Big Pharma and Big Insurance who extort the sick, putting their profits above the health of our people, work with you to pass Medicare For All and make sure every sick American in this country gets the care that they need."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, speaking to democratic constituents in Hilo
before the mid-term elections in 2018. Photo from Nā Leo TV

On educating the next generation: "As your President, I'll make education the priority it deserves by investing in our children and listening to our teachers about how we can empower them to do what they do best."

On reforming our broken criminal justice system: "As your President, I'll end the failed War on Drugs that's ruined so many people's lives, overcrowded prisons, and torn families apart. Reform our criminal justice system, end the Marijuana Prohibition, end cash bail, and ban private prisons."

On surveillance and civil liberties: "Crack down on the overreaching intelligence agencies and Big Tech monopolies who are taking away our civil liberties in the name of national security and corporate greed. I'll protect our constitutional right to privacy and free speech."

On addressing climate change: "I'll tackle climate change by ushering in a green century. Ending taxpayer subsidies to big fossil fuel giants and national agribusiness, ban offshore drilling, protect our environment, and harness innovation to create jobs and renewable energy. Provide better opportunities to our farmers to make a good living. And make sure every American has clean air to breathe and clean water to drink."

On funding above programs and ending regime change wars: "We will not have the resources to invest in our people if we do not deal with one central issue: the cost of war... I'll end our long standing regime change war policy that has cost so many lives, that has cost us trillions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars and have made the American people less safe. I'll work to end this new Cold War, this nuclear arms race and lead us away from this abyss of nuclear war."

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.

HYDROGEN POWERED HELE ON BUSES are likely in the future of public transportation in Kaʻū. A story in Big Island Video News today updates the program to transfer county buses from fossil fuel to hydrogen and electric. There are two electric fueling stations in Kaʻū: one at the county gym in Pāhala, the other at Punaluʻu Bake Shop, making electric an option. While there is no hydrogen fueling station in Kaʻū, a new one in Kona at Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaiʻi Authority could service buses for driving 200 miles without refueling, making a round trip to Kaʻū possible. County officials are currently identifying a location at the Hilo Baseyard for a second hydrogen station.

Hydrogen fuel buses may soon service Kaʻū. Photo from BIVN

Big Island Video News reported on a presentation from the county Department of Research and Development to the Hawaiʻi County Council Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit regarding electric and hydrogen buses.

Riley Saito, the Energy Specialist for the Hawaiʻi County Department of Research and Development, said the longer range and ease of refilling make hydrogen buses ideal for Hawaiʻi Island and the varied topography.

Battery Electric Buses were studied under a pilot project, said Saito. He said it was determined they should be deployed on shorter routes because charge time must be overnight and the life of the battery is greatly affected by topography. He showed how effort and cost for operating a fleet of Battery Electric Buses increases as fleet size grows. In comparison, he showed decreases in costs for a fleet of hydrogen buses. Hawaiʻi County is scheduled to acquire three Battery Electric Buses in early 2021.

Saito said Hawaiʻi Natural Energy Institute has provided a federal grant for one hydrogen bus. He said Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park plans to redirect two hydrogen buses to the County. There is also the potential, he said, to convert Hele-On gas buses to hydrogen.

Mitch Ewan, Hydrogen Systems Program Manager for the Hawaiʻi Natural Energy Institute, said the hydrogen fuel station project began almost ten years ago. He said, "We're maybe weeks away from our hydrogen station actually coming online. Our first bus is over on Oʻahu, just going through its final commissioning. It's a 29 passenger, fuel-cell hybrid bus. Brand new. Looks awesome. So, as soon as my hydrogen station is up and running, we'll bring the bus over here and then we'll do final commissioning with some of our contractors, just making sure all our software and communications equipment is working. So, we're basically ready to go."

Hydrogen fuel station at NELHA. Photo from BIVN

Hydrogen facts and safety considerations on the Hawaiʻi County Research & Development website state that hydrogen gas (H2) is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It is non-toxic but can displace oxygen, acting as an asphyxiant if confined.

The only product of hydrogen combustion is water so there is no smoke or soot.

Hydrogen leaks present a risk of fire when mixed with air. However, hydrogen is 14 times lighter than air. It rises twice as fast as helium and 6 times faster than natural gas, at a speed of almost 45 mph (65.6 ft./s). Unless it is contained, hydrogen will not linger near a leak or people using hydrogen-fueled equipment.

Hydrogen flames burn at a high temperature, but have a low radiant heat. Hydrogen flames are nearly invisible in daylight, but can be indirectly visible by way of emanating "heat ripples." Hydrogen has a wide range of flammability concentrations between four percent and 74 percent. It ignites more easily than any other common gas and a high-pressure leak can ignite spontaneously. The best way to extinguish a hydrogen fire is by stopping the flow of gas. Hydrogen has the highest combustion energy per unit weight of any combustible fuel. Hydrogen can be combusted or used in a fuel cell to produce energy, but fuel cells are more efficient. 1 kg of hydrogen has the energy content of approximately 39 kWh of electricity.
For more on hydrogen used as energy, visit hydrogen.energy.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.

FUSION ENERGY RESEARCH IN HAWAIʻI will be bolstered by a $200,000 grant to Nalu Scientific from U.S. Department of Energy. The funding assists making "High Energy Density and Inertial Fusion research more accessible for DOE and individual research projects for development of more affordable energy. The development of clean and plentiful fusion energy depends on monitoring condition of plasma, a very dense state of matter," explains Nalu Scientific founder and CEO Isar Mostafanezhad, who is also the principal investigator on the project based at the MānoaInnovationCenter. The grant will be used to invent an Ultrafast Pixel Array Camera. See naluscientific.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.

Electronic smoking device examples. Image from Centers for Disease Control

EDUCATORS WILL NOT LIKELY BE REQUIRED TO CONFISCATE ELECTRONIC SMOKING PRODUCTS from public school students if Gov. David Ige vetos SB1405 as planned. Ige said the bill has unknown costs and methods of enforcement. The bill fails to define an "electronic cigarette." The bill would also create a safe harbor disposal program and raise violator fines from $10 to $100. In Hawaiʻi, electronic smoking products are illegal for those under age 21.

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

A BILL TO CREATE MORE LEARNING TIME FOR STUDENTS AND MORE PREP TIME FOR TEACHERS is on Gov. David Ige's chopping block. HB1276 would set up an education best practices working group. The governor said he opposes the bill's "one-size-fits-all" approach to schools. He said more teacher planning and more student learning time are best left to specific schools to address, considering the distinct needs of a particular school and the unique needs of the student. He also said the Board of Education should take up these matters, not legislators.

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..

DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER AS SUICIDE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS MONTH will become law, but Gov. David Ige will not sign measure HB655. He said he will designate September of 2019 as Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month by executive order, then work with the legislature to make fixes in the legislation next session.

SEE MORE ON THE 20 BILLS GOV. DAVID IGE PLANS TO VETO AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE HAWAIʻI LEGISLATURE OVERRIDING HIS VETOS on tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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

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.

2019 Kaʻū High School Athletics Schedule through August
See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates; Bowling TBA.

Football, Division II:
Mon., July 15, first day Conditioning, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Mon., July 22, first day Full Pads, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 24, 1 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kamehameha

Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:
Mon., July 29, 3 to 5 p.m., first day practice
Tue., Aug. 20, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Hilo
Fri., Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts St. Joseph
Wed., Aug. 28, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kohala

Cross Country:

Mon., Aug. 5, 2:30 to 4 p.m., first day practice
Sat., Aug. 31, 10 a.m., @Christian Liberty

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, JUNE 26

Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wednesday, June 26 – last Wednesday, monthly – 9-11a.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

Lei Tī, Wednesday, June 26, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Hands-on demonstration with rangers and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff making tī-leaf lei. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, June 27, 3-4p.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

THURSDAY, JUNE 27
Food Basket at Pāhala Community Center Multipurpose Room, Thursday, June 27, 11 a.m.-noon.

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, June 27, 4-6p.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

For more, call 808-969-9220, or see hmono.org, facebook.com/hmono.org, or hui_malama on Instagram.

MONDAY, JULY 1
Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, July 1, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, JULY
Flameworking - An Introductory Class w/Nash Adams-Pruitt, Tuesday, July 2, 5-8p.m., Volcano Art Center. $75/VAC member, $80/non-member, plus $40 supply fee. Class size limited. Register early. Advanced registration required. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, July 2, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

After Dark in the Park -Kīlauea 2018 Volcanic Pollution: from Source to Exposed Communities, Tuesday, July 2, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Volcanologist Dr. Evgenia Ilyinskaya presents new information about what volcanic pollution really contains and its potential implications for environmental impacts. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

Volcano Village 4th of July Parade, Festival, and Craft Fair happens Thursday, July 4 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The parade starts at the Volcano Post Office, travels down Old Volcano Road, and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Road. Free entry to activities, food, and entertainment. Leashed dogs allowed. Provided by Cooper Center Council, Volcano Community Association, and more. To be in the parade, download the entry form at volcanocommunity.org and email to vcainfo@yahoo.com. Vendors, download applications at thecoopercenter.org and email to idoaloha@gmail.com, or call Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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The first ten of 20 Democratic presidential candidates debated tonight. Photo from MSNBC.com

NUCLEAR WAR is the top geopolitical threat to the U.S., named by candidate for U.S. President and Kaʻū's member of the U.S. House of Representatives Tulsi Gabbard. She took the stage tonight in Miami for the first debate between candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for the presidency. During the nationally televised debate, candidates expressed diverse answers to the

question, "What is the greatest geopolitical threat to the United States right now?"
Gabbard said, "The greatest threat that we face is the fact we are at a greater risk of nuclear war today than every before in history."
John Delaney said, "The biggest geopolitical challenge is China but the biggest geopolitical threat remains nuclear weapons."
Jay Inselee said, the "biggest threat to the security of the United States is Donald Trump. There is no question about it."

Amy Klobuchar said, "Two threats - economic threat, China. Our greatest major threat right now is what's going on in the middle east with Iran if we don't get our act together."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. presidential hopeful.
Photo from MSNBC.com

Beto O'Rourke said, "Our existential threat is climate change. We have to confront it before it's too late."
Elizabeth Warren said, "Climate change."
Cory Booker said, "Nuclear proliferation and climate change."
Julián Castro said, "China and climate change."
Tim Ryan said, "China, without a question. They're wiping us around the world economically."
Bill De Blasio said, "Russia because they're trying to undermine our democracy and they've been doing a pretty damn good job of it - and we need to stop them."

After the debate, news sources announced that Gabbard's name drew the most google searches of any of the ten candidates on the stage tonight.

The conservative Drudge Report announced an instant poll showing Gabbard as the winner of the debate, with 42.84 percent of the ~82,700 people polled by 9 p.m. today. Drudge stated that Gabbard led in the poll, with Elizabeth Warren second with 11.77 percent, John Delany with 9.73 percent, Bill De Blasio with 7.15 percent, Tim Ryan with 6.37 percent, Amy Klobuchar with 5.27 percent, Jay Inslee with 5.18 percent, Julián Castro with 4.17 percent, Beto O'Rourke with 3.92 percent, and Cory Booker with 3.6 percent.

The conservative Washington Examiner poll showed a similar distribution as the Drudge Report, around 9 p.m. with an undisclosed number of voters, showing Gabbard out in front with 39.93 percent, Warren with 20.74 percent, Castro with 10.15 percent, and the rest under eight percent each.

During the 45 seconds provided to each candidate for their personal statements, Gabbard said, "Our nation was founded on the principals of service above self. People who fled kings who literally prospered on the backs and sacrifices of people. Coming here to this country, instead, putting in place a government that is of, by, and for the people. But that's not what we have. Instead we have a government that is of, by, and for the rich and powerful.

Gabbard stood out in red during the debate. Photo from MSNBC.com

"This must end. As President, our White House - Our White House will be a beacon of light, providing hope and opportunity, ushering in a new century where every single person will be able to get the health care they need, where we will have clean air to breath and clean water to drink, where we will have good paying jobs in a new green economy. Join me in ushering in this new century with peace, prosperity, opportunity, and justice for all."
After the debate, pundits said Gabbard stood out among the candidates for her major concern about war and peace. Concerning her meeting with Syrian Dictator Bashar Assad in 2017, she was compared to Barack Obama, who said it was important to talk to evil doers of the world. MSNBC's Chris Matthews told Gabbard that during the debate she "was the only one going after the neocons (authoritarian conservatives)."
Gabbard said her viewpoint on war is personal, having served in the Army National Guard in medical units in Iraq, where she saw the cost of war. She said she also experienced the cost of war while serving in Congress on committees dealing with foreign affairs, defense, and veterans.
During the debate and post debate interviews, she vowed that if elected, she would prevent risking military lives by refraining from going to war on false pretenses. When asked whether she would like the Democratic Party platform to adopt a policy opposing regime change wars, she agreed.

Candidates look on as Gabbard answers a question on how she would handle the 2015 nuclear deal. Photo from MSNBC.com

After the debate, Meghan McCain, a Republican, daughter of the late John McCain, told Fox News that Gabbard was "the most composed and authentic" of the ten candidates.
After the debate, Gabbard's sister Vrindavan tweeted that Tulsi was unfairly given too little time to speak during the debate. Vrindavan contended the network favored Elizabeth Warren: "They aren't giving any time to Tulsi at all."
The Washington Examiner reported that Gabbard drew attention for her silver-streaked hair and denunciation of Trump's "chicken hawk cabinet."
Gabbard plans to visit Homestead Center for Migrant Children in Florida tomorrow. The center is the largest immigrant children's detention center in the country, and is privately run.

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Hawaiʻi House Speaker Scott Saiki.

Photo from capitol.hawaii.gov

HAWAIʻI SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE SCOTT SAIKI said he will consider convening a special session of the Hawaiʻi Legislature to override bills vetoed by Gov. David Ige. Saiki said the House Democratic Caucus will meet tomorrow, Thursday, June 26 to discuss Ige's Intent to Veto list, and to consult with Senate leadership to possibly convene "an override session if any bills are actually vetoed." He pointed out that vetoed measures can be reintroduced in the 2020 legislative session. "We will use this interim to address the Governor's objections to vetoed bills."

The Legislature may convene before noon on Tuesday, July 9 for the sole purpose of acting upon any bill vetoed by the Governor. On July 9, any measure passed during the 2019 legislative session that neither signed nor vetoed by the governor will become law with or without his signature.
Here are some of the bills Ige said he plans to veto. See more in Monday's, Tuesday's, and tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs:

SELLING GPS INFORMATION without consent may continue to be legal if Gov. David Ige vetos HB702. This measure would prohibit offering for sale or selling location data recorded or collected by a satellite navigation technology-equipped device without the explicit consent of the primary user of the device. Ige said the bill attempts to regulate a "complex national industry without sufficient and appropriate wording to ensure consistent compliance and enforcement." He also has concerns about unintended consequences if this measure becomes law.

Kaʻū surfers at Kāwā. The governor is planning to veto a bill

that would promote surfing. Photo by Julia Neal

SURFING MAY NOT GET THE BOOST EXPECTED if Gov. David Ige vetos SB1459. The bill would establish a temporary State Commission on Surfing within the Department of Accounting and General Services to promote surfing internationally and within the state. Ige said the purpose of this temporary commission is "outside of DAG's mission of delivering quality support services in the areas of physical, financial, and technical infrastructure support" for state departments and agencies. No funds were appropriated for this legislation.

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST TAXES would go uncollected in Hawaiʻi if Gov. David Ige vetoes SB301 and the veto stands. The measure involves Real Estate Investment Trusts, which take investment money from outside of Hawaiʻi, but allow taxes on income to be paid in the home state of the investor rather than Hawaiʻi. Dividends paid to shareholders can be deducted from the REITs' taxable income, legally avoiding federal taxes. Hawaiʻi has over $18 billion in REITs. The bill includes a four-year sunset.

A "Duck," amphibious transport used in World War II. A bill
Gov. Ige plans to veto would bar civilians from registering
military vehicles like this for road use. Photo from Wikipedia

Ige's rationale to veto is the possibility of discouraging the business community from investing in Hawai‘i, potentially stifling economic development and scaring away investment capital. REITs provide stable economic growth, he said, and long-term benefits like job creation. If the state corporate income tax is imposed on a REIT, said Ige, there may be negative impacts to the state's economic health and business climate, such as the reduction of general excise, property, and state income taxes.

CIVILIANS MAY BE UNABLE TO PURCHASE CLASSIC MILITARY VEHICLES and drive them on the islands, if Gov. David Ige vetoes bill HB323. It would allow civilians to register certain former military vehicles – such as pre-1995 Humvees, Pinzgauers, Kaiser Jeep M715s, and DUKWs ("Ducks") – and allow them to be operated on public roadways. Ige plans to veto the bill. He said the original intent was for collector enthusiasts who invest in acquiring, restoring, and maintaining pre-1968 vehicles by allowing them to be showcased. Classifying these military vehicles as "special interest vehicles," he said, would result in violation of Federal Motor Safety Standards and allow vehicles that do not pass emission testing standards on Hawaiʻi roadways.

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The annual Hilo Orchid Society Show and Sale features thousands of orchids to view and for sale. Photo from hiloorchidsociety.org

KAʻŪ GROWERS ARE HEADED TO HILO ORCHID SOCIETY SHOW AND SALE this Friday through Sunday, June 28 through 30, at Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo. The annual event is the largest and most comprehensive orchid show and sale in the state of Hawaiʻi.

Phonecia Zeller of Pele's Island Plants in Ocean View is a ribbon judge for the show this year. Kona Orchid Society will be displaying some of her plants.
Thousands of orchids will be on display, including exotic species and hybrids not typically found at major retail and grocery store chains. Orchids suited for beginning growers to experts, and orchid-related items, will be for sale.

Winning dendrobiums at last year's Hilo Orchid Society Show and Sale. Photo from hiloorchidsociety.org

A silent auction will raise funds for scholarships for students at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and support orchid conservation and orchid education. Last year's auction items included rare orchids, Hawaiʻi Island attractions, jewelry, original artwork, original photography, restaurant gift certificates, and more. There will be new Silent Auction items every day.

The event also features lectures and demonstrations; tasty, reasonably-priced food from local sources, and Hawaiian musical entertainment at lunch time and in the late afternoon.

Over 4,000 people attended the 2018 Hilo Orchid Show and Sale, making it one of the largest events in Hilo.

Tickets are $5 for adults, $8 for all three days; 18 and under are free. Tickets are available from any member of the Hilo Orchid Society for $3 if purchased prior to the show. $3 discount tickets are also available at some Hiloretail locations. Show hours are June 28, Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.on Sunday. Learn more at hiloorchidsociety.org/hilo-orchid-show.html.

Tropical Storm Alvin, the first named storm of the 2019
Pacific Hurricane season, creeps slowly west.
NOAA/NWS satellite image

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THE FIRST NAMED STORM OF THE 2019 PACIFIC HURRICANE SEASON is slowly making its way toward Hawaiʻi. As of 7 p.m., Tropical Storm Alvin is about 2,930 miles east southeast of Kaʻū, traveling at 13 miles per hour, with 50 mile per hour winds. It's just south of Baja, California. Hawaiʻi is not expected to experience any effects from the storm within the next five days.

Monitor Alvin and upcoming Pacific weather at nhc.noaa.gov. The Central Pacific tab shows Hawaiʻi.

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.

2019 Kaʻū High School Athletics Schedule through August
See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates; Bowling TBA.

Football, Division II:Mon., July 15, first day Conditioning, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Mon., July 22, first day Full Pads, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 24, 1 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kamehameha

Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:Mon., July 29, 3 to 5 p.m., first day practice
Tue., Aug. 20, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Hilo
Fri., Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts St. Joseph
Wed., Aug. 28, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kohala

Cross Country:

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

Food Basket at Pāhala Community Center Multipurpose Room, Thursday, June 27, 11 a.m.-noon.

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, June 27, 4-6p.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

FRIDAY, JUNE 28
Coffee Talk at Kahuku: Planting Pono, Friday, June 28, 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Learn how to identify plants at home that don't need removal and how to integrate natives and non-invasive plants into the landscape. Free. nps.gov/havo

The Sky is Full of Stories with James McCarthy, Friday, June 28, 1:30-2:15p.m., Nā‘ālehu Public Library. McCarthy, a trained actor, storyteller and musician will captivate audience with wide variety of sky stories from myths and science, using tales and songs. Suitable for all ages. Young children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver. Free. 939-2442

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

For more, call 808-969-9220, or see hmono.org, facebook.com/hmono.org, or hui_malama on Instagram.

Paint Your Own Silk Scarf with Patti Pease Johnson, Saturday, June 29, 9a.m.-12:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou's Annual Nāʻālehu 4th of July Parade and Summer Fun Fest happens Saturday, June 29. The Nā‘ālehu Independence Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nā‘ālehu Hongwanji Mission. The parade features floats, Paʻu riders, Kaʻū Coffee Court members, and more.
The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required. okaukakou.org

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series #2, Saturday, June 29, 1-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn tea propagation techniques with Eva Lee. Pre-event for A Taste of Tea Pottery Fundraiser - August 25. Workshops designed to be attended as a series - #3 set for July 27. No experience necessary. $60/VAC member, $75/non-member for series. Individual workshop $25 each. Requires minimum of 6 participants to be held. Registration limited. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

WEDNESDAY, JULY
Early Head Start, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Voices w/Kumu Hula Stacey Kapuaikapolipele Ka‘au‘a, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30-7p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. presidential hopeful.
Photo from MSNBC.com

Presidential candidates Tim Ryan and Tulsi Gabbard debated over bringing troops home from war.
Image from MSNBC

TULSI GABBARD, KAʻŪ'S REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, WAS THE NAME MOST OFTEN SEARCHED ONLINE on Wednesday, among candidates in the first Democratic presidential debate for the 2020 election, according to her staff. A graphic emailed by her presidential campaign crew said she shot up to first place during the debate, followed by Cory Booker, Beto O'Rourke, Elizabeth Warren, and Bill De Blasio. Here is more on Gabbard's positions expressed during the nationally televised debate held in Miami on Wednesday:

On healthcare, Gabbard said, "What we're talking about is our objective, making sure that every single sick American in this country is able to get the health care that they need.

"I believe Medicare for all is the way to do that. I also think that employers will recognize how much money will be saved by supporting a Medicare for all program, a program that will reduce the administrative costs, reduce the bureaucratic costs, and make sure that everyone gets that quality health care that they need.

"I also think that... if you look at other countries in the world who have universal health care, every one of them has some form of a role of private insurance, so I think that's what we've got to look at, taking the best of these ideas, but making sure unequivocally that no sick American goes without getting the care that they need, regardless of how much or little money they have in their pocket."

Graph of popularity for searches of Democrat presidential candidates that debated on Wednesday. Graph from Tulsi2020

On conflict with Iran, Gabbard said: "Let's deal with the situation where we are, where this president and his chickenhawk cabinet have led us to the brink of war with Iran.

"I served in the war in Iraq at the height of the war in 2005, a war that took over 4,000 of my brothers and sisters in uniforms' lives. The American people need to understand that this war with Iran would be far more devastating, far more costly than anything that we ever saw in Iraq. It would take many more lives. It would exacerbate the refugee crisis.

"And it wouldn't be just contained within Iran. This would turn into a regional war. This is why it's so important that every one of us, every single American, stand up and say no war with Iran. We need to get back into the Iran nuclear agreement, and we need to negotiate how we can improve it.

Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard, an officer in the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard, served in the Middle East.
During Wednesday's presidential debate, she urged bringing troops home. Image from Gabbard

"It was an imperfect deal. There are issues, like their missile development, that needs to be addressed. We can do both simultaneously to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and preventing us from going to war."

When asked, "What would your red line be that would -- for military action against Iran?" Gabbard said, "Look, obviously, if there was an attack against the American -- our troops, then there would have to be a response. But my point is -- and it's important for us to recognize this -- is Donald Trump and his cabinet, Mike Pompeo, John Bolton, and others -- are creating a situation that just a spark would light off a war with Iran, which is incredibly dangerous. That's why we need to de-escalate tensions. Trump needs to get back into the Iran nuclear deal and swallow his pride, put the American people first."
Gabbard debated with Congressman Tim Ryan over Middle East war. She objected to his concern about the $130 million drone shot down recently without mentioning two American soldiers killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan this week. Ryan said, "We have to stay engaged, or the Taliban will grow."

Gabbard responded, "Is that what you will tell the parents of the those two soldiers who were just killed in Afghanistan -- 'Well, we just have to be engaged?' As a soldier I will tell you that answer is unacceptable. We have to bring our soldiers home from Afghanistan... We are in a place in Afghanistan where we have lost so many lives. .... We are no better off in Afghanistan today than we were when this war began."
See more in Friday's Kaʻū News Briefs. See all of her comments during the debate.

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WORRY OVER REDEFINING WHO HAS ACCESS TO POLICE REPORTS for crime victims is Gov. David Ige's rational for stating he will veto SB92. The bill would allow "surviving immediate family members of murder or manslaughter victims" to receive a copy of the closing police report at the conclusion of all related criminal and civil proceedings.
Ige said restricting this right to immediate family members of only murder or manslaughter victims may lead to a "narrow interpretation of the law, leaving family members of victims of other crimes without access to closing police reports." Under current law, members of the general public can obtain copies of any police report after the conclusion of criminal and civil proceedings, provided certain conditions are met in accordance with the Uniform Information Practices Act.

Hurricane Alvin, still south of Baja
California. Image from NOAA

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HURRICANE ALVIN, a tropical storm just 24 hours ago, is picking up speed and intensity as he creeps toward the Central Pacific. At 5 p.m., Alvin was about 2,600 miles from Kaʻū, traveling at 16 miles per hour, with 75 mph winds.

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WHY AND HOW RIFT ZONES ERUPT is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch, written by Lil DeSmither, a geologist with U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Research Corporation of the University of Hawaiʻi. Her article is entitled Getting in the (rift) zone: why and how they erupt.

Kīlauea Volcano, on the Island of Hawai‘i, has two rift zones. The East Rift Zone is longer, with 50 km (about 31 miles) on land plus another 80 km (about 43 miles) below sea level. The Southwest Rift Zone, which is historically less active, is 40 km (about 20 miles) long, with only a small portion underwater. The rift zones extend from Kīlauea Caldera and, like the summit region, are prone to volcanic activity. But why are the rift zones so active?

Lava fountains erupting from fissure 22 (center) with heavy degassing (upper right) during Kīlauea's lower East Rift
Zone eruption in 2018. A narrow channelized lava flow from the fissure drains into a large, pre-existing ground
crack. Weak spattering from the fissure 20 vent is visible just beyond to two sources of fissure 22 fountaining.
Kapoho Cone, formed during an older rift zone eruption, is visible on the horizon, downrift of the active
fissures (upper left). USGS photo taken on May 20, 2018 by L. DeSmither

The youngest Hawaiian volcanoes typically have two or three rift zones, depending on whether they are built up against a neighboring volcano. In the case of Kīlauea, there are only two rift zones because the volcano is buttressed against the southeastern slope of Mauna Loa. Kīlauea's two rift zones are nearly parallel to Mauna Loa's rift zones, reflecting this buttressing, and the rift zones separate the relatively stable northern flank from the more mobile southern flank of the volcano. When magma intrudes into the rift, the northern flank remains stable against Mauna Loa Volcano to the north, and Kīlauea's southern flank is forced southward to accommodate the additional magma.
As pressure builds within the summit magma plumbing system, rift zone intrusions, like the 2018 intrusion into the lower East Rift Zone, can occur. Intrusions are typically accompanied by increasing numbers of earthquakes as the magma strains and fractures the ground along its path. The earthquakes are concentrated at depths of 2–4 km (about 1.2–2.5 miles) below the ground surface, and periods of increased seismicity can last several hours to days as the intrusion progresses. In addition to seismicity, ground deformation also occurs during a rift zone intrusion. Inflation above the intrusion is measured by tilt and GPS stations, showing upward and outward motion as the stations move away from the swelling rift zone.

Lower East Rift Zone fissures during the early days
of the 2018 eruption. USGS photo

     As the magma ascends and forces its way through the rock, fracturing is mirrored on the ground surface, with many parallel cracks above the intrusion. These cracks continue to widen as the rift is forced open, and the surface block above the intrusion subsides, forming a graben. If the intrusion reaches the surface, one or more fissures will open and erupt lava. Long curtains of lava fountains or spatter form as the lava erupts through cracks in the ground. As a fissure evolves, it typically transitions from erupting along a line to focusing at a single—or few—principal vent(s). This in turn can cause increased pressurization within the erupting system resulting in higher lava fountains.
Kīlauea's rift zones—are likely to build when eruptive activity persists. The vent itself may also be enlarged by thermal erosion (slow melting of the vent walls by erupting lava) during prolonged activity at a vent.
     When an eruption ends, the intrusion's un-erupted magma drains back into the rift zone where it can remain molten for decades. In fact, lava with a chemical composition similar to the 1955 eruption was produced during the first week of the 2018 LERZ eruption, suggesting that the early fissures were supplied by stored magma. This illustrates that rift zones are not only essential for the transportation of magma within the volcano, but are also storing magma that could feed future eruptions.
    Volcano Activity Updates
     Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. For definitions of USGS Volcano Alert Levels, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html.
     Rates of deformation, gas release, and seismicity on Kīlauea have not changed significantly over the past week. Monitoring data have shown no significant changes in volcanic activity over the past week. Rates of seismicity across the volcano remain low. Real-time sulfur dioxide emission rates are low at the summit and are below detection limits at Puʻu ʻŌʻō and the lower east rift when last measured on June 19 and June 13 respectively.
     Since early March, GPS stations and tiltmeters at the Kīlauea summit have recorded deformation consistent with slow magma accumulation within the shallow portion of the Kīlauea summit magma system (1-2 km or approximately 1 mile below ground level). However, gas measurements have yet to indicate significant shallowing of magma. HVO continues to carefully monitor all data streams at the Kīlauea summit for important changes.

Lava fountains in Leilani Estates in 2018. USGS photo

Further east, GPS stations and tiltmeters continue to show motions consistent with slowed refilling of the deep East Rift Zone magmatic reservoir in the broad region between Puʻu ʻŌʻō and Highway 130 over recent weeks. While the significance of this pattern is unclear, monitoring data do not suggest any imminent change in volcanic hazard for this area. HVO continues to carefully monitor all data streams along the Kīlaueaeast rift zone for important changes.

No earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week.
Lava fountains are driven by the rapid formation of gas bubbles as magma rises to shallow depths, which then burst to create the pressurized lava at the surface. The bubbles form because pressure at shallow depths is low enough for the gas dissolved within the magma to escape, like bubbles forming when you open a carbonated drink. Besides lava flows, fissure fountains can produce spatter build-up adjacent to the vent in linear (spatter ramparts) or conical (spatter cone) formations. Spatter and tephra cones—a common feature along
Rift zones are areas of weakness in the volcano which form early in its lifetime, likely due to spreading of the volcano as it settles. This linear area that is being rifted, or pulled apart, remains active through most of the volcano's building stages. Volcanic rift zones provide the easiest pathways for magma to travel underground from the summit storage region, with successive eruptions from the rift zones building up the volcano's flanks.
Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call 808-967-8862 for weekly Kīlauea updates. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
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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.

Cross Country:

UPCOMING

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

Coffee Talk at Kahuku: Planting Pono, Friday, June 28, 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Learn how to identify plants at home that don't need removal and how to integrate natives and non-invasive plants into the landscape. Free. nps.gov/havo

For more, call 808-969-9220, or see hmono.org, facebook.com/hmono.org, or hui_malama on Instagram.

Paint Your Own Silk Scarf with Patti Pease Johnson, Saturday, June 29, 9a.m.-12:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou's Annual Nāʻālehu 4th of July Parade and Summer Fun Fest happens Saturday, June 29. The Nā‘ālehu Independence Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nā‘ālehu Hongwanji Mission. The parade features floats, Paʻu riders, Kaʻū Coffee Court members, and more.
The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required. okaukakou.org

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series #2, Saturday, June 29, 1-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn tea propagation techniques with Eva Lee. Pre-event for A Taste of Tea Pottery Fundraiser - August 25. Workshops designed to be attended as a series - #3 set for July 27. No experience necessary. $60/VAC member, $75/non-member for series. Individual workshop $25 each. Requires minimum of 6 participants to be held. Registration limited. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

MONDAY, JULY 1
Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, July 1, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, JULY 2
Flameworking - An Introductory Class w/Nash Adams-Pruitt, Tuesday, July 2, 5-8p.m., Volcano Art Center. $75/VAC member, $80/non-member, plus $40 supply fee. Class size limited. Register early. Advanced registration required. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, July 2, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

After Dark in the Park -Kīlauea 2018 Volcanic Pollution: from Source to Exposed Communities, Tuesday, July 2, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Volcanologist Dr. Evgenia Ilyinskaya presents new information about what volcanic pollution really contains and its potential implications for environmental impacts. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3
Early Head Start, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Voices w/Kumu Hula Stacey Kapuaikapolipele Ka‘au‘a, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30-7p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

THURSDAY, JULY 4
July 4th Breakfast Buffet, Thursday, July 4, 6:30-11a.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Includes: Waffles with Toppings, Omelet Station, Meats, Breakfast Potatoes, Steamed Rice, Fresh Fruit, Assorted Baked Breads, and a beverage. $12.50/Adult, $6.50/Child, ages 6-11. No reservations required. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Volcano Village 4th of July Parade and Craft Fair, Thursday, July 4. Parade starts 9a.m., craft fair at Cooper Center open until 1:30p.m.. Parade starts at Volcano Post Office, down Old Volcano Road, turns up Wright Road, and ends at Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Activities, food, entertainment. Sponsored by Volcano Community Association and Cooper Center Council. Leashed dogs allowed. Parade entry form at volcanocommunity.org. Vendor application at thecoopercenter.org, email to idoaloha@gmail.com. Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8a.m.-5p.m.

Keiki Jiggle Bums, Thursday, July 4 and 18 – 1st and 3rd Thursday, monthly – 9-10:30a.m., Ocean View Community Center. Discover the joy of early learning through song and musical instruments. For keiki 0-4 years. Nicola, 238-8544

Women's Expression Group, Thursday, July 4 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash happens Saturday, July 27 in Volcano Village, It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register at ohialehuahalf.com.

Exhibit -The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily through Aug 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.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.

Merle Becker of Aikane Plantation in Kaʻū is organizing riders for both the Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade
tomorrow, Saturday, June 29 at 11 a.m. and the Fourth of July Parade in Volcano. Photo by Ron Johnson

SUPREME COURT DECISIONS on Thursday exemplify "how elections have consequences for years and even generations to come," said Sen. Mazie Hirono in a statement today.

"While the Court paused the Trump Administration's racist citizenship question on the 2020 Census, which is clearly part of his anti-immigrant agenda, the conservative majority on the bench made another decision that will undoubtedly have far-reaching negative impacts on voters and elections: they refused to ban hyper-partisan gerrymandering.

"What does that mean exactly? It means that Republicans in control of local, state, and federal government can continue to draw unfair, ridiculous districts, picking and choosing who their own voters will be to better ensure their victory in future elections. It's undemocratic, and the five justices who allowed this to continue have lifetime appointments on the Court!

"But I can't say I didn't see this coming. This is all part of Mitch McConnell's, Donald Trump's, and the GOP's plans to shape the future of our country, even when they're long out of office. They're doing it right now as they continue to rush right-wing ideologues through the judicial confirmation process here in the Senate, and I'm fed up.

The largest child migrant detention camp in the U.S. is in Homestead, FL.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and otherpresidential candidates attempted to
go inside this week but were turned away.
Image from Department of Health & Human Services

"The only reason we have as many conservatives on the Supreme Court and in our federal courts across the country as we do is because of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell. Elections matter, and that's why we must take back the Senate and vote Trump out of office in 2020," said Hirono.

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 PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE ON WEDNESDAY SAW TULSI GABBARD reviewing the history of her views on the LGBTQ community. During the event in Miami, where she debated ten of the 20 contenders for U.S. President, Kaʻū's member of the U.S. House of Representatives said, "Let me say that there is no one in our government, at any level, who has the right to tell any American who they should be allowed to love or they should be allowed to marry. My record in Congress for over six years shows my commitment to fighting for LGBTQ equality. I serve on the equality Caucus and recently voted for passage of the equality act.
"Maybe many people in this country can relate to the fact that I grew up in a socially conservative home, held views when I was very young that I no longer hold today. I've served with LGBTQ service members both in training and deployed downrange. I know that they would give their life for me and I would give my life for them. It is this commitment that I'll carry through as president of the United States, recognizing that there are still people who are facing discrimination in the workplace, still people who were unable to find a home for their families. It is this kind of discrimination that we need to address."

Lei from dryland forest foliage at Kāwā.
Photo by Kaweni Masaniai-Ibarra

AFTER THE DEMOCRATIC DEBATE, presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard visited the Homestead, FL detention center, which holds some 2,300 migrant children. Like other candidates who made the trip to Homestead this week, she was denied entry and told she needs to apply two weeks ahead of any visit.

Gabbard, who traveled to the center yesterday afternoon, told The Hill, "It's a heart-wrenching situation and it is absolutely despicable." She took issue with the operation of the center by a corporation, Caliburn International. "Their business model - literally built around keeping those beds full rather than having the objective that we should all have in this country, which is reuniting these children with their families, immediately."

After Gabbard and other presidential candidates made the trip to Homestead, the Miami Herald published the following headline: "Recess time, education, and legal services will be restored at Homestead detention center, agency says."

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.

Kupu affiliates prepare native plants for planting at Kāwā this week.
Photo by Kaweni Masaniai-Ibarra

KUPU'S HAWAIʻI YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS WORKED AT KĀWĀ this week with Kaʻū's own Nā Mamo o Kāwā stewardship hui. As part of its summer program, Kupu sent five affiliates to stay in Pāhala and help with Kāwā conservation projects.
With three members enrolled in college, one college graduate, and one high school graduate, the group traveled to Kaʻū to learn about collaborative conservation. Under the guidance of Nā Mamo o Kāwā, Kupu aided in the stewardship efforts of Kāwā and continued their mission to revitalize connections to the ʻāina. Both Kupu and Nā Mamo o Kāwā members, including spiritual leader Duane Pua, offered daily cultural protocol to begin work along the beach trail and coastal lands.

The group focused on Nā Mamo o Kāwā's efforts to care for the land, with such activities as clearing invasive plant species, propagating native plants, and maintaining integrity of coastal areas. In accordance with Kupu's mission to encourage pono through environmental stewardship and service-learning opportunities, Nā Mamo o Kāwā led the group through its plans while teaching the cultural importance of the area. Among native species planted, and cared for are ʻulu, ʻūlei, and alaheʻe.
James Akau, executive director of Nā Mamo o Kāwā, said the progress has been increasingly impactful as more groups have come in to contribute to the effort. Nā Mamo o Kāwā aims to clear invasive plants to increase the presence of native plant species, such as ʻaʻaliʻi and milo, while incorporating useful plants that can benefit the community. This ties in to their effort to restore a native dryland forest to the area. The fruits of the organization's labor have become apparent through an increase native plants along the coast. At the end of the week, Kupu gathered ʻaʻaliʻi from Kāwā and local plumeria to craft lei.

Kupu's mission to encourage pono was in action at Kāwā this week.
Photo by Kaweni Masaniai-Ibarra

Pāhala Plantation Cottages hosted the Kupu affiliates during their stay in Kaʻū.

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CHANGING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A MEDICAL RELEASE FROM PRISON for terminally ill inmates may not happen if Gov. David Ige vetoes HB629. This bill would allow inmates or inmates' relatives to apply for early release due to "terminal or debilitating diseases or illnesses" for low-risk incarcerated persons. Ige said a Medical Release Program has been in place since December 2014, and this bill does not provide more funding for the additional tasks assigned.

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 BILL TO IMPLEMENT A TWENTY-FOUR/SEVEN BAIL AND RELEASE SCHEDULE may be vetoed by Gov. David Ige. SB1423 would allow defendants to pay bail seven-days-a-week, any time, day or night, upon posting or payment of bail. Ige said this bill is redundant within HB1552, also on Ige's desk to sign, and does not include funding or staff.

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..

OTHER BILLS THE GOVERNOR IS CONSIDERING VETOING are: HB407, which would require the Board of Education to obtain approval before terminating a Dept. of Education complex area superintendent; HB1032, which would establish a state boating facility lease pilot program within the Department of Land and Natural Resources, specific to Manele Small Boat Harbor; HB1133, which would limit commercial use permits for Molokini Shoal marine life conservation district; SB551, which would allow condominium associations to conduct non-judicial foreclosures; SB1530, which would change financing for Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority staff from Hawaiʻi Community Development revolving fund to the general fund, specific to Kakaʻako Community Development District transfer to the City and County of Honolulu.

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.

FLIGHT PLANS FOR HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK for July include a U.S. Geological Survey contractor that will deploy LIDAR (Light, Detection, and Ranging) technology over Kīlauea summit and the Southwest Rift Zone. Data gathered will be used to document and map ground changes resulting from last year's major summit collapse events. Flights will be slow and repetitive "lawnmower" grids at about 1,300 feet above ground level (agl) to as low as 500 feet agl.

Overflight areas for LIDAR mapping of Kīlauea summit and the Southwest
Rift Zone in July. USGS Map

Monday, July 1, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.: Transport fence construction materials along Chain of Craters Road near ‘Āinahou.

Tuesday, July 2, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Backcountry trail support from Keauhou Shelter to Hōlei Flats. 8 a.m.to noon: Survey and control invasive guinea grass along Keauhou Trail from sea level to 3,000-ft. elevation.

Wednesday, July 3, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Transport feral ungulate fence construction material near the top of Mauna Loa Road.

Monday, July 8, 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and Tuesday, July 9, 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.: Petrel monitoring from Kīlaueasummit to Mauna Loa at about 9,000-ft. elevation.

Thursday, July 11, 8 a.m. to noon: Survey and control invasive fountain grass from coastal areas to southwest boundary below 3,000-ft. elevation.

Monday through Thursday, July 15-18, 9 a.m. to noon: Feral ungulate fence construction projects in the Southwest Rift Zone.

Tuesday, July 23, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Pepeiao Cabin maintenance from Hilina Pali Roadto Pepeiao Cabin.

Tuesday, July 30, 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.: Ungulate survey and control work within the Kahuku Unit paddock area. 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Pepeiao Cabin maintenance from Hilina Pali Road to Pepeiao Cabin.

Wednesday, July 31, 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.: Survey invasive vegetation along Mauna Loa Road from 4,000- to 6,000-ft. elevation.

The park regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather. Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities.

Still south of Baja, California, former Hurricane Alvin is expected to peter
out over the weekend. NOAA image

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STORM ALVIN, the Pacific's first hurricane of the season just yesterday, is still about 2,400 miles from Kaʻū, and is expected to slip into a Tropical Depression, then fade away over the weekend. Another disturbance near where Alvin formed is looking to shape up into a larger storm, but no forecast yet on how powerful it will be come or if it will also head in Hawaiʻi's general direction.

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.

Cross Country:

Mon., Aug. 5, 2:30 to 4 p.m., first day practice
Sat., Aug. 31, 10 a.m., @Christian Libert

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, JUNE 29

For more, call 808-969-9220, or see hmono.org, facebook.com/hmono.org, or hui_malama on Instagram.

The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required. okaukakou.org

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series #2, Saturday, June 29, 1-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn tea propagation techniques with Eva Lee. Pre-event for A Taste of Tea Pottery Fundraiser - August 25. Workshops designed to be attended as a series - #3 set for July 27. No experience necessary. $60/VAC member, $75/non-member for series. Individual workshop $25 each. Requires minimum of 6 participants to be held. Registration limited. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

MONDAY, JULY 1
Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, July 1, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, JULY 2
Flameworking - An Introductory Class w/Nash Adams-Pruitt, Tuesday, July 2, 5-8p.m., Volcano Art Center. $75/VAC member, $80/non-member, plus $40 supply fee. Class size limited. Register early. Advanced registration required. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, July 2, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

After Dark in the Park -Kīlauea 2018 Volcanic Pollution: from Source to Exposed Communities, Tuesday, July 2, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Volcanologist Dr. Evgenia Ilyinskaya presents new information about what volcanic pollution really contains and its potential implications for environmental impacts. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3
Early Head Start, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Voices w/Kumu Hula Stacey Kapuaikapolipele Ka‘au‘a, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30-7p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

THURSDAY, JULY 4
July 4th Breakfast Buffet, Thursday, July 4, 6:30-11a.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Includes: Waffles with Toppings, Omelet Station, Meats, Breakfast Potatoes, Steamed Rice, Fresh Fruit, Assorted Baked Breads, and a beverage. $12.50/Adult, $6.50/Child, ages 6-11. No reservations required. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

To be in the parade, download the entry form at volcanocommunity.org and email to vcainfo@yahoo.com. Vendors, download applications at thecoopercenter.org and email to idoaloha@gmail.com, or call Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Experience Volcano Festival is still looking for vendors. Booths for the event are $25 per day for Saturday, July 27, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, July 28, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is coordinated with the new ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash on the 27th. Apply at experiencevolcano.com/vendor-application.
Experience Volcano is a group of businesses and residents helping to rebuild the economy of Volcano, following last year's volcanic disaster that shut down Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and drastically reduced the visitor county which is now recovering.

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash happens Saturday, July 27 in Volcano Village, It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register at ohialehuahalf.com.

Exhibit -The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily through Aug 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.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.

The farming community of Kaʻū is represented by the Nāʻālehu Methodist Church entry to the annual

Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade today. See more below and in upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs.

Photo by Leilani Esperanza

ACTING VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK SUPERINTENDENT Rhonda Loh is set to remain in her position for a year, while Superintendent Cindy Orlando completes a detail as Acting Deputy Regional Director in the National Park Service Pacific West Regional office in San Francisco.

Loh, selected this Spring by the National Park Service to serve as Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Acting Superintendent, has extensive experience at Hawai‘i Volcanoes, and continues to serve as the Park's Chief

of Natural Resources Management. She also detailed as acting superintendent for other parks in the region, including Haleakalā National Park, Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park Hawai‘i, Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, World War II Valor In The Pacific National Monument, and Honouliuli National Monument, "which have prepared her for this important role," said a Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park social media statement.

Rhonda Loh is Acting Superintendent of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National
Park while Superintendent Cindy Orlando is on detail as Deputy
Regional Director for the parks in the western states.
NPS photo

Orlandoreturns to Volcanoes and her home in Kaʻū each month and served as a judge at the Nāʻālehu Independence Day parade today.

While on detail on the mainland, based at the NPS regional office in San Francisco, Orlando recently spoke at the 50th Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, a gathering of 2,000 people to commemorate the 10,000 Japanese Americans who were placed in the internment camp during World War II. She said that Manzanar National Historic Site, located in OwensValleynear Lone Pine, Ca., is a good model for presenting the history of the tragedy of the internment.

She spoke about Kīlauea Military Camp in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and its use as an internment camp for the Japanese.

Also attending the Manzanar Pilgrimage was Carole Hayashino, formerly of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi in Honolulu, who assists with the Honouliuli site on Oʻahu and other Japanese confinement sites in the west, such as TuleLakeand Minidotka. See more on Manzanar.

Cindy Orlando and Carole Hayashino

at the Manzanar Pilgrimage.

NPS photo

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MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS AND ELECTRIC BUSES will be funded, in part through an $8.1 million settlement from Volkswagen, according to the July edition of Capitol Connection. Gov. David Ige's newsletter says that "Hawai‘i earns A+ for planned use of VW settlement." It says the funds will "accelerate the Ige administration's goals for more sustainable energy generation and use."

Hawai‘i and Washington were the only two states to earn a perfect A+ score on their electric vehicle infrastructure and mass transit plans, according to the Volkswagen Settlement Scorecard. "Electric vehicles are far less polluting than gas-powered cars, with half the carbon footprint, as well as fewer emissions of pollutants that contribute to poor air quality and respiratory diseases," said the VW Settlement State Scorecard report. Hawai‘i was praised for its plan to take full advantage of the opportunity to invest in transportation electrification. Thirty-seven states received a "D" or "F."

In 2016, Volkswagen admitted to installing illegal emissions control software on more than half a million vehicles in the U.S. and entered into a massive multibillion dollar settlement with federal authorities. The majority of the funds went to compensating owners of offending vehicles, but nearly $3 billion was allocated to provide each state with funds to promote electric vehicles.

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ʻO Kaʻū Kākou members lead off today's Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade, as sponsors of the event.

Photo by Peter Anderson

THE INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE BROUGHT RAIN AND SHINE to Nāʻālehu today, with tractors, trucks, cars, four-wheelers, riders, and walkers moving along a shiny Highway 11.

The annual event drew the Hawaiʻi County Band, County Council member Maile David, and Miss Kaʻū Coffee and her court. Women on horseback represented the islands, with lei for themselves, their escorts, and their steeds. Churches, community groups, and local businesses participated. After, the parade the crowd convened at Nāʻālehu Community Center for entertainment and food. The event is sponsored by ʻO Kaʻū Kakou. See more photos and details in tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs.

Four-wheelers are popular among farmers, hunters, ranchers, and
parade participants. Photo by Peter Anderson

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THE VISITOR COUNT WAS HIGHER THIS MAY on Hawaiʻi Island than last May, when Kīlauea Volcano began erupting and earthquakes were more than a daily event. This May's total reached 138,520, some 7,000 more than this April. The state reports that visitor expenditures were $153 million on this island in May, dropping from expenditures in May of 2018, which reached $173 million.

For the fist five months of 2019, the number of visitors totaled 719,000. They spent $950 million, while last year, trough May, 780,000 visitors spent $1.1 billion on Hawaiʻi Island.

Nāʻālehu Volunteer Fire Department. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

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A NEW ART GALLERY AND GIFT SHOP is on schedule to open in Nāʻālehu in late summer at the location of Kamaʻaina Kuts.

Well-known hair care specialist, Corrine Kaupu, will close her longtime business and reopen as Kaʻū Art Gallery and Gift Shop. She invites local artists to show their specialty works "for a possible placement at the gallery" on Saturday, Aug. 10, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The official opening of the gallery is planned for Sunday, Sept. 1.

Kaupu said she's "looking forward to helping local artists and our community. I'm open to see what our community wants."

Pāhala Volunteer Fire Department. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

A hairdresser for 31 years, in Nāʻālehu as Kamaʻaina Kuts for the last 18, Kaupu told The Kaʻū Calendar that, though her clients begged her not to retire, she was suffering burnout, and has taken only exclusive clients since January. With support and suggestions from her clients, she said, "Kaʻū Art Gallery and Gift Shop was born."

With the help of her husband, of Wai Moku Deliveries, she is renovating the Kamaʻaina Kuts location to become a gallery where unique hand made and locally made items will be for sale, targeted to both locals and visitors. She has already lined up Happy Wahine and SewDaKine items.

Call 937-1840 or email kauartgallery@hawaiiantel.biz for more. See KauArtGallery.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.

Kaʻū Auto Repair is a regular participant in rescuing vehicles and in joining the parade. See photos of horses and

riders, Miss Kaʻū Coffee, businesses, churches, and community groups in this week's Kaʻū News Briefs.

Photo by Peter Anderson

HIGH SURF is expected along all Kaʻū shorelines until Monday. The National Weather Service warns coastal residents to secure property and for beach-goers to limit or postpone shoreline activity.

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.

Cross Country:

UPCOMING

MONDAY, JULY 1

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, July 1, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, JULY 2
Flameworking - An Introductory Class w/Nash Adams-Pruitt, Tuesday, July 2, 5-8p.m., Volcano Art Center. $75/VAC member, $80/non-member, plus $40 supply fee. Class size limited. Register early. Advanced registration required. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, July 2, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

After Dark in the Park -Kīlauea 2018 Volcanic Pollution: from Source to Exposed Communities, Tuesday, July 2, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Volcanologist Dr. Evgenia Ilyinskaya presents new information about what volcanic pollution really contains and its potential implications for environmental impacts. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3
Early Head Start, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Voices w/Kumu Hula Stacey Kapuaikapolipele Ka‘au‘a, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30-7p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

THURSDAY, JULY 4
July 4th Breakfast Buffet, Thursday, July 4, 6:30-11a.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Includes: Waffles with Toppings, Omelet Station, Meats, Breakfast Potatoes, Steamed Rice, Fresh Fruit, Assorted Baked Breads, and a beverage. $12.50/Adult, $6.50/Child, ages 6-11. No reservations required. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Sponsored by Volcano Community Association and Cooper Center Council. Leashed dogs allowed. Parade entry form at volcanocommunity.org. Vendor application at thecoopercenter.org, email to idoaloha@gmail.com. Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8a.m.-5p.m.

Keiki Jiggle Bums, Thursday, July 4 and 18 – 1st and 3rd Thursday, monthly – 9-10:30a.m., Ocean View Community Center. Discover the joy of early learning through song and musical instruments. For keiki 0-4 years. Nicola, 238-8544

Women's Expression Group, Thursday, July 4 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thursday, July 4, 6-7p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, July 4, 6:30-8:30p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

SATURDAY, JULY 6
Ka‘ū Roping & Riding Association's 42nd Annual 4th of July Buckle Rodeo, Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7, slack starts at 8a.m., show starts at noon, at the rodeo grounds behind Nā‘ālehu Park. Tickets available at gate, $8/person. Pre-sale tickets available $7/person around town from Rodeo Queen contestants. Ralph or Tammy, 929-8079

Stewardship at the Summit, July 6, 12, 20, and 26, 8:45a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center. Volunteers remove invasive, non-native plants. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves/tools provided. Parental/guardian accompaniment or written consent required for those under 18. Free; park entrance fees apply. Paul and Jane Field, field@hawaii.edu, nps.gov/havo

Edible Landscaping for Backyards and Beyond w/Zach Mermel of Ola Design Group, Saturday, July 6, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. Learn how to transform lanai and lawn, field and fence into an abundant oasis of edible and multifunctional plants. $30/VAC member, $40/non-member, plus $15 materials fee. Class size limited. Register early. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Alternative Handbuilding - East African Pottery w/Erik Wold, Saturday, July 6 through August 31, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. No class August 24. $180/VAC members, $200/non-member, plus $15 materials fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Zentangle Inspired Labyrinth Cartouches w/Lois and Earl Stokes, Saturday, July 6, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. All welcome, no experience necessary. Potluck - bring dish to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, July 6 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash happens Saturday, July 27 in Volcano Village, It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register at ohialehuahalf.com.

Exhibit -The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily through Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.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.

Most Patriotic float in Saturday's Nā‘ālehu Independence Day Parade went to Thy Word Ministries. See the
Most Creative winner below. Photo by Peter Anderson

PRENATAL AND KEIKI HEALTH EDUCATION came to Pāhala Community Center on Saturday, June 29 at Malama Ola Na ‘Oiwi’s 3rd annual Malama Na Keiki Festival. Each year, kids and parents experience activities, music, food, health screenings, education, and prizes. This festival aims to serve expecting and first-time mothers, women considering pregnancy, and young families.
Na Keiki Fest also supports all families. Mabel De Silva, Chair of Hui Malama Ola Na ‘Oiwi, said she wishes to focus on “Keiki health and services this month to show keiki we care and to show them the value of life.”
The festival featured a trail map to direct keiki and families to local agencies offering health resources and wellness services. The map led to surprises. Once a keiki completed the trail on the map to agencies in the room, the award was a backpack with school supplies. Participants also entered a raffle for more prizes, including car seats, diapers, and more from donors like KTA Super Store, ACE Hardware, Mizuno Superette, Hana Hou Restaurant, and Punalu’u Bake Shop.

Many families choose between buying diapers and food, says Jessica Histo, President and founder of the
Hawai`i Diaper Bank. She attended Na Malama Keiki Festival on Saturday. Photo by Julia Neal

Hawai'i Diaper Bank invited families to donate and receive diapers. According to Diaper Bank founder ant President Jessica Histo, one in three American families have to choose between diapers and food. This agency accepts diapers (unopened or opened packs) and wipes to, "help Hawai'i island families meet their keiki's basic needs." Diaper Bank also accepts new and gently used blankets, books, clothing, diaper bags, hygiene products (new only), pacifiers and other teething items (new only), school supplies, and toys for children ages 0-5.
To make diaper and/or wipe donations, visit Hawai'i Diaper Bank's drop-off locations Monday-Friday, 9 am-4 pm in Na`alehu at Parents, 95-5657 Mamalahoa Hwy, Unit 5; in HIlo at Ohana Pregnancy Center, 280 Ponahawai Street, Ste. 203, or the Crib, 26 B Waianuenue Avenue; in Kona at The Pregnancy Center, 75-5565 Luhia Street Ste. A3B.

To make diaper and/or wipe donations online, visit Hawai'i Diaper Bank's Amazon Wish List: http://bit.ly/HDB_WishList. For all other donations, contact info@hawaiidaiperbank.org to schedule a pick-up.

Partners in Development Foundation, which sponsors Tutu & Me in Ka`u, came to Malama Na Keiki Fest to explain its early childhood education program and to also encourage participation in foster care. Partners aims "to inspire and equip families and communities for success and service, using timeless Native Hawaiian values and traditions," states the information provided at Keiki Fest.

Nadine Ebert carries Uncle Sam in the Nā‘ālehu Independence
Day Parade to take first place in the Creative Division.
Photo by Leilani Esperanza

The Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes from the University of Hawai'i, Hilo, came to Malama Na Keiki Fest to provide information on volcanic and natural hazards that occur in Hawai'i and worldwide. Its programs on learning about volcanoes are aimed at bringing families together for fun and educational activities.

See more about Malama Na Keiki Festival in this week's Ka`u 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.

WINNERS OF THE NA`ALEHU INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE are announced. Organizer Lee McIntosh said the judges named Thy Word Ministries as producing The Most Patriotic Nadine Ebert producing The Most Creative Entry. See more parade photos, including horses and riders, local businesses and community groups in this week's Ka`u News Briefs.

Thy Word Ministries at their home church in Nā‘ālehu Hongwanji following winning Most Patriotic
entry into O Ka`u Kakou's annual Na`alehu Independence Day Parade. Photo by Lee McIntosh

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.

PREVENTING ELECTRIC OUTAGES RELATED TO WIND AND TREES is the aim of Hawaiian Electric Co. testing new utility poles. The poles feature insulated conductors and "spacer cables" as part of a pilot project to prevent wind and tree-related outages during the stronger and more frequent storms that are expected to impact the Hawaiian Islands.
Last year, branches and trees falling onto power lines caused nearly 30 percent of all outages in Hawaiʻi. Chris Reynolds, a HECO system operations director, said, "While we proactively manage vegetation encroaching on power lines," they often come down in forested areas during high winds or storms. Spacer cables are installed on spans where trees are prone to falling on the electrical equipment and causing extended outages."

A Hawaiian Electric lineman working on installing taller, stronger poles with spacers to reduce power outages
during stronger and more frequent storms expected by the utility. Photo from HECO

As part of the eight-week construction project in a test area, crews replaced about a mile of power lines stretching across 22 spans and replaced 15 poles with ones rated for higher wind gusts. For several spans over particularly steep terrain where a bucket truck could not be used, crews used climbing gear to ascend the 45-foot poles and a seat harness that fastens the lineman directly to the heavy-gauge support wire. For workers to safely complete the installation, planned outages were scheduled and communicated to affected customers.
The pilot program uses the Hendrix Aerial Cable System: three coated conductors supported by a heavy-gauge wire that provides structural support. The cables are cinched into polyethylene spacers placed every 30 feet along the spans to prevent the cables from touching, even under extreme stress. The system does not require cross arms or a neutral wire on the poles, reducing visual impact. The cable spacers are engineered to withstand high winds, falling trees, and long installation spans where undergrounding electrical equipment isn't practical.

"We're always looking for ways to strengthen our electrical system with resilient energy solutions, especially as our islands are experiencing increasing and intensifying storms. Installation of stronger poles and the spacer cables designed to weather the elements mean we can bounce back faster to restore power to one of the more remote communities after a storm," said Reynolds.

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.

TROPICAL STORM BARBARA, the second named storm of the Pacific hurricane season, is on track to move across the Pacific toward Hawaiʻi. She is forecast to develop into a hurricane by Tuesday. As of 6 p.m., Barbara was a little over 2,800 miles east southeast from Hawaiʻi, traveling west at 22 miles per hour, with 50 mph winds. She is forecast to pass from Eastern to Central Pacific waters next weekend.

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.

Cross Country:

UPCOMING

MONDAY, JULY 1

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, July 1, 4-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, JULY 2
Flameworking - An Introductory Class with Nash Adams-Pruitt, Tuesday, July 2, 5-8p.m., Volcano Art Center. $75/VAC member, $80/non-member, plus $40 supply fee. Class size limited. Register early. Advanced registration required. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, July 2, 6-8p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

After Dark in the Park -Kīlauea 2018 Volcanic Pollution: from Source to Exposed Communities, Tuesday, July 2, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Volcanologist Dr. Evgenia Ilyinskaya presents new information about what volcanic pollution really contains and its potential implications for environmental impacts. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3
Early Head Start, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Voices with Kumu Hula Stacey Kapuaikapolipele Ka‘au‘a, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30-7p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

THURSDAY, JULY 4
July 4th Breakfast Buffet, Thursday, July 4, 6:30-11a.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Includes: Waffles with Toppings, Omelet Station, Meats, Breakfast Potatoes, Steamed Rice, Fresh Fruit, Assorted Baked Breads, and a beverage. $12.50/Adult, $6.50/Child, ages 6-11. No reservations required. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thursday, July 4, 6-7p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, July 4, 6:30-8:30p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

SATURDAY, JULY 6
Ka‘ū Roping & Riding Association's 42nd Annual 4th of July Buckle Rodeo, Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7, slack starts at 8a.m., show starts at noon, at the rodeo grounds behind Nā‘ālehu Park. Tickets available at gate, $8/person. Pre-sale tickets available $7/person around town from Rodeo Queen contestants. Ralph or Tammy, 929-8079

Stewardship at the Summit, July 6, 12, 20, and 26, 8:45a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center. Volunteers remove invasive, non-native plants. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves/tools provided. Parental/guardian accompaniment or written consent required for those under 18. Free; park entrance fees apply. Paul and Jane Field, field@hawaii.edu, nps.gov/havo

Edible Landscaping for Backyards and Beyond with Zach Mermel of Ola Design Group, Saturday, July 6, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. Learn how to transform lanai and lawn, field and fence into an abundant oasis of edible and multifunctional plants. $30/VAC member, $40/non-member, plus $15 materials fee. Class size limited. Register early. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Alternative Handbuilding - East African Pottery with Erik Wold, Saturday, July 6 through August 31, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. No class August 24. $180/VAC members, $200/non-member, plus $15 materials fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Zentangle Inspired Labyrinth Cartouches with Lois and Earl Stokes, Saturday, July 6, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. All welcome, no experience necessary. Potluck - bring dish to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, July 6 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

SUNDAY, JULY 7
Postcards from the Edge - Painting Workshop with Artist-in-Residence Alice Leese, Sunday, July 7, 10a.m.-noon, edge of Kīlauea, behind Volcano House. Meet and paint with Leese. Limited to 12 people, attendees will receive a postcard-sized blank canvas but must bring their own paints and a small travel easel. $75/person includes lunch at Volcano House. Register, fhvnp.org/events/postcards-from-the-edge-painting-workshop-with-artist-in-residence-alice-leese. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

Sunday Clay - High Fire! with Erik Wold, July 7 to Sept. 1, morning session 11:30a.m.-2:30p.m., or afternoon session 2:45-5:45p.m., Volcano Art Center. No class Aug. 25. Eight wheel-throwers and three hand builders slots per session. Per 8-week session, $180/VAC member, $200/non-member, plus $15 materials fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, July 7 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon-2p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

Experience Volcano Festival is still looking for vendors.Booths for the event are $25 per day for Saturday, July 27, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, July 28, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is coordinated with the new ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash on the 27th. Apply at experiencevolcano.com/vendor-application.
Experience Volcano is a group of businesses and residents helping to rebuild the economy of Volcano, following last year's volcanic disaster that shut down Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and drastically reduced the visitor county which is now recovering.

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.

Nāʻālehu Theatre remains with Weinberg as Kurisu family business buys Nāʻālehu Shopping Center.
Photo by Peter Anderson

NĀʻĀLEHU SHOPPING CENTER has been purchased from the late Harry and Jeanette Weinberg's 300 Corp. by Duane Kurisu and his son Robert Kurisu, partners in the venture Nalu Aio, LLC. Kurisu's brother Derek Kurisu said Duane is excited to help make the place economically viable, providing jobs, services, and products.

Duane Kurisu and family
buys Nāʻālehu Shopping
Center. Photo from Gov. Ige

Derek Kurisu, well known for promoting locally produced foods under KTA's Mountain Apple brand, for his own cooking show, books, and demonstrations, and for serving as a commencement speaker at Kaʻū High School, told The Kaʻū Calendar that his brother bought Nāʻālehu Shopping Center to help the community. Duane Kurisu already owns Punaluʻu Bake Shop, with its bakery, food service, gift shop, entertainment, gardens and electric vehicle charging station. He has also owned land in Wood Valley. Kurisu's companies own other shopping centers in the state as well as publishing books and magazines, including Hawaiʻi Business Magazine and Honolulu Magazine. He is well known for his effort to serve homeless people with housing.

Derek said his brother Duane wants Nāʻālehu Shopping Center "to be an economic driver, hiring local people." Concerning the possibility of KTA opening a store there, Kurisu said his brother is looking for a tenant for the former Island Market location. Other tenants in the shopping center are a laundromat, the Will & Grace store, PARENTS, Inc., Bee Boys, and The Land Office real estate.

Weinberg remains owner of the old Nāʻālehu Theatre. Derek Kurisu said his brother Duane is also interested in the future of the theater.

Nāʻālehu Shopping Center, purchased by Duane Kurisu and his son and partner

Robert Kurisu, who aim to help it become an economic driver for the area. Photo by Peter Anderson

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THE U.S.CONFERENCE OF MAYORS HOSTED REP. TULSI GABBARD on Sunday. She addressed the mayors' meeting in Honolulu, stating the importance of local government and federal funding to America's communities, the impact of foreign policy on the ability to provide needed resources to local governments, and the growing nuclear threat.

In the plenary session led by the Women Mayors Leadership Alliance, Gabbard recalled Hawaiʻi's strong heritage of female leadership. Noting that each of Hawaiʻi's counties have been led by female mayors, she also named Queen Liliʻuokalani and Representative Patsy Mink as amazing leaders who continue to inspire

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard spoke at the U.S. Mayors Conference on
Sunday in Honolulul. She talked about local and international
issues facing cities around the country. Photo from Gabbard
See the video.

Gabbard spoke about the importance of supporting local leaders with federal funds. "There is amazing work that is done at the local level to serve the everyday needs of our people. I know how important the resources are that you need to get that work done – to deal with things like infrastructure, making sure our residents have clean water to drink, sewage treatment plants that work, safe and clean parks, first responders, fire fighters, law enforcement, and more."

The congresswoman noted the impact of American foreign policy on the federal government's capacity to deliver federal resources to communities, the increasing threat of nuclear war, and lack of preparedness and shelter for the American people in the event of a nuclear attack.

"You cannot separate foreign policy from domestic policy. Since 9/11 alone, our country has sacrificed countless lives and over $6 trillion on wasteful regime change wars in countries like Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan, and on the nation-building caused by the destruction left in our wake," said Gabbard. "To give this a little context, we spend $4 billion every month in Afghanistan. Think for a moment – what could you do in your city with $4 billion?

"It's imperative that every mayor, every leader at the local, state, and national level stand up and speak out," said the congresswoman. "Speak out against regime change wars, and the new Cold War and arms race that are sucking money out of our communities and threatening our future. Speak up and speak out for peace." See the video.

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.

HUI MĀLAMA OLA NĀ ʻOIWI'S third Kaʻū festival, Mālama Nā Keiki, encouraged families and individuals to take steps toward better health. The Keiki Fest was held at Pāhala Community Center on Saturday. See coverage in yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs.
Dr. Kaʻohimanu Dank Akora, who works for Hui Mālama, spends much time as a street doctor seeing homeless people and those who are homebound, unable or unwilling to go to a physician.
She said she works with the Marshallese community and is willing to come to Kaʻū to see whomever needs medical care in their home or homeless camp.
Hawaiʻi Child Passenger Safety Program promoted car seat safety and gave out car seats. "Children under the age of four are required to ride in a child safety seat and children ages of four through seven to ride in a child safety seat or a booster," said the info distributed on car safety.

Laurel Ledward at Cancer Kine Tings.

Photo by Leilani Esperanza

Family Support Hawaiʻi promoted an Early Head Start, answering questions about pregnancy, labor, and delivery; sharing the latest ideas in baby care and development; teaching about playing with infants and toddlers; and encouraging planning a healthy future "for you, your baby, and your family." Early Head Start is for those who are pregnant or have a child under 3 years old, are a teen parent or foster parent, are living below the poverty level, are receiving TANF benefits or S.S.I. benefits, or are homeless – or hidden homeless (couch-surfing) – and living in the districts of North and South Kona, Waikaloa, North and South Kohala, Kaʻū, Kamuela or Honokaʻa. For more, contact the closest office near you: Kaʻū, (808) 939-7028; Kona, (808) 334-4123. See familysupporthawaii.com or facebook.com/familysupporthawaii.
PARENTS, Inc. provided information on prevention, education, and treatment services for men, women, and children. The organization hopes to strengthen families and create cycles of positive parenting in the community by providing resources, skills, support, and advocacy. Contact the closest office: Kaʻū, (808) 333-3460; Hilo, (808) 934-9552.

Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Oiwi brought education for keiki and families Saturday to Pāhala community Center. Among the displays was this illustration of The Balancing Act of Food and Fitness, which includes Activity.

Leenal Castro explained its importance to health. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

At the American Red Cross table, Uilani Soares gave natural disaster scenarios and ideas for what families could do to prepare. The group works to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
Bay Clinic, which provides health care to the local people of Hawaiʻi, educated about the dangers of vaping, e-cigarettes, hookahs, and secondhand vaping. Bay Clinic states vape pipes, hookah pens, and e-cigarettes are, "A new way to addict people to nicotine," and that even vape products that don't contain nicotine may still be harmful.
Project Vision Hawaiʻi provided free eye health screenings to participants at the festival and educated them about the importance of healthy eyes.
Hawaiʻi Island Food Bank provided and received food for families that came to Pāhala's Community Center. Their mission is to end hunger in Hawaiʻi County.

Gaku Yamaguchi-Tiare Ortega of Otitis Media.

Photo by Leilani Esperanza

Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻOiwi hosted tables with more activities, health information/awareness, and crafts, including Kahea; Whoa, Slow, Go; Jump Your Height; Otitis Media Screening; Sugary Drinks; Rainbow Frames; Cancer Kine Tings; Healthy Hapai; Grow Your Own Plant; and Makahiki Games.
See more from the festival on yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs.
See more on Hui Mālama.

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HECO SENT OUT A PHONE SCAM ALERT. According to the utility, scammers call customers and direct them to make payments on "overdue" bills at a convenience store. Hawaiian Electric Co. warns customers to "Just Hang Up!" on scammers.

Last week, statewide, Hawaiian Electric received more than 40 scam reports in a single day from a mix of customers – commercial, residential, and a church. The robocalls display "Hawaiian Electric" in the caller ID and the company's customer service number, "but don't be fooled," said an announcement from the utility.

The recording tells customers "overdue" bills must be paid within 30 minutes or have their power disconnected. An 877 number is provided. When called, the scammer who picks up directs the customer to purchase a GObank voucher at a convenience store. GObank features online checking accounts where consumers can make deposits to accounts at participating retailers.

The utility does not ask for or accept GObank payments.

Customers need to be alert and recognize scams, especially when criminals threaten to disconnect service unless a payment is made, said the announcement.

The utility offers the following tips: "If a caller says your utility account is delinquent and threatens to shut off service immediately unless payment is made, it's a scam. If someone calls from a utility demanding immediate payment over the phone, via money transfer, prepaid debit cards, or by Bitcoin, it's a scam. If a caller asks to meet the customer in person to pick up a payment, it's a scam."

Go to hawaiianelectric.com/stopscams for more information.

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HURRICANE BARBARA, a tropical storm yesterday, reached 100 mph today and continues to make her way toward Hawaiʻi. The second named storm of the Pacific hurricane season, at 8 p.m., Barbara was about east southeast of Hawaiʻi, traveling west at 15 miles per hour, with 100 mph winds. She is forecast to pass from Eastern to Central Pacific waters by Saturday, by which time she is expected to have been downgraded to a tropical storm.

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.

Cross Country:

Keiki Jiggle Bums, Thursday, July 4 and 18 – 1st and 3rd Thursday, monthly – 9-10:30a.m., Ocean View Community Center. Discover the joy of early learning through song and musical instruments. For keiki 0-4 years. Nicola, 238-8544

Women's Expression Group, Thursday, July 4 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thursday, July 4, 6-7p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, July 4, 6:30-8:30p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

SATURDAY, JULY 6
Ka‘ū Roping & Riding Association's 42nd Annual 4th of July Buckle Rodeo, Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7, slack starts at 8a.m., show starts at noon, at the rodeo grounds behind Nā‘ālehu Park. Tickets available at gate, $8/person. Pre-sale tickets available $7/person around town from Rodeo Queen contestants. Ralph or Tammy, 929-8079

Stewardship at the Summit, July 6, 12, 20, and 26, 8:45a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center. Volunteers remove invasive, non-native plants. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves/tools provided. Parental/guardian accompaniment or written consent required for those under 18. Free; park entrance fees apply. Paul and Jane Field, field@hawaii.edu, nps.gov/havo

Edible Landscaping for Backyards and Beyond w/Zach Mermel of Ola Design Group, Saturday, July 6, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. Learn how to transform lanai and lawn, field and fence into an abundant oasis of edible and multifunctional plants. $30/VAC member, $40/non-member, plus $15 materials fee. Class size limited. Register early. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Alternative Handbuilding - East African Pottery w/Erik Wold, Saturday, July 6 through August 31, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. No class August 24. $180/VAC members, $200/non-member, plus $15 materials fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Zentangle Inspired Labyrinth Cartouches w/Lois and Earl Stokes, Saturday, July 6, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. All welcome, no experience necessary. Potluck - bring dish to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, July 6 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

SUNDAY, JULY 7
Postcards from the Edge - Painting Workshop w/Artist-in-Residence Alice Leese, Sunday, July 7, 10a.m.-noon, edge of Kīlauea, behind Volcano House. Meet and paint with Leese. Limited to 12 people, attendees will receive a postcard-sized blank canvas but must bring their own paints and a small travel easel. $75/person includes lunch at Volcano House. Register, fhvnp.org/events/postcards-from-the-edge-painting-workshop-with-artist-in-residence-alice-leese. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

Sunday Clay - High Fire! w/Erik Wold, July 7 to Sept. 1, morning session 11:30a.m.-2:30p.m., or afternoon session 2:45-5:45p.m., Volcano Art Center. No class Aug. 25. Eight wheel-throwers and three hand builders slots per session. Per 8-week session, $180/VAC member, $200/non-member, plus $15 materials fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, July 7 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon-2p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

MONDAY, JULY 8

Applications for Ka‘ū High School, 2019-2020, Head Coaches for Coed Judo, Coed Swimming, and Boys Basketball. Applications due Monday, July 8. Pick up at school office weekdays, 8a.m.-4p.m. Must pass criminal background check. Athletic Director Kalei Namohala, 313-4161

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Monday, July 8, 1p.m., contact for location. Parent-led homeschool activity and social group, building community in Ka‘ū. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Monday, July 8 (Committees), Tuesday, July 9 (Council), Hilo. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Couples Dinner, Monday-Friday, July 8-12, 4:30-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Followed Couples Engagement, 6-8p.m. Hosted by Ocean View Baptist Church. Open to the public.

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash happens Saturday, July 27 in Volcano Village, It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register at ohialehuahalf.com.

Exhibit -The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily through Sunday, Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.com

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Mauna Loa, the long mountain and active volcano where most of Kaʻū is located is under an advisory for
volcanic activity issued by the U.S. Geological Survey. Photo by JW Frank/NPS

AN ADVISORY ALERT FOR MAUNA LOA VOLCANO was issued today by the U.S. Geological Service's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. For the past several months, earthquake and ground deformation rates at Mauna Loa have exceeded long term background levels. According to HVO scientists, this indicates changes in the shallow magma storage system at Mauna Loa.
HVO raised the alert level from NORMAL to ADVISORY and the aviation color code from green to yellow. HVO will issue updates on Mauna Loa weekly.
HVO explains that "days or weeks prior to an eruption, monitoring instruments will detect signs of an increased potential for eruption. These signs could include further increases in rates of earthquakes and ground deformation, increases in the sizes of earthquakes, an increase in surface temperatures, or an increase in visible steam plumes or sulfur dioxide emissions. However, it is also possible that the timeframe to eruption could be shorter - hours to days. All communities on the flanks of the volcano should be prepared."

A thermal camera on the edge of Mokuʻaweoweo Crater at the summit of Mauna Loa keeps track of
volcanic activity which led to an ADVISORY alert today and a yellow code for aviation. USGS photo

Following a significant earthquake swarm in October 2018, HVO seismic stations have recorded an average of at least 50 shallow, small-magnitude earthquakes per week beneath Mauna Loa's summit, upper Southwest Rift Zone, and upper west flank. This compares to a rate of fewer than 20 per week in the first half of 2018. Shallow earthquakes are occurring in locations similar to those that preceded Mauna Loa's most recent eruptions, in 1975 and 1984.
During this same time period, GPS instrumentation and satellite radar have measured ground deformation consistent with renewed recharge of the volcano's shallow magma storage system. The current rate and pattern of ground deformation is similar to that measured during inflation of Mauna Loa in 2005 and again from 2014 - 2018.

Instrumentation on the top of Mauna Loa will help to provide updates on the status of volcanic activity. NPS Photo

Together, these observations indicate the volcano is no longer at a background level of activity.An eruption is not imminent and current rates are not cause for alarm. A similar increase in activity occurred between 2014 and 2018 and no eruption occurred.
HVO states it is possible that current low-level unrest will continue and vary in intensity for many months, or even years, without an eruption – or that the current unrest is an early precursor to an eventual eruption. "At this time, we cannot determine which of these possibilities is more likely," states HVO.
HVO continues to monitor the volcano closely and promises to report any significant changes. HVO is in close touch with Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense and other agencies responsible for public safety.

Mana Ke and Merle Becker, representing Lanaʻi.
Photo by Leilani Esperanza

Stay informed about Mauna Loa by following volcano updates and tracking current monitoring data on the HVO web page hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/maunaloa
status.php or by signing up to receive updates by email at volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns. Alert levels and aviation color codes are explained at volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html.

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THE KAʻŪ MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY led by Darlyne Vierra and Liz Kuluwaimaka organized horses and riders for the annual Independence Day Parade on Saturday in Nāʻālehu. Horses carried princesses and escorts in honor of each island.
Pā‘ū riders, a woman and her escort each, represented one of the eight main islands in their signature colors – red for Hawaiʻi, pink for Maui, gray for Kahoʻolawe, orange for Lanaʻi, green for Molokaʻi, yellow for Oʻahu, purple for Kauaʻi, and white and brown for Niʻihau. Flag bearers on horseback led the procession of the islands.

Ricky Souza and Teʻani Souza, representing Hawaiʻi Island.
Photo by Leilani Esperanza

Lori-Lee Lorenzo, who rode for Kauaʻi in the parade, reports that Vierra and Kuluwaimaka helped to bring the tradition back into the parade in 2008 and have "organized, set up, and run the Pāʻū Riders participation every year." Also helping with horses was Merle Becker of Aikane Plantation.

See more on the parade in recent and upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs and the July print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar.

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HURRICANE BARBARA became the first Major Hurricane of the season today, reaching a Category 5 status. She was less than 2,100 miles east southeast of Hawaiʻi at 5 p.m., traveling west northwest at 14 miles per hour, with 155 mph winds.

Richard Souza and Kamalani Salmo, representing Kahoʻolawe.

Photo by Leilani Esperanza

However, Barbara is forecast to be downgraded to a tropical storm by Saturday, around the same time she passes from the Eastern Pacific into the Central Pacific. Forecasts indicate Hawaiʻi, especially east facing shores of Hawaiʻi Island, may see some effects from the storm.

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PROVIDING AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING "has been a top priority for Hawaiʻi lawmakers and with the signing of House Bill 1312 by Governor David Ige today, the state has move a step closer to that goal," says a statement from the state House of Representatives.

Ikaika Derrasin and Makela Akana, representing Maui.
Photo by Leilani Esperanzaion

HB1312 HD1 SD1 CD1 authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriates $50 million each in 2019 and 2020 into the Rental Housing Revolving Fund. This is in addition to the $35 -$38 million from the conveyance tax that is placed annually into the RHRF, bringing the total appropriation to about $170 million for two fiscal years.

"By passing and signing this bill, the Legislature and the Governor continue their resolve to address Hawaiʻi's affordable rental housing crisis for the whole spectrum of local households," said House Majority Leader Della Au Belatti. "We now look forward to working with the state housing agencies and developers to get projects moving through the pipeline and built for our residents."

In 2018, the Legislature passed an historic and comprehensive housing measure to create more affordable housing by putting $200 million into the Rental Housing Revolving Fund. This year, HB1312 builds on that commitment and coupled with prior legislative funding initiatives, more than $350 million will have gone into the RHRF from fiscal year 2016-17 through 2020-21.

Aislynn Mandaloniz and Makana Gravela, representing Molokaʻi.

Photo by Peter Anderson

"According to the Hawai'i Housing and Finance Development Corporation, the more funding that is made available emboldens developers to be more aggressive with the scope of their projects, and the confidence to move forward on such plans," Belatti said.

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DETAILS ON FIREWORKS PERMITS have been issued by the Hawaiʻʻi County Fire Department. Permits can be purchased through Thursday, July 4 at 8 p.m. Fireworks may be set off only on Thursday, July 4, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.Permits are not required for novelties and paperless firecrackers. Public firework displays will be at 8 p.m. on July 4, at Hilo Bay, Kona Bay, and at Queens' Marketplace in Waikoloa.

Ikaika Grace and Lori Lee Lorenzo, representing Kauaʻi.
Photo by Peter Anderson

Each fireworks permit entitles the holder to purchase up to 5,000 individual firecrackers. Permits are issued to those 18 years or older. They are non-transferable and non-refundable. The $25 permits are available at Phantom Fireworks Tents in Hilo at Walmart Center and at Kona Commons Shopping Center; Fire Administration in Hilo, County Building, 25 Aupuni St., through Wednesday, July 3, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Fire Administration Kona, West Hawai‘i Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Building E, 2nd floor, through Wednesday, July 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Fire Department issued a statement asking the public to help prevent fireworks-caused fires and injuries by having a connected water hose or fire extinguisher readily available on the 4th. Wet down surrounding brush prior to setting off fireworks. Set fireworks off in areas away from dry grass, buildings, vehicles, and flammable materials. Dispose of used fireworks properly by soaking in water prior to disposal.

HFD reminds the public that children playing with firework must be under adult supervision at all times as "even the smallest of firework can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries."

Waʻa Ke and Elaine Togami, representing Oʻahu. Photo by Peter Anderson

HFD states it is illegal to offer for sale, sell, or give any firework to minors, and for any minor to possess, sell, set off, ignite, or otherwise cause to explode any firework, except under the immediate supervision of an adult. So is removing the powder or pyrotechnic contents from any firework or throwing a firework from a vehicle. Aerial Luminary Devices such as Sky Lanterns and Hawai‘i Lanterns are illegal. It is illegal to set off any firework outside of permitted hours; within 1,000 feet of any operating hospital, nursing home, home for the elderly, or animal hospital; in or on any school building or property; on any highway, alley, street, sidewalk, or other public way; in any park; or within 1,000 feet of a church during the periods when services are held. This includes Hilo Bayfront and Liliuokalani Park areas.

HFD will collect un-used and unwanted fireworks following July 4. Anyone interested in disposing of any firework, including Aerial Luminary Devices, with amnesty, should call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911. Fi
reworks are not accepted for drop-off at local fire stations.

For more on firework permits, disposal, and safe use, call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911.

Frank Lorenzo and Raylynne Welker, representing Niʻihau. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

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.

Cross Country:

UPCOMING

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3

Early Head Start, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10a.m.-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
Hula Voices with Kumu Hula Stacey Kapuaikapolipele Ka‘au‘a, Wednesday, July 3 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30-7p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

THURSDAY, JULY

July 4th Breakfast Buffet, Thursday, July 4, 6:30-11a.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Includes: Waffles with Toppings, Omelet Station, Meats, Breakfast Potatoes, Steam Rice, Fresh Fruit, Assorted Baked Breads, and a beverage. $12.50/Adults, $6.50/Child, ages 6-11. No reservations required. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Volcano Village 4th of July Parade, Festival, and Craft Fair, Thursday, July 4, parade starts 9a.m., festival and craft fair at Cooper Center until 1:30p.m. Parade starts at Volcano Post Office, down Old Volcano Road, up Wright Road, and ends at Cooper Center in Volcano Village. Free entry to activities, food, entertainment. Sponsored by Volcano Community Association and Cooper Center Council. Leashed dogs allowed. Parade entry form at volcanocommunity.org. Vendor application at thecoopercenter.org, email to idoaloha@gmail.com. Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8a.m.-5p.m.

Women's Expression Group, Thursday, July 4 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thursday, July 4, 6-7p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, July 4, 6:30-8:30p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

FRIDAY, JULY

Ka‘ū Roping & Riding Association 42nd Annual 4th of July Buckle Rodeo, Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7. Slack starts 8a.m., show starts noon, at rodeo grounds behind Nā‘ālehu Park. Tickets available at gate, $8/person. Pre-sale tickets available $7/person around town from Rodeo Queen contestants. Ralph or Tammy, 929-8079

Alternative Handbuilding - East African Pottery with Erik Wold, Saturday, July 6 through August 31, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. No class August 24. $180/VAC member, $200/non-member, plus $15 materials fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Zentangle Inspired Labyrinth Cartouches with Lois and Earl Stokes, Saturday, July 6, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. All welcome, no experience necessary. Potluck - bring dish to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, July 6 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

SUNDAY, JULY 7

Postcards from the Edge - Painting Workshop with Artist-in-Residence Alice Leese, Sunday, July 7, 10a.m.-noon, edge of Kīlauea, behind Volcano House. Meet and paint with Leese. Limited to 12 people. Attendees receive a postcard-sized blank canvas but must bring their own paints and a small travel easel. $75/person includes lunch at Volcano House. Register, fhvnp.org/events/postcards-from-the-edge-painting-workshop-with-artist-in-residence-alice-leese. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

MONDAY, JULY 8

Head Coaches Wanted for Ka‘ū High School, 2019-2020: Coed Judo, Coed Swimming, and Boys Basketball. Applications due Monday, July 8 - pick up at school office weekdays, 8a.m.-4p.m. Must pass criminal background check. Athletic Director Kalei Namohala, 313-4161

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Monday, July 8, 1p.m., contact for location. Parent-led homeschool activity and social group, building community in Ka‘ū. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

Couples Dinner, Monday-Friday, July 8-12, 4:30-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Followed by Couples Engagement, 6-8p.m. Hosted by Ocean View Baptist Church. Open to the public.

TUESDAY, JULY 9

Flameworking - An Introductory Class with Nash Adams-Pruitt, Tuesday, July 9, 5-8p.m., Volcano Art Center. $75/VAC member, $80/non-member, plus $40 supply fee. Class size limited. Register early. Advanced registration required. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

After Dark in the Park - New Insights from Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 Lower East Rift Zone Eruption, Tuesday, July 9, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. USGS HVO geologist Matt Patrick describes expected and unexpected aspects of the eruption and how the activity might be used to improve his and other scientists' ability to forecast future hazards on Kīlauea. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.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.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Helena Nihipali Sesson rode on a coffee truck in the Independence Day Parade in Nāʻālehu last Saturday.

On July 4, she joins Kaʻū Coffee princesses at the July 4 parade in Volcano, along with riders and horses from Kaʻū.
See more photos and info on the parade, fest, and craft fair in VolcanoVillage, below. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

A HAPPY 4TH OF JULY UPDATE in the world of local agriculture came today from Andrea Kawabata of University of Hawaiʻi. Kawabata, who works extensively with farmers in Kaʻū, reports that "sunny mornings and overcast, rainy afternoons have been a welcomed relief for farming, and I hear this weather is similar to that of the early 80's and pre-Kīlauea eruption timeframe." She asks Kaʻū farmers to let her know, "Is that true?"

Even with the rain that has nourished local farms, Kawabata writes that "as much rain as we've received, we still need to be on the lookout for hot, dry weather conditions. The Southwest U.S., which includes Hawaiʻi, is currently in an El Niño Advisory status." She recommends that farmers and ranchers see Hawaiʻi's drought conditions as of July 2, 2019, and view more short-term outlooks by visiting the NOAA's National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center." She warns of the June through November hurricane season and prompts, "please be prepared."

Examples of diseases to look for in local orchards. Photo from UH

For macadamia growers, Kawabata urges them to "stay vigilant for any new infestations of macadamia felted coccid and to contact the nearest Extension agent for ID and treatment options. Early symptoms include bark bleeding, leaf speckling (yellowish spots), and branch death. Heavy infestations can cause total tree and crop loss. MFC can be found on the trunk, branches, leaves, and husk, and can potentially be spread with the transport of in-husk mac nuts and mulch made from mac nut.

Uncared for coffee can result in early ripening cherries, raisins, and
mummified berries in a cluster. Photo from UH

For coffee growers, Kawabata notes that the harvest is "just around the corner, it's time to sanitize the field of early ripening cherries, raisins, and mummified berries." She recommends that farmers complete a pre-harvest or early season strip pick to remove and destroy these berries. "Often, they are infested with coffee berry borer and, if left on the trees, will continue allowing CBB to reproduce and infest neighboring berries. If diseased, these berries may provide continual inoculums (spores) in the field. Continue to treat for CBB as necessary and also fertilize the crop. Often, yellowing of the leaves and tip burning from a lack of nitrogen and potassium, respectively, is observed during the summer to fall months. As coffee matures and ripens, greater berry loads require greater quantities of nutrients.

"It's also a good idea to remove and bag branches with damages from black twig borer and anthracnose. BTB-damaged branches have a hole (~1.0 mm in diameter) on the underside of the branch and closer to the base of the lateral. Trim, don't snap off, to remove the hole and branch. Anthracnose-damaged branches typically do not have this hole, but berries often do not ripen properly. Diseased and infested branches should not remain in the field."

Fruit trees are common on ranches, farms and many yards of homes in Kaʻū. Kawabata notes that "Summer is a time for abundant fruit. Unfortunately, fruit flies and other pests/diseases also enjoy the bounty. Pick up fallen, rotten, stung, and infested fruit from the ground and in the tree. Compost properly or discard in the trash, but don't allow the pests to escape back into the orchard."
July is the month for orchard and crop grower conferences and festival, with the Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association Annual Meeting and ConferenceJuly 13 in Kona, Hawaiʻi Coffee Association Conference July 25-27 on Oʻahu, A Seed to Cup Festival Aug. 4 on Maui and Hawaiʻi, and Tropical Fruit Growers ConferenceSept. 27-29 in Kona.

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A FOURTH OF JULY BREAKFAST AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP offers a buffet from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Crater Rim Café. The menu includes waffles with toppings, an omelet station, bacon, pork patties, breakfast potatoes, steamed rice, fresh fruit, assorted baked breads, and coffee, tea, or fountain drinks.
Adults are $12.50, children ages 6 to 11 are $6.50, and keiki five and under are free. No reservations required. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Questions? Call 967-8356 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

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Hawaiʻi County Marching Band walks through Nāʻālehu during every Independence Day Parade and will stroll
through Volcano Village in the Fourth of July Parade tomorrow. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

VOLCANOVILLAGE4TH OF JULY PARADE, FESTIVAL, AND CRAFT FAIR happens tomorrow, Thursday, July 4 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The parade starts at Volcano Post Office, travels down Old Volcano Road, up Wright Road, and ends at CooperCenterin VolcanoVillage.

Kaʻū's County Council member, Maile David. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

Free entry to activities, food, and entertainment. Leashed dogs allowed. Sponsored by by Cooper Center Council, Volcano Community Association, and more.

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A FOURTH OF JULY MESSAGE FROM KAʻŪ'S MEMBER IN CONGRESS was released today. Tulsi Gabbard, also a candidate for U.S. President, wrote:

"Since 9/11, I've watched as patriotism was used as an excuse for disastrous regime change wars and surveillance of the American people, as a euphemism for bigotry, and as a cover for McCarthyist hysteria and the lead up to a new Cold War and nuclear arms race.

Kaʻū Baseball Club celebrates Independence Day. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

"But that's not what patriotism is, and it infuriates me to see it abused. Patriotism is the reason I and so many of my fellow soldiers put our lives on the line to defend our country. Patriotism is not about symbols or fake outrage. It's about love – real, active love.

"So let me tell you why I love my country.

"I love our land - our forests and mountains, our rivers rolling through vast wilderness, our canyons, deserts, swamp lands and prairies – the places that have formed us in all their disparate beauty.

"I love our people – drawn from every corner of the planet, every creed and every color, pulled by a promise of a better life, a new beginning, a recognition that we are all equal in the eyes of God.

Coed Kaʻū recreational Skate Club skates at Ocean View Park on Tuesdays
and Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Photo by Peter Anderson

"I love our heritage – the tradition of representative democracy embodied in our indigenous communities that served as a model for our first Congress, those who fought to defeat the institution of slavery as former slaves, abolitionists and soldiers, the strength of our movements for women’s suffrage, labor rights, civil rights and environmental justice.

"Most of all, I love our freedom. The freedom endowed by our creator. The freedom that is enshrined in our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. The freedom we fight to protect: Freedom of speech and of the press; freedom of religion; the right to bear arms; freedom from unreasonable search and seizure; the right to a fair and public trial; freedom from cruel and unusual punishment

"It's easy to take our freedoms for granted until they get taken away. Until you see women who are not free to move outside of their own homes without a male chaperone. Until you see children who are not free to play without the threat of land mines in their backyard. Until you see people who are not free to worship, not free to speak and publish the truth, not free to love who they love, without the threat of imprisonment.

Hokulele Basketball Club walks for Independence Day, ran and shine. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

"Freedom is a real and precious thing. It is alive - in our streets, in our schools, in our houses of worship, and we must protect it. We must protect our freedom from those who seek to remove it through the violence of terrorism. We must protect our freedom from the quiet violence of surveillance and censorship. And we must protect this freedom within our own hearts and minds, our families and communities.

"So this July 4th, let's celebrate by remembering why we love our country, and commit to standing up to protect our freedoms – to live, think, worship, and love in peace."

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Hawaiian Civic Club of Kaʻū improvised a canopy in their convertible
during Saturday's parade with sunshine and rain. Photo by Peter Anderson

ON THE EVE OF INDEPENDENCE DAY, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono encouraged eligible veterans to apply for the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program during a meeting with the Milla Family – the first family to benefit from the program in Hawaiʻi. Hirono successfully lobbied the Obama Administration to establish the FWVP program in 2016. The program, which has successfully reunited hundreds of families in the United States, will expire in June 2021.

Said Hirono, "Facing a decades-long visa backlog, thousands of our aging Filipino World War II Veterans have been unable to reunite with their family members still living in the Philippines. But thanks to the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program, nearly 300 families have been reunited in America. It is inspiring to see the impact of the FWVP program on the Milla family, and I encourage every eligible veteran to apply for the program as soon as possible."

Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Photo by Peter Anderson

Today's visit in her office at the PrinceJonahKuhioKalanianaoleFederalBuilding, was Hirono's second meeting with the Milla Family. After waiting more than 20 years for an immigrant visa, the FWVP program enabled Jeorge Milla to be reunited with his mother in Hawaiʻi while awaiting his visa. Jeorge and his wife Juseline are now employed in Hawaiʻi, their two daughters Jasmine and Jeraldine are attending college, and they have all earned their Green Cards.

Filipino veterans were granted citizenship in recognition of their service to the United States during World War II. Many of their children, however, were not. Due to the volume of immigrant visa applications from the Philippines, it can take more than 20 years for families to be reunited. Under the FWVP program, the adult children of Filipino World War II veterans, along with their spouses and children under age 21, can finally be together in the United States while they await an available immigrant visa.

A bagpiper, having just passed the historic Nāʻālehu Theatre and post office, is followed by Nāʻālehu Hongwanji,
promoting the Obon Dance on Aug. 31. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

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People with pups and America flags followed Most Patriotic float winner
Thy Word Ministries. Photo by Leilani Esperanza

A QUESTION ABOUT CITIZENSHIP being part of the 2020 U.S. Census is still up in the air. The supreme court ruled last week that the question, "Is this person a citizen of the United States?" would not be allowed to be added.

Sen. Brian Schatz said the decision, made by "thousand of people" who "fought hard and smart" made him "grateful and happy… What a great result before Independence Day."

Schatz said there is still an "enormous amount of work to do" to ensure a full count. He called the decision to not include the citizenship question "a win for the good guys and for the Constitution."

On Tuesday, major news outlet report the Justice Department and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce agreed to beginning printing the census without the citizenship question.

Kaʻū Auto Repair's big red flatbed truck with blue flames
took a break from coming to the rescue to participate
in the parade and encourage kids to stay off drugs.
Photo by Leilani Esperanza

Today, Pres. Donald Trump tweeted, "we are absolutely moving forward, as we must." DOJ assistant attorney general for the Civil Division, Jody Hunt, later said the DOJ were "instructed to examine whether there is a path forward consistent with the Supreme Court's decision that would allow us to include the citizenship question on the census."

Said Schatz, "They are so dedicated to undercounting people of color that they are ignoring the Constitution and a ruling from the Supreme Court… Three courts have ruled against Trump on the Census. They can't jam this question back in without defying the rule of law and wasting taxpayer dollars. There is nothing left for them to do other than accept defeat and move forward with counting everyone in the country

A youth, walking in the parade with a
sign that reads "It can wait!" referring
to cell phone use while driving.
Photo by Leilani Esperanza

"Just to be clear SCOTUS called BS on the citizenship question and DOJ said 'yeah you've got us.' And then Stephen Miller and Donald Trump got angry and decided to try to defy the courts. They. Are. Getting. More. Unlawful.

"This is what it looks like. The most powerful people in the world are defying the Constitution and the courts in service of making sure the census inaccurately undercounts people who are not white."

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MAJOR HURRICANE BARBARA, category 4 with 130 mile per hour winds, was 1,800 miles east southeast of Hawaiʻi at 5 p.m., traveling west northwest at 12 miles per hour. She is forecast to be downgraded to a tropical storm by Friday, and to a Tropical Depression, with winds less than 40 mph, by Sunday. Forecasts indicate east facing shores of Hawaiʻi Island may see some wind effects from the storm by Sunday, possibly with higher surf.

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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.

Cross Country:

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, JULY

Women's Expression Group, Thursday, July 4 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thursday, July 4, 6-7p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, July 4, 6:30-8:30p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

FRIDAY, JULY

Keiki Science Class, Saturday, July 6 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com

SUNDAY, JULY 7

MONDAY, JULY 8

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Monday, July 8, 1p.m., contact for location. Parent-led homeschool activity and social group, building community in Ka‘ū. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

Couples Dinner, Monday-Friday, July 8-12, 4:30-6p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Followed by Couples Engagement, 6-8p.m. Hosted by Ocean View Baptist Church. Open to the public.

TUESDAY, JULY 9

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10

Kui Kalo Demonstration, Wednesday, July 10, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Ranger Keoni Kaholo‘a‘ā shares knowledge of kalo and making poi. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash happens Saturday, July 27 in Volcano Village, It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register at ohialehuahalf.com.

Exhibit -The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily through Sunday, Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.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.

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, June 14, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, June 15, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, June 16, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, June 17, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, June 20, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, June 21, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, June 22, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, June 23, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, June 24, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, June 27, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, June 28, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, June 29, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, June 30, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, July 1, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, July 3, 2019