The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Kayaking and paddling from Punaluʻu can be risky for solo boats. A couple went missing on Wednesday afternoon,

drawing an aerial search by Coast Guard helicopter and a shoreline. and ocean search by Coast Guard Cutter.

Photo by Julia Neal

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 today, as did First Lady Melania Trump. Presidential candidate Joe Biden stood more than six feet away from Trump Tuesday night, for 90 minutes, during the first presidential debate. Neither wore masks. Both Biden and Trump have said they get regularly tested.

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A MISSING COUPLE IN A YELLOW KAYAK WERE FOUND in good health by U.S. Coast Guard today. An Air Station Barbers Point C-130 Hercules aircrew located the kayakers and airdropped a message block to make contact. The kayakers confirmed they did not need Coast Guard assistance and were not in any distress.
The couple set off from Punaluʻu and were the subject of a search that began last night. Wednesday afternoon, a truck with a yellow kayak was seen in Pāhala and a couple launching a kayak were witnessed at Punaluʻu. A good samaritan called authorities in the evening when the couple failed to return, and reported they wore yellow flotation devices.

An Air Station Barbers Point MH-65 Dolphin helicopter
was one tool USCG used to find the kayakers.

U.S. Coast Guard reported that "Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a report at 6:38 p.m. from a good Samaritan stating she saw the kaykers depart earlier in the day and had not returned though it was sunset. Upon notification, the watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast notice to mariners asking the public to keep a sharp lookout for signs of distress and diverted the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Kittiwake (WPB 87316) in response. An Air Station Barbers Point MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and C-130 Hercules aircrews were launched to assist with the search."
Weather was reported as relatively calm with 5 mph winds and seas up to three feet.

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AIRLINES TOOK TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WORKERS OFF PAYROLL today, when $25 billion in federal funding, for which they promised to keep employees on payroll, expired. Congress failed to reach a deal on a new coronavirus relief package Wednesday. The first was given out in March.

A Hawaiʻi News Now report says Hawaiian Airlines laid off 2,500 workers, while Alaskan Airlines laid off 532. Delta Air Lines is taking a different approach, going with "long and short-term voluntary leaves of absence" for 40,000 workers. Statements from United Airlines and American Airlines state American laid off 19,000 and Untied laid off 13,400. United and American statements that went out to employees say the companies are not giving up on reversing the furloughs.

Hawaiian Airlines passenger jets, parked on the runway on Oʻahu.
Photo from World Airline News

  Airline travel is down 70 percent compared to last year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Airlines that operate in the U.S. are asking Congress for a second $25 billion stimulus package.
   Nick Calio, CEO of Airlines For America, said in a statement, "When our people lose their jobs, down the line there are other people who support the industry that also lose their jobs," saying restaurants, hotels, attractions, and other travel industries, among others, will be affected.
   Today, Lt. Gov. Josh Green said in a press conference that he expects 5,000 to 8,000 visitors soon after Oct. 15, the launch of the pre-travel testing program. He said the program "will not be perfect," but that it should "dramatically decrease the risk" involved with reopening tourism – which he said is "critical" for getting Hawaiʻi back to work. "This program adds an extra layer of security. Right now, nobody is getting a test before traveling. We have to begin the economy again. People are suffering."

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ALASKA AIRLINES TRAVELERS TO HAWAIʻI FROM THE WEST COAST aged 3 months and older will be able to take a rapid Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 test, said the airline in a statement. Starting Oct. 12, Alaska Airlines will offer testing in Seattle, where twice-daily flights to four major Hawaiian Islands will resume on Oct. 15. Nonstop service to Hawaiʻi from Portland, San Jose, and San Diego will resume Nov. 1, and service to the islands from Alaska and Los Angeles will resume Nov. 20.

  Alaska Airlines is partnering with Carbon Health to offer the $135 rapid test. Results will be within two hours.
   Sangita Woerner, Alaska's senior vice president of marketing and guest experience, said, "Our guests have been eager to return to the Hawaiian Islands and we're excited to be adding more ways to safely get them there. By assisting our guests with convenient testing options as they prepare for their trip, we're working together to help keep each other, and Hawaiʻi, safe."
   Carbon Health said it's planning to add more pop-up testing sites and full-service clinics at 48 more cities in the coming weeks.
   Learn more here.

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EVERY PENNY OF CARES ACT FUNDING WILL BE SPENT is the message from Gov. David Ige. He said 98 percent of $863 million in direct payment from Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funding Hawai‘i received from the federal government will be spent to assist with COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. The governor's Hawaiʻi Pandemic Action Plan, which includes protecting public health, reviving the economy, and strengthening the community.
During a briefing this week, Ige and other participants outlined numerous existing and upcoming programs targeted at the three priorities. Ige said, "We understand the urgency for this funding. We are working together to find the best uses possible so we can get this money into the pockets of those who need it most. I want to make it clear that we do not plan to return any of the Coronavirus Relief Funds. We are going use every penny. Any funds unspent at the end of the year will be placed into the state's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and used to help repay a $1 billion loan that was made to pay unemployment benefits to local residents."

  Ige highlighted key funding distributions: $51 million of $61 million for Personal Protective Equipment has been used; $4.9 million used to staff a 200-person unemployment call center; and $75 million will be used for a restaurant card for unemployed residents, which will give local restaurants "a much-needed boost."
   Jill Tokuda, the Special Advisor to the Hawai‘i Data Collaborative, spoke about the group's dashboard that provides insight on all the federal dollars Hawai‘i has received. It also includes information about who is eligible to receive assistance due to the impacts of COVID-19.
   Tokuda explained, "The Hawai‘i Data Collaborative is a partnership with the State Office of Federal Awards Management, the House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness, and DBEDT. It tracks and monitors federal funds awarded to the state and is constantly updated." Click on the COVID-19 tab at the top: https://www.hawaiidata.org/.

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VIRTUAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CALL CENTER is open to help process unemployment claims. The new center, staffed by 200 people, operates 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Operators will be able to answer all types of claimant inquiries, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

Gov. David Ige said, "We are excited to be able to provide this much-needed resource in support of the State's UI program. While 96 percent of initial claims have been successfully filed online, our State is working overtime and leveraging every resource possible to help those filers who must utilize a phone to file or resolve an issue with their claim. I am optimistic that this new call center will further expedite much-needed relief to our residents who have struggled to connect via phone."

Current numbers used by local unemployment insurance offices and existing toll-free numbers will route to the new virtual call center. The toll-free numbers are (833)-901-2272 and (833)-901-2275 and respectively correspond to the local numbers (808)-762-5751 and (808)-762-5752.

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DONATE TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HAWAIʻI ISLAND through tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 2, during the extended Foodland Give Aloha program. Purchase at any Foodland or Sack N Save checkout, and Foodland and Western Union Foundation will make a donation too. To donate, show Maikaʻi card to cashier at checkout and tell them code 78553 and the amount of the donation. MyRewards certificate can also be made as a $5 donation.

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COFFEE AND ORCHARD CROP FARMERS are encouraged to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 by Andrea Kawabata of University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Ag and Human Resources. The expanded program includes coffee, mac nut, lychee, rambutan, avocado, mango, and more.
   Kawabata said farmers seeking one-on-one support with the CFAP 2 application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee. "This is a recommended first step before a producer engages with the team at the FSA county office," said Kawabata. "If your business was affected by the pandemic, and you are eligible for assistance, please sign up as soon as you can." Applications accepted through Dec. 11.
   See https://www.farmers.gov/cfap.
   There is a payment limitation of $250,000 per person or entity for all commodities combined. Applicants who are corporations, limited liability companies, or limited partnerships may qualify for additional payment limits when members actively provide personal labor or personal management for the farming operation. In addition, this special payment limitation provision has been expanded to include trusts and estates for both CFAP 1 and 2.

Producers will also have to certify they meet the Adjusted Gross Income limitation of $900,000 unless at least 75 percent or more of their income is derived from farming, ranching, or forestry-related activities. Producers must also be in compliance with Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions.

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JOIN HAWAIʻI TROPICAL FRUIT GROWERS ONLINE CONFERENCE Q&A session on Friday, Oct. 2 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. View recorded presentations, take a survey after watching the videos, and join presenters and hosts for the session. Topics include: Message from HDOA, Aloha & Welcome, Presidents Report, World Banana Tour, Breadfruit Varieties, New Cultivars & Species, and more. Visit HTFG 2020 Conference website for other details and for Zoom connections to the Q&A session.

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AN ENDORSEMENT FROM FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA is reported by state Sen. Kai Kahele who is running for District 2 U.S. House of Representatives seat. Kahele said, "Words cannot express how honored and excited I am to receive the endorsement of @BarackObama. As a fellow island son, this means so much to me, and I hope to represent our islands in Congress and bring the values of aloha to Washington." If Kahele is elected, he will represent Kaʻū and all of rural Hawaiʻi in Congress.

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WATCH OUT FOR FRAUD ATTEMPTS AGAINST SNAP RECIPIENTS, warns Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services: "Be aware of a scam using texting to obtain your personal information. The text might say you were chosen to receive food stamps or SNAP. If you do not know if a request for information about SNAP is real or not, contact your local SNAP office at a center near you. Visit: https://bit.ly/2RZm13l.

"Never share personal information with individuals or organizations that you do not know. Personal information includes your social security number, bank information, or SNAP electronic benefits transfer card or PIN number. If you think the text is a scam, do not reply at all. Just delete."
Report fraud at https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/snap/. Find out more from local Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program office, Kaʻū Sub-Unit, Nāʻālehu Civic Center, 95-5669 Māmalahoa Hwy, 808-939-2421.

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See recycled artwork by Ira Ono and other local artists during October at East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center.
Image from Ira Ono

32ND ANNUAL THE TRASH SHOW HAWAIʻI: ARTISTS RECYCLE opens this Saturday, Oct. 3 and runs through Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center, 141 Kalakaua St. in Hilo. Features The TrashFace Collection by Volcano Artist Ira Ono. For more information go to ehcc.org.
Ono says, "I see great beauty in found objects. No matter how humble, they become precious to me. The key ingredient for the success of each piece is in the wearing of it; creating an effect – powerful or subtle. By focusing interest on the mundane, the work implies a secret message – seen only by those with a sense of humor, style, and whimsy. The trash becomes beautiful because it is chosen with the eye of the artist."

The announcement from the Cultural Center says, "Ono's roots in recycled art go back to his childhood in New York, when he used to scrounge 'treasures' for his mom's antique shop. He was already known for his own recycled art collages and 'trash art' jewelry before he moved to the Big Island. He started the Trash Show in 1988 to give other island artists a showcase for original works made from recycled materials. And they responded, with everything from John Mydock's fanciful insect sculptures, with wings made from old sunglasses lenses, to elaborate installation pieces made with beach flotsam. Many pieces have had strong messages about the environment, recycling, and pollution. The show, Ono says, 'reminds people that we’re living on an island with limited resources.' The exhibit proved so popular that Ono was invited to create similar shows on Maui and Oʻahu."

To attend, all visitors are required to wear a face mask, maintain six-foot social distancing, and no physical contact when greeting people. A maximum of ten people in the gallery and people are encouraged to stay home if they feel ill. See more art from Ono at Volcano Garden Arts & Café Ono, 19-3834 Old Volcano Rd., www.volcanogardenarts.com, www.cafeono.net, 967-7261.

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THREE NEW DEATHS on Oʻahu bring the state's official death toll to 136. Total 29 deaths are reported on Hawaiʻi Island, 27 of them residents at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home.
The state reports 108 new cases today: six on Hawaiʻi Island and 102 on Oʻahu.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero or few residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale orange is 21 to 30 cases. Medium

orange is 31 to 50 cases. Dark orange (not pictured) is 51 to 70

cases. Bright red is 71 to 130 cases. Dark red (not pictured)

is 131 to 300 cases. Department of Health map

  Since the pandemic began, there have been 12,515 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,340 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,035 active cases in isolation. There are 12 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
   Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 11,296 cases, Hawaiʻi Island 736, Maui County 391, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-three victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 862 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases reported in the last 28 days for two Kaʻū zip codes and Volcano. 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; and 96737, with Ocean View, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, active cases have been reported in zip codes 96704 with Miloliʻi; and 96777 with Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,276,938 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 207,771 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 34.15 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,017,129.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

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Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Register to Vote online, olvr.hawaii.gov, or by U.S. Mail. Print a registration form. Forms must be postmarked no later than Monday, Oct. 5. As during the Primary, all ballots will be mailed, but voters can still vote in-person and may register the same day. Locations are in Hilo at 101 Pauahi Street, #1, and Kona, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy. Ballots should start to arrive around Oct. 16. Secure ballot dropbox located in Nāʻālehu Police Station at 95-5355 Māmalahoa Hwy from Oct. 14, 24 hours a day until 7 p.m. Nov. 3. See other locations here. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. See tips on helping others to register to vote at nationalvoterregistrationday.org. Find more information at elections.hawaii.gov. Check voter registration status here.

Apply for Local Initiative Support Corporation-Lowe's Rural Relief Small Business Grants by Oct. 5. Applications are being accepted in "rounds." Owners must submit a new application for each round in order to be considered for funding in that round. Apply here.
The grants go to support small businesses and enterprises affected by COVID-19 across the country, "especially those in underserved communities, including entrepreneurs of color and women- and veteran-owned businesses that often lack access to flexible, affordable capital," says the announcement.
Applications will be reviewed based on criteria designed to prioritize particularly challenged businesses, and the final grantees will be randomly selected from the top-scoring applicants. Non-profit organizations are not eligible. All potential applicants are encouraged to review FAQ and grant information before applying.

Attend Hawaiʻi Children and Youth Summit on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 8 and 9 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a watch party on Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For ages 24 and younger. Register here. The annual event brings together youth from across the islands to discuss key issues that they believe the Hawaiʻi State Legislature needs to address to make Hawaiʻi a better place to live and work. Priorities that come out of the Summit are used by legislators to create bills and resolutions in the following year. Some of the things that have come out of the Summit are things like expanding afterschool programs, lowering the age of consent for Mental Health Services, and planting over one million trees.

Presidential Debates Schedule: The first Presidential Debate was held Sept. 29 in Cleveland, Ohio. The single Vice Presidential Debate will be held Wednesday, Oct. 7 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The second Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 15 in Miami, Florida. The final Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Each debate will air from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on. Each debate will be broadcast live on C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, Fox News, Fox Business Network, and MSNBC, among others. All the major news networks will offer a free live stream, as will YouTube and Twitter. Listen to the Hawaiʻi Public Radio broadcast at 89.1, or stream the audio here, on the HPR mobile app, or on a smart speaker.

Take Free Courses and Certifications for Hawaiʻi Residents through Coursera are offered by state Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. More than 3,000 options. Registration open until Oct. 31. Recommended courses for picking up technology skills, see https://www.htdc.org/covid-19/learning-tech/. To view more: https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/blog/20-25/.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Click here to complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

ONGOING

Presidential Debates Schedule: The first Presidential Debate was held Tuesday, Sept. 29 in Cleveland, Ohio. The single Vice Presidential Debate will be held Wednesday, Oct. 7 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The second Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 15 in Miami, Florida. The final Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Micronesian-Language COVID-19 Helpline offered by We Are Oceania. Receive answers to questions about COVID-19 symptoms, testing, quarantine, health insurance, housing, unemployment, and other related questions, for those Micronesians who do not speak English. COVID-19 questions can be asked 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily. Other questions about health insurance, housing, or unemployment, helpline available weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. WAO helpline: (808) 913-1364. Watch the video here.

Anyone Feeling Depressed or Anxious, or who needs someone to talk to, can call Department of Health's expanded Hawai‘i C.A.R.E.S. program at 1-800-753-6879 – the same number previously used by Crisis Line of Hawai‘i. Individuals in crisis can also text ALOHA to 741741, available 24/7.

Learn How to Practice Self-Care through Big Island Substance Abuse Council's Practice Self-Care Series. In partnership with Hawai‘i Department of Health, the program seeks to "remind the community that now more than ever, it's important to be gentle with yourself. Be present, limit the amount of news and media, listen to your body, and most importantly, ask for help if you need it. If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health challenges, please reach out to friends and family for support, and seek professional help for serious or persistent symptoms."
For additional series that feature refreshing wellness tips, follow the Behavioral Health & Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group on Facebook.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Student Athletes of Kaʻū High interested in participating in athletics during the 2020-2021 school year are encouraged to call Athletic Director Kalei Namohala at 313-4161 to sign up for the Student Athlete Google Classroom.

Sign Up for ‘Imiloa's Hālau Lamakū Place- and Culture-based Fall Enrichment Program at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo. Held for seven weeks, Oct. 19 through Dec.4, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., except holidays.

  The program offers "fun, engaging and educational activities, crafts, games, outdoor exploration, and observations grounded in Hawaiian culture, science, math, and art. Explorations from deep ocean to deep space, and everything in between – all from ‘Imiloa's facilities and outdoor gardens.
  Enrollment limited to seven pods for K-5th grade students with one instructor, one assistant, and up to eight participants, who will remain together for all seven weeks. Participant's required synchronous and asynchronous school distance learning needs will be addressed. Students will bring their own lunch, two snacks, and two bottled water each day.
   Cost per member child is $695; registration starts Friday, Sept. 25 at 8 a.m. Non-member cost per child is $995; registration starts Friday, Oct. 2 at 8 a.m. Enrollment open through Oct. 7, first-come, first-served. Scholarship applications are open; proof of financial need required. See imiloahawaii.org/halau-lamaku to register, apply for a scholarship, become a member, and find out more.

Resilience Hub at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, noon to 4 p.m. Drop-in wifi and laptop access, free meals for participating keiki. Follows all county, state, and federal COVID-19 guidelines. For more info, contact Michelle Galimba, 808-430-4927.

Nominate Businesses that Provide Excellent COVID-19 Safety Precautions for a Gold Star. Submit nominations to County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development here. Find help for small businesses here.

Attend Weekly Virtual Town Meetings, hosted by Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. Discussion topics include attendance, best practices, Grab-n-Go meals, school updates, questions and feedback, and more. Go to KHPES website for Live WebEx link.

Pre-Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach Program in Ocean View here. Completing the form does not guarantee a spot in the program. A staff member will reach out to eligible families, to complete the registration process. Questions? Contact Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island Administrative Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (808) 961-5536 or email mobiletutoring@bgcbi.org.

Free Tutors for Keiki in Pāhala, for grades one through six, available from Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island. Subjects are Homework Help, Social Studies, Reading, Writing, Math, Spelling, Test Taking Strategies, Organizational Skills, and more. Contact Boys & Girls Club at info@bgcbi.org or 961-5536.

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

In Ocean View, access is limited to five students at a time at Ocean View Community Center on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind and Mrs. Marcia Masters. No restrooms available at this location.

Kaʻū Mobile Learning Hub at St. Jude's lower parking lot is available weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Instruction and support are provided by Carla Lind, Mrs. VanNewkirk, Mrs. Heather Naboa, Mrs. Marcia Masters, and Mrs. Ebanez.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Sign Up for Solid Waste Operations Alerts here. Receive notice via phone or email of site closures, availability of services, hours of operation, special conditions affecting solid waste service (such as road closures, flooding, fires), or special events, such as household hazardous waste collections.

Attend Sunday Drive-In Worship Service at Waiʻōhinu's Kauahaʻao Congregational Church. Parking on the lawn begins at 10 a.m., with Worship Service starting at 10:10 a.m. Face coveri required when usher comes to vehicle to pass out worship bulletin and other materials, and at the same time, collect any offering or gifts the individual(s) would like to give, or when leaving vehicles for the restroom. Church provides paper fans to stay cool. Bring water. Catch the live-streamed service at 10:10 a.m. and Praise Jam, which runs from 9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Service is emailed Sunday afternoon to anyone on the email list. Sign up by emailing atdwongyuen.kauahaaochurch@gmail.com or call 928-8039 or 937-2155.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church services and worship are posted online at stjudeshawaii.org. Join the Aloha Hour via Zoom at 11 a.m. on Sundays, here, Meeting ID: 684 344 9828, Password: Aloha. Weekly hot meals, hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended.

One-Time Emergency Food For Pets is available through KARES. Call David or Barbara Breskin at 319-8333.

Food Basket Distribution last Tuesday of the month, Sept. 29, provides food at St. Jude's to those in need. Another distribution will be held Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Volcano Village's Cooper Center, from 10 a.m. until pau. See hawaiifoodbasket.org.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Art Center, Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village, open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Virtual Shopping Appointments offered via Skype or FaceTime. Book at volcanoartcenter.org/shop for $5. Shop online gallery 24/7. Orders shipped or free local pickup available. See the VAC Virtual Classroom, which features over 90 videos. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

Guided Nature Walks through Nature Trail & Sculpture Garden, Mondays, 9:30 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. No reservations for five or fewer – limited to ten people. Free; donations appreciated. Email programs@volcanoartcenter.org. Garden is open to walk through at one's own pace, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Free. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

Health and Fitness Website for Kūpuna, 808b-fit.com, contains videos for kūpuna to play and move along with. There are videos for stretching, tai chi, yoga, dancing, dance fitness, bon dance, hula, chair dancing, and chair yoga.

Yoga with Emily Catey Weiss, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Advanced registration required; $5 per class. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

Ocean View Swap Meet reopens Sept. 5 at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks are required for all vendors and patrons.

Ocean View Community Market, open Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Managed by Mark Cocucci. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in upper lot only. Vendors must provide own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling encouraged.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market, in Nāʻālehu, open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. Limit of 50 customers, 25 vendor booths, with 30 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing are required, social distancing enforced. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket

Choose Aloha for Home is available to families, to provide a healthy way to grow together using neuroscience and positive psychology. Program uses a series of self-guided videos, activities, and "dinner table discussion topics." Sign up here.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Public Libraries, open for wifi, pick-up, and other services. Nāʻālehu open Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala open Tuesday, noon to 7 p.m., Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. Open for library card account help and reference assistance from the front door. Wifi available to anyone with a library card from each library parking lot. librarieshawaii.org

Free Book Exchanges, at laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu, provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Open to all. Keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them. Selection of books replenished weekly at both sites.

Sign Up for Two Women's Health Programs from Kaʻū Women's Collective. Piko focuses on reproductive health; increasing access, respect, cultural competence, education, and choice. Pilina aims to grow membership and establish a culture of collaborative decision-making. Meetings held Sundays on Oct. 11, Nov. 8, and Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. Follow @kau_womens_health_collective. Contact rootsmedieshawaii@gmail.com. Call 808-450-0498.

Receive Help Over the Phone with Critical Financial Issues, through Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund Financial Navigators from County of Hawaiʻi, in partnership with Hawaiʻi First Federal Credit Union. Complete webform here or call 808-933-6600. Contact Sharon Hirota at 808-961-8019 with questions.

Find Resources for LGBTQ+, Loved Ones, and Allies at Sexual and Gender Minority online resource hub, Hawaiʻi Department of Health's first website dedicated to LGBTQ+ resources.Resources: Understanding the Pacific's alternative genders; Pronoun guide; Book lists for children and teens; ʻOhana support; and DOH data. For more information on joining the SGM Workgroup, email Thaddeus Pham at thaddeus.pham@doh.hawaii.gov. See health.hawaii.gov.

Learn About Hawaiʻi's History & Culture through Papakilo Database, a resource developed by The Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Consists of "collections of data pertaining to historically and culturally significant places, events, and documents in Hawaiʻi's history. The purpose of this educational online repository is to increase the community's ability to preserve and perpetuate cultural and historical information and practices." See papakilodatabase.com.

Coffee Farmers and Producers of Other Agricultural Products encouraged to apply to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program through Dec. 11. Coffee included; see funding updates and resources hawaiicoffeeassoc.org. See complete list of eligible commodities, payment rates, and calculations at farmers.gov/cfap.

Local Ag Producers can Sign Up for a Program to Sell Produce and Meats on Hawaiʻi Island. Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, in partnership with County of Hawai‘i and non-profit entities, has developed a program to purchase product from commercial farmers and livestock producers on Hawai‘i Island for distribution to families in need. The Food Basket and other channels will distribute the products. Learn more.

Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. Visit the program website for more information and to register.

Receive Free Marketing Assistance, for small businesses affected by COVID-19 from Univeristy of Hawaiʻi-Hilo faculty and their senior class. Help with moving a business online, finding out more about the businesses' customers, analyzing marketing effectiveness, and providing customer service or website feedback. Visit https://bit.ly/2YvFxsl.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

Begin Learning Basics of Organic Farming, from two free modules of a virtual training program by the Organic Farming Research Foundation, the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, and California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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Isaac Hale Beach Park and Pohoʻiki Boat Ramp were greatly changed by the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.
See details below regarding FEMA funds to repair infrastructure. DLNR photo

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS HOSPITALIZED TONIGHT WITH THE CORONAVIRUS. Hawaiʻi congressional delegation members reacted:

Sen. Mazie Hirono said, "I'm wishing the President and First Lady a speedy recovery from COVID-19. As we continue to confront this moment as a nation, it is imperative that everyone take the threat of this virus seriously ,and continue wearing a mask, practicing social distance, and washing our hands."

Tin Tin posted on Hirono's twitter a quote from Robert Redfield, CDC director: "These face masks are the most important, powerful public health tool we have, and I will continue to appeal for all Americans to embrace these face coverings, if (everyone wore masks) for six - 12 weeks, we'd bring this pandemic under control."

Sen. Brian Schatz retweeted an AP Politics report that says, "Official says masks will still not be mandatory at the White House, even after president tested positive for the virus. The official described facial coverings as 'a personal choice,' despite overwhelming evidence that they help stop spread of virus."

Presidential contender Joe Biden said, "Be patriotic. It's not about being a tough guy. It's about doing your part. Wearing a mask is not only going to protect you, but it also protects those around you. Your mom, your dad, your brother, your sister, husband, wife, neighbor, co-worker. Don't just do it for yourself. Do it for the people you love, the people you work with." Biden said the president's test that shows him positive for coronavirus, a "bracing reminder" of the seriousness of the pandemic."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, "My husband Abraham and I offer our best wishes and aloha to President
@realDonaldTrump and the First Lady @FLOTUS and praying for their speedy recovery. We also send our best wishes to Ivanka, Tiffany, Donald Trump Jr., Eric, and Barron during this difficult time."

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HAWAIʻI'S BOARD OF EDUCATION VOTED ON THURSDAY TO ALLOW SCHOOLS TO REOPEN beginning Oct. 12, to be determined by school principals and their area superintendents. It also voted to allow teachers involved in distance learning to work from home. Learn about concerns about reopening on the Monday, Sept. 28 Kaʻū News Briefs.

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FREE MEALS AND CENSUS INFO WILL BE SERVED ON SATURDAY AT NĀʻĀLEHU HONGWANJI from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Organizer Shellen Hashimoto said partners include West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, L&L Drive-In, and the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations. The meals are first-come, first-served, with 300 meals available, said Hashimoto.

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THE POISONING OF FRESH WATER in streams, gulches, ponds, a criminal felony, is of increased concern to the state Department of Land & Natural Resources. While Kaʻū has intermittent streams mostly running during rains, any poisons, including pesticides for agriculture dumped into them can wind up in the few ponds, the gulches, and the ocean. The poisoning witnessed in recent months, according to DLNR, happened north of Hilo.
Over the last three months, officers with the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement investigated six suspected chemical poisonings of streams. They collected samples of Tahitian prawns, water, and sediment in streams north of Hilo to verify poisonings after photographs showed mass die-offs of this popular local delicacy. Some photographs show prawns dying in streams or on their banks. Officers believe this indicates the prawns tried to get out of water that had been poisoned.

Dead Tahitian prawns are evidence of poisoned streams.
DLNR photo

Two years ago, in April 2018, DLNR documented another series of poisonings in many of the same streams. DOCARE investigators said that unless suspects are caught in the act of using pesticides or other chemicals on streams, cases are difficult to prosecute. They warn the public to be careful about the sources of their prawns and to provide detailed information when they believe any stream has been poisoned. When reporting, notify DOCARE at (808) 933-3460, or 643-DLNR, or via the free DLNR tip app. Note time of day, date, and vehicle/license plates. Provide photographs if possible and a call-back number. If observing prawns crawling out of the water, freeze them as soon as possible (poisons break down quickly). The quicker this information is provided the higher the chance specialists can get water and sediment samples.
DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla said, "These poisonings not only risk the public's health when they unknowingly eat a poisoned prawn, but clearly this illegal activity has dramatic and negative impacts on the otherwise pristine streams flowing from the mountains and into the ocean on Hawai‘i island. If anyone has information on any of these poisonings we strongly urge you to contact DOCARE."
No arrests have been made, but several incidents are being investigated. Anyone convicted of poisoning a Hawai‘i stream could face felony criminal charges and civil penalties, which upon conviction can carrying significant fines and/or jail time. See the DLNR video on stream poisoning at https://vimeo.com/269393431.

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LOCAL NONPROFITS WILL EXPAND MORTGAGE AND RENT HELP through grants provided to Hawaiʻi County from the federal government. Six Hawaiʻi Island-based nonprofit partners offer Hawaiʻi County Rent and Mortgage Assistance Program. RMAP partners encourage Hawaiʻi Island residents who are at least 18 years old and lost income or work hours due to COVID-19 may be eligible for up to $2,000 per month for rent, lease, or mortgage payments. The previous grant limit was $1,000 per month. RMAP applicants must also have a current annual household income at or below 140 percent of area median income for the number of members in their household – see chart.

  Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.
   Hawai‘i Community Lending and Hawai‘i County have modified RMAP to address barriers for applicants, application processing, and how to encourage more residents to apply. Other changes include reimbursement for payments made with personal resources, such as savings, credit cards, personal loans, or assistance from family or friends. In addition, households who entered into a forbearance or payment agreement with their mortgage lender or landlord for payments that were due between March and December 2020 may now be eligible. Residents who previously applied to RMAP and were rejected are encouraged to reapply.
   RMAP is funded by the County of Hawaiʻi with Federal CARES Act dollars. Funding is limited to households' primary residence on Hawaiʻi Island. RMAP nonprofit partners are:
   Hawaiian Community Assets/Hawaiʻi Community Lending: www.HawaiianCommunity.net, 808-934-0801
   HOPE Services Hawaiʻi: www.hopeserviceshawaii.org/rmap, 808-935-3050
   Hawai‘i First Federal Credit Union: www.hawaiifirstfcu.com/pathways, 808-933-6600
   Neighborhood Place of Puna: www.neighborhoodplaceofpuna.org/coronavirus-rent-mortgage-relief, 808-965-5550
   Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery: www.hihrecovery.org/RMAP, 808-640-4443 or 808-934-7852
   Habitat for Humanity Hawai‘i Island: www.habitathawaiiisland.org/rmap.html, 808-450-2118.
   RMAP partners have disbursed more than $1.2 million in housing grants to 338 island households in the program's first four weeks. They are disbursing approximately $1 million per week and are on track to spend down $7.25 million by Nov. 30.

Diane Ley, director of the County's Department of Research and Development, said, "By increasing the monthly rent and mortgage assistance allotment will better match the high cost of housing and further cushion impacted families in the months ahead. The County urges all families who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to apply. Do not disqualify yourself; instead, work with the County's partners, as they are available to assist."
Jeff Gilbreath, HCL Director of Lending and Development, said, "RMAP is a demonstration of a successful public-private partnership at a time when our families are so desperately in need of financial assistance. Our role as nonprofit partners is clear: to be an advocate for our applicants and to use data to inform the prudent and efficient disbursement of relief funds to those who need. We mahalo all our RMAP partners and the County of Hawai‘i in staying focused first-and-foremost on getting $7.25 million into our community."

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CDC: PUBLISH DATA ON COVID-19 SPREAD IN SCHOOLS, urges Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and colleagues. Gabbard and 23 other Congress members wrote Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield to ask that the CDC begin collecting and publishing data nationally to track and address the spread of COVID-19 in schools.

   An announcement from Gabbard's office says, "COVID-19 has disproportionately affected young Hispanic, Black, Native Americans, and Alaska Natives. In addition, young Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are overrepresented with chronic medical conditions that put them at greater risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms. The federal government is not currently tracking outbreaks of COVID-19 in schools, leaving the responsibility to states and school districts."
   In the letter to Redfield: "Efforts to reopen our classrooms should not happen in the dark. The limited COVID-19 school data we do have so far is troubling. This week the CDC reported that more than 120 youth (aged 21 and younger) have died of COVID-19 between February and July. Notably, the burden of disease revealed stark disparities.
   "Seventy-five percent of the youth deaths were students of color, despite Hispanic, Black, and American Indians or Alaskan Natives making up only 41 percent of the U.S. youth population. Further, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) acquire underlying chronic medical conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, asthma, kidney disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, at younger ages than other ethnic groups. This puts NHPI students at greater risk of severe symptoms of COVID-19. We cannot allow these disparities to continue. Data is the first step to addressing these alarming inequities."Read the letter here.

Gabbard and her team have been working since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and public health crisis to bring more resources home to Hawaiʻi, while also keeping Hawaiʻi residents informed through a resource hub on her website, https://gabbard.house.gov/COVID-19.

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RECOGNIZE AND AVOID SPOOFED ONLINE INFO with help from Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The FBI and CISA urge all members of the American public to critically evaluate the websites they visit and the emails sent to their personal and business email accounts, to seek out reliable and verified information on election information. The agencies issued an announcement to help the public recognize and avoid spoofed election-related internet domains and email accounts during the 2020 election year:

  Spoofed domains and email accounts are leveraged by foreign actors and cybercriminals and can be easily mistaken for legitimate websites or emails. Adversaries can use spoofed domains and email accounts to disseminate false information; gather valid usernames, passwords, and email addresses; collect personally identifiable information; and spread malware, leading to further compromises and potential financial losses.
   Cyber actors set up spoofed domains with slightly altered characteristics of legitimate domains. A spoofed domain may feature an alternate spelling of a word ("electon" instead of "election"), or use an alternative top-level domain, such as a "[.]com" version of a legitimate "[.] gov" website. Members of the public could unknowingly visit spoofed domains while seeking information regarding the 2020 election. Additionally, cyber actors may use a seemingly legitimate email account to entice the public into clicking on malicious files or links.
   Recommendations:
   Verify the spelling of web addresses, websites, and email addresses that look trustworthy but may be close imitations of legitimate election websites.
   Seek out information from trustworthy sources, verifying who produced the content and considering their intent. The Election Assistance Commission (https://www.eac.gov) provides a vast amount of verified information and resources.
   Ensure operating systems and applications are updated to the most current versions.
   Update anti-malware and anti-virus software and conduct regular network scans.
   Do not enable macros on documents downloaded from an email unless absolutely necessary, and only then, after ensuring the file is not malicious.
   Disable or remove unneeded software applications.

  Use strong two-factor authentication if possible, via biometrics, hardware tokens, or authentication apps.
   Do not open e-mails or attachments from unknown individuals. Do not communicate with unsolicited e-mail senders.
   Never provide personal information of any sort via e-mail. Be aware that many e-mails requesting your personal information appear to be legitimate.
   The FBI is responsible for investigating and prosecuting election crimes, malign foreign influence operations, and malicious cyber activity targeting election infrastructure and other U.S. democratic institutions. CISA helps critical infrastructure owners and operators, including those in the election community, remain resilient against physical and cyber threats. The FBI and CISA provide services and information to uphold the security, integrity, and resiliency of U.S. electoral processes.
   The FBI encourages the public to report information concerning suspicious or criminal activity to the Hawaiʻi Field Office, (808) 566-4300, or to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. For additional assistance, best practices, and common terms, please visit: Protected Voices, Election Crimes and Security, or #Protect2020.

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EDMUND "FRED" HYUN IS TEMPORARY ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY announced Gov. David Ige today. Hyun will oversee the state Department of Public Safety through November 30. Nolan Espinda announced his retirement in early September, effective at close of business Sept. 30.
Hyun will assess the operations of the administration, corrections, and law enforcement divisions, including strengths and weaknesses. He is tasked with investigating concerns raised by the unions about the department's COVID-19 response. Following his assessment, Hyun will make recommendations to address any areas of concern and prioritize potential mitigation measures.
Hyun is chair of the Hawaiʻi Paroling Authority. Effective immediately, he will take a temporary leave of absence. HPA board member Fituina Fiapule Tua will fill in as acting HPA chair until Hyun's return on Dec. 1.

Fred Hyun is new manager of Hawaiʻi's
prison system. Photo from Ige's office

   After completing his undergraduate requirements, Hyun served in the Hawaiʻi Air National Guard. Following his initial active duty, he was hired by the Hawaiʻi Youth Correctional Facility as a Youth Corrections Officer, where he started the first halfway house for committed wards. He then was hired as a supervisor with the Oʻahu Intake Service Center to address jail overcrowding. Hyun became the Hawaiʻi Intake Service Center manager until his retirement from Public Safety in 2003. Upon his retirement, Hyun worked in private security until he was hired by the Honolulu Liquor Commission.
   Tua was born in American Samoa and raised on Oʻahu. He is a graduate of Saint Louis High School and San Jose State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree. He also graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, with a Master of Science Degree.
   After completing his undergraduate work, Tua returned to Hawaiʻi and was employed as a business agent for United Public Workers Union representing Unit 10 members (Judiciary and State Corrections). Later, he returned to Boston and worked in Corrections for the State of Massachusetts and for the Trial Courts of Massachusetts in the Probation Department. Tua returned to Hawaiʻi and worked at the Judiciary as a Family Court probation officer until he was hired as a United States probation officer with the Federal Judiciary for the District of Hawaiʻi. After 20 years of federal service, Tua retired from the U.S. Probation Office in 2013 and was appointed to the State of Hawaiʻi Parole Board by Gov. Neil Abercrombie for a 4-year term and later by Gov. David Ige to another 4-year term that is scheduled to expire in Feb. 2021.

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ISAAC HALE BEACH PARK WILL RECEIVE OVER $1.4 MILLION FROM FEMA announced Sen. Mazie Hirono today. The $1,494,360 in funds are part of a grant agreement with Federal Emergency Management Agency for repairs to areas affected by the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.

Isaac Hale Beach Park will receive infrastructure repairs
with over $1.4 million from FEMA. County photo

Hirono said, "We have come to realize and value the importance of our parks and outdoor spaces during this coronavirus pandemic, particularly when our activities were restricted. This funding will go towards park-related infrastructure to assist with Puna's recovery, so that residents and visitors can safely enjoy the park."

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APPLY FOR HOLOMUA HAWAIʻI RELIEF GRANTS for small businesses and nonprofits of up to $10,000 to support core operations, safe on-going and reopening costs, personal protective equipment, and training and technical assistance. The business or nonprofit must employ 50 people or fewer. See the program website.

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Tom Paxton and the Don Juans will entertain virtually
on Monday at 5 p.m. Purchase tickets.

WATCH TOM PAXTON & THE DON JUANS Livestream performance Monday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. Blues Bear Hawaiʻi presents Grammy award-winning Tom Paxton with Grammy award-winning songwriters Don Henry and Jon Vezner for "an intimate concert experience full of harmonies, original songs, and superb musicianship," says the announcement. Stick around for a 15-minute audience Q&A following the show. Songs included in the performance will include covers of pieces by Harry Belafonte, John Mellencamp, Miranda Lambert, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Judy Collins, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Kathy Mattea, John Denver, Bob Dylan, and Peter, Paul, & Mary. Purchase tickets here.

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THREE NEW DEATHS on Oʻahu bring the state's official death toll to 142. Total 29 deaths are reported on Hawaiʻi Island, 27 of them residents at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home.
The state reports 87 new cases today: 16 on Hawaiʻi Island, 69 on Oʻahu, and one a resident diagnosed out-of-state.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 12,601 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,389 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,070 active cases in isolation. There are 12 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero or few residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 19 cases. Pale orange is 20 to 35 cases. Medium

orange is 36 to 57 cases. Dark orange (not pictured) is 58 to 92

cases. Bright red is 93 to 114 cases. Dark red (not pictured)

is 115 to 287 cases. Department of Health map

  Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 11,365 cases, Hawaiʻi Island 752, Maui County 391, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-four victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 880 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases reported in the last 28 days for two Kaʻū zip codes and Volcano. 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; and 96737, with Ocean View, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, active cases have been reported in zip codes 96704 with Miloliʻi; and 96777 with Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,320,006 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 208,600 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 34.45 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,025,354.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

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Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

32nd Annual The Trash Show Hawaiʻi: Artists Recycle open through Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center, 141 Kalakaua St. in Hilo. Features The TrashFace Collection by Volcano Artist Ira Ono. To attend, all visitors are required to wear a face mask, maintain six-foot social distancing, no physical contact when greeting people, a maximum of ten people in the gallery, and encouraging anyone who feels ill to stay home. See more art from Ono at Volcano Garden Arts & Café Ono, 19-3834 Old Volcano Rd., www.volcanogardenarts.com, www.cafeono.net, 967-7261. For more information go to ehcc.org.

Take Free Courses and Certifications for Hawaiʻi Residents through Coursera are offered by state Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. More than 3,000 options. Registration open until Oct. 31. Recommended courses for picking up technology skills, see https://www.htdc.org/covid-19/learning-tech/. To view more: https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/blog/20-25/.

ONGOING

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

COVID-19 Talk Story on Nā Leo TV series aims to help deliver accurate and current information to Hawaiʻi Island residents. Airs live Thursdays at 10 a.m. at 10 a.m. on Spectrun Channel 53, online at naleo.tv/channel-53/, and streaming via the Nā Leo's free mobile app. Watch all episodes on-demand at naleo.tv/covid19.

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Apply for Holomua Hawaiʻi Relief Grants for small businesses and nonprofits of up to $10,000 to support core operations, safe on-going and reopening costs, personal protective equipment, and training and technical assistance. The business or nonprofit must employ 50 people or fewer. See the program website.

Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. Visit the program website for more information and to register.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

Former Miss Kaʻū Coffee Amey Silva and her keiki at last year's inaugural Fall Family Funday Rodeo.
Look back at the event, below, in Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year. Photo by Julia Neal

ENVIRONMENT HAWAIʻI'S OCTOBER ISSUE reviews news of the lifting of fishing bans in American Pacific waters. Patricia Tummons calls a decisions "A loss for American Samoa: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a lower court decision, effectively giving longline fishing vessels the right to fish as close as 12 miles from the territory's coast. The decision is a blow to the American Samoa government, which had sued the National Marine Fisheries Service and Kitty Simonds, executive director of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, over the decision of NMFS in 2016 to shrink the zone in which longline fishing was prohibited to 12 miles from 50, the limit that had been in effect since 2002.

"After that, the government of American Samoa sued, arguing that NMFS had not considered the 1900 and 1904 Deeds of Cession that protected the cultural fishing rights of its citizens. In 2017, U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi found in favor of the territorial claim and declared the rule to be invalid. At the time the council recommended opening the closed area, it argued that the waters from 12 out to 50 miles were not being used by the smaller alia catamaran fishing vessels that local fishermen had developed.
"On Sept. 25, the three-judge appellate panel issued its ruling, stating that it really didn't matter that NMFS ignored the cessions, since NMFS did consider the impact of the expanded longline fishing area on the alia vessels, "and rationally determined the effects were not significant." Read more and stories about the aquarium trade and stream diversion at environment-hawaii.org.

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Nāʻālehu Volunteer firefighters are honored during Fire Prevention Week.
Photo from 2019 Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade by Leilani Esperanza

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

FIRE PREVENTION WEEK TO HONOR FIRST RESPONDERS begins tomorrow. Gov. David Ige ordered United States flag and state flag to be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol and upon all state offices and agencies as well as the Hawai‘i National Guard in the State of Hawai‘i. From Sunday, Oct. 4 through next Saturday the half-staff will honor the memory of firefighters and first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice to save and protect our citizens, homes, and communities.
Ige said, "Our first responders—firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical technicians, and lifeguards—step into harm's way every day to help keep our community safe. This year, they have faced ever more difficult challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic and a higher risk of fire. We honor their bravery and sacrifices."

Volcano firefighters and other first responders are honored next week,
with photo from Volcano July 4, 2019 parade. Photo by Yvette Slack

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

ACCESS RANGELAND MANAGEMENT RESOURCES at globalrangelands.org/state/hawaii. The site offers access to current research, industry news, educational events, and more about rangeland management in Hawaiʻi. The website is maintained by the University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Cooperative Extension Service. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive updates.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Faceboo k. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

CONSERVATION COUNCIL FOR HAWAIʻI invites supporters, partners, and members to its annual meeting online at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17. A statement from the nonprofit says, "Over the past seven decades, CCH has been able to protect our native plants, animals, and ecosystems across the Hawaiian Islands because of your support, we are extremely grateful and as we navigate our path forward we rely on your support even more than ever." See https://nwf-org.zoom.us/j/8085930255#success.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Faceboo k. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

CARES ACT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FOR CHILDCARE PROGRAMS announced Department of Human Services and Hawai‘i Community Foundation Friday. The $15 million available will support licensed childcare programs across the state. It's part of a new program called the Child Care Stimulus Grants Program, which provides regulated childcare providers or A+ providers in Hawaiʻi with extra funding to ensure they can reopen and continue operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program also wants to ensure that the childcare facilities are able to meet the additional health and safety measures set by DHS for reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

  Gov. David Ige said, "I'm committed to using all the federal funding Hawai‘i has received in ways that benefit the people of our state. The Child Care Stimulus Grants Program fills a major need by ensuring the health and safety of our children and their families, which is the foundation for reopening our economy."
   DHS Director Cathy Betts said, "Since the beginning of this pandemic DHS recognized that childcare must be part of every conversation addressing essential workers and remains a critical part of reopening and supporting the local economy. Childcare providers are vital in giving children healthy and safe environments that promote early development while offering parents peace of mind during this extraordinarily challenging time."
   Allowable expenses under the program include staff salaries, personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, and other materials needed to care for children, rent, and mortgage payments. Grant applications are open Oct. 6 through Oct. 30 at www.HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org/CareGrants.

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WATCH TOM PAXTON & THE DON JUANS livestream performance Monday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. Blues Bear Hawaiʻi presents Grammy award-winning Tom Paxton with Grammy award-winning songwriters Don Henry and Jon Vezner for "an intimate concert experience full of harmonies, original songs, and superb musicianship," says the announcement. Stick around for a 15-minute audience Q&A following the show. Songs included in the performance will include covers of pieces by Harry Belafonte, John Mellencamp, Miranda Lambert, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Judy Collins, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Kathy Mattea, John Denver, Bob Dylan, and Peter, Paul, & Mary. Purchase tickets here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

ELEVEN NEW DEATHS from COVID-19 bring the state's official death toll to 142. Total 29 deaths are reported on Hawaiʻi Island, 27 of them residents at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. The Veterans Home has one resident with COVID in Hilo Hospital but all residents in the home have recovered from the virus.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero or few residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale orange is 21 to 30 cases. Medium

orange is 31 to 60 cases. Dark orange (not pictured) is 61 to 80

cases. Bright red is 81 to 120 cases. Dark red (not pictured)

is 121 to 280 cases. Department of Health map

  The state reports 133 new cases today: 43 on Hawaiʻi Island, three in Maui County, 87 on Oʻahu.
   Since the pandemic began, there have been 12,734 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,415 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,165 active cases in isolation. There are 16 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
   Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 11,452 cases, Hawaiʻi Island 795, Maui County 394, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-four victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 885 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.

  No new cases reported in the last 28 days for two Kaʻū zip codes and Volcano. 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; and 96737, with Ocean View, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, active cases have been reported in zip codes 96704 with Miloliʻi; and 96777 with Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
  See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,376,099 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 209,328 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 34.76 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,031,095.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Winners of Pole Bending, ages 5-8, with Help. Photo by Julia Neal
Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year

One-year-old Kauwanaokalani

Kaluna-Yurong, nibbling on her

participation ribbon for Goat

Undecorating. Photo by Julia Neal

This time last year, Nāʻālehu Arena hosted the inaugural Fall Family Funday Rodeo. Canceled this year due to the pandemic, last year's event showed off paniolo skills of keiki and youth. Organized by Tammy Kaʻapana Kaʻū Roping and Riding Association and co-sponsored by Nancy Cabral and Day-Lum Properties, the rodeo saw competitors up to age 17. The youngest, one-year-old Kauwanaokalani Kaluna-Yurong, refused to let go of the tail when pulling off the ribbon in the Goat Undecorating event.

Winners of Barrel Racing, ages 9-13.
Photo by Julia Neal

  In Dummy Roping, 4 and under, McKenzy DeMattos took first, Kuʻulei Serrao took second, and Kalauʻili Cardoza took third. For ages 5-8, Colt Mandaloniz took first, Kysen Rapoza took third, and Jaycee Amaral took third.
   In Goat Undecorating, 4 and under, Kuʻulei Serrao took first, Janiese Amaral took second, and McKenzy DeMattos took third. For ages 5-8, Hilai Karatti took first, Hilinai Karatti took second, and Jaycee Amaral took third.
   In Barrel Racing, 4 and under, with help, Devyn Akana took first, Marina Sakata took second, and Kalauʻili Cardoza took third. For ages 5-8, with help, Keanna took first, Quentin Lorenzo took second, and Kysen Rapoza took third.

Winners of Pole Bending, ages 4 & under,

with Help. Photo by Julia Neal

In Barrel Racing, for ages 5-8, without help, Hilai Karatti took first, Caya Wong took second. For ages 9-13, the first go saw Kryslynn Nabarra at 17.87, Teani Souza at 18.64, and Blayne DeMattos at 20.43. The second go saw Nabarra at 18.41, Moana Mortensen at 19.75, and DeMattos at 20.80. Nabarra took first, with an average time of 18.14. Mortensen took second, with an average time of 20.095. Souza took third, with an average time of 20.225.
In Barrel Racing, for ages 14-17, McKella Akana was the only competitor.

Winners of Dummy Roping,
ages 5-8. Photo by Julia Neal

  In Pole Bending, for 4 and under, with help, Kalauʻili Cardoza took first, McKenzy DeMattos took third, and Aurora Serrao took third. For ages 5-8, with help, Keanna Macanas took first, Quentin Lorenzo took second, and Kysen Ropoza took third. For ages 9-13, the first go saw Blayne DeMattos at 31.22, Kryslynn Nabarra at 32.77, and Hayzen at 39.12. The second go saw Nabarra at 29.24, DeMattos at 33.70, and Moana Mortensen at 36.04. Nabarra took first, with an average time of 36.005. DeMattos took second, with an average time of 32.46. Mortensen took third, with an average time of 39.545. For ages 14-17, McKella Akana was the only competitor, with no time recorded.
   In Calf Riding, Hayzeh took first, Chaz took second, and Austin took third.
   In Sheep Riding, Kyson Rapoza took first, Kamakoa took second, and Quentin Lorenzo took third.
   In Calf Riding, Hayzeh took first, Chaz took second, and Austin took third.
   In Sheep Riding, Kyson Rapoza took first, Kamakoa took second, and Quentin Lorenzo took third.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

EARTHQUAKE MEASUREMENTS are the focus of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
That didn't feel like a Magnitude-4? What do earthquake measurements mean?
Residents on the Island of Hawaiʻi are accustomed to feeling earthquakes. As the ground shaking subsides and the safety of everyone around is assured, one of the first questions we typically ask is "how big was that earthquake?"

Earthquake report card from 1967 containing detailed
information of personally observed effects from a
M3.9 earthquake at the summit of Kīlauea

  Before seismologists had equipment to calculate magnitudes, people relied on physical damage and human observations. Such observations could be compiled and analyzed to determine where the shaking seemed most intense and identify the epicenter.
   By 1930, Hawaiʻi had earthquake report cards that were distributed to the community by HVO staff for people to write detailed information about what they observed during earthquakes.
   These report cards became crucial for understanding seismicity while methods for measuring earthquakes were limited or non-existent. The reports helped estimate sizes of historic earthquakes by comparing how earthquakes were observed in the past to how they are observed today.
   Earthquake observations recorded in journals and report cards not only became a portal for scientists to look back in time at the historical seismicity, but also provided vital data points that helped determine the intensities of the earthquakes felt in different regions.
   In the early 1900s, Italian volcanologist Giuseppe Mercalli developed a scale to categorize the intensity of shaking from an earthquake based on the effects reported by the impacted community.
   This scale has since been adopted in the United States as the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. The MMI scale is one of the most meaningful earthquake measurements in describing the areal extent and severity of the shaking at the surface.
   Different seismogenic regions can produce varying levels of intensity from the same magnitude of earthquake, depending on distance from hypocenter, direction of rupture, underlying geology, and even building design. A single large earthquake might have reports that span the entire I-XII range of the MMI scale.

HVO staff distributed the report cards to local citizens between

1930 and 1989. Now, you can go online to report felt

earthquakes at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/data/dyfi/.

  This is why the MMI scale is the best way to communicate the relative effects among earthquakes. Values are derived from direct observations of the public and will give the best sense of shaking experienced in different regions.
   Today, we no longer provide earthquake report cards but instead you can go online and fill out a Did You Feel It? report, or even check intensities calculated in your region for older events, based on reported observations.
   While intensity is a great way to assess the effects in areas around the earthquake, seismologists needed an objective and quick method to determine an earthquake's size that does not rely on having a populated area around the earthquakes.
   In the 1930s, seismologist Charles Richter came up with the first known method to describe earthquake size based on the maximum amplitude measured from specific seismographs (instruments that measure earthquakes) deployed in southern California.
   Richter defined a magnitude-3 earthquake as producing a 1 mm (3/64 inch) peak swing on a torsion seismograph located 100 km (62 miles) away from the earthquake epicenter. He used this arbitrary designation to simply define size of a specific event and with the assumption that other earthquakes could be much smaller or much larger, he invoked the logarithmic scaling. Also central to Richter's work was determining how seismic wave amplitudes varied depending on the distance between earthquake and recording seismic station.
   Richter used a base-10 logarithmic scale, which means that each whole-number increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase. But a tenfold increase in what? Does that mean the energy released was ten times bigger?
   The tenfold increase on the Richter scale is simply in regard to that max amplitude measurement on the seismogram, or earthquake-record. Energy release is actually portrayed by Richter magnitude logarithmically to approximately base-32, meaning that each whole magnitude increase releases about 32 times the energy.

Did You Feel It? reports help seismologists track earthquakes.

  Other magnitude scales have developed over time with the same principles of taking a physical measurement from the seismogram to produce an objective value, with the intent of emulating the relationship among earthquakes that Richter established.
   The next time you feel an earthquake, take the proper safety precautions. Then—instead of asking how big that earthquake was—fill out your DYFI forms and ask yourself what the intensity was based on your observed effects, and see if the associated magnitude is what you expected!
Volcano Activity Updates
   Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL (https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/volcano-hazards/about-alert-levels). Kīlauea updates are issued monthly.
   Kīlauea monitoring data for the month of September show variable but typical rates of seismicity and ground deformation, low rates of sulfur dioxide emissions, and only minor geologic changes since the end of eruptive activity in September 2018. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly expand and deepen. For the most current information on the lake, see https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/k-lauea-summit-water-resources.
   Mauna Loa is not erupting and remains at Volcano Alert Level ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to eruption from current level of unrest is certain. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.
   This past week, about 115 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper-elevations of Mauna Loa; most of these occurred at shallow depths of less than 8 kilometers (about 5 miles). Global Positioning System measurements show long-term slowly increasing summit inflation, consistent with magma supply to the volcano's shallow storage system. Gas concentrations and fumarole temperatures as measured at both Sulphur Cone and the summit remain stable. Webcams show no changes to the landscape. For more information on current monitoring of Mauna Loa Volcano, see: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna-loa/monitoring.
   There was 1 event with 3 or more felt reports in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M2.3 earthquake 9 km (5 mi) NE of Honomu at 36 km (22 mi) depth on Sept. 27 at 7:35 p.m.
   HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa for any signs of increased activity.
   Visit HVO's website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

ONGOING

  Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.
   Hawai‘i Community Lending and Hawai‘i County have modified RMAP to address barriers for applicants, application processing, and how to encourage more residents to apply. Other changes include reimbursement for payments made with personal resources, such as savings, credit cards, personal loans, or assistance from family or friends. In addition, households who entered into a forbearance or payment agreement with their mortgage lender or landlord for payments that were due between March and December 2020 may now be eligible. Residents who previously applied to RMAP and were rejected are encouraged to reapply.
   RMAP nonprofit partners are: Hawaiian Community Assets/Hawaiʻi Community Lending, www.HawaiianCommunity.net, 808-934-0801; HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, www.hopeserviceshawaii.org/rmap, 808-935-3050; Hawai‘i First Federal Credit Union, www.hawaiifirstfcu.com/pathways, 808-933-6600; Neighborhood Place of Puna, www.neighborhoodplaceofpuna.org/coronavirus-rent-mortgage-relief, 808-965-5550; Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery, www.hihrecovery.org/RMAP, 808-640-4443 or 808-934-7852; Habitat for Humanity Hawai‘i Island, www.habitathawaiiisland.org/rmap.html, 808-450-2118.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. Visit the program website for more information and to register.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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 Voices mailed 1,600 Get Out The Vote to people in swing states this weekend.
See details below. Photo from Kaʻū Voices

TWO DEATHS AT HILO LIFE CARE CENTER OF HILO, with 23 residents and seven staff testing positive for COVID-19, are reported today. Another death is reported at Hilo Medical Center. In another cluster, University of the Nations-Kona reports 26 positive cases, four of them travel-related.

Yesterday's record island positive COVID case count of 43 is attributed to the spikes at Hilo Life Care Center, a nursing home, and University of the Nations, a Christian-based Bible college. Mayor Harry Kim said in a statement the spike on campus "is being reviewed, right now, on a case-by-case basis for contact tracing to see exactly what the situation is to do everything we can to prevent further spread... All of us realizing how easy it is to be infected by it. All of us must follow the rules of prevention. As more time goes by we are all learning, especially with people like the president and first lady and others showing constantly how easily one catches the virus."
See more COVID details, below.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE for a mail-in ballot is tomorrow, Monday, Oct. 5. Register at olvr.hawaii.gov, or by U.S. Mail by printing a registration form and having it postmarked by Oct. 5.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

KAʻŪ VOICES MAILED 1,600 GET OUT THE VOTE messages on Saturday through Nāʻālehu Post Office. The effort across the country is coordinated by Vote Forward.

Kaʻū Voices sent out 200 postcards to inconsistent voters in North Carolina with a handwritten, nonpartisan message to encourage them to vote. They also sent 1,400 letters printed from the Vote Forward website to potential voters in swing states, also with a handwritten, nonpartisan message urging citizens to vote. Twenty-two Kaʻū Voices participants wrote the letters and postcards. These writers also provided envelopes and postage for the letters. Vote Forward provided stamps for the postcards.

Anyone who wants to participate in Get Out The Vote can "adopt" voters and send them letters through votefwd.org. Vote Forward attained its goal of preparing 1 million GOTV letters and upped its goal to 1.5 million. The national send date is Saturday, Oct. 17, but in Hawaiʻi GOTV letters must be mailed by Saturday, Oct. 10. That leaves one week for people to volunteer to take action to make this a successful election.

Anyone willing to write letters and address envelopes, but needs to have letters printed, or needs envelopes and/or postage, call Linda Morgan at 785-2085.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

HOW TO TRAVEL SAFELY TO AND FROM THE MAINLAND is tackled in a statement from a Kaʻū resident, Dr. Renee Joy Dufault, an infectious disease specialist. She writes: "As a retired infection control expert, I would like to share a few ideas to improve air travel safety. On Sept. 29, I returned to Hawaiʻi from a trip to California where my mother died.

"While on the plane, I observed a man sitting across from me who slept for two hours without a mask. Nothing was done. I heard coughing and sneezing on occasion. There were three unoccupied rows of seats set aside for an extra fee. Meanwhile, travelers were not spaced even two feet apart below and above that vacant section of the plane.
"After deplaning at KOA, I was greeted by a Hawaiʻi representative who expected me to touch a contaminated stylus and sign on an iPad. There was no disinfecting protocol between passengers for the stylus. Not all passengers were standing six feet apart in line and there was no temperature taking.

"Unless required to do otherwise, the airlines are going to cram people into seats without regard to spacing and they are not going to consistently enforce the wearing of masks. People are going to travel as they always have even when feeling unwell. Hawaiʻi needs to take temperatures of all arriving passengers as some may have taken Tylenol prior to boarding the plane.

Infectious disease specialist and Kaʻū
resident, Dr. Renee Joy Dufault, gives tips
on traveling safely on airplanes
during the pandemic.

"So, what can you do in such an unregulated environment? First and foremost, wear your mask. Second, carry wipes with a 60 second contact time for killing coronavirus and other infectious agents. Most alcohol wipes used on plane surfaces do not stay wet long enough to kill coronavirus. So, bring your own wipes on the plane and make sure they wet the surface long enough to kill flu and coronavirus. Refuse to touch any contaminated surface without a barrier (e.g. glove). Stay six feet away from others while standing in line."
For more call Default at (808)345-6864 or email her at rdufault@foodingredient.info.

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LIFTING BANS ON FISHING IN NATIONAL MARINE MONUMENTS in the Pacific is focus of a story in the October edition of Environment Hawaiʻi. Teresa Dawson writes: "Earlier this year, President Donald Trump issued executive orders (13921 and 13924) aimed at promoting seafood competitiveness and economic growth and providing regulatory relief to support economic recovery. NOAA Fisheries gave the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council until November to submit a list of actions that it believed would ease burdens on domestic fishing in the region.
"The council finalized its list at its meeting last month. Lifting fishing bans in the Pacific island marine monuments topped the list. Removing the longline vessel protected area in American Samoa was also considered – see story in Saturday's Kaʻū News Briefs.
"Back in June, Mike Tosatto, regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Services' Pacific Islands Regional Office, warned the council that including actions that would require statutory changes would probably not be supported. Even so, the council recommended that NMFS work with the administration and Congress to exempt Pacific Islands fishermen from the Billfish Conservation Act and to amend the Endangered Species Act to reduce the ability of citizens to sue NMFS.

"The council also recommended that the status of certain listed species that interact with the fisheries (i.e., green sea turtles and loggerheads) be revised where the populations are increasing and threats do not pose an immediate danger of extinction.

Endangered Green Sea Turtles are one species to consider when choosing where professional fishing is permitted.
Photo of turtles at Punaluʻu by William Neal

"Tosatto suggested that the council's rationale for that recommendation was misguided. He noted that when NMFS designated distinct population segments of the green sea turtle years ago — which resulted in the Hawai‘i population being listed as threatened and those in American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands being listed as endangered — 'there was… never going to be a delisting situation. It was whether there was a DPS.'
"Comparing delisting with establishing a DPS is like comparing apples and oranges, he suggested. 'You seem to be mixing that fruit basket,' he said, adding that when evaluating whether to delist a species, 'we can't consider the consultation burden when we're making those determinations. It has to be on the biology of the species.'"
Read more and stories about the aquarium trade and stream diversion at environment-hawaii.org.

Subscribe to the monthly Environment Hawaiʻihere.

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VACATION RENTAL BY OWNER Awareness Association is urging vacation rental owners to contact the counties and the state about new rules for visitors coming to Hawaiʻi who will take COVID-19 tests to avoid quarantine starting Oct. 15. A message sent yesterday to owners noted that Gov. David Ige is "cautiously reopening tourism starting Oct. 15, when pre-travel testing will allow visitors to bypass the mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival in Hawaiʻi.

The announcement from VRBO says, "A big problem has arisen because the county mayors have since decided that they want all arrivals to take a second test within 72 hours of arrival. During those proposed 72 hours, all arriving would need to remain quarantined, and on Maui at least, that means travelers (though not owners) would need to stay in quarantine-approved accommodations (which excludes the majority of vacation rentals). Additionally, as homeowners, we may be responsible for a fine if our guests were to stay in our vacation rentals during their quarantine."
The mayors of Maui and Kauai are on record pushing for the second test. Lt. Gov. Josh Green is on record opposing the second test as it will severely reduce the number of visitors.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/10/01/live-lt-gov-josh-green-discuss-details-testing-program-trans-pacific-visitors/
Counties need the governor's approval to implement the second test requirement.
VRBO's call to action is that residents send out three emails "voicing your concern that legal vacation rentals (a large part of the tourism economy) are being now pushed out of the reopening equation AND also that this second test will severely restrict the restarting of the tourism economy."
They request the message be sent to Hawaiʻi Mayor Harry Kim, https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/mayor; Ige, https://governor.hawaii.gov/contact-us/contact-the-governor/; and Green https://ltgov.hawaii.gov/contact-us/contact-the-lieutenant-governor/.

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ATTEND UH FROM HOME. Learn about it during a virtual workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 13 from noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Zoom Connection Link: go.hawaii.edu/A9z, Meeting ID: 950 5113 4914 Password: palamanui.

The announcement asks, "Want to come back to college but not leave home – or know someone who does? If so, you are invited to the UH Online and Hybrid Degrees workshop presented by the University Center West Hawaiʻi. Come learn about the 60+ UH two year, Bachelors, Graduate and Certificate programs that you can access here on Hawai'i Island. Online Learning with Local Support. Stay Here… Go FORWARD!" For more information, email Carrie at carriekp@hawaii.edu.

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DISTRACTED DRIVING ENFORCEMENT will ramp up Oct. 5 through 12. The Hawaiʻi Police Department said in a statement that "Distracted Driving remains a very serious concern for members of our community. Officers write these violations many times a day across the island as a way to lower the number of people involved in vehicle crashes. In 2018 alone 2,841 people were killed nationally as a result of distracted drivers."

Hawaiʻi County is not alone in the goal to reduce the number of people injured or killed as a result of vehicle crashes related to the use of electronic devices. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation have identified Oct. 5 to 12 as a Distracted Driving Enforcement Period. That means officers will have a greater focus on distracted drivers, making traffic stops and issuing citations.

The Hawaiʻi Police Department is asking the public's help to prevent this dangerous driving behavior: "Take the pledge. The fight to end distracted driving starts with you. Make the commitment to drive phone-free today. Protect lives by never texting or talking on the phone while driving. Be a good passenger and speak out if the driver in the car is distracted. Encourage friends and family to drive phone-free. Remember 'U Drive. U Text. U Pay.'"

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SHOOTZ BAND WILL PLAY AT OKK MARKET 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 7. ʻO Kaʻū Kākou market is located in Nāʻālehu, open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. Limit of 50 customers, 25 vendor booths, with 30 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing are required, social distancing enforced. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket

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Watch a Livestream performance of
Tom Paxton & the Don Juans tomorrow.

WATCH TOM PAXTON & THE DON JUANS Livestream performance Monday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. Blues Bear Hawaiʻi presents Grammy award-winning Tom Paxton with Grammy award-winning songwriters Don Henry and Jon Vezner for "an intimate concert experience full of harmonies, original songs, and superb musicianship," says the announcement. Stick around for a 15-minute audience Q&A following the show. Songs included in the performance will include covers of pieces by Harry Belafonte, John Mellencamp, Miranda Lambert, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Judy Collins, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Kathy Mattea, John Denver, Bob Dylan, and Peter, Paul, & Mary. Purchase tickets here.

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FIFTEEN NEW CASES OF COVID-19 are reported today – see more above – pushing Hawaiʻi Island to 810 cumulative cases. At least 14 of those deaths are not yet reported by the state. The state death toll is 156, with 14 officially reported in the last 48 hours. Several of those deaths happened days or weeks ago.
   The state reports 70 new cases today: two in Maui County, 53 on Oʻahu.
   Since the pandemic began, there have been 12,804 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,446 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,200 active cases in isolation. There are 16 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
   Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 11,505 cases, Maui County 396, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-four victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 889 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero or few residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale orange is 21 to 40 cases. Medium

orange is 41 to 50 cases. Dark orange is 51 to 80 cases. Bright

red is 81 to 110 cases. Dark red is 111 to 280 cases.

Department of Health map

  No new cases reported in the last 28 days for two Kaʻū zip codes and one in Volcano. 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; and 96737, with Ocean View, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, active cases have been reported in zip codes 96704 with Miloliʻi; and 96777 with Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,418,596 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 209,807 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 35 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,035,452.

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Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is one of over 2,000 federal recreation areas that fourth graders and their companions

all over the U.S. had access to for free from September last year through

Aug. 31 thanks to the Every Kid Outdoors Act. NPS image

Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year

THIS TIME LAST YEAR, Every Kid Outdoors provided free passes to fourth graders and their families for Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and over 2,000 federal recreation areas, through Aug. 31, 2020.

Students explore the forest at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National
Park, before the pandemic. NPS Photo/J.Anastasio

  The Every Kid Outdoors Program was established by Congress in 2019. It replaced the Every Kid in a Park Program, which was launched in 2015. All fourth graders who completed a paper voucher on everykidoutdoors.gov and presented it to the ranger at the Park entrance station received a durable, free Every Kid Outdoors pass, with a map and directions to help choose adventures. Those who completed all the activities on opening day received a prize.
   Options for the first day included a ranger-guided program, How it All Started, a 20-minute orientation talk about the volcanoes that make up the Island of Hawaiʻi; and a ranger-guided walk, E Mākaʻikaʻi iā Kaʻauea - Explore the Summit, which explored the fascinating geologic features of Kīlauea and their deep connections to Hawaiian history and culture. Other suggested explorations included walking a trail or heading to the Kahuku Unit in Kaʻū to complete the new Junior Ranger program. These programs are on hold during the pandemic.
   The Every Kid Outdoors Program is an interagency collaboration between the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Forest Service.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

ONGOING

Apply for Expanded Hawaiʻi County Rent and Mortgage Assistance Program. RMAP partners encourage Hawaiʻi Island residents who are at least 18 years old and lost income or work hours due to COVID-19 may be eligible for up to $2,000 per month for rent, lease, or mortgage payments. The previous grant limit was $1,000 per month. RMAP applicants must also have a current annual household income at or below 140 percent of area median income for the number of members in their household – $81,760/yr. for one person, $126,000 for five.
   Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.
   Hawai‘i Community Lending and Hawai‘i County have modified RMAP to address barriers for applicants, application processing, and how to encourage more residents to apply. Other changes include reimbursement for payments made with personal resources, such as savings, credit cards, personal loans, or assistance from family or friends. In addition, households who entered into a forbearance or payment agreement with their mortgage lender or landlord for payments that were due between March and December 2020 may now be eligible. Residents who previously applied to RMAP and were rejected are encouraged to reapply.
   RMAP nonprofit partners are: Hawaiian Community Assets/Hawaiʻi Community Lending, www.HawaiianCommunity.net, 808-934-0801; HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, www.hopeserviceshawaii.org/rmap, 808-935-3050; Hawai‘i First Federal Credit Union, www.hawaiifirstfcu.com/pathways, 808-933-6600; Neighborhood Place of Puna, www.neighborhoodplaceofpuna.org/coronavirus-rent-mortgage-relief, 808-965-5550; Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery, www.hihrecovery.org/RMAP, 808-640-4443 or 808-934-7852; Habitat for Humanity Hawai‘i Island, www.habitathawaiiisland.org/rmap.html, 808-450-2118.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. Visit the program website for more information and to register.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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ʻAlalā in the wild will be taken back into captivity to teach other captive-raised endangered Hawaiian crows to forage,

avoid predators, and social behaviors. Learn more, below. Photo from The ʻAlalā Project

INCREASING MASK WEARING FROM 57 PERCENT TO 95 PERCENT is the way to cut down the spread of COVID-19 on Hawaiʻi Island, according to Lt. Gov. Josh Green, MD. When questioned this morning about allowing people into Hawaiʻi without quarantine if they come up negative in one, two, or three negative tests, he said only one test before arrival is needed. Kauaʻi's mayor proposed a second test after arrival, which would mean several days of quarantine. Maui's mayor also talked about a second test. Mayor Harry Kim is still deciding on the testing protocol for this island. However, Gov. David Ige today turned down Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami's formal request for the second test.

Kawakami responded, "Our proposed pilot was intended to augment the state's pre-travel testing program." He said his county "has been clear that a single pre-arrival testing program alone does not provide the needed level of protection for our Kauaʻi community."

Green told Hawaiʻi News Now in a live interview this morning that he understands that Neighbor Island mayors, with much lower COVID-19 counts than on Oʻahu, fear travelers bringing in the coronavirus. He said that he welcomes a second test but without mandating quarantine until the results come in. He said a second test would only catch one case in two or three thousand arrivals and would deter many visitors from coming to Hawaiʻi, if they have to quarantine for three or four days out of a six-day trip.

Green said that only 57 percent of people in Hawaiʻi County wear masks, with 68 percent on Kauaʻi. He said the better way to control the virus is to get the mask-wearing up to 93 percent to 95 percent. He also noted that when the one-test, no quarantine program goes into effect on Oct. 15, there will be no requirement for children under five to take it. He also said some mail-in tests will be allowed, just so the taking of the tests are observed – which can be done online.

The Lt. Governor said that it is important to get the economy going. "We can't have 150,000 starving, not be able to pay their bills, go homeless." Concerning pushing back the opening of Hawaiʻi for tourism past Oct. 15, he said, "Changes at the eleventh hour will destroy our credibility," since the start date has been delayed each month since Aug. 1 and recently delayed from Oct. 1 to Oct. 15. "If the mayors want to stop the spread of the virus, they should get our mask-wearing rate up. If we raise our mask rate, we will not have spread. That's the safe way to do it."
Green also said not opening interisland travel would be a "fear-based position. If we are not comfortable opening up our economy safely, and we have to delay all the way until May, because we will not have a vaccine, then there will be incredible consequences." Mayors of the counties are allowed to require a pre-travel test for those coming in from other islands.

See the interview here.

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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP LEFT WALTER REED National Militray Medical Center today and returned to his White House residence. Hawaiʻi's Lt. Gov. Josh Green, MD, gave his assessment of care given to the president. He noted that Trump received a "$100,000 dose" of Regeneron's experimental coronavirus treatment, not yet approved by the FDA. He said such a move would indicate severe disease, that they likely got panicked or made a decision to "throw stuff at the wall." Trump said he's feeling well and took off his mask when entering the White House, where many people work. Trump said he may be immune. Some White House staff members have also tested positive.

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ʻALALĀ WILL BE TAKEN BACK INTO CAPTIVITY at Keahou Bird Conservation Center in Volcano. The plan is to help teach younger, captive-raised Hawaiian crows how to live in the wild. The coalition of conservation partners working to recover the ‘alalā, the endangered Hawaiian crow, said in a statement today they are "looking to the future as they work to address recent challenges that have affected the population of the species living in the Puʻu Makaʻala Natural Area Reserve on Hawai‘i Island."

ʻAlalā released into the wild since 2016 began attempting to breed in
the wild, but have not had success. Photo from The ʻAlalā Project

Bringing the remaining ‘alalā back from the wild and into the conservation breeding program is in response to recent mortalities, including predation of the birds, mostly by ‘io, the Hawaiian hawk, another endangered species. The statement explains that the Hawaiian hawks, having successfully lived in the wild for two to three years, "have knowledge about foraging, predator avoidance, and other social behaviors that could be passed on to the birds residing within the conservation breeding program and aid with future recovery efforts."
Coordinator of The ‘Alalā Project, Jackie Gaudioso-Levita, a biologist with the state Department of Land & Natural Resources Division of Forestry & Wildlife, said, "For the last three years it has been encouraging to see the released birds transition to the wild; foraging, calling, and flying in native forests. It is important to ensure that these surviving ‘alalā are able to pass on the skills they have learned in the wild to future generations of the species. While very difficult, bringing these birds back into the breeding program is an interim step to the review and adaptation of the program to recover the species."

Predation of ʻAlalā in the wild is one reason they will be
taken back into captivity. Photo from The ʻAlalā Project

ʻAlalā have been rare for much of the 20th century, with fewer than 100 birds remaining in the wild by the 1960s due to habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive mammalian predators, introduced diseases, and "perhaps other unknown factors," says the statement. ʻAlalā became extinct in the wild in 2002, preserved only at Keauhou Bird Conservation Center and Maui Bird Conservation Center. ʻAlalā from those conservation breeding populations were reintroduced to the wild beginning in 2016. The reintroduced population, closely monitored by conservationists with DOFAW and the SDZG's Hawai‘i Endangered Bird Conservation Program, has survived for the last few years, even attempting to breed in the wild.
The statement says, "Recovering the ʻalalā in the wild will take many years. By working as partners and utilizing tools such as conservation breeding, the road to recovery will be similar to the recovery of other reintroduced species."

ʻAlalā were released into the wild in stages, including getting to meet

already-released birds through cages. Photo from The ʻAlalā Project

Michelle Bogardus, Maui Nui & Hawaiʻi Island Team Manager, Pacific Islands Fish & Wildlife Office, said the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is "committed to the recovery of ‘alalā and plans to continue to work with "the many partners in The ‘Alalā Project" to "determine the next steps for this iconic species."
Paul Baribault, chief executive officer and president of San Diego Zoo Global, said his organization "has a depth of experience in recovery programs and we are confident that we can work with our distinguished partners to address this challenge and continue our work to recover the ‘alalā. This species is important not only to the recovery of Hawaiian forests but also to Hawaiian culture, and our organization is committed to creating a world where wildlife and people thrive together."

David Smith, administrator for the DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife, said the conservation partners "have always known that there would be some setbacks and challenges along the way. Fortunately, the project has an extremely knowledgeable, dedicated, and passionate team and we believe this level of care and consideration for the ‘alalā, will hopefully in time, see a re-establishment of a wild population."
The recaptured birds will rejoin the population of more than 100 ‘alalā being cared for within the SDZG's conservation breeding program. "As the dedicated project staff are working tirelessly to recapture and protect the remaining birds, they are driven by the vision that the goal of ‘Alalā recovery is still attainable," says the statement.

Coffee growers are urged to take a survey on
pandemic impacts. HCA photo

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COFFEE GROWERS ARE URGED TO TAKE A SURVEY on how the pandemic is affecting them. Hawaiʻi Coffee Association President Chris Manfredi says, "In an ongoing effort to gauge the impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic on Hawaiʻi's coffee industry please help us better understand the ways in which you have been impacted by completing the following survey. Thank you for your prompt attention!"

   The questions are:
   How have sales been impacted in the second and third quarters?
   What other impacts have you seen?
   Have you received any assistance?
   Are you aware of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 assistance?

Would a webinar covering the CFAP 2 application process be helpful for you?
   Are you aware of the COVID-19 related resources posted on the HCA website?
   Do you find them helpful? If no, please help us understand why not.
   Do you have other ideas for activities the HCA could perform that would assist either you, your operation, or Hawaiʻi's broader coffee industry?

The survey concludes with a way to sign up for the HCA emailing list.
Take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PRPGNGJ.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

KAʻŪ HIGH & PĀHALA ELEMENTARY QUARTER TWO MATERIAL DISTRIBUTION for middle and high school students this week will feature entries for a raffle. Distribution will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6 at St. Jude's in Ocean View from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Nāʻālehu Club House from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; and Thursday, Oct. 8 at Pāhala School Gym from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Each student will receive one entry for attending, and there will be a second distribution Oct. 20-22, where students can receive a second entry. The drawing will be held Wednesday, Oct. 28, and feature a commercial pig and ten other prizes. See more details at khpes.org.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

READ REPORT ON PUBLIC INPUT about disaster recovery from damage during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. The project will focus on repairing and/or replacement of critical infrastructure in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and U.S. Geological Survey-operated facilities and equipment. The comments received are being considered and used for refining a design concept and developing the National Park Service and USGS's proposed action. Once the proposed action is developed, the NPS and USGS will seek additional community input through public scoping prior to the environmental analysis process, tentatively planned for early 2021.
Park Acting Superintendent Rhonda Loh said, "We are deeply appreciative of everyone for taking the time to comment, and the public can be assured you will continue to have a voice in shaping the future of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park."
Acting HVO Scientist-in-Charge David Phillips said, "The USGS is very grateful for the thoughtful public input that will help USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continue its mission to monitor active volcanoes in Hawaiʻi, assess their hazards, issue warnings, and advance scientific understanding to reduce impacts of eruptions."

Existing conditions at Kīlauea Visitor Center.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes and USGS asked the community to consider four initial design concepts from May 15 through June 15. The designs include plans for potential future use of the Uēkahuna Bluff area, a site considered sacred to many Native Hawaiians and other groups. It also presents solutions to overcrowding at Kīlauea Visitor Center. Out of 159 pieces of communication received from nine states, 78 percent were from Hawai‘i residents, and one comment was from Great Britain.
The Civic Engagement and Comment Analysis Report can be viewed here.

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FREE DRIVE-THRU COVID-19 TESTING will be held at locations around the island. No insurance is necessary to be tested, but bring insurance card if have. No co-pay for the individuals being tested. Be sure to wear a face-covering at all times and observe social distancing. For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031. Free testing this week will be held at:
  Keauhou Shopping Center on Wednesday, Oct. 7, and Friday, Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to noon.
   Civic Auditorium in Hilo – enter from Kuawa Street – on Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
   West Hawaiʻi Community Center at 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway in Kona on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Testing for University of the Nations Kona for students, staff, and close contacts only, will be held Tuesday.

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LEARN ABOUT GROWING AND USING HEALTHY, LOCAL STARCHES at Hawaiʻi-Grown Starches: Stories, Growing, Eating, and Learning on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon. Register for the webinar by Wednesday, Oct. 7. Presented by County of Hawaiʻi, Center for Getting Things Started, and collaborators, this first session of the Local Food Toolkit webinar series will focus on the abundance of healthy local starches growing in Hawaiʻi. The cost to attend is $25 and includes one ʻElima box with five local starches from Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative. Contact Koh Ming Wei at kohmingwei@gmail.com with questions. Register here.

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WATCH THE DEBATE BETWEEN MAYORAL CANDIDATES Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth which happened at 5 p.m. on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app. The announcement said, "With the general election less than a month away, this may be the final chance to see both candidates side by side before ballots arrive."

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HELICOPTERS WILL FLY OVER OVER KAHUKU UNIT of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park at 6,000- to 8,500-foot elevation on Tuesday, Oct. 6, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. to survey invasive faya trees.

Monitoring invasive faya trees is one reason for overflights of Hawaiʻi
Volcanoes National Park this month. DLNR photo

  On Thursday, Oct. 8, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., eight sling loads of trail maintenance gear will be transported from Nāpau to Mauna Ulu landing area, between 2,800- to 3,800-ft. elevation.
   Searching for and controlling invasive trees in Ka‘ū desert from the coast to 3,000-ft. elevation will be conducted Tuesday, Oct. 13, between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.
   Also on Oct. 13, and on Thursday, Oct. 15, the Hawaiian petrel will be monitored on the slopes of Mauna Loa from Mauna Loa Road at 5,500-ft. elevation to the petrel colony between 8,000- and 9,000-ft. elevation. ʻUaʻu, Pterodroma sandwichensis, is a federally endangered native seabird. The majority of known nests on Hawaiʻi Island are within the Park, on the lower alpine and subalpine slopes of Mauna Loa.
   In addition, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation. 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.

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FREE JOB TRAINING for workers displaced by COVID-19 is launched by the state for up to 650 workers. Using $10 million in federal CARES Act funds, Department of Business Economic Development & Tourism matches workers with companies in sectors such as conservation, renewable energy, agriculture, creative arts, aerospace, entrepreneurship, and STEM fields. The programs offer on-the-job training through Dec. 15, with wages starting at $13 to $15 an hour, health care benefits, and mentoring. Eligible people are displaced workers, or recent high school or college graduates. There are two different tracks in innovation or conservation sectors. To learn more, go to https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/blog/20-21/.

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TEN NEW CASES OF COVID-19 are reported on Hawaiʻi Island today. The state reports 52 new cases today, with 41 on Oʻahu. One case was removed from Maui County.

There are 32 deaths reported on Hawaiʻi Island: two at Life Care Center of Hilo, three at Hilo Medical Center, and 27 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. The state death toll is 157. At least a dozen deaths from Hawaiʻi Island are not included in the official state count.

Since the pandemic began, there have been 12,854 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,470 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,225 active cases in isolation. There are 12 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero or few residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale orange is 21 to 40 cases. Medium

orange is 41 to 50 cases. Dark orange is 51 to 90 cases. Bright

red is 91 to 100 cases. Dark red is 101 to 270 cases.

Department of Health map

Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 820 cases, Oʻahu 11,546 cases, Maui County 395, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-four victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 889 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.

  No new cases reported in the last 28 days for two Kaʻū zip codes and one in Volcano. Zip code 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; and 96737, with Ocean View, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in zip codes 96704, which includes Miloliʻi; and 96777, which includes Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   In Hilo zip code 96720, 104 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 94 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,451,774 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 210,079 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 35.34 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,039,171.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

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Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS
Shootz Band will play at OKK Market 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 7. ʻO Kaʻū Kākou market is located in Nāʻālehu, open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. Limit of 50 customers, 25 vendor booths, with 30 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing are required, social distancing enforced. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. facebook.com/

OKauKakouMarket

Attend College from Home Virtual Workshop, Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Zoom Connection Link: go.hawaii.edu/A9z, Meeting ID: 950 5113 4914 Password: palamanui. The announcement asks, "Want to come back to college but not leave home – or know someone who does? If so, you are invited to the UH Online and Hybrid Degrees workshop presented by the University Center West Hawaiʻi. Come learn about the 60+ UH two year, Bachelors, Graduate and Certificate programs that you can access here on Hawai'i Island. Online Learning with Local Support. Stay Here… Go FORWARD!" For more information, email Carrie at carriekp@hawaii.edu.

Attend a Free Conflict Resolution Workshop, Kū I Ke Aloha: Stand Up & Speak Out on Friday, Oct. 16 from 5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. via Zoom. The interactive session explores examples of individual and community advocacy that resulted in positive change in Hawaiʻi and beyond. Take away some communication skills for the real world – no matter the media – to use with aloha. Visit https://kakouletsworkitout.eventbrite.com to register or RSVP to Majidah at Kuʻikahi Mediation Center, (808) 935-7844 x 3 or majidah@hawaiimediation.org.

Give Input on the Hawaiʻi 2050 Sustainability Plan Update by the State of Hawaiʻi Office of Planning from Oct. 13 through 28. The public is invited to participate in online sessions to learn about the strategic plan and contribute to the revision process. Free; advance registration required. Register online.

Vote and Register In-Person same day. Locations are in Hilo at 101 Pauahi Street, #1, and Kona, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy. Ballots for registered voters should start to arrive around Oct. 16. Secure ballot dropbox located in Nāʻālehu Police Station at 95-5355 Māmalahoa Hwy from Oct. 14, 24 hours a day, until 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, Election Day . See other locations here. is Tuesday, Nov. 3. See tips on helping others to register to vote at nationalvoterregistrationday.org. Find more information at elections.hawaii.gov. Check voter registration status here.

ONGOING

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Hawai‘i Community Lending and Hawai‘i County have modified RMAP to address barriers for applicants, application processing, and how to encourage more residents to apply. Other changes include reimbursement for payments made with personal resources, such as savings, credit cards, personal loans, or assistance from family or friends. In addition, households who entered into a forbearance or payment agreement with their mortgage lender or landlord for payments that were due between March and December 2020 may now be eligible. Residents who previously applied to RMAP and were rejected are encouraged to reapply.

RMAP nonprofit partners are: Hawaiian Community Assets/Hawaiʻi Community Lending, www.HawaiianCommunity.net, 808-934-0801; HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, www.hopeserviceshawaii.org/rmap, 808-935-3050; Hawai‘i First Federal Credit Union, www.hawaiifirstfcu.com/pathways, 808-933-6600; Neighborhood Place of Puna, www.neighborhoodplaceofpuna.org/coronavirus-rent-mortgage-relief, 808-965-5550; Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery, www.hihrecovery.org/RMAP, 808-640-4443 or 808-934-7852; Habitat for Humanity Hawai‘i Island, www.habitathawaiiisland.org/rmap.html, 808-450-2118.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Free Job Training for workers displaced by COVID-19 is launched by the state for up to 650 workers. Using $10 million in federal CARES Act funds, Department of Business Economic Development & Tourism matches workers with companies in sectors such as conservation, renewable energy, agriculture, creative arts, aerospace, entrepreneurship, and STEM fields. The programs offer on-the-job training through Dec. 15, with wages starting at $13 to $15 an hour, health care benefits, and mentoring. Eligible people are displaced workers, or recent high school or college graduates. There are two different tracks in innovation or conservation sectors. To learn more, go to https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/blog/20-21/.

Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. Visit the program website for more information and to register.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

Find Rangeland Management Resources at globalrangelands.org/state/hawaii. The site offers access to current research, industry news, educational events, and more about rangeland management in Hawaiʻi. The website is maintained by the University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Cooperative Extension Service. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive updates.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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Andrea Ghez used Maunakea' Keck telescope to help win a Nobel prize in Physics this year. Learn more, below.

BOTH POST AND PRE-TRAVEL TESTING FOR COVID-19 will be required for those wanting to come into Hawaiʻi county without 14 days of quarantine.
Mayor Harry Kim said on Tuesday that, to ensure the safety of the community as Hawai‘i tries to reopen amid the pandemic, "I just don't think we should take the risk with one COVID-19 test taken up to three days before traveling. There are so many variables involved in a pre-travel test that could make the tests unreliable; we have to have a second test upon arrival in Hawai‘i."

The number of potential positive cases being introduced to the community would pose too high of a risk, said Kim. Approximately 2,000 visitors are coming to Hawai‘i every day. An estimated 5,000 arrivals a day are expected once the one-test policy goes into effect.
The Mayor said he and the other three mayors of counties in the Hawaiian Islands discussed, on Tuesday, a two-test policy for transpacific travel, instead of the policy that goes into effect on Oct. 15, whereby a single negative result of a test taken up to three days before travel would eliminate the need to quarantine for 14 days. "We need time to work out the logistics of administering a second test, but it will be worth it," Mayor Kim said. He said a definitive decision would be forthcoming this week.
Currently, all travelers arriving in Hawai‘i must quarantine for 14 days after arrival from the mainland. Interisland travel from O‘ahu and between the Neighbor Islands is also subject to the 14-day quarantine.

Earlier, Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald reported that this county would opt out of the state's one-test plan and continue the 14-day quarantine.

Nobel Prize winner Andrea Ghez helping the public to understand "How
to observe something you cannot see."Photo from Keck Observatory

The mayor's Chief of Staff, Maurice Messina, told the Tribune-Herald the reason the mayor opted out was because the science shows that one test has too much risk. Messina told Tribune-Herald writers, "We have been told that the one test would catch only 40 percent of the potential positives, even if Lt. Gov. Green claims 80 percent. Even at 80 percent, the number of positives being introduced to our community is high. A second test after arrival significantly reduces that risk." He said the county is looking at a second and possibly third COVID-19 test for arrivals.

"If the county is not ready for the additional testing by Oct. 15, it will stick with the 14-day quarantine, until the additional tests are ready. A team addressing the logistics for the second test is actively working to have this in place as soon as possible," Messina told the Tribune-Herald. The final plan depends on cooperation from the state and other counties.

See more at hawaiitribune-herald.com/.

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A NOBEL PRIZE HAS GONE TO A KECK OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMER. Longtime W. M. Keck Observatory astronomer Andrea Ghez - the UCLA Lauren B. Leichtman and Arthur E. Levine Professor of Astrophysics and director of the UCLA Galactic Center Group - won the Nobel Prize in Physics 2020 for her revolutionary research proving the existence of a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. She has been studying the Galactic Center using Keck Observatory on Maunakea for more than two decades.

The Nobel Prize committee made the announcement early this morning, Tuesday, Oct. 6, stating:

Andrea Ghez wins the Nobel Prize today.
Photo from Keck Observatory

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2020 was divided, one half awarded to Roger Penrose "for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity," the other half jointly to Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez "for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy."
Ghez is the fourth woman in history to win the
Nobel Prize in Physics. A statement from Keck said, "On behalf of Keck Observatory, we congratulate Andrea for all the work she has championed that led her to this fantastic, well-deserved award, as well as to her fellow prize winners Penrose and Genzel!"

Mayoral candidate on Vibrant Hawaiʻi.

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VIBRANT HAWAI‘I'S MAYORAL CANDIDATE CONVERSATIONS are available online for voters to see and study. A Vibrant Hawai‘i statement says, "Mahalo nui to Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth for sharing their manaʻo on ten questions that demonstrate their leadership through the values of the Vibrant Hawaiʻi Grounding Statement: equity and belonging; aloha and prioritizing the knowledge, skills, and solutions of the people of Hawaiʻi; ʻauamo kuleana through shared ownership and accountability; and makawalu and acknowledging that we each hold one piece that is a part of something bigger."

Ikaika Marzo on Vibrant Hawai ʻi

See the Vibrant Hawaiʻi Ikaika Marzo conversation here. See the Vibrant Hawai ʻi Mitch Roth conversation here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

ATTEND A FREE WORKSHOP ON CONFLICT RESOLUTION, Kū I Ke Aloha: Stand Up & Speak Out, on Friday, Oct. 16 from 5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. via Zoom. In honor of International Conflict Resolution Day, the evening begins with an introduction by the Rotary Club of Hilo on 100 Years of Building Peace. Workshop presenter T. Ilihia Gionson, Board President of Hawaiʻi Island United Way and Principal at Hiehie Communications, says, "When we approach issues with a clear vision and focus, grounded in aloha for the people and places affected by the issue, we can express our values and concerns in a productive way."

  The interactive session explores examples of individual and community advocacy that resulted in positive change in Hawaiʻi and beyond. Take away some communication skills for the real world – no matter the media – to use with aloha.
   This event is the fifth in the Kākou: Let's Work It Out! workshop series, co-hosted by the County of Hawaiʻi Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Kuʻikahi Mediation Center, Rotary Club of Hilo, Rotary Club of Hilo Bay, Rotary Club of South Hilo, Rotary Club of Volcano, UH-Hilo Political Science & Administration of Justice Department, and UH-Hilo International Student Services & Intercultural Education Office.
   Visit https://kakouletsworkitout.eventbrite.com to register or RSVP to Majidah at Kuʻikahi Mediation Center, (808) 935-7844 x 3 or majidah@hawaiimediation.org.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

SIGN UP FOR MINDFUL EATING LAB Level 2 by Thursday, Oct. 8. The virtual classes will be held by Hui Mālama Nā ʻŌiwi Thursday, Oct. 15, 22, and 29. Recommended for those who have taken Level 1 or Healthy at Any Size classes. The course focuses on using mindfulness to address emotional eating; identifying trigger foods that might cause bingeing; shifting mindset from bad to good foods; and strengthening ability to listen to physiological clues. Register and learn more at hmono.org/services.

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GIVE INPUT ON THE HAWAIʻI 2050 SUSTAINABILITY PLAN UPDATE by the State of Hawaiʻi Office of Planning from Oct. 13 through 28. The public is invited to participate in online sessions to learn about the strategic plan and contribute to the revision process. Free; advance registration required. Register online.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SEED BIODIVERSITY for Hawaiʻi's local food system, and the role seed plays in human health and nutrition, is the focus of a recent blog post from Hawaiʻi Seed Growers Network. In It all Begins...and Ends with Seed, Education and Outreach Coordinator Nancy Redfeather shares her insights.

She writes, "We know that biodiversity is one of the 'keys' to a healthy agricultural system and that seed can’t be taken for granted. For the past 10,000 years, growers large and small have been growing, selecting the best plants, and saving seed for the next planting. But over the past century, that practice has continued to dwindle. Today, we have lost (unavailable or extinct) approximately 92 percent of all food varieties of seed that were grown by our ancestors in 1900. These were the varieties that fed our families during hard times. As you can see in the infographic created by National Geographic, that in 1903, commercial seed houses offered a whopping 497 varieties of lettuce, and by 1983 there were only 36 varieties left, or they offered 298 varieties of beets – and then there were 17."

Read the blog.

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ATTEND FINDING SOLUTIONS, GROWING PEACE free virtual talk Thursday, Oct. 15 from noon to 1 p.m. Non-profit Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center hosts this Brown Bag Lunch Series thanks in part to funding from the County of Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i Island United Way.

Lorenn Walker addresses at-risk youth in a
virtual Brown Bag Lunch talk on Oct. 15.

  October's speaker is Lorenn Walker, on the topic Effective Approaches for Positive Adolescent Behavior: Alternatives to Grouping "At-Risk Youth" Walker says, "Research confirms that most parents know: exposing a child with problem behaviors to others bad behaviors increases the likelihood of more bad behavior. Despite the research on negative peer influence and labeling, problems grouping 'at-risk youth' are common."
   In this talk, learn how to apply restorative justice, solution-focused, cooperative, and peer-education approaches with youth.
   Lorenn Walker, JD, MPH, develops, implements, researches, and reports on cooperative learning interventions using public health approaches including restorative justice and solution-focused applications. She collaborates with schools, prisons, courts, law enforcement, NGOs, and individuals to address injustice. A Senior Fulbright Specialist, Walker directs Hawai‘i Friends of Restorative Justice and is a professor at the University of Hawai‘i Public Policy Center.
   To get the Zoom link, register online at https://freebrownbagtalk.eventbrite.com.
   For more information, contact Ku‘ikahi Program Coordinator Majidah Lebarre at 935-7844 x 3 or majidah@hawaiimediation.org, or visit www.hawaiimediation.org.

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FOURTEEN NEW CASES OF COVID-19 are reported on Hawaiʻi Island today. The state reports 83 new cases today, with 67 on Oʻahu and two in Maui County.
   Since the pandemic began, there have been 12,937 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,526 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,250 active cases in isolation. There are at least 17 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus. At least 160 people have died in the state, 32 on Hawaiʻi Island.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 10 cases. Pale orange is 11 to 30 cases. Medium

orange is 31-60 cases. Dark orange is 61 to 80 cases. Bright

red is 81 to 110 cases. Dark red is 111 to 270 cases.

Department of Health map

  Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 834 cases, Oʻahu 11,613 cases, Maui County 397, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-four victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 889 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases reported in the last 28 days for three Kaʻū zip codes and one in Volcano. 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; 96737, with Ocean View; and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in zip code 96777, which includes Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   In Hilo zip code 96720, 105 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 95 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,501,612 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 210,909 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 35.8 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,049,754.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Quarter Two Material Distribution and Raffle Entry for Kaʻū High Continues for middle and high school students Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Nāʻālehu Club House from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; and Thursday, Oct. 8 at Pāhala School Gym from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Each student will receive one entry for attending, and there will be a second distribution Oct. 20-22, where students can receive a second entry. The drawing will be held Wednesday, Oct. 28 and feature a commercial pig and ten other prizes. See more details at khpes.org.

Shootz Band will play at OKK Market 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 7. ʻO Kaʻū Kākou market is located in Nāʻālehu, open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. Limit of 50 customers, 25 vendor booths, with 30 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing are required, social distancing enforced. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. facebook.com/

OKauKakouMarket

Register by Wednesday, Oct. 7 for Hawaiʻi-Grown Starches: Stories, Growing, Eating, and Learning on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon. Presented by County of Hawaiʻi, Center for Getting Things Started, and collaborators, this first session of the Local Food Toolkit webinar series will focus on the abundance of healthy local starches growing in Hawaiʻi. The cost to attend is $25 and includes one ʻElima box with five local starches from Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative. Contact Koh Ming Wei at kohmingwei@gmail.com with questions. Register here.

Free Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing at locations around the island. No insurance is necessary to be tested, but bring insurance card if have. No co-pay for the individuals being tested. Be sure to wear a face-covering at all times and observe social distancing. For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031. Free testing locations:
  Keauhou Shopping Center on Wednesday, Oct. 7, and Friday, Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to noon.
   Civic Auditorium in Hilo – enter from Kuawa Street – on Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
  West Hawaiʻi Community Center at 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway in Kona on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sign Up for Mindful Eating Lab Level 2 by Thursday, Oct. 8. The virtual classes will be held by Hui Mālama Nā ʻŌiwi Thursday, Oct. 15, 22, and 29. Recommended for those who have taken Level 1 or Healthy at Any Size classes. The course focuses on using mindfulness to address emotional eating; identifying trigger foods that might cause bingeing; shifting mindset from bad to good foods; and strengthening ability to listen to physiological clues. Register and learn more at hmono.org/services.

Attend College from Home Virtual Workshop, Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Zoom Connection Link: go.hawaii.edu/A9z, Meeting ID: 950 5113 4914 Password: palamanui. The announcement asks, "Want to come back to college but not leave home – or know someone who does? If so, you are invited to the UH Online and Hybrid Degrees workshop presented by the University Center West Hawaiʻi. Come learn about the 60+ UH two year, Bachelors, Graduate, and Certificate programs that you can access here on Hawai'i Island. Online Learning with Local Support. Stay Here… Go FORWARD!" For more information, email Carrie at carriekp@hawaii.edu.

Attend Finding Solutions, Growing Peace free virtual talk Thursday, Oct. 15 from noon to 1 p.m. October's speaker is Lorenn Walker, on the topic Effective Approaches for Positive Adolescent Behavior: Alternatives to Grouping "At-Risk Youth." To get the Zoom link, register online. For more information, contact Ku‘ikahi Program Coordinator Majidah Lebarre at 935-7844 x 3 or majidah@hawaiimediation.org, or visit hawaiimediation.org.

Attend a Free Conflict Resolution Workshop, Kū I Ke Aloha: Stand Up & Speak Out on Friday, Oct. 16 from 5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. via Zoom. The interactive session explores examples of individual and community advocacy that resulted in positive change in Hawaiʻi and beyond. Take away some communication skills for the real world – no matter the media – to use with aloha. Register here or RSVP to Majidah at Kuʻikahi Mediation Center, (808) 935-7844 x 3 or majidah@hawaiimediation.org.

Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi Annual Meeting online at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 17. A statement from the nonprofit says, "Over the past seven decades, CCH has been able to protect our native plants, animals and ecosystems across the Hawaiian Islands because of your support, we are extremely grateful and as we navigate our path forward we rely on your support even more than ever." Register here.

Give Input on the Hawaiʻi 2050 Sustainability Plan Update by the State of Hawaiʻi Office of Planning from Oct. 13 through 28. The public is invited to participate in online sessions to learn about the strategic plan and contribute to the revision process. Free; advance registration required. Register online.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

Artists and Vendors, sign up for the Annual Art & Craft Fair at Ocean View Community Center on Nov. 7. The event, held outside from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will help raise funds for the Center, as well as benefit local artists and crafters. Booths are $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents not provided. Face masks required. Free admission for attendees. Contact organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

ONGOING

Presidential Debates Schedule: The first Presidential Debate was held Tuesday, Sept. 29. The single Vice Presidential Debate was held Wednesday, Oct. 7. The second Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 15 in Miami, Florida. The final Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Each debate will air from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, Fox News, Fox Business Network, and MSNBC, among others. All the major news networks will offer a free live stream, as will YouTube and Twitter. Listen to the Hawaiʻi Public Radio broadcast at 89.1, or stream the audio here, on the HPR mobile app, or on a smart speaker.

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Read Report on Public Input about Disaster Recovery from damage during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. The project will focus on repairing and/or replacement of critical infrastructure in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and U.S. Geological Survey-operated facilities and equipment. Comments received are being considered and used for refining a design concept and developing the National Park Service and USGS's proposed action. Once the proposed action is developed, the NPS and USGS will seek additional community input through public scoping prior to the environmental analysis process, tentatively planned for early 2021. View the Civic Engagement and Comment Analysis Report here.

Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. Visit the program website for more information and to register.

Seed Biodiversity for Hawaiʻi's Local Food System, and the role seed plays in human health and nutrition, is the focus of a recent blog post from Hawaiʻi Seed Growers Network. In It all Begins...and Ends with Seed, Education and Outreach Coordinator Nancy Redfeather shares her insights. Read the blog.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

Get the Drift & Bag It, an international shoreline cleanup, drew volunteers with Hawaiʻi Wildlife
Fund to clean up Kamilo Beach in Kaʻū. See more below. Photo from Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund

A SECOND NOBEL PRIZE IN TWO DAYS WENT TO A WOMAN WITH TIES TO HAWAIʻI ISLAND. This morning's announcement named Jennifer A. Doudna, whose father taught literature at University of Hawaiʻi - Hilo. Her mother lectured in history at the community college. Doudna grew up on this island and headed to Pomona College and on to Harvard University. She shares the Nobel prize with a Frenchwoman, Emmanuelle Charpentier. They developed the CRISPR-cas9 method to change DNA in microorganisms, plants, and animals. Doudna was inspired in high school by a lecture on normal cells becoming cancerous.

Claes Gustafsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said the work of Doudna and Charpentier developed a genetic tool "with enormous power." He said it not only "revolutionized basic science, but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to groundbreaking new medical treatments." Gustafsson said that all genomes can be edited "to fix genetic damage."

Jennifer A. Doudna grew up on Hawaiʻi

Island and won the Nobel Prize for

chemistry today. Image by Niklas

Elmehed/ Nobel Media

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, who directed the initial mapping of the human genome, said, "You can draw a direct line from the success of the human genome project to the power of CRISPR-cas9 to make changes in the instruction book." NIH helps to fund Doudna's work.
An article in Honolulu Star-Advertiser this morning said, "The technology raises serious ethical questions and must be used carefully. Much of the world became more aware of CRISPR in 2018, when Chinese scientist He Jiankui revealed he had helped make the world's first gene-edited babies, to try to engineer resistance to future infection with the AIDS virus. His work was denounced as unsafe human experimentation because of the risk of causing unintended changes that could pass to future generations, and he's been sentenced to prison in China."

Andrea Ghez employed the Keck

Observatory for decades and won

Nobel Prize for physics yesterday.

Image by Niklas Elmehed/Nobel Media

Tuesday's Nobel Prize announcement featured Andrea Ghez, a longtime astronomer using the Keck Observatory, who co-shares the Nobel Prize for physics.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

A LETTER ASKING TO OPEN UP TRAVELERS OCT. 15 WITH ONLY ONE COVID TEST, for now, went to Mayor Harry Kim today from Hawaiʻi Island legislators, including Dru Kanuha and Richard Onishi, who represent this district. Kim said earlier he wants two tests before releasing people form a 14-day quarantine. The letter was also signed by Sen. Lorraine Inouye, Sen. Kai Kahele, Rep. Joy San Buenaventura, Rep. David Tarnas, Rep. Chris Todd, Rep. Mark Nakashima, and Rep Nicole Lowen. It says, "We support a secondary test requirement, as soon as it is feasible to implement. However, in the meantime, we urge the county to retain the Oct. 15 start date for the pre-travel testing program, while simultaneously working towards standing up a program that includes post-arrival testing.

Rep. Richard Onishi signed onto a letter
asking the mayor to allow travelers with
one COVID test for now.

"The pre-travel testing program has been discussed at length since last June, was repeatedly delayed, and then was finally scheduled to begin on Oct. 15, a date that was announced three weeks ago on Sept. 16. Given the amount of time that the county has had to consider and prepare for this, the eleventh-hour change of heart that was announced (Tuesday) was unexpected. The tourism shutdown has already had devastating impacts on the local economy, which are compounded by the poor timing of this announcement. Cancellations of airline, hotel and activity reservations are already pouring in, and the reality is that our island businesses cannot to continue to weather this storm.

"The health and safety of our residents must be the highest priority. However, using only closures and shutdowns each time there is an increase in cases is not an effective long-term strategy and is unsustainable. Other steps to manage this pandemic must be taken. Specifically, better communication with the public and increased efforts for enforcement of rules and guidelines, including the use of face masks and other public health

Sen. Dru Kanuha asks to start up tourism
with a one-test arrival beginning
Oct. 15. A second test is planned.

recommendations, are needed. With the vast majority of current cases on Hawaii Island coming from community spread of the virus, interaction with our own neighbors poses as great a risk as interaction with an incoming visitor who has received a negative test result 72 hours prior. It is far more important that efforts be made to enforce proper use of face masks, gathering limits, and other public health recommendations. If this is done with consistency and clarity, along with the state’s efforts to provide proactive contact tracing and robust testing, we believe visitors can safely return to our county without seeing the number of cases of COVID-19 spiral out of control.
"We hope that you will reconsider your decision and allow the pre-travel testing program to begin as planned on Oct. 15."

Sen. Russell Ruderman who represents east Kaʻū and Puna and Rep. Richard Creagan who represents west Kaʻū stood down from signing onto the letter. They both declined to run for reelection.

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DETAILS ON THE OCT. 15 LAUNCH OF PRE-TRAVEL COVID TESTING for incoming visitors and residents were released today. Gov. David Ige and his pandemic response leadership team said that while the state does not expect an immediate flood of travelers, it's using Oct. 15 as a deadline to bring testing and contact tracing capabilities "to the highest levels of readiness and effectiveness achieved so far. Many of the partners that are involved with the pre-travel testing program – government, airlines, hospitality industry, and businesses – are also using this start date as a deadline to ensure all safety measures, operations, and information for residents and visitors are ready."

Ige emphasized that protecting public health and bringing the coronavirus under control is crucial to reviving the economy and strengthening Hawaiʻi's community. He said this would require unprecedented levels of collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as state and county governments.
"The health of our community remains our primary focus, and I want the people of Hawaiʻi to have confidence that the state is acting with their health and well-being in mind," said the governor. "The pre-travel testing program will add an additional layer of protection for Hawaiʻi when combined with our Safe Travels mandatory online health questionnaire, airport temperature screening, improved contact tracing, and the many other safety protocols we have in place."
Hawaiʻi's pre-travel testing program requires passengers five and older to take a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) from a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified laboratory within 72 hours from the final leg of departure and produce a negative result in order to avoid the state's 14-day mandatory quarantine. A trained professional must observe all tests. Only test results from trusted testing partners approved by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health will be accepted.

See the talk story with Dr. Anthony Fauci and Lt. Gov. Josh Green here.

The state announced its "trusted testing partners today: AFC Urgent Care, Carbon Health, CityHealth, Urgent Care, Color, CVS Health, Hawaiian Airlines. Kaiser Permanente (for members only), Quest Diagnostics. Southwest Airlines. United Airlines. Vault Health and Walgreens.
Registration instructions and costs can be found at the partners' websites. Links and more information for travelers seeking a pre-travel test and a list of approved trusted testing partners can be found at HawaiiCovid19.com.
Lt. Gov. Josh Green, MD, who was tasked by Gov. Ige to spearhead the pre-travel testing effort, said he is continuing to add trusted testing partners and points to the state's testing confirmation and verification system as an example of how the state is hardening and operationalizing its COVID-19 response infrastructure.

"The pandemic demands that we remain flexible and open minded to new advances in screening tools and methods to further decrease the spread of the virus," said Green. "We are doing all that we can to make the pre-travel testing program successful and we'll make needed adjustments along the way. I appreciate the incredible work of the partners involved in this process, and special thanks to the people of Hawaiʻi who have shown their aloha, patience and resilience throughout this challenging time."

Green interviewed Dr. Anthony Fauci this morning. See the interview here.
Separate from the travel testing, Gov. Ige also announced that the state will receive 420,000 Abbot BINAXNOW rapid antigen tests from the federal government by the end of the year. These 15-minute tests will be used first to protect the health of residents, specifically at long-term care centers and as schools are reopened.

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AN UPDATE ON HIS PROPOSED COVID-19 FRAMEWORK is released by mayoral candidate Ikaika Marzo. First published on June 10, the revised plan is focused on safely reopening the island's economy while avoiding further restrictions and shutdowns "by properly managing the pandemic response," says the introduction. Based on successful policies adopted by other governments, new additions to the framework include utilizing faster and cheaper testing, prioritizing outdoor commerce, and improving ventilation and filtration for indoor buildings.
The intro says, "The scientific community's understanding of the virus and its transmission have greatly improved over the last six months, allowing for more refined policies. Likewise, scientific evidence continues to support the importance of physical distancing, face coverings, outside locations, indoors ventilation, shielding vulnerable populations, and making wise policy decisions.

Read Ikaika Marzo's proposed plan to steer Hawaiʻi through the pandemic.

  "In all likelihood, the virus will be still with us in 2021, and the economic impacts of the pandemic will last considerably longer. As we look to reopen tourism we must do so responsibly to ensure that case numbers do not necessitate further restrictions and subsequent undesirable economic impacts on our community."
   Marzo wrote, "The health of our economy is tied to the health of our people. We must adapt quickly with smart science-based policies to reopen our economy and schools while ensuring the safety of our communities and workers. These are challenging economic times, and we should consider bold ideas to help our people. We've added cutting edge measures to our COVID-19 plan that have proved successful in other parts of the world, to do everything possible to get as many of our people back to work full-time."
   Marzo proposes to improve testing by increasing local testing capability; reducing turn-around times; testing more often with cheaper tests; using less invasive, saliva-based testing; and using sewage-based pooled testing strategy as a leading indicator for the densest, at-risk urban centers.
   Marzo also wants to move commerce outdoors as much as possible and cut red tape to allow businesses to operate outdoors, including possible street closures; apply different policies for outdoor gatherings compared to indoor gatherings; utilize portable indoor fans and filters to reduce indoor transmission; ensure businesses, schools, and government facilities have adequate HVAC filters; and update permitting for indoor facilities to allow proper filtration.
   Read the entire plan here.

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Almost a ton of debris was removed from Kamilo Beach by
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund and volunteers in September. HWF photo

HAWAIʻI WILDLIFE FUND JOINED GET THE DRIFT AND BAG IT, an international event to clean up coasts, and released the data yesterday. Eighteen people traveled to Kamilo beach in Kaʻū to clean it up. On Sept. 19 and 27, they hauled out 912 lbs (11 percent nets) and 5,603 items (plus 969 tiny debris items). Megan Lamson-Leatherman, who headed up the effort for Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund in Kaʻū, reported that "Not surprisingly, the bulk of what was tallied (of all sizes) was made of plastic (6520 / 6572 items or 99.2 percent). So that's why we often call it 'plastic pollution' and advocate to REDUCE plastic consumption / production where we can, in order to best protect our native wildlife."
A sister team on Maui helped with a collaborative dive cleanup at Hoʻokipa on the same day.
These data will be shared with Ocean Conservancy to compile its annual beach report. Last year, Ocean Conservancy released 2018 stats showing that more than 1.08 million people from 122 different countries removed and collected stats on more than 97.4 million items weighing over 23 million pounds. Lamson called the dataset "huge and important for informing policy and behavior change!"

Next Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund public cleanup events with size limited due to COVID-19 precautions and government proclamations, are happening on: Monday, Oct. 12, survey; Saturday, Oct. 17, cleanup; Sunday, Nov. 15, cleanup and survey; and Saturday, Dec. 19, cleanup. HWF says details are forthcoming "but these will be a blend of hiking, BYO-4wd, and limited HWF carpool options for these events," said Lamson-Leatherman. Contact her at (808) 280-8124 or wild@aloha.net.

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NAMIWALKS GO VIRTUAL THIS WEEKEND on Saturday, the National Day of Hope, during Mental Illness Awareness Week. NAMIWalks Your Way on Hawaiʻi Island will involve participants taking their own walks, using a treadmill or going to their own backyards, neighborhood streets, and local parks. They will share the activity on social media.

The focus is also to follow NAMI Hawaiʻi's program with mental health facts. Activities will go beyond walking and running. Hula-hoop and yoga, as well as other choices are on tap. The event normally takes place at Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo with a 5K walk. Some 70 NAMIWalks are held each year around the country, with hundreds of thousands of participants, sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Big Island affiliate walk manager Susan McGovern said, "One in five adults experience mental illness, but it touches five in five people either directly or indirectly. Now more than ever, our communities need to come together to raise awareness and let people know they are not alone. Our walk slogan 'mental health for all' has never been truer."
Visit namiwalks.org/bigisland. Any funds raised go to NAMI Big Island's free local mental health family education programs, family support groups, and other services.

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WITH THE FIRST HUMPBACK WHALES ARRIVING FOR WINTERING IN HAWAIʻI, to give birth and nourish their calves before migrating north for the summer, webinars are scheduled by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Through sponsor National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, the following will be November:
What has Happened at Hanauma Bay Without Direct Human Impact? 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. HST (3 p.m. - 4 p.m. EDT), Nov. 2 Webinar registration: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1594633118402444560
The Occurrence of Humpback Whales across the Hawaiian Archipelago Revealed through Acoustics: Noon - 1 p.m. HST (5 p.m. - 6 p.m. EDT), Nov. 6. Webinar registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8498167562172672271
Ocean Users Workshop: 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. HST, Nov. 6, Webinar registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6461852235835070734
Research & Resource Protection for Upcoming Whale Season: Feat. Dr. Marc Lammers & Ed Lyman; 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. HST (2 p.m. - 3 p.m. EDT), Nov. 13Webinar registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/88868436549987851

NOAA's National Ocean Service

83rd Sanctuary Advisory Council Meeting: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. HST (1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT), Nov. 17. Webinar registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6436410636793672976.

Virtual Screening & Live Q&A:Changing Seas:Mystery of the Humpback Whale Song;
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. HST (3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT), Nov. 18. Learn more here: https://www.changingseas.tv/events/
Sizes, Strategies, and Steroid Hormones: Insights into the humpback whale mating system:
11 a.m. - Noon HST (4 p.m. - 5 p.m. EDT), Nov. 23. Webinar registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4866896271180002832
The cultural significance of humpback whales in Hawai'i: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. HST (3 p.m. - 4 p.m. EDT), Nov. 30. Webinar registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/859104330939606145
Humpback Whales 101 Virtual Class Presentation - to reserve a session, contact: patty.miller@noaa.gov. Explore HIHWNMS video series at https://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/galle

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PETFIX SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC FOR CATS will be held Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Ocean View. For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

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EIGHTEEN NEW CASES OF COVID-19 are reported on Hawaiʻi Island today. The state reports 110 new cases today, with 89 on Oʻahu and two diagnosed out of state.

At least 163 people have died in the state, three new today, with a total of 34 on Hawaiʻi Island: 27 from the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, five at Hilo Medical Center, and two from Life Care Center. At least a dozen deaths on Hawaiʻi Island are not officially reported by the state.

Since the pandemic began, there have been 13,045 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,573 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,310 active cases in isolation. There are at least 14 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 10 cases. Pale orange is 11-30 cases. Medium

orange is 31-50 cases. Dark orange is 51-90 cases. Bright

red is 91-110 cases. Dark red is 111-270 cases.

Department of Health map

Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 852 cases, Oʻahu 11,702 cases, Maui County 396, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-six victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 894 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases reported in the last 28 days for three Kaʻū zip codes and one in Volcano. 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; 96737, with Ocean View; and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in zip code 96777, which includes Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   In Hilo zip code 96720, 107 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 107 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,538,550 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 211,532 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 35.98 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,052,269.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Quarter Two Material Distribution and Raffle Entry for Kaʻū High Continues for middle and high school students Thursday, Oct. 8 at Pāhala School Gym from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Keauhou Shopping Center on Friday, Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to noon.
West Hawaiʻi Community Center at 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway in Kona on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Attend College from Home Virtual Workshop, Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Zoom Connection Link: go.hawaii.edu/A9z, Meeting ID: 950 5113 4914 Password: palamanui. The announcement asks, "Want to come back to college but not leave home – or know someone who does? If so, you are invited to the UH Online and Hybrid Degrees workshop presented by the University Center West Hawaiʻi. Come learn about the 60+ UH two year, Bachelors, Graduate, and Certificate programs that you can access here on Hawai'i Island. Online Learning with Local Support. Stay Here… Go FORWARD!" For more information, email Carrie at carriekp@hawaii.edu.

Presidential Debates Schedule: The first Presidential Debate was held Sept. 29. The single Vice Presidential Debate was held Wednesday, Oct. 7. The second Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 15 in Miami, Florida. The final Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Give Input on the Hawaiʻi 2050 Sustainability Plan Update by the State of Hawaiʻi Office of Planning from Oct. 13 through 28. The public is invited to participate in online sessions to learn about the strategic plan and contribute to the revision process. Free; advance registration required. Register online.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

Artists and Vendors, sign up for the Annual Art & Craft Fair at Ocean View Community Center on Nov. 7. The event, held outside from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will help raise funds for the Center, as well as benefit local artists and crafters. Booths are $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents not provided. Face masks required. Free admission for attendees. Contact organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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Mainland Bound is the name of the airline in this image from Grassroot Institute cartoonist David Swan, who
illustrates residents fleeing from Hawaiʻi where employment and affordable housing are hard to find.

NĀ LEO TV, the nonprofit public access station and programing service, received a visit from the FBI today and canceled its live broadcast of two political forums for this evening. Assistant General Manager Micah Alameda sent out a press release saying, "We regret to inform you that we are postponing the Puna Candidates' Forum, for tonight, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m. We are working with the Mainstreet Pāhoa Association to reschedule this broadcast." Also canceled for today was a forum for mayoral candidates Mitch Roth and Ikaika Marzo.

The press release said, "As you know, the FBI has executed a search warrant, and Nā Leo TV staff and management are fully cooperating. We have no further comment or information at this time." It noted that Na Leo TV is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. "We are Hawai‘i Island's hyperlocal, public access TV station bringing diverse, original, and relevant programming to our island communities."

Honolulu Star-Advertiser sent out a headline saying "FBI raids Big Isle public access TV station offices." The story says, "FBI spokesman Jason White said the FBI executed a search warrant, but the agency would not release any further information." White informed the Star-Advertiser by email that "The investigation is ongoing."

Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald identified White as a special agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Honolulu office. Earlier today, White told the Tribune-Herald that "Federal agents are in the process of executing a search warrant on the studios and offices of Nā Leo ‘O Hawai‘i public access cable television in Hilo."

The president and CEO of Nā Leo is Stacy Higa, who ran for mayor in the August primary election, lost, and began producing forums with the remaining candidates leading up to the general election. Higa is a former county councilman.

Tribune-Herald reported that it asked the FBI agent "if the search had anything to do with federal funding or if anyone was arrested. White said it's 'just a search' of Nā Leo's location at 91 Mohouli St. and declined to say what agents are searching for," reported the newspaper.

Big Island Now reported the search happening this morning and extending beyond 1 p.m. The news service also said the FBI agent declined to say whether a search warrant would be executed on Nā Leo's Kona station. Big Island Now reported that Hawai‘i County Police Chief Paul Ferreira said local law enforcement is not involved with the FBI operation.

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MANDATING MASKS EVERYWHERE OUTSIDE THE HOME is the plan proposed today by Lt. Gov. Josh Greem, MD. During an interview with Hawaiʻi News Now, Green said, "Simply having everyone mask up outside their home makes the most sense… rules need to be the same for everyone across the board" as interisland and out-of-state travel reopen and Hawaiʻi returns to its more-crowded state. “If you can get to 90 percent, that's what many societies around the world have done. When they get to 90 percent they don't have to shut down anything. They don't have to shut down travel. They don't have to shut down business."
He also told HNN being caught without a mask should carry "a simple citation that carries a fine" instead of a misdemeanor.

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GRASSROOT INSTITUTE OF HAWAIʻI PREDICTS MORE LOCALS LEAVING, WANTS TAX DECREASES. In an editorial released this week and entitled Great Lockdown Crash of 2020 is Wake-up Call for Hawaiʻi Lawmakers, the nonprofit group's leader Keliʻi Akina writes:
Warren Buffett once said, "You only learn who has been swimming naked when the tide goes out."
That includes states, and now that the tide has receded, it's easy to see that Hawaiʻi has been swimming naked for years. Without any savings to buffer it from the economic collapse brought on by the state's rash coronavirus lockdown policies, the Aloha State is exposed like the emperor without any clothes.

Keliʻi Akina of Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi

  Hawaiʻi's leading industry, tourism, has virtually disappeared; unemployment is at historic highs; hundreds, if not thousands, of businesses have permanently closed; state and county tax revenues have evaporated; and budgetary finagling is rampant as Hawaiʻi officials seek loans and other forms of relief from the federal government to cover their short-term obligations.
   Even before the Great Lockdown Crash of 2020, the state had been on a spending spree, repeatedly busting through its useless legal spending cap, steadily eating into its rainy day fund and allowing its numerous unfunded liabilities, such as for its public pension and health benefits programs, to balloon. It also was constantly adding new taxes and piling on new regulations.
   The protectionist Jones Act also adds to Hawaiʻi's exceptionally high cost of living; groundbreaking research by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi released in July found that the 1920 federal maritime law costs Hawaiʻi about $1.2 billion a year, including about $1,800 per average family and 9,100 lost jobs.
   But mostly Hawaiʻi's dire situation has been self-inflicted, with its various state and county lockdowns only making things worse.
   Little surprise that thousands of residents have been fleeing for the mainland for years. In the wake of the COVID lockdown, that tempo is expected to increase: University of Hawaiʻi researchers estimated in June that up to 30,000 residents will be leaving over the next two years.
   So what is to be done? Certainly not what Hawaiʻi officials have been doing so far.
   Besides borrowing and moving funds around within the state budget, and despite starting at a $2.3 billion state budget hole brought on by the worst financial disaster in the state’s history, lawmakers approved $150 million in raises for state employees. Yes, while much of the private sector in Hawaiʻi is basically unemployed because of the state-imposed lockdown, state employees who have been getting paid all along were gifted a raise.

Great Lockdown Crash of 2020 is an editorial from Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi,
decrying government overspending and residents fleeing to find jobs and
affordable housing. Image from Grassroot Institute

  One good thing that came out of the latest state legislative session was the lack of any new tax increases. Which was amazing.
   Looking ahead, Hawaiʻi lawmakers should be looking at tax decreases, regulatory rollbacks, and less state spending.
   They also should be looking to revive tourism, the lifeblood of Hawaiʻi's airlines, hotels, restaurants, tour companies, dinner cruises, farmers, bars, and many other businesses. There has been a lot of talk about how to do this, and plans are still being hammered out.
   To create construction jobs, lawmakers should consider land-use and zoning changes to allow for more housing. Only 5 percent of Hawaiʻi's land is available for housing. Expanding that by just 1 or 2 percentage points would be a 20 percent to 40 percent increase. On land already developed, zoning reform could facilitate more "infill" housing.
   As outlined in the Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi's new "Road map to prosperity," Hawaiʻi lawmakers also could exempt food, medicine, and healthcare from the state's general excise tax; temporarily suspend some occupational licensing requirements; remove restrictions on home-based businesses and cottage foods; reduce regulations on short-term rentals; enact tort reform to protect businesses during the reopening period from coronavirus-related lawsuits; and make permanent the emergency measures that expanded telehealth and allowed out-of-state doctors to practice in Hawaiʻi.
   Hawaiʻi lawmakers also could finally reform the state's public pension system, currently underfunded by $14 billion. And they definitely should reassess the Honolulu rail project, the price tag for which has ballooned from $3 billion in 2006 to over $9.2 billion, making it the most expensive in the world per capita.

  At the federal level, Congress could reform the U.S.-build requirement of the Jones Act, since U.S.-built vessels cost four to five times more than ships on the world market. That reform alone would save Hawaiʻi $532 million a year, according to the Grassroot Institute's study.
   These are just a few of the things our policymakers could do to help Hawaiʻi get back to work. Hawaiʻi's residents need greater flexibility and more opportunities to cope with the state's radically changed economic landscape. But if our lawmakers stick to their old habits, Hawaiʻi will continue to flail naked in the shallows.
   See more at grassrootinstitute.org.

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MASS COVID TESTING HAS BEGUN IN PRISONS ACROSS THE STATE. The state Department of Public Safety Health Care Division is working with state Department of Health, Hawaiʻi National Guard, and community partners, to conduct mass testing for COVID-19 at all correctional facilities statewide. Test results for 13 Halawa were negative. Maui Community Correctional Center began their staff testing with help of Hawaiʻi National Guard. Of the 70 Oʻahu Community Correctional Center inmate results received, six were positive and 64 were negative. There are no inmates hospitalized. The total number of inmates who have recovered is at 338. The number of PSD staff who have recovered and returned to work increased to 94. To view more on PSD's planning and response efforts to COVID-19: http://dps.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/03/17/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-resources/.

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ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES is the purpose of legislation introduced by Sen. Mazie Hirono and colleagues. According to Hirono, the Health Equity and Accountability Act would address health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities as well as women, the LGBTQ+ community, rural populations, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities across the United States. "HEAA is a blueprint of bold policy solutions that uniquely target a wide spectrum of health equity concerns." A statement from Hirono says the legislation would:

Expand access to health care for immigrant and rural communities. It would restore Medicaid eligibility for Compacts of Free Association citizens; improve care for underserved communities through enhanced language access services, provider training on cultural competency, and investments in diversifying the health workforce. It would dismantle barriers and fund programs to support mental, infant, maternal, sexual, and reproductive health for marginalized and underserved individuals and communities. It would increase federal resources to address diseases that disproportionately impact minority communities, and engage the entire federal government in building and funding strategies to address social determinants of health.

Hirono said that in Hawaiʻi, HEAA would help local communities combat diseases like viral hepatitis, which disproportionately affects Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. She said it would help to better understand health disparities through disaggregated data collection.

The bill would invest in cultural competency education and expanded language access services to assist the over 12 percent of Hawaiʻi residents and about eight percent of people nationwide who have limited English proficiency.

HEAA would permanently reauthorize the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act to continue to provide comprehensive health care to Native Hawaiians.
Hirono said, "The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated and laid bare health disparities in communities across the country, particularly in communities of color. Even before the pandemic, Pacific Islanders – including COFA citizens and Native Hawaiians – experienced poorer health outcomes, often due to systemic barriers in our health care system and society at large. HEAA dismantles these barriers to accessing information, health education, health services, and coverage so that all communities in Hawai'i and across the country can thrive."

Hirono also introduced HEAA in 2018. This Congress, HEAA was introduced in the House by Representative Jesús "Chuy" García (D-Ill.) with support from the Congressional Tri-Caucus. HEAA has been introduced in every Congress since 2007. HEAA is endorsed by nearly 200 organizations, including UnidosUS, Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Families USA, Community Catalyst, National Health Law Program, National Urban League, and AIDS Alliance for Women, Infants, Children, Youth & Families. The full list of endorsing organizations can be found here. Bill text can be found here.
Mary Oneha, CEO of Waimanalo Health Center, said, "Serving the community has always been an honor built on the principle that accessing quality health care should never be reserved for those of privilege. As COVID-19 continues to tighten its grasp on our communities, it's a somber illustration of the critical need for comprehensive legislation that addresses health inequity. Now more than ever, HEAA is essential to healthy and thriving families and communities."

Sheri Daniels, Executive Director of Papa Ola Lokahi, said the group "supports the vision and lay-out… in comprehensively addressing health disparities and ensuring access to quality health care for everyone in our country, especially Native Hawaiian communities. This bold policy builds upon the coverage gained under the ACA and provides immediate targeted relief to those communities hardest hit by COVID-19."
Thaddeus Pham, Co-Director of Hep Free Hawaiʻi, said the legislation would "enhance the health care infrastructure for Hawaiʻi and all other jurisdictions, to provide necessary care for viral hepatitis and many other devastating diseases affecting underserved communities. The passage of this bill would have real implications to improve health outcomes and increase systems responses to health inequities made starkly clear by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic."

Diana Shaw, Executive Director of Lanai Community Health Center, said the legislation "is long overdue! For many years, lip service has been played in regard to health disparities… but there has not been any action since the ACA was passed. Now is the time to not just talk, but to actually do something!... HEAA provides a path of bold, policy solutions that builds upon the ACA, and, at the same time, provides targeted, immediate relief to our community. Our country has been traveling down a dark path in the last three-plus years. We need to turn that around and take action."

Heather Lusk, Executive Director of Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center, said, "Accessing appropriate medical care is challenging for sexual and gender minorities, immigrants, limited English proficient persons, indigenous peoples, and Pacific Islander communities. The Health Equity and Accountability Act will strengthen the federal government's ability to meet the urgent health needs of underserved communities, including those living with HIV, viral hepatitis, and other chronic health conditions."

Josie Howard, Program Director of We Are Oceania, said, "The COVID-19 pandemic has proven again the inadequate health equity in our Pacific Islander population and the devastation of these health disparities for our Pacific Islander families. Losing a loved one unexpectedly and the separation of families during COVID has had dramatic impact on our community that will last for generations. To have a healthier economy and community, we must address the health disparities in our communities. We Are Oceania supports the Health Equity and Accountability Act because our community benefits when we directly address health inequities."

See Civil Defense Director
Talmadge Magno on COVID-19
Talk Story on Nā Leo TV.

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WATCH TALMADGE MAGNO ON COVID-19 TALK STORY ON NĀ LEO TV on-demand at naleo.tv/covid19. Broadcast this morning, the weekly series aims to help deliver accurate and current information to Hawaiʻi Island residents regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Episode 3 features Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno, Eric Honda of State Department of Health, Executive Assistant to Mayor Kim Sharon Hirota, and Mary Ann Otake of Hawaiʻi First Federal Credit Union. Watch live Thursday at 10 a.m. on Spectrum Channel 53.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

ATTEND THE 2020 VIRTUAL SMALL BUSINESS SUMMIT on Wednesday, Oct. 14, noon to 5 p.m. The announcement says, "These are unprecedented times for our local Hawaiʻi small business community. Join the Small Business Administration Hawaiʻi District Office and Resource Partners for the 2020 Virtual Small Business Summit. Participate in online workshops from finance, marketing, strategies for a changing environment, to business counseling to help you with your business."

Seats are limited. All workshops will be first come first serve on the day and time of the event. Register here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

ATTEND FREE VIRTUAL HAWAIʻI BOOK & MUSIC FESTIVAL through Nov. 4 The 15th year of the festival takes off with a special set of in-depth presentations covering a variety of topics deeply impacting the local community. Featuring Hawaiʻi Public Radio's Burt Lum, host of Bytemarks Café, on several panels. More info & sc hedule.

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FOURTEEN NEW CASES OF COVID-19 are reported on Hawaiʻi Island today. The state reports 101 new cases today, with 86 on Oʻahu and one in Maui County.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 13,146 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,604 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,375 active cases in isolation. There are at least 16 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
At least 164 people have died in the state, one new today. A total of 35 have reportedly died on Hawaiʻi Island, one new today. At least a dozen deaths are not officially reported by the state.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 10 cases. Pale orange is 11-30 cases. Medium

orange is 31-50 cases. Dark orange is 51-90 cases. Bright

red is 91-110 cases. Dark red is 111-270 cases.

Department of Health map

  Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 866 cases, Oʻahu 11,702 cases, Maui County 397, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-six victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 900 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases reported in the last 28 days for three Kaʻū zip codes and one in Volcano. 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; 96737, with Ocean View; and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in zip code 96777, which includes Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   In Hilo zip code 96720, 107 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 107 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,598,280 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 212,632 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 36.39 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,059,616.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Keauhou Shopping Center on Friday, Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to noon.
West Hawaiʻi Community Center at 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway in Kona on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Join in Virtual NAMIWalks Your Way Saturday, Oct. 10, the National Day of Hope, during Mental Illness Awareness Week. Participants take their own walks, using a treadmill or going to their own backyards, neighborhood streets, and local parks. They will share the activity on social media. The focus is also to follow NAMI Hawaiʻi's program with mental health facts. Activities will go beyond walking and running. Hula-hoop and yoga, as well as other choices are on tap. The event normally takes place at Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo with a 5K walk. Some 70 NAMIWalks are held each year around the country, with hundreds of thousands of participants, sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Visit namiwalks.org/bigisland. Any funds raise go to NAMI Big Island's free local mental health family education programs, family support groups, and other services.

Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund Public Cleanup Events – with size limited due to COVID-19 precautions and government proclamations – are on Monday, Oct. 12, survey; Saturday, Oct. 17, cleanup; Sunday, Nov. 15, cleanup and survey; and Saturday, Dec. 19, cleanup. HWF says details are forthcoming but will be a blend of hiking, BYO-4wd, and limited HWF carpool options. Contact Megan Lamson-Leatherman at (808) 280-8124 or wild@aloha.net.

Attend College from Home Virtual Workshop, Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Zoom Connection Link: go.hawaii.edu/A9z, Meeting ID: 950 5113 4914 Password: palamanui. The announcement asks, "Want to come back to college but not leave home – or know someone who does? If so, you are invited to the UH Online and Hybrid Degrees workshop presented by the University Center West Hawaiʻi. Come learn about the 60+ UH two year, Bachelors, Graduate, and Certificate programs that you can access here on Hawai'i Island. Online Learning with Local Support. Stay Here… Go FORWARD!" For more information, email Carrie at carriekp@hawaii.edu.

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Clinic for Cats will be held Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Ocean View. For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

2020 Virtual Small Business Summit, Wednesday, Oct. 14, noon to 5 p.m. The announcement says, "These are unprecedented times for our local Hawaiʻi small business community. Join the Small Business Administration Hawaiʻi District Office and Resource Partners for the 2020 Virtual Small Business Summit. Participate in online workshops from finance, marketing, strategies for a changing environment, to business counseling to help you with your business." Seats limited. All workshops will be first come first serve on the day and time of the event. Register here.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

What has Happened at Hanauma Bay Without Direct Human Impact? webinar Monday, Nov. 2, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Hosted by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Register here.

Vote and Register In-Person same day. Locations are in Hilo at 101 Pauahi Street, #1, and Kona, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy. Ballots for registered voters should start to arrive around Oct. 16. Secure ballot drop box located in Nāʻālehu Police Station at 95-5355 Māmalahoa Hwy from Oct. 14, 24 hours a day, until 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, Election Day. See other locations here. is Tuesday, Nov. 3. See tips on helping others to register to vote at nationalvoterregistrationday.org. Find more information at elections.hawaii.gov. Check voter registration status here.

Attend Free Virtual Hawaiʻi Book & Music Festival through Nov. 4 The 15th year of the festival takes off with a special set of in-depth presentations covering a variety of topics deeply impacting the local community. Featuring Hawaiʻi Public Radio's Burt Lum, host of Bytemarks Café, on several panels. More info & sc hedule.

The Occurrence of Humpback Whales across the Hawaiian Archipelago Revealed through Acoustics webinar, Friday, Nov. 6, noon - 1 p.m. Hosted by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Register here.

Ocean Users Workshop webinar, Friday, Nov. 6, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Hosted by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Register here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Research & Resource Protection for Upcoming Whale Season featuring Dr. Marc Lammers & Ed Lyman webinar Friday, Nov. 13, 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Hosted by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Register here.

83rd Sanctuary Advisory Council Meeting webinar, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Hosted by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Register here.

Virtual Screening & Live Q&A: Changing Seas: Mystery of the Humpback Whale Song webinar, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Hosted by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Learn more here.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

Sizes, Strategies, and Steroid Hormones: Insights into the Humpback Whale Mating System webinar, Monday, Nov. 23, 11 a.m. - noon. Hosted by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Register here.

The Cultural Significance of Humpback Whales in Hawaiʻi, Monday, Nov. 30, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Hosted by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Register here.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Humpback Whales 101 Virtual Class Presentation. To reserve a session, contact patty.miller@noaa.gov. Explore HIHWNMS video series here.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

Moonset over Mauna Loa by Janice Wei who won a George & Helen Hartzok Award.
See more below. NPS photo/Janice Wei

APPROVAL OF A FREE RAPID COVID TEST FOR ALL ARRIVALS TO THIS ISLAND was granted by Gov. David Ige today. With a pre-travel negative COVID-19 test, people will be able to come to the island without quarantining provided that their rapid test taken here is also negative, said Mayor Harry Kim, who made the proposal. He said the county will cover the cost. The testing begins on Oct. 15 on the grounds of Kona International Airport which is receiving the only trans-Pacific flights. Anyone showing a positive post-arrival test, and those arriving without negative pre-travel test, will be required to quarantine. See more on COVID-19 counts on the island state, country, and planet, below.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

PHOTOGRAPHER JANICE WEI WON A GEORGE & HELEN HARTZOK AWARD for her volunteerism and photography in 2019. The Outstanding Individual Volunteer prize goes to Wei, as her "spectacular photos give people who can't see Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park in person a window into the variety of the Park," says a statement from the Park. Wei's photographs often appear in Kaʻū News Briefs and The Kaʻū Calendar newspaper.

Volunteer photographer for HVNP Janice Wei. Photo from NPS

The Park's statement says, "No doubt you've seen Janice's photos on our social media pages, on the park website, and the park brochure. What you've probably never seen is a photo of Janice herself, who prefers to stay behind the lens. Here's a rare photo of the elusive Wei in her natural habitat, and a close-up of her award. The national parks could not fulfill their missions without all of our wonderful volunteers. Mahalo nui loa to all NPS VIPs!"

The George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service recognize the exemplary contributions of National Park Service "Volunteers in Parks," or VIPs. After his retirement, former NPS Director (1964-72), George Hartzog and his wife Helen remembered the volunteer program with a generous donation to the National Park Foundation. This fund has been used to support awards that honor the efforts of exceptional volunteers, groups, and Park VIP programs.

Janice Wei has covered many volcano events at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. NPS photo by Janice Wei

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Hilina Pali Road, repaved, is now open to road vehicles.
NPS photo/Janie Wei

HILINA PALI ROAD past Kulanaokuaiki Campground to the Hilina Pali Overlook in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is reopened to vehicles as of today. Road Vehicles will also be able to drive Mauna Loa Road from the gate at Kīpukapuaulu to Mauna Loa Lookout.

The announcement from the Park says, "Some much-needed rain has decreased wildfire risk in these areas. However, there are other hazards. Hilina Pali Road and Mauna Loa Road are very narrow in areas, and motorists are advised to follow all posted road signs and to share the road with bicyclists and pedestrians. The backcountry trails accessible from the end of Hilina Pali Road are rough and overgrown in areas."
All backcountry overnight use requires a permit. Learn more at the Park's Backcountry web page, https://go.nps.gov/7m4ocr. #RecreateResponsibly when visiting your park. Practice social distancing. Maintain at least six feet of distance between those not in the same household. Wear a face covering when social distancing cannot be maintained.

Hilina Pali Overlook is now accessible by road vehicles. NPS photo/Janie Wei

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer. Cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth. If feeling sick, visit another day. Let wildlife be wild. Do not feed nēnē, the Hawaiian goose, and look out for them on roadways and in parking lots.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

MOST HAWAIʻI ISLAND STATE PARKS REMAIN FREE TO LOCALS AND VISITORS for entry and parking. The Department of Land & Natural Resources raised entrance and parking prices today in "select" parks around the state.

The only state park in Kaʻū is Mānuka Wayside, where there are hiking, restrooms, parking, and picnic facilities, but no camping. Camping at state parks on this island is allowed at Hāpuna and Kīholo, with Kīholo temporarily closed. Residents pay $20/night for tent campsites. Non-resident pay $30/night. Cabins are available at Hāpuna and Kalōpā State Parks. Rates for locals range from $40 to $70 per night. For non-residents it's $70 to $100. Camping and lodging rates were last increased over a decade ago.

ʻĀinapō Cabin above Kapāpala Ranch. DLNR photo

DLNR's Fish & Wildlife Division also operates two cabins on this island. The one in Kaʻū is ʻĀinapō Cabin, mauka of Hwy 11 between Pāhala and Volcano, with four-wheel drive access by appointment through Kapāpala Ranch. The other is in Waimanu, accessible by trail along the rugged Hāmākua Coast. Both are closed for COVID-19 spread mitigation.

The Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area on Saddle Road was transferred from the state DLNR to the County of Hawaiʻi last year along with its name change from Mauna Kea Recreation Area. It offers restrooms, picnicking areas, a large bunkhouse, and seven cabins to rent. Go to reservations.

Other state parks on the island are Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park; Huluheʻe Palace; Kekaha Kai State Park; Kīholo in Kona; Hāpuna Beach, north of Waikaloa; Lapakahi State Historical Park (closed) and Kohala Historical Sites State Monument in Hawi; Kalōpā, above Honokaʻa; ʻAkaka Falls in Pepeʻekeo; Wailuku River State Park and Wailoa River State Recreation Area (closed) in Hilo; and Lava Tree State Monument and MacKenzie State Recreation Area in Puna.

ʻAkaka Falls entrance fees for out-of-state walk-in is $5 per person, $10 per car, and commercial vehicles are $25 for 1-7 passenger vehicles, $50 for 8-25 passenger vehicles, and $90 for 26 + passenger vehicles. Park visitors have the option to pay for parking using the PayByPhone app (Location #10566) or by using the CallToPark app (Location #125932). To see a digital version of the PayByPhone and CallToPark sign please the following hyperlink: PayByPhone & CallToPark Sign.

Mānuka Wayside in Kaʻū offers hiking, restrooms,
parking, and picnic facilities.

   Entrance fees for Huluheʻe Palace are $ 1 for children, $6 – $8 for kamaʻāina, and $8 – $10 for out-of-state adults. Pay at location.
   The rest of the parks have no entrance fees for anyone.
   DLNR Division of State Parks Administrator Curt Cottrell said, "Though the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in drastic reductions in the number of visitors coming to Hawaiʻi, we hope these additional fees will help to offset some of our severe revenue losses incurred by State Parks as Hawaiʻi gradually reopens. Some of our most heavily visited parks will remain closed due to coronavirus concerns. This further hampers revenue generation as we all struggle with the economic impacts of the pandemic."
   The higher fees were approved by the Board of Land and Natural Resources in August. Following a public hearing, the fee schedule was signed into law by Gov. David Ige last week. Hawaiʻi State Park entry fees had not been increased since the turn of the century.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

CHECK OUT THE NEW HAWAIʻI WILDLIFE FUND WEBSITE wildhawaii.org and new, regular blog postings. The announcement about the site says it will "enable us to be even more interactive with the world and to better connect with our core volunteers and supporters. Many thanks to our consultant friends Stephenie Pang and Patrick Doyle, who offered generous, pro bono advice on our website redesign; our long-time webmaster, Carrie Robertson Meyer, for her support of native wildlife and HWF for more than two decades, and especially to Ritama Design for the creation of this beautiful new website that will enable our team to be more involved in the process."
Founded in 1996, Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund helps fill the "gaps" in conservation efforts around Hawaiʻi and Maui in order to best protect native wildlife. The Kaʻū leader is Megan Lamson Lederman. Contact her at (808) 280-8124 or wild@aloha.net.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

REPEALING THE ALIEN ENEMIES ACT OF 1798 is the goal of legislation introduced by Sen. Mazie Hirono and colleagues this week. The proposed legislation is called The Neighbors Not Enemies Act.

The Alien Enemies Act allows the president to target foreign nationals to be "apprehended, restrained, secured and removed" without due process while America is at war. During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt used it to target, incarcerate, and deport Japanese, German, and Italian Americans. In 2016, Donald Trump referenced the Alien Enemies Act during his campaign as justification for his Muslim Ban.

   Hirono said, "Time and again, Donald Trump has demonized immigrants and minorities as the divider-in-chief. Our nation has not always been fair to immigrants and minorities, but we have a rich diversity – and the stories of immigrants and minorities are interwoven in our country's history. The Neighbors Not Enemies Act would repeal an outdated and offensive law and stop any president from ordering a wrongful action that goes against the Bill of Rights."
   The legislation was introduced in the House by Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.): "This outdated and xenophobic law is an offense to our values as a nation, which should stand as a refuge for those fleeing violence and persecution. It is a perfect example of outdated immigration laws that are being exploited and abused by this Administration. As the President seeks to expand the Muslim Ban, we must close policy loopholes that he can exploit to cause harm to our neighbors, our country and the values that we hold dear. We must learn from historical mistakes built on fear of the other and embrace a fair and just immigration system by repealing the Alien Enemies Act."
   David Inoue, Executive Director of the Japanese American Citizens League said, "It is past time for the
repeal of this antiquated law which has been abused to justify the incarceration of Japanese Americans and more recently the Muslim Ban. As we have seen, the courts have been overly deferential to Presidential claims of necessity due to national security, both in 1944 and 2018. It is up to Congress to place a check on the overreaching power of the President and act where the courts have failed the people."
   Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights said, "The so-called Alien Enemies Act was wrong when it was passed in 1798 and it's still wrong now. That

antiquated law was used to justify, among other things, discrimination against people in America, particularly Japanese immigrants. It must not be used to support Trump’s misguided Muslim travel ban. We urge Congress to pass the Neighbors Not Enemies Act and remove this vestige of xenophobia from our laws."
   The bill is endorsed by the Japanese American Citizens League, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, National Iranian American Council Action, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Minnesota Peace Project, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Defending Rights & Dissent, Muslim Public Affairs Council, and Church World Service, UndocuBlack Network, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment, International Refugee Assistance Project, The Sikh Coalition, National Immigration Law Center, Project South, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, Shoulder to Shoulder, Veterans For Peace chapter 27, Coalition on Human Needs, Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, and the Conference of Presentation Sisters.
   Read the bill here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

THE FIRST COVID-19 DEATH IN KONA occurred Monday, Oct. 5 in Kona Hospital, which, with another death at Hilo Medical Center, bringing Hawaiʻi Island's death toll to 37. According to reporting from multiple outlets, KCH's Marketing and Strategic Planning Director, Judy Donovan, a female patient in her 40s had come into the Emergency Room Monday and subsequently passed away.
   At least 166 people have died in the state, two new today on Oʻahu. At least 20 Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state.
   See more on COVID, below.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 10 cases. Pale orange is 11-30 cases. Medium

orange is 31-50 cases. Dark orange is 51-100 cases. Bright

red is 101-170 cases. Dark red is 171-300 cases.

Department of Health map

FORTY-FIVE NEW COVID-19 CASES TODAY are reported for Hawaiʻi Island. The state reports 155 new cases today, with 108 on Oʻahu and one in an out-of-state resident.
   Since the pandemic began, there have been 13,300 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,651 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,460 active cases in isolation. There are at least nine people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
   Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 911 cases, Oʻahu 11,896 cases, Maui County 397, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-seven victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 911 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases reported in the last 28 days for two Kaʻū zip codes and one in Volcano. 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in zip code 96737, with Ocean View; and 96777, which includes Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   In Hilo zip code 96720, 107 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 107 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,662,798 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 213,739 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 36.79 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,067,060.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Attend College from Home Virtual Workshop, Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Zoom Connection Link: go.hawaii.edu/A9z, Meeting ID: 950 5113 4914 Password: palamanui. The announcement asks, "Want to come back to college but not leave home – or know someone who does? If so, you are invited to the UH Online and Hybrid Degrees workshop presented by the University Center West Hawaiʻi. Come learn about the 60+ UH two year, Bachelors, Graduate, and Certificate programs that you can access here on Hawai'i Island. Online Learning with Local Support. Stay Here… Go FORWARD!" For more information, email Carrie at carriekp@hawaii.edu.

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Clinic for Cats will be held Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Ocean View. For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

Artists and Vendors, sign up for the Annual Art & Craft Fair at Ocean View Community Center on Nov. 7. The event, held outside from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will help raise funds for the Center, as well as benefit local artists and crafters. Booths are $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents not provided. Face masks required. Free admission for attendees. Contact organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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 FBI investigated Nā Leo TV's Hilo office under a search warrant Thursday. Learn details below. Photo by Tim Wright

NĀ LEO TV is still on the air, and available on demand, after Federal Bureau of Investigation agents investigated the public access television broadcast location in Hilo on Thursday. The investigation postponed Puna Candidates' Forum and a forum for mayoral candidates Mitch Roth and Ikaika Marzo. Learn more on Thursday's Kaʻū News Briefs.
A statement from the Board of Directors of Nā Leo ʻO Hawaiʻi says they were made aware of the federal investigation on Oct. 8. The Board met with Nā Leo TV President and CEO, Stacy Higa, who "assured the Board that management and staff are fully cooperating" with the investigation.

Board Chair, Claude Onizuka, said, "The Board is satisfied with the level of cooperation provided to date and will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure full cooperation with the investigation. Because this is an ongoing investigation, the Board is unable to share more information at this time. However, the Board is pleased to note that all staff will continue with their assigned duties and that Nā Leo TV has resumed its normal operations, subject to prevailing COVID-related guidelines."

An FBI agent exits Nā Leo's Hilo office. Photo by Tim Wright

   In an article from Civil Beat, special agent and spokesman Jason White of FBI's Honolulu office said the warrant is sealed "and probably will remain that way for the foreseeable future. The only thing we're releasing is we are doing a search warrant over there at Nā Leo TV."Civil Beat reports White said no one had been arrested. Civil Beat reports the investigation "focused on computer equipment in the studios or offices."
   On staff at Nā Leo is Micah Alameda, a board member of Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority since 2018, assistant general manager and marketing manager at Nā Leo. Stacy Higa ran for Hawaiʻi County mayor in the 2020 primary and is a former Hawaiʻi County council chairman.
   The board is comprised of Chair Onizuka; Sidney Fuke, Vice-Chair; Gail Uejo, Board Secretary; Connie Kiriu, Treasurer; Anne Chung; Howard Kelly; Dwayne Mukai; William T. Takaba; and Jennifer Zelko-Schlueter.
   Nā Leo TV is Spectrum Channels 53, 54, and 55; on-demand and live at http://naleo.tv/, and on the free Nā Leo TV app.
   See the Civil Beat story at https://www.civilbeat.org/beat/fbi-searches-the-offices-of-cable-public-access-headquarters-in-hilo/.

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A THIRD DEATH AT LIFE CARE CENTER OF HILO from COVID-19 is reported yesterday. A statement from Mark Mann, executive director, says, "We're heartbroken by this new loss and continue to mourn the loss of all three residents who have died from COVID-19."

Life Care Center of Hilo reports 46 resident cases: 37 active, six recovered, and three dead; and 11 employee cases: seven active and four recovered. Four Life Care residents are being treated at Hilo Medical Center, 37 are receiving care at the facility, one resident is receiving treatment at another facility, and one resident was discharged home from the hospital, according to the update from the Center.

Hawaiʻi Island's death toll as reported by the stare is 37: three at Hilo Life Center, one at Kona Community Hospital, six at Hilo Medical Center, and 27 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. At least 20 Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state. At least 166 people have died in the state, according to state records, two new today on Oʻahu.

Today's 13 new cases on Hawaiʻi Island - and the record high yesterday of 45 cases - are partly due to recent surges at Hilo Life Center and University of the Nations Kona campus.

West Hawaiʻi Today reported this morning that Mayor Harry Kim said University of the Nations Kona "had a potential of having a real problem. When we requested the quarantine, it was immediately done. It is now a very controlled situation."
University of the Nations Kona tested 955 individuals on campus in the past week. As of 8 a.m. Saturday morning, 28 tested positive, two new today, with Department of Health clearing 14 individuals. "All active cases have mild or negligible symptoms and no cases have been hospitalized to date. We will continue to provide updates and want to thank the community for your prayer and support," says the statement from University of the Nations.

Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 924 cases.

Life Care Center of Hilo and University of the Nations Kona
campus both contributed to recent Hawaiʻi Island surges.

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HOW EASY IT IS FOR COVID-19 TO SPREAD in a workplace and a living facility is shown by a state Department of Health report on Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo, where 27 people died. Not immediately removing workers with minor irritations – a stuffy nose, a slightly hoarse voice – before their COVID tests came back positive, may have led to the spread of the virus throughout the home, infecting 35 workers and 75 residents, according to a state report.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported on Saturday that a state Department of Health investigation concluded that the spread progressed as follows:
"The facility's first COVID-19 case was a maintenance worker who was tested Aug. 20 and received a positive result two days later. This unidentified worker, according to the report, belonged to a family connected with a 20-person community coronavirus outbreak that started Aug. 15, and was sent home Aug. 20 after a supervisor noticed the worker's voice was hoarse. A second maintenance worker also was sent home Aug. 20, four minutes behind his colleague, after receiving a call from a family member who said a friend tested positive and that they may have been exposed to COVID-19, the report said. That worker tested positive Sept. 5.

Management of Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home is in process of
transferring from Avalon Health Care to East Hawaiʻi Region
of Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corp.

  "A third maintenance worker who routinely works with and eats lunch with the other two staffers wasn't sent home Aug. 20, according to the report, and returned to work the following day, with instructions from a supervisor to stay in the office and not go outside 'unless the building is on fire.' On Aug. 23, the third maintenance worker received a positive COVID-19 result from a test administered Aug. 20. The report said the facility's nursing director had this view of the third maintenance worker: 'He was asymptomatic, so he can come to work.' DOH's investigator said in the report that a contact tracing list from the nursing home indicated that the third maintenance worker had complained of a stuffy nose and spent more than 15 minutes with his two colleagues and a housekeeper.
   "The report cited other shortcomings that included an inspector witnessing a doctor leaving the facility without removing all protective gear or hand cleaning, witnessing the same doctor entering the facility's designated COVID-19 resident care unit without wearing a protective gown, and seeing a nurse leave the facility without hand cleaning.
   "These deficient practices (led) to the COVID-19 outbreak in the facility and may have contributed to twenty-six COVID-19 related resident deaths," said the report, which didn't account for one death. See the complete story in Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
   Management of the Veterans Home is in transition from Avalon Health Care to East Hawaiʻi Region of Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corp., which oversees Hilo Medical Center, Kaʻū Hospital and its clinic in Pāhala, as well as Hale Hoʻola Hāmākua in Honokaʻa.

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URGING EVERYONE TO LOOK FOR THEIR BALLOTS IN THE MAIL and to vote, west Kaʻū and Kona state Sen. Dru Kanuha wrote in his weekend message: "As the County of Hawaiʻi mailed ballots on Oct. 7, please research, complete, and return your ballot by mail or in-person to any County of Hawaiʻi voter service centers or deposit boxes as soon as possible to ensure your vote is counted. If you have not received your ballot by Oct. 16, please contact the COH Elections Office.

"Throughout this year, we have experienced many changes from closures, shutdowns, and quarantines but I remain hopeful better days are yet to come. By working together to identify safer ways to educate our children, support our families, and uplift our local economies, we will maintain our sense of community and aloha through this difficult time.
"As always, during this global health pandemic, please continue to be vigilant and do your part – wear facial coverings when in public, sanitize hands regularly, and practice social distancing."

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GIVE INPUT on the Hawaiʻi 2050 Sustainability Plan Update by the State of Hawaiʻi Office of Planning from Oct. 13 through 28. The public is invited to participate in online sessions to learn about the strategic plan and contribute to the revision process. Free; advance registration required. Register online.

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ARTISTS AND VENDORS can sign up now for the Annual Christmas Art & Craft Fair at Ocean View Community Center, which will be held on Nov. 7. The event, held outside from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will help raise funds for the Center, as well as benefit local artists and crafters. Booths are $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents not provided. Face masks required. Free admission for attendees. Contact organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.

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THIRTEEN NEW COVID-19 CASES are reported for Hawaiʻi Island. The state's new case count is 73, with 58 on Oʻahu.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 13,371 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,713 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,470 active cases in isolation. There are at least nine people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.

Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 924 cases. Oʻahu reports 11,954 cases, Maui County 397, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-seven victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 929 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 10 cases. Pale orange is 11-20 cases. Medium

orange is 21-60 cases. Dark orange is 61-100 cases. Bright

red is 101-170 cases. Dark red is 171-280 cases.

Department of Health map

  In Hilo zip code 96720, 107 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 107 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,706,256 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 214,286 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 37 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,070,393.

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THE GREAT HAWAIʻI SHAKEOUT, STATEWIDE EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS DRILL on Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m., is the focus of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
   Join the Statewide Earthquake Preparedness Drill on 10/15 at 10:15
   Major earthquakes cannot be predicted. Successful earthquake predictions need to have three things correct: the location, the time, and the magnitude. The best anyone can reliably do is get two out of three correct, for earthquakes that impact the public.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory library after the
magnitude-6.6 Ka‘ōiki earthquake on November 16,
1983. Much of the injuries caused by large earthquakes
are from falling objects, which can be prevented by
securing items to the wall. In the case of books, it is
best to have shelves with raised edges to lessen the
chance of objects sliding off. USGS photo

  There will be a magnitude-6 earthquake this week. This is true – we just don't know where. Probabilistically, at least one magnitude-6 earthquake will happen on Earth on any given week.
   There will be a magnitude-7 earthquake in Alaska. This is true – we just don't know when. Replace Alaska with any square-inch on Earth, and that place will experience a magnitude-7 earthquake sometime in the future: it could be tomorrow, next month, or in the next few million years, but no location on Earth is exempt from a damaging earthquake.
   There will be an earthquake in Hawaiʻi tomorrow. This is true – we just don't know how big. Actually, we can get some magnitudes generally right – there will be a magnitude-1 earthquake in Hawaiʻi tomorrow. This is true – it just isn't detected by anything other than sensitive monitoring equipment, so the prediction isn’t publicly relevant.
   The timing of larger, damaging earthquakes is harder to narrow down. We can look at the record of earthquakes over the past 200 years in Hawaiʻi to understand where large, damaging earthquakes have occurred in the past, but there is no way to reliably predict when damaging earthquakes will happen.
   Of course, that's not going to stop us, humans, from trying anyway. There are numerous methods, scientific or otherwise, that people use to try to predict "the next big one." These methods deserve their own Volcano Watch someday.
   Whether we understand the scientific method or believe in predictions, one question comes to mind: what do we do with that information? We get ready. We prepare.
   Earthquake preparedness can happen at any time. This is true – we don't need predictions of a "big one" to actually be ready for a damaging earthquake.
   One way that you can train yourself to be ready for a damaging earthquake is to participate in an earthquake drill. Last year, over 42,000 individuals in the State of Hawaiʻi participated in an annual earthquake preparedness drill, called The Great Hawaiʻi ShakeOut.
   International ShakeOut day, which The Great Hawaiʻi ShakeOut is a part of, is always the third Thursday of October.
   The date of the ShakeOut determines the time of the earthquake drill. This year, we invite everyone in Hawaiʻi nei to "Drop, Cover, and Hold on!" on Thursday, Oct. 15th (10/15), at 10:15 a.m. local time.
   Register yourself, family, business, or organization as participants in the 2020Great Hawaiʻi ShakeOut on the web at http://shakeout.org/hawaii/register.

During The Great Hawaiʻi ShakeOut, the public is encouraged to practice "Drop, Cover, and Hold on!" as part of the earthquake drill. "Drop, Cover, and Hold on!" will help reduce the risk of being knocked down or injured during an earthquake for most indoor situations, but not all. The ShakeOut website provides more detailed earthquake safety actions for other situations: outdoors, at school or work, at the beach, or while driving a car.
   While knowing what to do during an earthquake is important, it's also important to know what should be done before and after an earthquake. Did you know that we can greatly reduce earthquake damage with a few simple life hacks, by using putty or Velcro® strips to secure items before an earthquake happens?
   After an earthquake passes, there are other hazards that should be considered, such as damaged utility lines and the potential for a tsunami being generated. Which utilities should be turned off after a damaging earthquake? How far do you go up mauka (uphill) to be safe from a tsunami?
   Find the answer to these and other questions at http://shakeout.org/hawaii. Make sure to register as a ShakeOut participant and start preparing for earthquakes before they happen.
   On 10/15 at 10:15 a.m., join the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory ʻohana by participating in the "Drop, Cover, and Hold on!" drill as part of the 2020 Great Hawaiʻi Shakeout. Tag us on social media (@USGSvolcanoes on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook) to let us know how you are preparing to stay safe during an earthquake.

See earthquake activity at https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/earthquakes.

Volcano Activity Updates
   Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL (https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/volcano-hazards/about-alert-levels). Kīlauea updates are issued monthly.
   Kīlauea monitoring data for the past month show variable but typical rates of seismicity and ground deformation, low rates of sulfur dioxide emissions, and only minor geologic changes since the end of eruptive activity in September 2018. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly expand and deepen. For the most current information on the lake, see https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/k-lauea-summit-water-resources.
   Mauna Loa is not erupting and remains at Volcano Alert Level ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to eruption from current level of unrest is certain. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.
   This past week, about 98 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper-elevations of Mauna Loa; most of these occurred at shallow depths of less than 8 kilometers (about 5 miles). Global Positioning System measurements show long-term slowly increasing summit inflation, consistent with magma supply to the volcano's shallow storage system. Gas concentrations and fumarole temperatures as measured at both Sulphur Cone and the summit remain stable. Webcams show no changes to the landscape. For more information on current monitoring of Mauna Loa Volcano, see: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna-loa/monitoring.
   There were two events with three or more felt reports in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M3.5 earthquake 16 km (9 mi) SE of Waimea at 30 km (18 mi) depth on Oct. 01 at 6:55 p.m. and a M2.7 earthquake 4 km (2 mi) W of Pāhala at 35 km (21 mi) depth on Oct. 01 at 11:57 a.m.
   HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa for any signs of increased activity.
   Visit HVO's website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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Look back at Nāʻālehu Public Library's opening at their new temporary location last October. Kaʻū Calendar photo

Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year

Nāʻālehu Public Library's reopening at the

temporary location last October featured

snacks and drinks. Kaʻū Calendar photo

This time last year, Nāʻālehu Library opened in its new temporary location at Nāʻālehu Civic Center. During the opening celebration, the temporary library offered free lemonade, fresh water, and freshly made popcorn.
   Before the pandemic, the air-conditioned facility shared space with Hawaiʻi County Council Committee and Council Meetings. Due to the small space of the new, temporary location, regular monthly and weekly programs were postponed until the new permanent location is open. Scheduled for around this time this year, the renovated library reopening is delayed. The new space will be three times as large as the one that served the community for many years.
   Both Nāʻālehu and Pāhala Public Libraries are open for wifi (in the parking lot) and pick-up – schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. Library card account help and reference assistance can be received at the front door.
   Nāʻālehu is open Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m., and Friday, noon to 4 p.m. Pāhala is open Tuesday, noon to 7 p.m., closed 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. See librarieshawaii.org.

Nāʻālehu Public Library's new, temporary location opened last October.

Kaʻū Calendar photo

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund Public Cleanup Events – with size limited due to COVID-19 precautions and government proclamations – are on Monday, Oct. 12, survey; Saturday, Oct. 17, cleanup; Sunday, Nov. 15, cleanup and survey; and Saturday, Dec. 19, cleanup. HWF says details are forthcoming but will be a blend of hiking, BYO-4wd, and limited HWF carpool options. Contact Megan Lamson-Leatherman at (808) 280-8124 or wild@aloha.net.

Attend College from Home Virtual Workshop, Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Zoom Connection Link: go.hawaii.edu/A9z, Meeting ID: 950 5113 4914 Password: palamanui. The announcement asks, "Want to come back to college but not leave home – or know someone who does? If so, you are invited to the UH Online and Hybrid Degrees workshop presented by the University Center West Hawaiʻi. Come learn about the 60+ UH two year, Bachelors, Graduate, and Certificate programs that you can access here on Hawai'i Island. Online Learning with Local Support. Stay Here… Go FORWARD!" For more information, email Carrie at carriekp@hawaii.edu.

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Clinic for Cats will be held Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Ocean View. For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

Artists and Vendors, sign up for the Annual Art & Craft Fair at Ocean View Community Center on Nov. 7. The event, held outside from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will help raise funds for the Center, as well as benefit local artists and crafters. Booths are $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents not provided. Face masks required. Free admission for attendees. Contact organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

Jeff Peterson at Nāʻālehu Library in 2016. Find out what award he won, and the other winners, at the 2020 Hawaiʻi

Academy of Recording Artists 43rd annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, below. Photo by Sara Kamabayashi

WHILE THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS OPEN UP on Thursday, Oct. 15 - for transpacific travelers with a negative pre-travel COVID test and probably an additional arrival test on Neighbor Islands - the question of interisland travel remains up in the air.
Neighbor Island mayors say they want an arrival test for anyone coming in from the mainland and other islands. Currently, anyone arriving from other islands must quarantine for 14 days. Lt. Gov. Josh Green, MD, says the quarantine seems unfair to locals. Why can transpacific travelers go direct to any island with their pre-travel tests, and arrival tests where required, but locals have to quarantine to go to those same islands? Being considered are rapid tests for anyone traveling interisland and for those coming from out of state. Mayor Harry Kim said he wants to make those arrival tests free.

BD Veritor is one way to test for COVID-19 antigens.

Green told Hawaiʻi News Now that making the tests available for interisland travel is "a measure of fairness, and I think it will be well received in a time where there's been a fair amount of conflict." He proposed "courtesy testing centers," at Neighbor Island airports with antigen rapid tests. He said a machine called the BD Veritor could be used for testing. It "has only a three percent false-positive rate," said Green. He said that arrival COVID testing for interisland travel and for transpacific travel is important to Neighbor Island communities since they have less healthcare capacity than Oʻahu.
Green also suggested more rapid tests for first responders, teachers, and other frontline workers.

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WINNERS OF 2020 HAWAʻI ACADEMY OF RECORDING ARTISTS 43rd Annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards are familiar to Kaʻū. On Saturday evening, Kenneth Makuakane won Best Instrumental Album for his Kauaheahe and best Hawaiian EP for his Hiki Mai E Ka La. Makuakane played for last year's 50th Anniversary of the Kaʻū Hawaiian Civic Club in Pāhala, where he introduced a new song about Hawaiian activism – from stopping the military test bombing at Kahoʻolawe to preservation of Maunakea. He is also a familiar performer at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park concerts at its visitor center auditorium.

Jeff Peterson won the Composer's Award for Instrumental Composition for Cyril's Mele on his Ka Nani O Ki Hoʻalu, The Beauty of Slack Key album, which also won Hawaiian Slack Key Album of the Year. Peterson has taught at Center for Hawaiian Music Studies workshops in Pāhala. He has performed at Kīlauea Military Camp Theatre and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park visitor center auditorium, Volcano Art Center, as well as Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Libraries.

Kenneth Makuakane at the 50th Anniversary of Kaʻū Hawaiian

Civic Club in 2019. Photo by Julia Neal

  The composer's award for Song of the Year went to Hinaleimoana Wong for Ku Haʻaheo e Kuʻu Hawaiʻi, performed by Kuhaʻo Maunakea, which became the anthem of Maunakea protectors. The Best Religious Music Album went to Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus for Ho‘onani Kakou Ia Ia.
   Best Rock Album went to Larry Dupio, who has played at Kaʻū Coffee Festival events.
   The winner of the most awards was Josh Tatofi, well known in the past for the band Ekolu. His transition into Hawaiian language music led him to six Nā Hōkū awards Saturday night.
   The Ki-Hoʻalu Legacy Award went to slack key masters Kevin Brown and Ikaika Brown. The public vote for Favorite Entertainer chose Josh Tatofi. Here are the other awards:
   Album of the Year for artists and producers - Ua Kui A Lawa, Josh Tatofi (Rockwall), Josh Tatofi and Kapena De Lima, producers; Male vocalist - Josh Tatofi, Ua Kui A Lawa (Rockwall); Best Female Vocalist - Natalie Ai Kamauu, 21°N 158°W (Keko);

Best Group - Na Wai ‘Eha, Lovely Sunrise (NWE Records); Most Promising Artist: Ei Nei, Hui! (Ei Nei); Best EP (extended play) - Higher, Kamuela Kahoano (Green Light Go HI Productions); Best Hawaiian EP - Hiki Mai E Ka La, Kenneth Makuakane (Makuakane Music); Best Single: Desecration, Ekolu (Waiehu Records); Best Hawaiian single: Melia, Josh Tatofi (Rockwall); Best Music video – Hawaiʻi 78 - Song Across Hawaiʻi, Mana Maoli Collective (no label); Best Hawaiian music video - Ku Ha‘aheo e Ku‘u Hawai‘i, various artists (Kanaeokana); Best Instrumental composition (composer's award) – Cyril's Mele, Jeff Peterson from Ka Nani O Ki Ho‘alu, The Beauty of Slack Key, Jeff Peterson, composer (Peterson Productions);

Hinaleimoana Wong won Song of the Year for Ku Haʻaheo e Kuʻu Hawaiʻi,

which became the anthem of Maunakea protectors.

Song of the year (composer's award) - Ku Ha‘aheo e Ku‘u Hawai‘i, various artists from Kuha‘o Maunakea Hinaleimoana Wong, composer. (Kanaeokana); Best Alternative Album- &Bougainvillea, Izik (Zeo Music); Best Anthology (producer's award) - 20 Year Anniversary 'Timeless,' Ekolu (Waiehu Records), Lukela Keala and Kapena De Lima, producers; Best Compilation Album (producer's award) - Hawaiian Lullaby, various artists (Haku Records), Kimie Miner and Imua Garza, producers; Best Contemporary Album - Ku Kia‘i Mauna Together We Rise, Hawane Rios (Religion Records A&C);
Best Contemporary Acoustic Album - Feel at Home, Kala‘e Camarillo (no label); Best Hawaiian Music Album - Lovely Sunrise, Na Wai ‘Eha (NWE Records); Best Hawaiian Slack Key Album - Ka Nani O Ki Ho‘alu, The Beauty of Slack Key, Jeff Peterson (Peterson Productions); Best Hip Hop Album - Kuleana, Thomas Iannucci (no label); Best Instrumental album - Kauaheahe, Kenneth Makuakane (Makuakane Music); Best Island Music Album:- Ua Kui A Lawa, Josh Tatofi (Rockwall);

Kamehamea Schools Children's Choir won Best Religious Music Album.

Best Jazz Album - Renditions, Maggie Herron (Herron Song); Best Metal Album - III, Storm (Tin Idol Productions); Best R&B album - S.O.U.L. Songs of Unexpected Life, Kamaka Camarillo (no label); Best Reggae Album - Sense of Purpose, Maoli (Awong Entertainment); Best Religious Album - Ho‘onani Kakou Ia Ia, Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus (no label); Best Rock Album: Love and Lightning, Lightning Larry Dupio (no label);

Best Hawaiian Language Performance - Lovely Sunrise, Na Wai ‘Eha (NWE Records); Best Haku Mele (composer's award) - Na Pu‘uwai Haokila, Zachary Lum, composer, from Koha‘o Maunakea, Various Artists (Kanaeokana); Best General Engineering - Kapena De Lima for Island Beyond the Stars by Pena Bu (Bu Roc Records); Best Hawaiian engineering - Bob St. John for Island Style ‘Ukulele 3 by various artists (Neos Productions); Best Graphics - Wailani Artates and Kumu Micah Kamohoali‘i for Kalawai‘anui by Amy Hanaiali‘i (Ua); Best Liner Notes award - Kalikolihau Paik and Puakea Nogelmeier for Ka Lei Moana by Kupaoa (Hula Kupuna Productions); Best International album special recognition award - Ka‘apuni, Kaulana (Kaulana Entertainment).

See the pre-show and virtual awards ceremony with performances, and download the program here.

Learn about the formative years of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and

the birth of the Hawaiian voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa.

Photo from ʻŌiwi TV/Jason Patterson

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ATTEND ʻIMILOA ASTRONOMY CENTER'S 13TH ANNUAL WAYFINDING event, Hōkūleʻa: The Revival Begins, 1975-1980 on Friday, Oct. 23, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The live, online talk story session, presented by ‘Imiloa and the Ama Olukai Foundation, will focus on the history of the Polynesian Voyaging Society's formative years leading up to the iconic voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa. Register to attend this free online event for a chance to ask questions of the presenters at www.imiloahawaii.org.
The panel of five presenters are Captain Gordon Piʻianaiʻa, Billy Richards, John Kruse, Snake Ah Hee, and Kālepa Baybayan. Executive Director Dan Mclnerny, of the Ama Olukia Foundation, will introduce and moderate the presentation.

Ama Olukia Foundation Executive
Director, Dan McInerny

McInerny says, "The Ama Olukai Foundation has been a proud sponsor of ʻImiloa's annual Wayfinding celebration for the past several years and we are happy to continue our support of this important cause. Our mission is to partner with organizations that honor Hawaiian culture and traditions by preserving the ocean and land, and ʻImiloa is an incredible resource for our community that does just that." The Foundation supports programs that are designed to serve Hawaiian communities, partnering with organizations that promote the Hawaiian culture from its ancestral past to present day.
ʻImiloa Executive Director, Kaʻiu Kimura, says, "Keeping our voyaging stories and connections alive is a kuleana that ʻImiloa embraces. We are anxiously excited to be offering our first ever live virtual presentation to share these first-hand experiences and are so very grateful for the continued support of the Ama Olukai Foundation and all of the presenters in making this available to the wider public."

Gordon Piʻianaiʻa

The event announcement gives a brief bio of each presenter:
Gordon Piʻianaiʻa is a geographer and an educator. He was the director of the Hawaiian Studies Institute at Kamehameha Schools and a retired naval officer. In 1976, 1980, and 1985 he served as captain on board Hōkūleʻa. Piʻianaiʻa has a strong personal and spiritual connection to Hōkūleʻa and hopes that more people become involved with the Polynesian Voyaging Society and deep sea voyaging. Piʻianaiʻa craves nothing while at sea; he only craves being at sea while back on land.

Billy Richards

Billy Richards is a community servant who serves as a member of the ‘Aha Kāne, a Native Hawaiian Men's Health Program, the Bishop Museum Association Council, the Friends of Hōkūleʻa and Hawaiʻiloa, Kānehunamoku Voyaging Academy, and Maiden Voyaging Productions. He was elected to the Bishop Museum Board of Directors and also serves as the Hui Nohona administrator for the Partners in Development Foundation, a public not-for-profit company that supports Native Hawaiian communities through social and educational programs. He has been an integral part of Hawaiʻi's voyaging community since 1975 and has voyaged aboard Hōkūleʻa, Hawaiʻiloa, Makaliʻi, Hōkūalakaʻi, and Hikianalia throughout the Pacific and around the world.

John Kruse

John Kruse was introduced to Hōkūleʻa when she was only two hulls and cross pieces still being lashed together. Kruse began helping with the construction of Hōkūleʻa under master craftsmen Wright Bowman and Wally Froiseth. He was selected as a crewmember on Hōkūleʻa’s maiden voyage to Tahiti in 1976 and later went on to co-found Kauaʻi's voyaging society Nā Kālai Waʻa o Kauaʻi. His leadership on Kauaʻi led to many helping hands that built and launched the voyaging canoe Nāmāhoe in September of 2016. After many years of sailing, Kruse was invited to participate in the 2014 Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage and reunited with many of his old voyaging friends.

Snake Ah Hee

Snake Ah Hee was born and raised in Lāhaina, Maui. His family spent much time on the water – fishing, paddling, and surfing – from which he developed his water skills and a familiarity with the ocean. Ah Hee was first introduced to Hōkūleʻa in 1975 and was invited to sail on the return leg of her inaugural voyage to Tahiti. Since then, he has sailed on every Tahiti to Hawai’i voyage and is honored to have been a part of the Hōkūleʻa crew. Ah Hee looks forward to long periods of time at sea.

Chad Kālepa Baybayan

Born and raised in Lāhaina, Chad Kālepa Baybayan first sailed on the Hōkūleʻa in 1975 and has been an active member of the voyaging community. He has served as captain on the Hōkūleʻa as well as the voyaging canoes Hawai‘iloa and Hōkūalaka‘i. Baybayan is the former Site Director of Honuakai, the Exploration Sciences Division of the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo, which teaches the Hawaiian Language to participants that crew aboard Hōkūalaka‘i. He currently serves as the Navigator-in-Residence at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i developing wayfinding activities, curriculum materials, and conducting outreach. In 2007, Baybayan and four other Hōkūleʻa navigators were initiated into the order of Pwo (the three-thousand-year-old society of deep-sea navigators in Micronesia) by their teacher, Mau Piailug, on the tiny atoll of Satawal in the Caroline Islands, Micronesia.

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AVOID TRADITIONAL DOOR-TO-DOOR TRICK OR TREATING and other higher-risk activities this Halloween, recommends Hawai‘i Department of Health. High-risk activities where treats are handed to children or children take candy from a shared bucket "can result in close contact and crowding among people outside your household," says an announcement from DOH.

The annual Trunk-or-Treat, as held last year at Kaʻū High & Pāhala
Elementary's Halloween celebration, will be delayed until a safer
time. Photo by Julia Neal

Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char says, "It's more important than ever to put safety first. Gatherings on Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day led to spikes in positive cases in Hawai‘i. This Halloween, be extra mindful as you navigate how to safely celebrate in order to keep the spread of coronavirus as low as possible during this holiday."
The announcement says, "Thankfully, people in Hawai‘i are creative and caring; some communities have planned fun and safe festivities – such as contactless trick or treating and drive-thru pumpkin patches – to be enjoyed throughout the month. Choosing these low-risk Halloween activities can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 illness, decrease the impact on our state's health care system, and save lives."

Other ideas from DOH for safer, low-risk activities include hosting a scary movie watch party online, organizing a neighborhood pumpkin carving contest and carving the pumpkins with people in your household, and hosting a virtual Halloween costume contest.
Most importantly, DOH encourages everyone to keep following safe practices – avoid large gatherings, keep a distance of six feet from others, wash hands often, and wear a cloth face covering.

The culinary group at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary will
wait until next year to show off their cooking skills
for Halloween. Photo by Julia Neal

Char says, "Carefully plan your costume. Because Halloween masks have nose and mouth holes, they will not protect you or others from COVID-19. Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask or vice versa as it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth face mask."
   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided a list of activities that are considered lower risk, moderate risk, and high risk. In addition to the above:
   Lower risk activities
   Decorating living space.
   Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house, admiring Halloween decorations at a distance.

Halloween movie night within a household. Scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with household members in or around the home rather than going house to house.
   Moderate risk activities
   Participating in one-way trick-or-treating, where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard). Those preparing goodie bags are urged to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after preparing the bags.
   Having a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade, where people are distanced more than six feet apart.

Attending a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are used and people can remain more than six feet apart. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and doesn't leave gaps around the face.
Going to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest where appropriate mask use is enforced, and people can remain more than six feet apart. If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing. Having an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least six feet apart. If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised.

  Higher risk activities
   Participating in traditional trick-or-treating, where treats are handed to children who go door to door.
   Having trunk-or-treat, where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots.
   Attending crowded costume parties held indoors.
   Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming.
   Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in the same household.
   Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors.
   Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in the same community, if in an area with community spread of COVID-19.

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Learning from home or on campus, Kaʻū High & Pāhala

Elementary students can receive food through the end of

the 2020-2021 school year. Photo by Julia Neal

SCHOOLS CAN CONTINUE TO OFFER FREE MEALS TO STUDENTS through the end of the 2020-2021 academic year, announced U.S. Department of Agriculture last week, whether students learn at home or on campus.
   USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue said, "We want to ensure that children continue to receive the nutritious breakfasts and lunches they count on during the school year wherever they are."
   Sen. Mazie Hirono posted Friday, "UPDATE: After I pushed USDA in August to extend child nutrition waivers, I'm glad to announce more free school meals will be available through the rest of the school year. Whether students are doing distance or blended learning, every child should have access to a healthy meal."
   Recently, Pres. Donald Trump signed a continuing resolution to extend regulatory waivers that grant schools "maximum flexibility" in serving meals and designing menus.
   By extending the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option waivers, as they are officially called, schools can also serve those free meals outside of typical meal hours, and allow parents and guardians to pick up them up.

Food distribution from Nāʻālehu can continue for enrolled students through the 2020-2021 school year

even if in-person classes aren't in session. Photo by Nalani Parlin

The School Nutrition Association, which represents the nation's nutrition directors, said in a press release that the waivers are needed to ease the challenge of feeding kids during a pandemic, due to "unanticipated school closures" or changes in instruction.
The group said its members needed regulatory certainty before placing orders for the spring, and to plan menus for the months ahead. The waivers also make their work safer and easier, by allowing for the speedier distribution of grab-and-go meals and reducing in-person monetary transactions.

Hawaiʻi Department of Education is cleared to feed all enrolled
students meals through the end of the school year,
regardless of distance learning. HIDOE photo

  SNA president Reggie Ross said, "Families struggling to make ends meet can be assured that their students will have access to healthy school meals, whether they are learning at home or in school. School meal programs can remain focused on safely meeting nutritional needs of children in their communities without having to worry about burdensome regulations."
   Before the pandemic, children had to pay for school meals unless their family's household income was at or below 130 percent of the poverty level. But when outbreaks forced classes online, and as unemployment surged, USDA empowered schools to become de facto community feeding centers, allowing grab-and-go distribution and for parents to pick up free food for their children.
   USDA had been reimbursing those meals, which were being given to all children, even if they weren't enrolled in the school. Without waivers, and the per-meal reimbursements, schools were briefly forced to deny food to hungry children, which a Cincinnati nutrition director called "heartbreaking."
   Diane Pratt-Heavner, an SNA spokesperson, said, with the extension of the nationwide waiver for the duration of the year, the "overwhelming majority of schools" are likely to serve free meals to all.

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THE HAWAIʻI NEI ART CONTEST is open to all Hawaiʻi Island residents. All artwork must be registered online by Friday, Oct. 16 at hawaiineiartcontest.org. Initial online screening and jurying will take place Oct. 17.
The Three Mountain Alliance, the Hawai‘i Island Art Alliance, the Department of Land and Natural Resources Natural Area Reserves System, and the Wailoa Center State Park organize this annual, juried art exhibition, celebrating the native flora and fauna of Hawai‘i Island. All artwork entries must depict a native (endemic or indigenous) species to Hawaiʻi Island.

  Amateur and professional artists of all ages, who are residents of Hawaiʻi Island, are invited to submit original works. Categories are Adult, Elementary school (grades PreK-5), Middle school (grades 6-8), and High school (grades 9-12). Artists may enter more than one piece. A non-refundable fee for each entry will be collected with online submission. Entry fees are $15 per entry for adults. Youth under 18 may enter their artwork for free. Donations in any amount towards youth entry fees ($5 suggested donation) are welcome. Artists are encouraged to explore a variety of media, including the performing arts.
   Artists will be notified by October 19 if their artwork has been selected for the exhibition. Final jurying and selection for awards will occur on Nov. 4 and will be announced at the opening reception on Nov. 6. Artwork may still be juried out despite adhering to all guidelines.
   Learn more at hawaiineiartcontest.org.

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TWENTY-FOUR NEW COVID-19 CASES are reported for Hawaiʻi Island. The state's new case count is 103, with 79 on Oʻahu.
Hawaiʻi Island's death toll as reported by the county is 37: three at Hilo Life Center, one at Kona Community Hospital, six at Hilo Medical Center, and 27 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. At least 20 Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state. At least 169 people have died in the state, according to state records, one new today on Oʻahu.

Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 948 cases, with recent surges at Hilo Life Center and University of the Nations Kona campus. There have been 13,472 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,750 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,530 active cases in isolation. There are at least nine people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale orange is 21-40 cases. Medium

orange is 41-60 cases. Dark orange is 61-120 cases. Bright

red is 121-180 cases. Dark red is 181-290 cases.

Department of Health map

  Oʻahu reports 12,031 cases, Maui County 397, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-seven victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 935 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases reported in the last 28 days for two Kaʻū zip codes and one in Volcano. 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in zip code 96737, with Ocean View; and 96777, which includes Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   In Hilo zip code 96720, 107 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 107 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,756,846 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 214,742 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 37.35 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,074,768.

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Take a look back at Little Fire Ant eradication in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Read about progress this year and

tips on how to help prevent the spread of the noxious pest. NPS photo

Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year

This time last year, Little Fire Ants were almost eradicated in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The invasive, noxious pests had infested the popular Steam Vents. But they aren't gone yet.

Little Fire Ants are "one of the worst" invasive
species that Hawaiʻi has ever seen, according to
a statement from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes. NPS photo

  LFA detections decreased by at least 99 percent at Steam Vents area off Crater Rim Drive, since the Park began treating the area in February 2019. Discovered in November 2018, LFA were abundant and readily observed on vegetation and along the edge of the parking lot. During surveys in September 2019, park pest control workers found LFA on just .1 percent of bait stations.
   Park ecologist David Benitez said, "It's too early to declare victory just yet. If we don't continue our treatments, LFA populations will quickly rebound and could spread to new areas. These pests are a serious concern for human health and also for our natural resources, including endangered nēnē, the Hawaiian goose, which are currently entering their breeding season."
   Today, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, the Park posted an update on the pests: "If you've driven by the park early in the morning you may have observed cars parked along the highway near the entrance and wondered, 'what's going on?' These are inspections for Little Fire Ants, one of the worst invasive species Hawaiʻi has ever seen.
   "LFA are an extremely noxious invasive species, which can have devastating impacts to native ecosystems and human health. LFA don't travel very far on their own: they are normally first introduced to a new location when people bring them in with things, like gravel, dirt, equipment, or building materials. Since 2014, Hawai‘i Volcanoes has sought to prevent the introduction of LFA by monitoring equipment, construction material, and the vehicles that transport them, before they enter the Park."

Using peanut butter on a chopstick, prest control staff bait Little Fire Ants
to see how many show up. NPS photo

  Benitez said, "We are making great progress, and only small, isolated LFA populations remain. Our work will continue until LFA are no longer found, and we will continue to monitor this and other high-risk sites throughout the Park to detect and remove newly arrived LFA before they spread. We are thankful for the public's support, and remind visitors to help by checking their gear and vehicles for LFA before coming to the Park."
   Pest control workers treat Steam Vents every four to six weeks. The Park announces closures in news releases, on nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes, and via social media. The goal is to completely exterminate the ants from the area. Visitors can help by checking their gear and vehicles for LFA before coming to the park.
   For more information on LFA, how to control them and how to prevent spreading them, visit littlefireants.com. Learn more about LFA at https://www.biisc.org/lfa/.

2019 NPS map of LFA infestation shrinkage.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

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Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Attend College from Home Virtual Workshop, Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Zoom Connection Link: go.hawaii.edu/A9z, Meeting ID: 950 5113 4914 Password: palamanui. The announcement asks, "Want to come back to college but not leave home – or know someone who does? If so, you are invited to the UH Online and Hybrid Degrees workshop presented by the University Center West Hawaiʻi. Come learn about the 60+ UH two year, Bachelors, Graduate, and Certificate programs that you can access here on Hawai'i Island. Online Learning with Local Support. Stay Here… Go FORWARD!" For more information, email Carrie at carriekp@hawaii.edu.

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Clinic for Cats will be held Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Ocean View. For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Join Statewide Earthquake Drill The Great Hawaiʻi ShakeOut on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m. Register as participants at http://shakeout.org/hawaii/register.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

Artists and Vendors, sign up for the Annual Art & Craft Fair at Ocean View Community Center on Nov. 7. The event, held outside from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will help raise funds for the Center, as well as benefit local artists and crafters. Booths are $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents not provided. Face masks required. Free admission for attendees. Contact organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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New Mālama I Ke Kai: Community Action Guide lists establishment of ʻOpihi Resting Areas
as a path toward restoring the the depleted limpet population. See more below. Photo from Mālama I Ke Kai

FREE MEALS FOR ANYONE 18 AND YOUNGER resumed today at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary. Pick-up time for lunch and next-day breakfast is 11:30 a.m. to noon on weekdays, excluding Nov. 3, 26, and 27. Social distancing is required and masks must be worn at all times. Parents and guardians can pick up the meals with documents.

Grab-and-Go meals for anyone 18 or younger resume today

at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary and Nāʻālehu

Elementary. Photo by Julia Neal

Free meals to all children started after schools closed in March, at the beginning of the pandemic, with grab-and-go breakfast in the morning and lunch at mid-day, through July 17. Foodservice for enrolled students enrolled in schools became available again when distance classes began in late August.
Last week, one of the sponsors, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced funding approval for an extension of the Summer Food Service Program through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Today, the state Department of Education announced free breakfasts and lunches are available through Friday, Dec. 18. Children can receive free meals regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in school. See yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs for more.

Hawaiʻi's First Lady Dawn Ige, said, "Parents left unemployed or underemployed due to COVID-19 may be faced with significant shortfalls to the family budget. Getting free breakfast and lunch for their children at school can make a big difference. We intend to make full use of these federal funds to provide healthy meal options for local families through the Grab-and-Go meal program."

Add caption

To pick up meals, parents and guardians provide a verification document: official letter or email from school listing child(ren) enrolled; recent student report card(s); attendance record(s) from parent portals of school websites; birth certificate(s) of child(ren); student ID card(s); driver's permit(s)/license(s) for high school students; or state-issued ID of the student(s).

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COVID-19 TESTING FOR NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS IS FREE THIS SATURDAY, Oct. 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Ocean View at Kahuku Park, 92-8607 Paradise Circle (mauka). Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association recently received partial funding from Sheri Daniels, Executive Director of Papa Ola Lokahi.

Gift certificates for use at local vendors will be provided to the first 100 to be tested. Pre-registration is encouraged – call 928-0101.
The announcement from Kaʻū Rural Health says the outreach is "in response to community concerns." Other funders of the event are Premier Medical Group, Hawaiʻi County Mayor Harry Kim, Kaʻū Critial Access Hospital and Rural Health Clinic, Dr. Neal Palafox, and University of Hawaiʻi's John A. Burns School of Medicine. Collaborators are West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, Oceanview Marshallese leadership, and Department of Health's Hawaiʻi County District Health Office.
Masks are required at all times. No insurance necessary, no cost to be tested, but bring insurance card if have.

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Pono Fishing Practices and establishing Community-Based Subsistence Areas have worked for some coastal areas.
Photo from Mālama I Ke Kai

WITH HELP FROM THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, MĀLAMA I KE KAI: COMMUNITY ACTION GUIDE was launched today, Indigenous People's Day. Claudia Kalaola, chair for creators for the guide and co-founder of Nā Mamo O Mūʻolea, said the purpose is "to help groups succeed in community-based management of our oceans across Hawaiʻi nei and beyond." The guide, written to apply to the coast of Hawaiʻi and other islands, comes out of the Maui Nui Makai Network, comprised of seven organizations on Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lanaʻi.

It includes such tools as Pono Fishing Practices, Community Based Subsistence Fishing Areas, ʻOpihi Resting Area, Fish Surveys, and Data Sharing Agreements.

Mālama I Ke Kai gives community organizations
protecting coastal resources a guidebook, with tools
already in use on Molokaʻi, Lanaʻi, and Maui.

Kalaola said, "This Guide is a product of years of working together to implement ʻike Hawaiʻi, science, and common sense in the way we manage our makai areas and resources. Ke kahua (the foundation) is vital to the success of any community that wants to organize and develop a coastal management plan, and this process provides a strong foundation. Like indigenous peoples around the world, kanaka maoli possess traditional knowledge passed from generation to generation. We have deep roots, personal ties, and long-term interests in ensuring the sustainability of our land and sea."
Two other organizers of the guide, Poliani Hiu and Edwin "Ekolu" Lindsey, released a statement saying, "The impacts of the pandemic have made it clear that now is the time to reimagine our future and move into action. We cannot wait. Our expertise, knowledge, and kuleana (responsibility) are critical to achieving sustainability and the State's goal of effectively managing 30 percent of nearshore areas by 2030, so that generations to come inherit a thriving, vibrant ocean. And as we celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day, let's remember to celebrate the kanaka maoli who generously share the wisdom of their kūpuna to keep Hawaiian ingenuity and tradition alive."
The statement says the group developed the Mālama I Ke Kai: Community Action Guide"with the help of The Nature Conservancy to support other groups working to protect and restore makai areas in ways that honor and perpetuate Hawaiian and local traditions and customs. The Guide provides step-by-step guidance based on our own experiences and those of groups around the world. The process results in a community action plan, ensuring users are well equipped to mālama i ke kai (care for the sea)." The Guide is free and available for download here.
The organizers give an example of resource management on East Maui. Ke Ao Haliʻi Save the Hāna Coast's John "Irish" O'Hara reflected on four community groups developing a collective plan to strengthen mauka-makai resource management in East Maui. He said the Maui Nui Makai Network and the Mālama I Ke Kai process "provided knowledge, information, direction, and the cohesiveness to pull us all together."

Surveying marine life, through volunteer efforts. is one of the tools

in Mālama I Ke Kai Community Action Guide. Photo from Mālama I Ke Kai

Maui Nui Makai Network works to reverse dramatic declines of limu (algae), coral, fish, and other marine life. "Our members are committed to perpetuating Hawaiian traditions and restoring ʻāina momona to secure this cultural and natural legacy for present and future generations," said O'Hara. To learn more, visit mauinui.net.

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PLANS FOR RESTORATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE AT UĒKAHUNA BLUFF area in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is the subject of comments from around the world, which are available to read on the National Park Service planning website.
The area includes the Jaggar Museum and U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory headquarters, where buildings were severely damaged during the 2018 eruption and summit collapse of Kīlauea Volcano. The National Park Service report describes the event:

"Beginning in May 2018, the Park and Kīlauea summit underwent a major change as magma drained from the chamber beneath Halemaʻumaʻu crater, and the caldera began to collapse, triggering 60,000 earthquakes and clouds of rock and ash that did not cease until early August. Strong seismic activity continued through the summer and was primarily centered near the crater, and significantly impacted buildings in the immediate vicinity on Uēkahuna Bluff, including Jaggar Museum (a visitor center) and Reginald T. Okamura building of the USGS HVO facility, resulting in the current closure of the area."

Existing conditions at Uēkehuna Bluff influence how the area will be rehabilitated for human use
after the 2018 eruption event damage.

  The Civic Engagement and Comment Analysis Report on the National Park Service's planning website documents the comments here. It includes suggestions from The Nature Conservancy, county Planning Department, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kilauea Military Camp, Coalition to Protect America's National Parks, Volcano Art Center, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and other groups and individuals from here, other states, and other countries.
   Comments range from reducing the number of people visiting the Park from levels before the eruption, to alternative modes of transportation in the Park and the use of more alternative energy and infrastructure design to reduce energy use inside the Park. Comments also include more inclusion of native Hawaiian input into the planning and the possible preservation of the Jaggar Museum building. One comment suggested a multistory parking building somewhere in the Park to keep vehicles centralized. Another says, "Do not build new buildings, this land is sacred and should be protected." Learn more here.
   The comments prompted a story in this morning's Honolulu Star-Advertiser entitled Hawaiʻi Volcanoes Park Weighs Larger Role for Native Hawaiians. Read it here.

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Sen. Mazie Hirono today, speaking at the hearing for Judge Amy
Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation. Pictured behind
her are children without health coverage. Photo from Facebook

A U.S. SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING FOR THE SUPREME COURT NOMINEE drew remarks from Sen. Mazie Hirono. A member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Hirono attended the hearing this morning. She tweeted her view that nominee Amy Coney Barrett would use the Supreme Court to destroy the Affordable Care Act.

Hirono wrote, "Having health insurance and access to care can save your life. The ACA has provided that peace of mind. Our health is #WhatsAtStake with the nomination of Judge Barrett."
During the hearing, Hirono spoke of her own health care challenge with kidney cancer, including removal of one kidney and part of a rib, replaced with a seven-inch piece of titanium. Hirono said she was lucky to have health insurance. Such a challenge would have bankrupted families without health insurance, she said. She showed photos of uninsured children and told their stories during the hearing.
Hirono also said, "Instead of rushing to confirm Judge Barrett onto the Supreme Court in the middle of both a pandemic and an election, let's end this illegitimate hearing and return to the urgent work to help all those suffering."

Kaʻū High Athletic Director Kalei Namohala
sports pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
and encourages student athletes to follow
suit. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

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ROCK THE PINK THIS WEEK urges Kaʻū High Athletic Director Kalei Namohala. She posted a message on Twitter today: "Remember NO ONE FIGHTS ALONE!! Send in your pictures through The Student Athlete Google Classroom. #ADNamohala #RockThePink #NoOneFightsAlone @KHPES."

   October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign – with the slogan Give Hope. Save Lives.– to increase awareness of the disease. Pink is the official combat color. The campaign seeks to spread information on screening, access, treatment, education, and support avenues. Donate to the cause at nationalbreastcancer.org.

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FIVE NEW COVID-19 CASES are reported for Hawaiʻi Island. The state reports 42 new cases today with 37 on Oʻahu, the five here and none on Kaua’i, Moloka’i, Lana’i or Kaua’i. The state reports no new deaths.
   Hawaiʻi Island's death toll, as reported by the county, is 37: three at Hilo Life Center, one at Kona Community Hospital, six at Hilo Medical Center, and 27 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. At least 20 Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state, which awaits confirmation of the cause of death. At least 169 people have died in the state, according to state records.
   Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 953 cases, with recent surges at Hilo Life Center and University of the Nations Kona campus. There have been 13,514 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,781 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,545 active cases in isolation. There are at least nine people with the virus hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale orange is 21-40 cases. Medium

orange is 41-60 cases. Dark orange is 61-120 cases. Bright

red is 121-180 cases. Dark red is 181-290 cases.

Department of Health map

Oʻahu reports 12,068 cases, Maui County 397, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-seven victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 939 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
No new cases have been reported in the last 28 days In Volcano zip codes 96785 and 96718, Kaʻū zip code 96772, and Zip code 96704, which includes Miloliʻi. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in Ka’u zip codes 96737 and 96777.

   In Hilo zip code 96720, 117 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 152 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,800,532 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 214,034 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 37.7 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,078,068.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Attend College from Home Virtual Workshop, Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Zoom Connection Link: go.hawaii.edu/A9z, Meeting ID: 950 5113 4914 Password: palamanui. The announcement asks, "Want to come back to college but not leave home – or know someone who does? If so, you are invited to the UH Online and Hybrid Degrees workshop presented by the University Center West Hawaiʻi. Come learn about the 60+ UH two year, Bachelors, Graduate, and Certificate programs that you can access here on Hawai'i Island. Online Learning with Local Support. Stay Here… Go FORWARD!" For more information, email Carrie at carriekp@hawaii.edu.

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Clinic for Cats will be held Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Ocean View. For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Join Statewide Earthquake Drill The Great Hawaiʻi ShakeOut on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m. Register as participants at http://shakeout.org/hawaii/register.

Live Online Event Hōkūleʻa: The Revival Begins, 1975-1980, Friday, Oct. 23, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Free 13th annual wayfinding talk story session presented by ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center and the Ama Olukai Foundation will focus on the history of the Polynesian Voyaging Society's formative years leading up to the iconic voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa. Register for a chance to ask questions of the presenters at imiloahawaii.org.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

Artists and Vendors, sign up for the Annual Art & Craft Fair at Ocean View Community Center on Nov. 7. The event, held outside from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will help raise funds for the Center, as well as benefit local artists and crafters. Booths are $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents not provided. Face masks required. Free admission for attendees. Contact organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

George Kahumoku Jr. returns to Kaʻū, virtually, on Wednesday during a Hawaiʻi Famers Union United meeting. A
farmer and musician, he taught at numerous Center for Hawaiian Music Studies workshops in Pāhala.
See more below. Photo from Hawaiʻi Farmers Union

TRANSPACIFIC TRAVELERS landing in Kona starting this Thursday will be able to bypass a two-week quarantine by taking an approved pretravel test and a free, county-sponsored rapid-response COVID antigen test upon arrival. Gov. David Ige approved the plan today. The free arrival test will also be requires at Waimea-Kohala, and Hilo Airports for those who fly into another island's airport and continue on a flight to Hawai‘i Island.

A plan for interisland travel for locals and people who stay on one island for a while and want to see another, is still in the works for Hawai‘i Island. Kaua‘i and Maui will accept the same kind of pre-travel test as the ones approved for coming into the state. Hawai‘i Island is still in negotiations with the governor for its plan. Hawai‘i County Council plans an emergency meeting with Mayor Harry Kim tomorrow regarding testing and spread mitigation.

For now, interisland travelers will have to submit to a two-week quarantine after coming to this island. Only essential workers with exemptions, and those from here who travel to another island for medical reasons where they isolate for all but medical appointments, will bypass quarantine upon their return. Included in the exemption is a companion for those under medical care.

Example of a rapid antigen test equipment.

According to comments by Gen. Kenneth Hara, yesterday during a meeting of the state House of Representatives' Select Committee on COVID Economic & Financial Preparedness, Ige is allowing counties to set up their own post-arrival rapid testing.

Kim issued this statement this afternoon: "The cost of the rapid COVID-19 arrival test will be borne by Hawai‘i County via federal CARES Act funding. Testing will be managed by Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Agency staff and administered by Premier Medical Group Hawai‘i. This antigen test will provide results within 15-20 minutes. If a traveler tests negative for COVID-19, they will not be subject to self-quarantine. Those testing positive for COVID-19 will be required to take a subsequent PCR test immediately and will be required to self-quarantine per State Department of Health rules while awaiting those results of this test, which are expected within 36 hours."

  Mark Muglishi, President of health insurance company HMSA, spoke up during the Select Committee briefing yesterday. He said that requiring the second test post-arrival could be illegal.
   According to The Garden Island Newspaper, Kauaʻi County Mayor Derek Kawakami will make the arrival test voluntary, with incentives such as gift cards for food, retail goods, and entertainment. According to Maui News, Maui County mayor Mike Victorino chose a similar voluntary test scheme.. He also said he has a verbal agreement with the governor to allow people to travel freely between Molokaʻi, Lanaʻi, and Maui without testing.
   University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization chief Carl Bonham warned during the House Select Committee meeting that unclear rules of arrival to Hawaiʻi are limiting the recovery of tourism, which employs more people than in any other state except for Nevada. The opening of tourism with testing that allows the quarantine bypass was delayed, Aug. 1, Sept. 1, and Oct. 1. The governor said today that the plans to reopen will go forward this Thursday.

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FREE FOOD FOR THOSE 18 AND YOUNGER FROM VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES is planned starting Oct. 23. Weekly distribution will be from Pāhala, location to be determined, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until pau. Each child will receive rice, beans, and eggs, with fresh fruit and vegetables, for breakfast, lunch, and snack for seven days.
Each child's ʻohana will be asked to fill out a form with name and birthdate, and school if the person is of school age.
Rachel Otis, coordinator of Volcano School's kitchen, told The Kaʻū Calendar, "The goal is to provide meals that are healthy and nurturing to the students and we need to be very clear the food is for the keiki, but doing it this way will also feed the ʻOhana… We are starting slow and will make adjustments as we go along." She said 175 bags will be available the first week.

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THE 2020 CENSUS IS OVER by order of the U.S. Supreme Court. In a ruling today, the once-a-decade headcount of every U.S. resident was stopped short of the original Oct. 31 deadline. The Donald Trump administration demanded the Supreme Court overrule a California district judge's order, which extended the count to the original date. The Trump administration had moved the deadline up 31 days, to Sept. 30.

Reasoning from the Trump administration for the shortened census time is to allow the U.S. Census Bureau to compile the gathered info before the congressionally mandated Dec. 31 deadline. The data is used to decide how many congressional seats each state gets - the apportionment count - among other things like how federal funding is distributed among states. Local governments and civil rights groups sued the Trump administration over the shortened time, arguing that rural and minority communities, as well as people in the U.S. illegally, would be undercounted. With a Dec. 31 deadline, control of the apportionment count lies with the Trump administration even if he loses the presidential election on Nov. 3.

Learn more in the Sept. 19 and 26Kaʻū News Briefs.

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A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY ACHIEVEMENT ACT would provide funding to address instructional loss for at-risk and marginalized students during the pandemic. It was announced this week by Senators Mazie Hirono and Cory Booker, who said it would improve distance and blended learning in public schools by providing support for professional development and training programs for teachers, tutoring and academic services, research and best practices, and other initiatives to enhance equity and access for all students. The bill would provide funding to address instructional loss low-income students, minority students, children with disabilities, English learners, migratory students, homeless children and youth, and children or youth in foster care.

Hirono said, "Over the past few months, I've heard from students, parents, and educators across Hawaiʻi who are doing their best to adjust to distance learning during the coronavirus pandemic. My own education was fundamental to my success, and this generation of students deserves a quality education – regardless of the challenges the pandemic poses. LOAA provides vital resources so educators can support their students, particularly those who are most at risk for instructional loss. I will continue to advocate for robust funding that supports healthy and safe learning environments for students in Hawaiʻi and across the country."

Booker said, "Moving to a virtual learning environment to protect the health and safety of our students, teachers, and support staff has presented new challenges for teachers, students, and their families. Our bill will invest funds in states and communities to ensure that our students, especially the most vulnerable, are getting the attention they need and our teachers are getting the support they deserve."
Corey Rosenlee, President of Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association, said, "Our teachers are amazing, but even amazing teachers need support with new online platforms, the various technologies needed, and ways in which to convert in-person instruction to an online form, while ensuring it is impactful and engaging for students at the same time. This bill would allow funding for this type of professional development for our teachers who want it. This bill would also provide more funds for the technology needed, such as more hotspots and laptops, so all our students, regardless of their zip code, have access to online learning during this pandemic."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Bobby Pahia of Hoaloha Farms will speak on
farming during a pandemic. Photo from HFUU

JOIN A VIRTUAL MEETING ON SUSTAINABLE HAWAIʻI FOOD Wednesday, Oct. 14, 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Hosted by Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United; register here. Bobby Pahia of Hoaloha Farms will speak on feeding a nation in the time of COVID, bookended by musical performances from George Kahumoku Jr., also a lifelong farmer and rancher. Farmers Union President Vince Mina will give the introduction.

George Kahumoku Jr. is well known in Kaʻū for teaching at Center for Hawaiian Music Studies workshops in Pāhala. He is a multiple Grammy Award & Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning master slack key guitarist, songwriter, world-traveling performer, high school teacher, artistist, sculptor, story-teller, writer, farmer, rancher, and entrepreneur.

Kahumoku lives on Maui with his wife, Nancy, at an upland farm on the north side of the West Maui Mountains. He recently retired from 40 years of teaching at-risk kids, art, ceramics, guitar, and ʻukulele at private and public schools, including the historic Lahainaluna High School, and directing the inception of the Institute of Hawaiian Music at University of Hawaiʻi-Maui. He spends much of his time maintaining his three-acre farm growing fruit and vegetables, dry-land taro (for his famous home-made poi), and tending his sheep, chickens, and miniature horses. Learn about George Kahumoku Jr.'s Annual Maui Slack Key Guitar and ʻUkulele Workshop at www.kahumoku.com/workshops.htm.

George Kahumoku, Jr. will play music at
Wednesday's Hawaiʻi Farmers Union meeting.

Bobby Pahia has 34 years of farming experience: from the University College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources to managing 310-acre Hoaloha Farms in Waikapu. Hoaloha Farms produces dozens of kalo varietals, a myriad of crops, pigs, and supplies to establishments such as Star Noodle, Leoda's Pie Shop, and Old Lahaina Luʻau. Bobby has become a profound mentor for farmers and others all across Hawaiʻi.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF HAWAIʻI WILL BE SIGN WAIVING. The schedule released today includes Ocean View on Friday, Oct. 16, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Mamālahoa Hwy 11, north of Aloha, on makai side of highway. Coordinated by Kaʻū Voices, an Indivisible group.

Hilo is Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 13 and 14, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays until the General Election from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays until the General Election from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Kamehameha Ave., fronting the statue. Coordinated by Jennifer Kajiwada, organizing for the Hawaiʻi County Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign.

Kaʻū Voices, an Indivisible group, will sign wave for Democrats
this Friday in Ocean View. Here, they sign wave to support
the post office in August. Photo from Kaʻū Voices

Waimea is Saturdays until the General Election from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Kawaihae Rd. fronting Waimea Community Center & ReStore. Coordinated by Colleen Kelly for Hawaiʻi County Democrats, District 7 & North Hawaiʻi Action Network, an Indivisible group.
Waikoloa is Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 15 from 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. at the main intersection, Waikoloa Road and Paniolo Drive by market. Coordinated by Jennifer Leinhart Tsuji for Hawaiʻi County Democrats, District 7.

Kona is Thursdays until the General Election from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays until the General Election from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Queen Kaʻahumanu Hwy, south of Henry St., next to Mormon Church. Coordinated by Matriarchy Rising, an Indivisible group.

The announcement from the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi says, "It's time to hit the 'Go!' button said Rachel Maddow tonight about getting involved – even more – in the 2020 Presidential Election, supporting our Democratic Biden-Harris ticket! AND... disinfecting the White House, reclaiming the U.S. Senate, and holding on to the U.S. House... and, of course, downballot from there.
   "Most here have now received their General Election ballots in the mail... so... the timing is perfect to join one or several of this week's Biden-Harris signwavings around Hawaiʻi Island. Or, round up 1-2-10 friends and host your own waving. Please be sure to stay safe – wear masks and distance please!
   "We Need You To Help Turn The Blue Wave Into A Tsunami!"
   Attendees must wear a mask and distance. "We have signs or bring your own."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Life Care Center of Hilo staff meeting outdoors to
promote distancing. Photo by Tim Wright

LIFE CARE CENTER OF HILO'S ONGOING COVID BATTLE is "tough," according to a statement from Mark Mann, executive director of the Center. Yesterday, three new resident cases of COVID-19 are reported, bringing the total to 51. Three residents are receiving proactive treatment at Hilo Medical Center, three have died, two are discharged, and 43 residents have active cases. The facility serves over 200 residents.
  Of staff, a total of 16 have tested positive, with 12 active cases, four recovered.
   Mann says, "Our team is following all federal guidelines for infection control while testing all residents and associates twice a week. We will continue testing staff and residents twice per week until further notification. Our residents are also monitored multiple times day and night for any symptoms or concerns. And every associate is screened when they arrive for work and when they leave, including checking temperature and monitoring for any symptoms or concerns.
   "In addition to using PCR testing (nasal swab test), we use a point-of-care rapid test for anyone with symptoms and receive results in 15 minutes. Any positive antigen test is confirmed with a follow-up PCR test." Learn more at https://lcca.com/locations/hi/hilo/announcement. See more on COVID, below.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Pres. Wayne Kawachi delivered a gift of

snacks and drinks to the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home

in Hilo on Monday. OKK photo

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

TWENTY-ONE NEW COVID-19 CASES are reported for Hawaiʻi Island. The state's new case count is 62, with 11 in Maui County and 30 on Oʻahu.
Hawaiʻi Island's death toll as reported by the county is 37: three at Hilo Life Center – learn more on the Center, above – one at Kona Community Hospital, six at Hilo Medical Center, and 27 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. At least 20 Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state. At least 173 people have died in the state, according to state records, four new today.

   Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 974 cases, with recent surges at Hilo Life Center and University of the Nations Kona campus. There have been 13,575 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,834 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,545 active cases in isolation. There are at least 14 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
  Oʻahu reports 12,097 cases, Maui County 408, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-seven victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 951 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases reported in the last 28 days for three Kaʻū zip codes and one in Volcano. Zip code 96777, which includes Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley; 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in zip code 96737, with Ocean View. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale orange is 21-40 cases. Medium

orange is 41-60 cases. Dark orange is 61-120 cases. Bright

red is 121-180 cases. Dark red is 181-280 cases.

Department of Health map

   In Hilo zip code 96720, 117 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 164 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."
   Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe."
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,847,714 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 215,702 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 37.99 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,083,597.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Clinic for Cats will be held Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Ocean View. For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Join Statewide Earthquake Drill The Great Hawaiʻi ShakeOut on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m. Register as participants here.

Enter Hawaiʻi Nei Art Contest, open to all Hawaiʻi Island residents, by Friday, Oct. 16 at hawaiineiartcontest.org. All original artwork entries must depict a native (endemic or indigenous) species to Hawaiʻi Island. Open to amateur and professional artists of all ages. Entry fees $15 per entry for adults, free for under 18. Artists encouraged to explore a variety of media, including the performing arts. Learn more at hawaiineiartcontest.org.

Sign Wave for Biden and Harris with Kaʻū Voices, an Indivisible group in Ocean View on Friday, Oct. 16, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Mamālahoa Hwy 11, north of Aloha, on makai side of highway. Bring a sign or use one provided.

Attend a Free Conflict Resolution Workshop, Kū I Ke Aloha: Stand Up & Speak Out on Friday, Oct. 16 from 5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. via Zoom. The interactive session explores examples of individual and community advocacy that resulted in positive change in Hawaiʻi and beyond. Take away some communication skills for the real world – no matter the media – to use with aloha. Register here or RSVP to Majidah at Kuʻikahi Mediation Center, (808) 935-7844 x 3 or majidah@hawaiimediation.org.

Free COVID-19 Testing for Native Hawaiians and Pacifi Islanders Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Ocean View at Kahuku Park, 92-8607 Paradise Circle (mauka). Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association recently received partial funding from Sheri Daniels, Executive Director of Papa Ola Lokahi. Gift certificates available to the first 100 to be tested. Masks required at all times. No insurance necessary, no cost to be tested, but bring insurance card if have. Pre-registration encouraged – call 928-0101.

Pick Up Free Food Weekly for keiki 18 and younger from Volcano School of Arts & Sciences starting Friday, Oct. 23. Distribution in Pāhala, location tbd, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until pau. Each keiki with receive rice, beans, and eggs, with fresh fruit and vegetables, for breakfast, lunch, and snack for seven days. Keiki's ʻohana asked to fill out form with name and birthdate, and school if the keiki is of school age.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

Artists and Vendors, sign up for the Annual Art & Craft Fair at Ocean View Community Center on Nov. 7. The event, held outside from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will help raise funds for the Center, as well as benefit local artists and crafters. Booths are $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents not provided. Face masks required. Free admission for attendees. Contact organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

Free Grab-and-Go Meals for Anyone 18 and Younger at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary available weekdays – except Nov. 3, 26, and 27 – 11:30 a.m. to noon. Pick up lunch and next-day breakfast. Social distancing and masks required. Children don't need to be present if parents and guardians provide a verification document. Through Friday, Dec. 18.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

Playing on the rough after Volcano Golf Course closed, golfers can expect new management and a reopening.

Photo by Julia Neal

VOLCANO GOLF COURSE'S FUTURE WILL BE MANAGED WITH KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOL CORE VALUES, according to the terms of the school's proposal to lease out the 156-acre property on the Kaʻū side of Volcano. Those values are community, culture, economics, education, and environment. Kamehameha is prepared to offer a long-term lease, according to a story in this morning's Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald.
Alapaki Nahele-a, a Kemehameha Schools Director of Community Strategies, told reporter Michael Brestovansky that the lease will include the course, clubhouse, and restaurant that suffered substantial damage from a fire last year. Nahele-a told the Tribune-Herald, "We are looking for someone who can fit all our core values, not just someone who can make it financially profitable."

Rebuilding or repairing the fire-damaged clubhouse will likely be a

requirement for whomever wins the Volcano Golf Course

lease from Kamehameha Schools. Photo by Julia Neal

In the meantime, Kamehamaha Schools is mowing the course to lessen its deterioration and may offer a bridge lease to an entity that would groom and operate it for the public to play golf.
The Japan-based long-term former tenants of the golf course told The Kaʻū Calendar after the fire that they planned to use insurance money to rebuild the clubhouse. However, they changed their minds and abandoned the lease in May. Their hui began managing the golf course and clubhouse in 1969, with a change in the business to a locally registered company in 1999.

All three golf courses and their clubhouses in Kaʻū – Punaluʻu, Discovery Harbour, and Volcano – are shut down to the public, with plans being developed by new owners at Punaluʻu, a community group at Discovery Harbour, and the lease proposal at Volcano. Kamehameha Schools also owns lands adjacent to the Punaluʻu Golf Course.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on

Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

A PRETRAVEL TEST FOR INCOMING VISITORS FROM JAPAN was approved by the state Department of Health and Gov. David Ige today. He said that the Covid-19 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test has been authorized by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. Proof of a negative test result from "trusted testing partners" in Japan will allow travelers from Japan to bypass the 14-day quarantine upon their arrival in Hawai‘i.

Flights between Japan and Hawaiʻi are expected to ramp up with today's approvals
by the Japanese and Hawaiʻi governments. Photo from Hawaiian Airlines

DOH is in discussions with Japanese medical institutions to secure a list of "trusted testing partners" in Japan. Once the list is established, travelers from Japan will have the option to take the NAAT test 72 hours prior to departure for Hawai‘i. They would be required to show proof of a negative test result upon arrival in order to bypass the 14-day quarantine.
The governor said that State of Hawai‘i looks forward to working with all levels of the Japanese government to identify trusted testing partners and to make the pre-travel testing program a success.
As soon as Japan's trusted testing partners are confirmed, the information will be posted on the Hawai‘i COVID-19 information website – hawaiicovid19.com.
Japanese nationals traveling abroad are still subject to a 14-day quarantine upon their return to the country. Travel restrictions on U.S. travel into Japan still remain in place. The State of Hawai‘i is set to begin its pre-travel testing program for U.S. mainland travelers tomorrow, Oct. 15.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on

Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

LT. GOV. JOSH GREEN, MD, INTRODUCED A THIRD COVID TEST, yesterday, for travelers coming into the state. He also pushed for opening up the economy. During a press conference with Gov. David Ige, Green announced the 60-day pilot Strategic Surveillance Testing Program, starting Oct. 19. The volunteer program will randomly test up to ten percent of incoming travelers four days after they arrive. The free test supplements the pretravel test required of all incoming travelers to bypass quarantine. It is also in addition to Hawai‘i County's mandatory free fast test upon arrival to finalize the bypass of quarantine. It will also be offered in Maui and Kaua‘i counties, where the second, free fast test will be offered to volunteer arrivals.

Green said Strategic Surveillance Testing "comes at the recommendation of Dr. Anthony Fauci (director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), as it's meant to add an additional layer of safety to the pre-travel testing program. The goal is to address the value of pre-testing and the risk of travel into Hawai‘i.

"COVID-19 can be scary and we take this virus very seriously. While we've learned to manage the spread, our people have suffered. It is time people have some hope for their economic future – which is closely tied to their health, too," said Green.

He said that, since the start of the pandemic, more than 11,000 people in the state couldn't pay their rent, 40,000 are on Med-QUEST, and 150,000 people have lost their jobs.
Green said that COVID-19 testing isn't perfect and Hawaiʻi can "expect some travelers may come in with COVID-19. However, we anticipate this number to be small and manageable. I'm in constant communication with our health care community and believe we are equipped to handle this next phase. Our greatest public health risk comes from our local communities not practicing proper mitigation steps like wearing a mask, washing hands, and physical distancing."

Learn more about interisland travel and testing in the Daily News Digest of the State Of Hawai‘i's Joint Information Center at hawaiicovid19.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

PROHIBITION ON EVICTIONS AND AN EXTENSION FOR STATE ID AND DRIVER LICENSES renewals are extended to Monday, Nov. 30. Gov. David Ige signed a 14th Emergency Proclamation yesterday. It also outlines of details of the pre-travel testing program and on yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs. Read the proclamation here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

FILL OUT THE CENSUS BY MIDNIGHT Hawaiʻi time, Thursday, Oct. 15. The Supreme Court's Tuesday decision ends the count early. Fill out the census form online. Paper responses must be postmarked by Thursday.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

USDA Rural Development Director for
Hawaiʻi and the Western Pacific, Brenda
Iokepa-Moses. Photo from USDA

IMPROVING ELECTRIC EFFICIENCY for local businesses and benefiting the environment is the goal of $566,000 in grants from USDA Rural Development. Brenda Iokepa-Moses, Rural Development Director for Hawaiʻi and the Western Pacific, said these investments come from the agency's Rural Energy for America Program. "Improving energy efficiency to assist farmers, the agricultural industry, and rural businesses is a way to help our environment and our producers" and to lower energy costs.

  Iokepa-Moses said renewable energy is particularly important for Hawaiʻi and the Western Pacific where energy costs are high. "With the real-time adaptions in dealing with the pandemic, programs like this are no longer just luxuries for the communities, they have become essential."
   Recipients can use REAP funding for energy audits and to install renewable energy systems such as biomass, geothermal, hydropower, and solar. The funding can also be used to increase energy efficiency by making improvements to heating, ventilation, and cooling systems; insulation; lighting; and refrigeration.
   USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Agricultural County Extension Agent Randy Hamasaki retired after helping develop tea to grow on this island, and aiding farmers with vegetables and blueberry production. A hiring freeze at University of Hawaiʻi has reduced the ag extension team to Andrea Kawabata and Sharon Wages. U.H. photo

Sharon Wages takes care of food
safety and edible crops.
U.H. photo

A BUDGET CRUNCH ON U.H. AG EXTENSION SERVICE, a lifeline to Kaʻū farmers, has left responsibilities on the shoulders of Andrea Kawabata and Sharon Wages. They are the two remaining university agricultural extension crop agents on this island, with Kawabata responsible to coffee and orchards crops, and wages responsible for food safety and other edible crops.
Randy Hamasaki, County Extension Agent, retired last month "after an amazing 34 years of service!" said Kawabata. "Thank you for your dedication to Hawaiʻi's agricultural and local communities. You will be missed." Hamasaki was responsible for vegetables, tea, and blueberries. Dr. Alyssa Cho, Assistant Researcher, resigned in January. She was responsible for tropical fruit and nut research. Eli Isele, Assistant Extension Agent, resigned in July. He was responsible for mac nut, cacao, vegetables, taro, and breadfruit.

Kawabata reports: "The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dire fiscal crisis for the University of Hawaiʻi that is likely to affect us for a number of years. As an immediate cost-saving measure, a hiring freeze and a freeze on all non-extramural-funded travel have been imposed systemwide." Gov. David Ige has put forward the possibility of furloughs for all state employees over a four-year period, effective December. "Nonetheless, we realize that the needs of our stakeholders on Hawaiʻi island are critical now more than ever," said Kawabata.

What can you do? is the question from Andrea Kawabata during

a Kaʻū Coffee Fest presentation. She will operate with a reduced

staff to take care of coffee and orchard crops. Photo by Julia Neal

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

https://lrbhawaii.gov/par.

FREE DRIVE-THRU COVID-19 TESTING IN OCEAN VIEW will be held this Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kahuku Park. No insurance is necessary to be tested, but bring insurance card if have. No co-pay for the individuals being tested. Be sure to wear a face-covering at all times and observe social distancing. For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.

A FOURTH DEATH AT LIFE CARE CENTER OF HILO brings Hawaiʻi Island's death toll to 38: four at Hilo Life Center, one at Kona Community Hospital, six at Hilo Medical Center, and 27 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. Some Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state. At least 183 people have died in the state, according to state records, ten new today.
   Life Center reports 52 resident positive cases, 16 staff. The Veterans Home reports case counts stalled at 71 residents, 35 staff.
  At Hilo Medical Center, patients not in Emergency or with COVID may receive one visitor per day between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Extended Care Facility is cleared as COVID-free; admissions have resumed.
   As of yesterday, Kona Community Hospital has six COVID-positive patients, three on ventilators.
   Learn more on COVID, below.

Life Care Center of Hilo recorded a fourth resident death today. Photo by Tim Wright

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

EIGHTEEN NEW COVID-19 CASES are reported for Hawaiʻi Island. The state's new case count is 101, with one in Maui County, one out-of-state resident, and 81 on Oʻahu.
Hawaiʻi Island's death toll as reported by the county is 37: three at Hilo Life Center – learn more on the Center, above – one at Kona Community Hospital, six at Hilo Medical Center, and 27 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. Some Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state. At least 183 people have died in the state, according to state records, ten new today.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale orange is 21-40 cases. Medium

orange is 41-60 cases. Dark orange is 61-120 cases. Bright

red is 121-180 cases. Dark red is 181-270 cases.

Department of Health map

  Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 992 cases, with recent surges at Hilo Life Center and University of the Nations Kona campus. There have been 13,674 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,883 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,600 active cases in isolation. There are at least 14 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
   Oʻahu reports 12,176 cases, Maui County 409, and Kauaʻi 59. Thirty-eight victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 961 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases reported in the last 28 days for three Kaʻū zip codes and one in Volcano. Zip code 96777, which includes Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley; 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96785 with Volcano Village; and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi, have had no cases in the last 28 days. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in zip code 96737, with Ocean View. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date.
   In Hilo zip code 96720, 116 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 176 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one.
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage here. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel here. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,899,313 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 216,513 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 38.35 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,089,186.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Join Statewide Earthquake Drill The Great Hawaiʻi ShakeOut on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m. Register as participants here.

PETFIX and Hawaiʻi Rainbow Ranger Spay and Neuter Clinic for Dogs will be held Saturday, Oct. 24 in Keaʻau. Microchips available For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

Artists and Vendors, sign up for the Annual Art & Craft Fair at Ocean View Community Center on Nov. 7. The event, held outside from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will help raise funds for the Center, as well as benefit local artists and crafters. Booths are $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents not provided. Face masks required. Free admission for attendees. Contact organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

Tree planting is a Retree Hawaiʻi 2020 mission, set for Oct. 30. See more below. Photo from Retree Hawaiʻi

NO TRANSPACIFIC TRAVELERS TESTED POSITIVE AT KONA AIRPORT today when taking the county's required second COVID-19 test - as of this afternoon. Following about seven months of tourism being shut down, travelers started to arrive today with quarantine waivers statewide.

At Kona, more than 50 staff processed arrivals using 30 COVID testing machines for the 1,100 visitors scheduled to arrive today. Mayor Marry Kim said that those who refuse to take a second test will be arrested. Thirty transpacific flights were scheduled to come into the state today, with about 7,000 passengers.

The mayor's hesitancy to reopen interisland travel with tests and a quarantine bypass was center stage at an emergency County Council meeting yesterday. Kim promised he will come out with the plan for Hawaiʻi County by Friday. Both Kauaʻi and Maui counties today began allowing interisland incoming travelers with a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours before arrival.

Medical exemptions were also a topic at the council meeting. Councilmember Ashely Kierkiewicz described the case of a woman foregoing cancer treatments on Oʻahu because she could not fly to Oʻahu and be able to come home on the last flight, which no longer exists. Current medical exemptions are for one day and preclude overnight stays.

If the PCR test were approved for people coming from Oʻahu, someone staying overnight for medical would have to take it and perhaps wait several days to come home. The mayor said he also has to consider the workers going back and forth. Should they be taking tests, and what kind of test? And who pays for it?

Mayor Harry Kim before the emergency meeting of the

County Council Wednesday to discuss interisland, and

essential worker and medical travel, restrictions.

Photo from Big Island Video News

The mayor said that worker exemptions to this island are very difficult for the county to track, and that the state also offers exemptions and can overrule the county. He said the county has 200 requests per day and four persons working seven days a week on it. A council member said that people can apparently just say they are going to work at places like Pohakuloa and get an exemption with little follow-up and confirmation.

Kim said there are some 4,000 to 8,000 exemptions given for coming into Hawaiʻi County each month.
The mayor also cautioned that the gold standard nasal test, approved by the state for incoming travelers to bypass quarantine, is 20 to 30 percent off, meaning that new cases could slip in and start new spreading of the virus.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

RETREE HAWAIʻI IS CALLING FOR PLANTING TREES ON OCT. 30. The hui released a statement saying, "Trees are our best means of sequestering (absorbing) the excess greenhouse gases emitted by our fossil fuel-powered plants, ground vehicles, ships, and planes. Trees provide shade and cool the ground and air around us. Trees bind and improve the soil, preventing runoff that damages our coral reefs. Native trees provide habitat for our endangered native insects, birds, bats, and other animals."
Retree Hawaiʻi asks, "Where do we need more trees (and other plants)?" It recommends, with permission: Conservation areas like those managed by watershed partnerships, schools, parks, open space areas, hotels and resorts, roadways, businesses, and homes. Retree Hawaiʻi sent out a call to people and organizations that would like to see more plants on properties they manage, and people and organizations that would like to help put plants in the ground on Oct. 30. The state Department of Land & Natural Resources has endorsed the effort. Register a planting site at https://retree-hawaii.org/planting/sites/. See an overview video.

Caren Loebel-Fried, of Volcano, is on the agenda of the
Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi's annual meeting
on Saturday. It is open to the public through Zoom.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

CONSERVATION COUNCIL FOR HAWAIʻI sent out an additional invitation today, inviting the public to its virtual meeting this Saturday, Oct. 17 at 10 a.m. The agenda includes a presentation with Volcano artist and author Caren Loebel-Fried and her book Manu, the Boy Who Loved Birds, featuring ʻAlalā, the endangered Hawaiian Crow.

There will be an Opening Oli with James Dela Cruz. The opening will be by Board President and National Wildlife Federation Board Member, Dr. Rachel Sprague, and National Wildlife Federation Association Director for the Pacific, Les Welsh. There will be a presentation of the organization's 70 years of history, with music by Hanalei, and a poster unveiling with wildlife artist Patrick Ching.

Guest Speaker is Patrick Chee, the Small-Mammal Control Planner for state Department of Land & Natural Resources.

No RSVP or ticket is needed to attend. Click on the link to enter CCH's Annual Meeting Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Fourth-grader Grant Madamba drew this contrast of land with water and land
without water. He took first place in his category.

CONSERVE WATER, SAY AWARD-WINNING POSTERS DESIGNED BY KEIKI. The county Department of Water Supply announced winners this week for its second annual Keiki Conservation Poster Contest. The water department judged nearly 500 entries from Big Island students who demonstrated artistic talents by illustrating this year's contest theme, Conserve to Preserve. See all the winning posters at hawaiidws.org/dws-water-conservation-poster-contest-2020/.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

APPLIANCES ARE NOW ACCEPTED AT TRANSFER STATIONS in Volcano, Nā‘ālehu, and Wai‘ōhinu, after being turned away for some time, with metal recycling markets difficult to find. The county's Solid Waste Division is also reopening its "white goods" appliance collection services at Hilo, Kea‘au, Pāhoa, Ke‘ei, Kealakehe, Puakō, Waimea, Hāwī, Honoka‘a, and Laupāhoehoe. Only one appliance will be accepted per resident per day. Customers need to check in with the facility attendant before dropping an appliance off at the facility. No unattended drop-offs are allowed.

For more, hawaiizerowaste.org or call Solid Waste Division Office at 961-8270. Also see hawaiizerowaste.org for current services and information.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Hawaiian Airlines flew prop jets for its Ohana service to save fuel and cost and land more

easily at smaller airports like those on Molokaʻi and Lanaʻi. Photo from Hawaiian Airlines

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES ʻOHANA passenger and cargo services will be temporarily suspended as of Sunday, Nov. 1, says a statement from the airline.

Hawaiian reduced its workforce by nearly 2,500 employees this month after the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Payroll Support Program expired. ‘Ohana by Hawaiian's cargo-only service and passenger flights between Honolulu (HNL), and Moloka‘i (MKK) and Lāna‘i (LNY), are affected. Service between HNL and Kapalua (JHM) in West Maui was suspended in March.

Hawaiian Airlines used ATR propeller aircraft for its ‘Ohana flights. The prop jets can land in more difficult weather conditions at small airports than the bigger jets. Their fuel expense is also less.

Hawaiian will continue with cargo service using
its jets. Photo from Hawaiian Airlines

  Hawaiian Airlines' president and CEO, Peter Ingram, said, "It is an honor to provide essential transportation for the people of Lāna‘i, Moloka‘i and West Maui, and more recently all-cargo service within our state. While we are disappointed at being unable to avoid the service suspension, this is a difficult situation for both Hawaiian and Empire Airlines as we navigate an incredibly challenging period, and we all remain committed to returning flights to communities that rely on ‘Ohana by Hawaiian."
   The announcement says, "While Hawaiian would be able to resume ‘Ohana by Hawaiian service with a significant recovery in interisland travel, that is unlikely to occur anytime soon. Separately, the Air Line Pilots Association has agreed to provide relief from the contractual provision if additional PSP funding is approved by the federal government and allows Hawaiian to bring furloughed employees back to its payroll."
   Hawaiian is contacting guests affected by the service suspension to provide refunds. Cargo customers will be offered refunds or, depending on the shipment, the option to have their products transported between the islands with Hawaiian's Boeing 717 and A321neo aircraft.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Odd Things Happen is a Public Access workshop on
stewarding bills through the Hawaiʻi legislature,
with many twists, turns, and surprises. Image from PAR

ATTEND VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS and tutorials on Hawaiʻi's legislative processes through Public Access Room, an agency of the Hawaiʻi Legislature. Sign up by contacting (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. Ask questions and discuss all things legislative in a non-partisan environment:

Your Voice – An Overview: The workshop is designed for those who are new to the legislative environment or inactive for a while. It covers the makeup of the legislature, how a bill becomes a law, and provides tips on using the website. It illustrates how members of the public can add their voices each step of the way.

Odd Things Happen – An Exploration: The workshop demonstrates how stewarding a bill, while following the rules, can require a less-than-traditional route. It explores odd things that happen at the legislature. Learn about the rules that govern the action at the capitol.
The Calendar at the Capitol – A Bird's Eye View of the Action: Sometimes timing is important. Get an overview of how the calendar year unfolds at the capitol, and to make the most of it. It covers the broad sweep of procedures and sustained effort often needed to move an idea forward.

Coffee Hour with PAR: Fridays at 3 p.m. on Zoom, meeting ID 990 4865 9652 or click https://zoom.us/j/99048659652. PAR staff will be available to answer questions and to discuss the legislative process.

Anyone wanting to listen in without taking part in discussions is welcome. Connect and listen to the conversation. "You may be surprised at what you learn," says a statement from PAR.
Public Access Room is a nationally award-winning division of the Legislative Reference Bureau. Learn more at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/public-access-room.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

PETFIX AND HAWAIʻI RAINBOW RANGERS SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC FOR DOGS will be held Saturday, Nov. 7 in Ocean View. Microchips available For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

REGISTER FOR HAWAIIAN ISLANDS CHALLENGE VIRTUAL RUN, which runs through Dec. 31. Registration closes Nov. 30. Individuals or teams can register to traverse some or all of 808 kilometers on six different courses, one on each main island.
The announcement says, "Escape the 14-day quarantine and uncertain travel restrictions by participating in your own virtual run or walk vacation on one of six Hawaiian Islands or if you are in need of some real rest and relaxation... Island Hop... and enjoy six independent point-to-point courses exploring new locations and experiences along the way."
Register here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

THE NUMBER OF COVID-19 CASES ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND TO DATE EXCEEDED 1,000 today. Hawaiʻi County reports 13 new cases today. New cases reported statewide today total 91, with two in Maui County, two residents out-of-state, and 74 on Oʻahu.
Hawaiʻi Island's death toll, as reported by the county, is 38 since the pandemic began: four at Hilo Life Center, one at Kona Community Hospital, six at Hilo Medical Center, and 27 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. Some Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state. At least 184 people have died in the state, according to state records, one new today.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have zero residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale orange is 21-30 cases. Medium

orange is 31-60 cases. Dark orange is 61-80 cases. Bright

red is 81-120 cases. Dark red is 121-280 cases.

Department of Health map

Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 1,005 cases, with recent surges at Hilo Life Center and University of the Nations Kona campus. There are at least 14 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.

There have been 13,764 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,915 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,650 active cases in isolation.

   Oʻahu reports 12,249 cases, Maui County 411, and Kauaʻi 59. Forty victims are residents diagnosed while out-of-state. Statewide, 978 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases have been reported in the last 28 days for Volcano zip codes 96785 and 96718, and Kaʻū zip codes 96772 and 96777. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in Kaʻū zip code 96737, and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi.
  In Hilo zip code 96720, 117 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 181 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one.
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel here. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 7,972,886 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 217,721 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 38.78 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,096,003.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Free Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing in Ocean View Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kahuku Park. No insurance necessary; bring insurance card if have. No co-pay. Wear face-covering at all times and observe social distancing. For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.

Big Island Giving Tree will distribute clothes, linens, shoes, household items, toys, and cleaning supplies to those in need this Saturday, Oct. 17, 8:30 a.m. to noon at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

Free COVID-19 Testing for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Ocean View at Kahuku Park, 92-8607 Paradise Circle (mauka). Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association recently received partial funding from Sheri Daniels, Executive Director of Papa Ola Lokahi. Gift certificates available to the first 100 to be tested. Masks required at all times. No insurance necessary, no cost to be tested, but bring insurance card if have. Pre-registration encouraged – call 928-0101.

Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund Public Cleanup Events – with size limited due to COVID-19 precautions and government proclamations – are on Saturday, Oct. 17, cleanup; Sunday, Nov. 15, cleanup and survey; and Saturday, Dec. 19, cleanup. HWF says details are forthcoming but will be a blend of hiking, BYO-4wd, and limited HWF carpool options. Contact Megan Lamson-Leatherman at (808) 280-8124 or wild@aloha.net.

Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi Annual Virtual Meeting, Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m. The agenda includes a presentation with Volcano artist and author Caren Loebel-Fried and her book Manu, the Boy Who Loved Birds, featuring ʻAlalā, the endangered Hawaiian Crow; opening Oli with James Dela Cruz; opening by Board President and National Wildlife Federation Board Member, Dr. Rachel Sprague, and National Wildlife Federation Association Director for the Pacific, Les Welsh. Music by Hanalei and a poster unveiling with wildlife artist Patrick Ching. Guest Speaker Patrick Chee, the Small-Mammal Control Planner for state Department of Land & Natural Resources. No RSVP or ticket is needed to attend. Click on the link to enter CCH's Annual Meeting Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m.

Presidential Debates Schedule: The first Presidential Debate was held Sept. 29. The single Vice Presidential Debate was held Wednesday, Oct. 7. The second Presidential Debate was scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 but was canceled. The final Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United Annual Meeting, Sunday, Nov. 15 at 9 a.m. via Zoom, meeting code 450 691 6693. No additional password required. Attend by phone at (669) 900-6833, code 450 691 6693#. Delegates at the meeting will elect the HFUU president, and adopt policies and bylaw amendments. Voting by delegates only. Nominations for president are due by Friday, Oct. 30 or at the meeting; send electronically to Nominations Committee Chair, David S. Case, at casedavids@gmail.com. Policy proposals and bylaw amendments requested from Chapters and individual members; send by e-mail by noon on Sunday, Oct. 25 to HFUU Policy Chair, Saleh Azizi at azizi.saleh@gmail.com with a copy to HFUU Secretary, David Case at casedavids@gmail.com. Review and comment on proposals prior to the Convention, from Friday, Oct. 30. Nov. 15 business meeting preceded by world-class educational and musical presentations Nov. 12, 13, and 14. See program and other materials regarding the Pre-Convention Program at hfuuhi.org.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

PETFIX and Hawaiʻi Rainbow Ranger Spay and Neuter Clinic for Dogs will be held Saturday, Nov. 7 in Ocean View. Microchips available For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

Hawaiian Islands Challenge Virtual Run through Dec. 31. Registration closes Nov. 30. Individuals or teams can register to traverse some or all of 808 kilometers on six different courses, one on each main island. Register here.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Virtual Workshops on Hawaiʻi's Legislative Processes through Public Access Room. Sign up by contacting (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. Ask questions and discuss all things legislative in a non-partisan environment. Attend Coffee Hour with PAR: Fridays at 3 p.m. on Zoom, meeting ID 990 4865 9652 or click https://zoom.us/j/99048659652. PAR staff will be available to answer questions and to discuss the legislative process. Anyone wanting to listen in without taking part in discussions is welcome. Learn more at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/public-access-room.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

Kīlauea Iki lookout last Sunday, down the road from Volcano House, where accommodations overlooking
Kīlauea Crater may open Nov. 1. See more below. Photo by Julia Neal

HIKERS WERE RESCUED IN HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK on Thursday evening. Hawaiʻi Fire Department's Chopper One picked them up after they were lost overnight and were running out of water. The two men, ages 82 and 72, are Volcano residents and experienced hikers, but a late start from the Mau Loa o Mauna Ulu trailhead to Keauhou on Wednesday afternoon did not afford them enough time to reach the Keauhou campsite. The campsite, located on the Park's remote and rugged lava rock coastline, is reached by a rigorous downhill 7.6-mile (12.2 km) hike from the trailhead through the Ka‘ū Desert Wilderness.

Read about the
10 Essentials

The hikers wandered off the trail, did not reach the campsite, and bedded down off-trail overnight. On Thursday, they found a familiar landmark, but due to the rough terrain and lack of water, they were unable to make much distance. By 4 p.m., they called an emergency contact listed on their backcountry permit, who called the Park to report them lost.
Hawai‘i Fire Department resources assisted, and the men were found on the rough, hardened ‘ā‘ā field above ‘Āpua Point, and flown to safety by 5:45 p.m. Both men were mildly dehydrated, and upon evaluation by emergency medical services personnel, it was determined that the men did not require further medical attention.

Read about the
10 Essentials

"We are relieved the hikers were located, and are appreciative of the County of Hawai‘i's quick response in coming to their assistance by helicopter," said Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Acting Chief Ranger Jack Corrao. "There are valuable lessons to be learned here, and they include allowing enough time to complete your hike, being mindful of weather conditions, and being adequately prepared for emergencies by having enough water. It's been extremely hot and dry on the coast, and we urge hikers to carry at least three to four quarts of water per person, per day," Corrao said. He also noted that cell phone service is unreliable in many remote areas of the Park.
The National Park Service urges hikers to prepare for a trek with 10 Essentials, which include Navigation (map/compass/GPS); Sun Protection; Insulation; Illumination; First-Aid Supplies; Fire (matches, lighter); Repair Kit & Tools; Nutrition; Hydration; and Emergency Shelter.

Two hikers, 72 and 82 years of age, were airlifted from a remote area Thursday evening, after
they were lost over night and wandered off the trail to Keauhou campground. NPS photo

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

VOLCANO HOUSE MAY OPEN AS EARLY AS NOV. 1. The plan comes with Thursday's reopening of the island to travelers who can bypass quarantine provided they show negative results from a state-approved pretest for COVID-19 and a free arrival test by County of Hawaiʻi.
In a Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald story this morning, reporter Michael Brestovansky writes that Volcano House, operating under its lease with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, will likely reopen slowly as it starts to rehire its employees. "I can say that we are all very eager to be open again, soon," said its interim manager Hans Peterson. See more at HawaiiTribune-Herald.com.
Surrounding Volcano House are many open trails, Crater Rim Drive to the coast, and other roads and scenic lookouts. Many local residents visited over the last month to take advantage of the Park with fewer people.

Volcano House fireplace and sitting room, which may be open to the public by Nov. 1.
Photo by Julia Neal

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

A DRIVE-IN MOVIE SCREEN FOR FAMILY SHOWS is being constructed in Ocean View at the site of the new Community Market, which is held on Saturday mornings.

David Joslin, owner of the Thai Grinz food truck, is leading the effort to construct this giant screen as a way of giving back to the community. His plan is to show movies for children and their parents after dark on Sunday evenings. He would offer his popular Thai food to accompany the movie. Other vendors could supply popcorn or coffee, or other compatible refreshments. He plans to ask attendees for a donation towards running the show.

Construction of the massive screen has begun with help from the community. South Point U-Cart donated the use of a machine to dig the holes for the support posts, and a lumber yard gave Joslin a discount on the wood needed. Plywood for the screen still needs to be purchased and Joslin expects that will be very expensive.

David Joslin, in front of the framework for Ocean View's own drive-in screen, coming soon. Photo by Annie Bosted

"I hope I have not bitten off more than I can chew," commented Joslin when interviewed by

The Kaʻū Calendar. "I'm working on a solution for sound. We may go with two speakers mounted on top of the screen, or maybe there is a blue tooth answer. I'm looking into all the possibilities. While the Covid pandemic lasts, Drive-In theaters may be the answer for evening entertainment," he explained. "Families can stay in their vehicles and watch the show without wearing masks. As I see it, if everyone cooperates, there would be essentially no risk of passing along the virus."

Joslin estimates that there is space for about 30 cars to park below the screen, with good views of the movie.
Kaider Houvener, manager of South Point U-Cart, told The Kaʻū Calendar that he is very supportive of the idea. "I remember that as a kid we loved going to the Drive-In. My parents would put us in our pajamas, load us into the car, and we would drive to a screen, park, and watch the shows until we fell asleep. It was easy for our parents and loads of fun for us. Keiki nowadays don't have that experience. I think they are missing out," he added. To donate, volunteer, and to find out more, contact David Joslin on Facebook or see him at Thai Ginz Friday through Sunday.

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Waiʻōhunu Transfer Station will reduce its seven days a week schedule
to three days a week beginning Sunday, Nov. 1. Google image

NEW DAYS AND OPERATING HOURS FOR OCEAN VIEW AND WAIʻŌHINU WASTE TRANSFER
stations begin Sunday, Nov. 1. The county's Solid Waste Division of the Department of Environmental Management will open both locations on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Until Nov. 1, Waiʻōhinu will be open seven days a week 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Ocean View will be open only on Saturdays 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Beginning Nov. 1, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, Waiʻōhinu Station will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Recycling services will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. HI-5 deposit beverage container collection will continue as usual on Saturdays only from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
On Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, Ocean View Station will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. HI-5 deposit beverage container collection will continue as usual on Saturdays only from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit hawaiizerowaste.org website for future closure information and locations, or call Department of Environmental Management, Solid Waste Division Office, at 961-8270.

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BIG ISLAND GIVING TREE will distribute clothes, linens, shoes, household items, toys, and cleaning supplies to those in need this Saturday, Oct. 17, 8:30 a.m. to noon at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

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CELEBRATING AGRICULTURE, THE TENTH ANNUAL HAWAIʻI FARMERS UNION UNITED CONVENTION, is open for registration. HFUU's President Vince Mina made the announcement for the virtual convention today, with a schedule for Nov. 12 - 15, with educational outreach content and many presentations over the four days.

"The Pandemic has set us all back, yet what remains is the power of what it means to be empowered and pivot to what works while bringing to the community the best food possible from our farmer rancher heroes. So please engage with this convention, interact with all of the Q & A opportunities. Thank you for your continued support of our efforts. Stay positive and test negative! Malama Pono (Take Good Care)," said Mina.

Download the schedule here. It includes Farmer Heroes through Virtual Farm Tours and such presentations as Farm and Labor Economics, Nature's Soil Building Process, and Foundation of the Soil Food Web.

Sponsors include Olson Trust, Kamehameha Schools, Mahi Pono, Ulupono Initiative, Slow Money Hawaiʻi, state Department of Agriculture, and USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Services.

Attend the business meeting Sunday, Nov. 15 at 9 a.m. via Zoom, meeting code 450 691 6693. No additional password required. Attend by phone at (669) 900-6833, code 450 691 6693#. Delegates at the meeting will elect the HFUU president, and adopt policies and bylaw amendments. Voting by delegates only.

Nominations for president are due by Friday, Oct. 30 or at the meeting. Nominations must be 200 words or less and may include a passport size photo, and be sent electronically to the Nominations Committee Chair, David S. Case, at casedavids@gmail.com. Any information received from nominees on or before noon on Oct. 30 will be posted on the HFUU website. Candidates must be present during Zoom meeting to answer questions from members.

Policy proposals are and bylaw amendments are requested from Chapters and individual members, sent by e-mail by noon on Sunday, Oct. 25 to HFUU Policy Chair, Saleh Azizi at azizi.saleh@gmail.com with a copy to HFUU Secretary, David Case at casedavids@gmail.com. Review and comment on proposals prior to the Convention, from Friday, Oct. 30.
The Nov. 15 business meeting will be preceded by world-class educational and musical presentations Nov. 12, 13, and 14. See program and other materials regarding the Pre-Convention Program at www.hfuuhi.org.

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BEWARE OF TELEPHONE SPOOFING warns Hawaiʻi Police Department. HPD reports an incident on Hawaiʻi Island on Monday, Oct. 12, in which scammers used a police station phone number to illicit money over the phone. A woman received a call from an unidentified man claiming to be a Social Security officer. The unidentified man told the woman that her social security number was being used on the mainland and that the police would be calling her to investigate the matter.

Later that day, the woman received a spoof call from the Hawaiʻi Police Department's non-emergency number, (808) 935-3311. The caller identified herself as Nola Green – a fictitious name, says HPD – and stated that she was an officer with the Hawaiʻi Police Department. "Green" advised the woman to purchase a "Safe Card" and to put her money onto the card.

Police ask the public to be aware of callers who ask for personal information over the telephone. As a general rule of thumb, do not release any personal information over the phone to someone whose identity cannot be verified. Take steps to verify the identity of the caller before purchasing a money card or sending money via money orders, wire, or checks.

Police recommend the following tips to 'be a good witness:' Remember to note down information about the call, take notice of the caller (accent, gender, specific words used), verify the caller or number called from and, when in doubt, call police for clarification using the Department's non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.

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TWENTY-ONE NEW CASES OF COVID-19 is what Hawaiʻi County reports today. New cases reported statewide today total 89, with 68 on Oʻahu.
Hawaiʻi Island's death toll, as reported by the county, is 38 since the pandemic began: four at Hilo Life Center, one at Kona Community Hospital, six at Hilo Medical Center, and 27 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. Some Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state. At least 185 people have died in the state, according to state records, one new today.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have populations less than 1,000. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 10 cases. Light orange is 11-50 cases. Dark

orange is 51-200 cases. Department of Health map

  Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 1,026 cases, with recent surges at Hilo Life Center and University of the Nations Kona campus. There are at least 11 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
   There have been 13,853 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,947 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,70 active cases in isolation.
   Oʻahu reports 12,317 cases, Maui County 411, and Kauaʻi 59. Forty victims are residents diagnosed while out-of-state. Statewide, 988 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
   No new cases have been reported in the last 28 days for Volcano zip codes 96785 and 96718, and Kaʻū zip codes 96772 and 96777. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in Kaʻū zip code 96737, and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi.
   In Hilo zip code 96720, 78 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 140 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one.
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel here. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 8,050,141 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 218,599 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 39.33 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,104,497.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Big Island Giving Tree will distribute clothes, linens, shoes, household items, toys, and cleaning supplies to those in need this Saturday, Oct. 17, 8:30 a.m. to noon at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

Presidential Debates Schedule: The first Presidential Debate was held Sept. 29. The single Vice Presidential Debate was held Wednesday, Oct. 7. The second Presidential Debate was scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 but was canceled. The final Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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The endangered crested honeycreeper, ʻakohekohe, is one of many species of wildlife in danger from climate change.

According to the 2019 Hawaiʻi County Council resolution declaring a Climate Emergency, island people and wildlife

are particularly in danger. The resolution was issued during National Wildlife Refuge Week last year.

Read more, below, in The Way We Were. Photo from American Bird Conservancy/Robby-Kohley

THE ACELLUS ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM IN HAWAIʻI PUBLIC SCHOOLS will be switched to a new one over time. On Thursday, the state Board of Education, at the request of the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, voted to separate from the Acellus Learning Accelerator, which costs about $25 a student for the licensing. There are about 175,000 students in Hawai‘i's statewide public school system.

A statement from DOE says the plan to discontinue Acellus comes after a review that shows "its inconsistency in quality and rigor. The HIDOE is working with complex area and school leaders to finalize a transition plan for Acellus users, with the goal of moving forward in a manner that supports students in the least disruptive manner possible. During the summer months, in an effort to quickly respond to the evolving pandemic conditions, the Department offered Acellus to families reluctant to physically send their child to school in the fall. The program was also used by schools as a supplemental tool to support distance learning needs. Acellus was selected based on curriculum availability to fulfill course needs, cost-effectiveness, implementation timeline, teacher familiarity with the program, and consultation with schools already utilizing the program."

Acellus, the online learning platform the state is phasing out,
uses a kid-friendly robot as mascot.

Schools superintendent, Dr. Christina Kishimoto, said, "In a very short time period, and under the unpredictable pressures of a health crisis, we had to transition an education system that historically has been designed exclusively for in-person learning to one that supports distance learning. One key consideration, based on feedback from the school and complex area level, was to try our best to minimize any burden of introducing brand new materials and programs given all of the other adjustments teachers and principals were handling at the time."

The statement from DOE says, "After receiving parent, school and community questions and concerns about Acellus around issues of questionable and inappropriate content, rigor and alignment to standards and other areas, the HIDOE initiated a multidisciplinary review of the curriculum. For secondary students pursuing credits for graduation using this program, the Department does not want to jeopardize students' current progress. Secondary schools will address issues in collaboration with concerned parents to ensure students are supported through the school year. For elementary schools, the Department is working to provide options schools can offer as supplementary learning opportunities for distance learning.
"The Department recognizes the curriculum includes content that reviewers found acceptable and aligned to standards, and will be working with schools that use Acellus to identify and leverage such content, as appropriate."

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LOCAL TEACHERS ARE INVITED TO DEVELOP DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS and apply for grants from the Hawaiʻi Department of Education. A statement posted on the Hawaiʻi Teachers Association website says, "HIDOE and public charter school teachers are encouraged to work collaboratively in teams or individually to design various curriculums to support fellow educators who are engaged in distance learning or hybrid classrooms."

Priority will be given to curricular designs scalable across grade levels, schools, and communities to address English Language Arts and Math Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards. The grants are also available for development of online programs for teaching and learning experiences that advance: Social and Cultural Studies, ʻĀina-based Projects, Special Education, Place-based Units, Online Citizenship, Digital Literacy, Creative Arts, Sustainability, English Learners Social justice, Environmental Issues, STEM, Project-based Learning, Civics Education, Career and Technical Education Focus, Social-Emotional Learning, Computer Science, and Multilingual Education.
Grant recipients are required to advance strategic goals of the HIDOE via the Promise Plan: Hawaiʻi, Equity, School Design, Empowerment, and Innovation.

HIDOE has set up the online platforms for teachers to meet and collaborate, with information sessions next Tuesday, Oct. 22 and Tuesday, Oct. 27, leading up to a Saturday, Nov. 7 event called Creative Cafe to assist in generating ideas and preparing grants.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

THE RBG HAWAIʻI DAY OF ACTION, next Saturday, Oct. 24, will end a week of events, endorsed by Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association and other groups. Hawaiʻi residents are invited to participate in a community-led effort of individuals and organizations celebrating and commemorating the life and legacy of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Twenty-seven Actions began on Saturday and continue through next Friday, Oct. 23. The 27 actions represent the 27 years RBG served on the U.S. Supreme Court, where "she fought for equality and an America where people could live free from discrimination with equal opportunity for all," says a statement from the teachers union.

This week of action will culminate on Saturday, Oct. 24, with the RBG Hawaiʻi Day of Action, with virtual phone banking led by Planned Parenthood Votes from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and a virtual candlelight vigil form 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information, email RBGHawaiiDayofAction@gmail.com or visit RBG Hawaiʻi Day of Action on Facebook and Instagram.

Ginsburg served as a Jurist in Residence at University of Hawaiʻi Law School. See the Kaʻū News Briefs story here.

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808-KUPUNA FIT IS A NEW TELEVISED EXERCISE PROGRAM co-sponsored by County of Hawaiʻi, KHON-2, KHII, Nā Leo TV, Hawaiʻi Island Adult Care, YMCA, and Blue Zones Hawaiʻi. It will be available across the state on KHII beginning this Monday, Oct. 19. The Monday-Friday exercise show will air on KHII for 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Such exercises as hula, Tai Chi, and dance, and more will be led by Hawaiʻi Island instructors.

Doris Takimoto teaches Bon Dancing as a kūpuna exercise, to be
aired with yoga, Tai Chi, and other exercise sessions on television
starting Monday, Oct. 19. Image from Hawaiʻi County

A statement from the county says, "The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the lives of Hawai'i residents. Our new reality changes each day and our seniors are separated from their friends, families, and communities. Due to the spikes in COVID-19 cases, seniors are unable to enjoy their regular activities, including exercise programs available through the Elderly Activities Division of the Department of Parks & Recreation."

Fitness videos with activities from Bon Dance, Line Dance, Yoga, Qigong, and Chair Dance are also available online at 808b-fit.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

TWELVE NEW CASES OF COVID-19, ONE IN KAʻŪ zip code 96777, is what Hawaiʻi County reports today. New cases reported statewide today total 96, with 81 on Oʻahu, one on Kauaʻi, and two residents who are out-of-state.
Hawaiʻi Island's death toll, as reported by the county, is 40 since the pandemic began, one new today at Hilo Life Care Center, bringing the total there to five; one at Hilo Medical Center from Oct. 15, bringing the total there to six. Kona Community Hospital has reported one death, and Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home has reported 27. Some Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state. At least 186 people have died in the state, according to state records, one new today.

Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 1,038 cases, with recent surges at Hilo Life Center and University of the Nations Kona campus. There are at least 10 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. Gray

areas have populations less than 1,000. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 10 cases. Light orange is 11-50 cases. Dark

orange is 51-200 cases. Department of Health map

  There have been 13,949 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 10,995 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,750 active cases in isolation.
   Oʻahu reports 12,398 cases, Maui County 411, and Kauaʻi 60. Forty-two victims are residents diagnosed while out-of-state. Statewide, 1,001 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
No new cases have been reported in the last 28 days for Volcano zip codes 96785 and 96718, and Kaʻū zip code 96772. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in Kaʻū zip codes 96777 and 96737, and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi.
   In Hilo zip code 96720, 68 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 119 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
   Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one.
   See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel here. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
   COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 8,097,739 – about 21 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 219,136 – about 20 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 39.52 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,107,297.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

UH-Hilo geology majors measure vertical offset of Hilina Pali road on Kulanaokuaiki Pali in Hawai‘i Volcanoes
National Park shortly after the end of Kīlauea's 2018 eruption, in September, 2018. Events in 2018 offset
the road at this location by approximately 20 cm (8 in). UH-Hilo photo by S. Lundblad

MEASURING FAULT SLIP is the focus of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. This week's article is by University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Geology Department Professor Steve Lundblad:
The Koa‘e fault system connects Kīlauea's East and Southwest Rift Zones south of the caldera. Faults here appear as low cliffs, or "scarps" along Hilina Pali Road in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. These fault-cliffs slip during major earthquakes, such as those of May 4, 2018 – near the beginning of Kīlauea's 2018 eruption.

Koa‘e fault movements have offset ancient lava flows by as much as 15 m (50 ft) over a period of centuries. This area provides an important long-term record of motion due to the lack of recent lava flows covering the faults, which makes it an ideal location to study motion of Kīlauea's south flank. More recently, faults have offset roads and footpaths used by early Hawaiians. So, how much fresh offset took place during and after the 2018 eruption?
A recent Volcano Watch article detailed how geodesy, the science of measuring Earth's shape, is used to measure the shape of Hawaiian volcanoes. New technologies, such as satellite interferometry and the Global Positioning System, depend on satellites to make geodetic measurements.

Koa‘e fault system map

One older approach, "leveling," however, remains a valuable geodetic method some 170 years after it was invented. USGS HVO scientists have used it for decades to study our volcanoes, with important results.
Since the 2018 eruption, the Geology Department at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo has partnered with HVO scientists to do "old school" leveling where it is the best approach available. UH-Hilo has capable and enthusiastic geology students, and over the years many have volunteered to measure the cracks and faults.

   Leveling uses telescopes aimed at hand-held, graded stadia rods, essentially giant vertical rulers, at specifically positioned field stations. The equipment is used to precisely measure elevation differences between stations marked by stainless steel bolts cemented into bedrock. Horizontal distances between stations are determined with ordinary measuring tapes. If elevations and distances have changed during the time since the previous measurements, repeat leveling will detect it even down to the millimeter scale!
   Leveling requires teams of people working along an established grid in the field, and it’s time-intensive. Field stations are commonly set around 90 m (300 ft) apart.
   Fortunately, USGS scientists first began leveling along the Koa‘e faults in the 1960s, providing a long-standing record of data and field stations already in place. Around each leveling station is an array of subsidiary "crack stations," allowing measurement across individual Koa‘e faults and their related ground cracks.

The view along one of the Koa‘e faults. HVNP photo

   Going back to the 1960s, we find that in a typical year the roughly 3-km wide (2 miles) land strip encompassed by the Koa‘e fault system widens by about 1.5 cm, just over half an inch. Individual faults move only a few mm each, about 1/8 of an inch. In contrast, the largest vertical movement recorded during the 2018 earthquakes along a single fault was over 40 cm (16 in)!
   When the Koa‘e faults move, they either slide vertically or open to create a deep crack. A dramatic example of opening was the Hilina Pali Road 2018 faulting near Kulanaokuaiki campground, which split the road. The prominent slope the road ascends is a result of repeated fault movement over several hundred years. Shortly after the end of the 2018 eruption, leveling revealed that the rates of change along the Koa‘e faults quickly returned to the much slower normal pace.
   We've learned several important things about the behavior of the fault system from the on-going Koa‘e leveling campaign. Most of the relief along these cliffs is created by large events. The faults are also very efficient "earth movers." Very few new cracks formed as a result of the large geologic events of 2018.
   Instead, motion tends to continue repeatedly along existing cracks, opening them wider and making their scarps taller over time. The motions along the Koa‘e faults are also sensitively tied to what happens elsewhere on the volcano, even many miles away, such as the 2018 earthquakes underneath Kīlauea's south flank and the repeated collapse of the summit caldera.
   UH Hilo students, working closely with scientists, played important roles in collecting and analyzing the data supporting these insights. Thus far, two groups of students have traveled to scientific conferences to present their findings. We are proud of the contributions these new researchers have made to the Island of Hawai‘i community and the wider world of science.

A section of the Koa‘e fault system. HVNP photo

  Volcano Activity Updates
   Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL (https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/volcano-hazards/about-alert-levels). Kīlauea updates are issued monthly.
   Kīlauea monitoring data for the past month show variable but typical rates of seismicity and ground deformation, low rates of sulfur dioxide emissions, and only minor geologic changes since the end of eruptive activity in September 2018. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly expand and deepen. For the most current information on the lake, see https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/k-lauea-summit-water-resources.
   Mauna Loa is not erupting and remains at Volcano Alert Level ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to eruption from current level of unrest is certain. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.
   This past week, about 80 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper-elevations of Mauna Loa; most of these occurred at shallow depths of less than 8 kilometers (about 5 miles). Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements show long-term slowly increasing summit inflation, consistent with magma supply to the volcano's shallow storage system. Gas concentrations and fumarole temperatures as measured at both Sulphur Cone and the summit remain stable. Webcams show no changes to the landscape. For more information on current monitoring of Mauna Loa Volcano, see https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna-loa/monitoring.
   No felt earthquakes were reported in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week.
   HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa for any signs of increased activity.
   Visit HVO's website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. 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 Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Food security is part of mitigating the Climate Emergency, as put forth in the County Council resolution last year, requiring

bees to grow produce and other crops. These bee hives are located on a Kaʻū Coffee farm. Photo by Julia Neal

Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year

This week last year, National Wildlife Refuge Week was marked by Hawaiʻi County Council declaring a climate emergency resolution to "rapidly complete the Hawaiʻi Island Climate Action Plan, establish goals and objectives to reduce the use of fossil fuels, and support transition to climate-smart agriculture in an effort to immediately reverse global warming." Kaʻū's councilwoman Maile David voted for it. The Plan is in the review process. Read it here.
The resolution points to findings of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, calling for practices to temper global warming to reduce risks to health, livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security, economic growth, and plant and animal life this century.

Endangered birds are subject to rising waters
that cover their nesting grounds.
Photo from Sen. Mazie Hirono's Twitter

  It mentions recent research indicating that warming is likely to accelerate in the next decade. It refers to 2018's report from the U.S. Global Change Research Program, comprised of 13 federal agencies, which detailed "the massive threat that climate change poses to the American economy," and underscored "the need for immediate emergency action by every level of government to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other green houses gases."
   The resolution states that warming, with destructive climate events, is already demonstrating that "the Earth is already too hot for humanity to safely and justly exist, as attested by increased and intensifying wildfires, floods, rising seas, diseases, droughts, and extreme weather." It refers to the World Scientists' Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice, which included "15,364 signatories from scientists, representing 184 countries, formally supporting the work, declaring humans have pushed Earth's ecosystems to their breaking point, and that we are well on the way to ruining the planet, as climate change and the global economy's overshoot of ecological limits are driving the sixth mass extinction of species, which could devastate much of life on Earth for the next 10 million years."
   In the resolution, the Hawaiʻi County Council declared that the United States "has disproportionately contributed to the climate and extinction emergencies, and has repeatedly obstructed global efforts to transition toward a green economy, and thus bears an extraordinary responsibility to rapidly address these existential threats."
   The resolution says that "restoring a safe and stable climate requires a whole-of-society Climate Mobilization at all levels of government, on a scale not seen since World War II, to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors at emergency speed, to rapidly and safely drawdown or remove all the excess carbon from the atmosphere, and to implement measures to protect all people and species from the consequences of abrupt climate change."
   It foresees that "actions to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and/or draw down greenhouse gases may include improving resilience to the effects of climate change, i.e. targeting food security in our region that is a critical action in the face of climate change, which will continue to place added pressure on existing food and water resources."

Hawaiian monk seals pup in the northern Hawaiian Islands, which have

been devastated by recent hurricanes and are subject to rising waters

due to climate change. Photo from Sen. Mazie Hirono's Twitter feed

  The County Council declared that "the safety and wellbeing of our citizens is the prime directive of our local governments, and the cumulative impacts of climate change upon Hawaiʻi will be particularly severe over the next several decades."
   The resolution talks about islands being particularly at risk, with climate change impacts in the Pacific Islands "expected to amplify existing risks and lead to compounding economic, environmental, social, and cultural costs. In some locations, climate change impacts on ecological or social systems are projected to result in severe disruptions to livelihoods that increase the risk of human conflict or compel the need for migration. Early interventions, already occurring in some places across the region, can prevent costly and lengthy rebuilding of communities and livelihoods and minimize displacement and relocation."
   The County Council notes that more than 1,000 cities, districts, counties, and local governments across the world representing over 221 million people "collectively have declared or officially acknowledged the existence of a global climate emergency and have committed to action to drive down emissions at emergency speed."
   In tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs, take a look back at the resolutions' plan for the County of Hawaiʻi to tackle the climate change problem.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Presidential Debates Schedule: The first Presidential Debate was held Sept. 29. The single Vice Presidential Debate was held Wednesday, Oct. 7. The second Presidential Debate was scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 but was canceled. The final Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund Public Cleanup Events – with size limited due to COVID-19 precautions and government proclamations – are on Sunday, Nov. 15, cleanup and survey; and Saturday, Dec. 19, cleanup. HWF says details are forthcoming but will be a blend of hiking, BYO-4wd, and limited HWF carpool options. Contact Megan Lamson-Leatherman at (808) 280-8124 or wild@aloha.net.

Veteran Farmers are invited to register for the virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition, the sixth annual conference will feature education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. The cost to attend is $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

Upping avocado production in Hawaiʻi to help meet the worldwide demand for the fruit is the focus of funding provided
to $4.4 million to University of Hawai`i. U.H. Photo

AN EFFORT TO VASTLY INCREASE AVOCADO PRODUCTION IN HAWAIʻI is being led by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and one of its agents on Hawaiʻi Island, Sharon Motomura-Wages. The aim is to bring more avocado production to lands beyond California and other warm-weather states to increase the U.S. share of the booming guacamole and avocado market worldwide.
A statement from U.H. says that to improve the nation's avocado production, competitiveness, and sustainability, the U.S. Department of Agriculture - National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded $68 million in new "Specialty Crop Research Initiative" grants to 23 recipients. A $4.4 million grant goes to U.H. to study "Reducing Avocado Losses to Major Challenges by Improving Resistance Selection and Disease Management Using Next-Generation Technologies." The research involved CTAHR Associate Researcher Miaoying Tian of the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, and Assistant Extension Agent Sharon Motomura-Wages of the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences.

U.H. ag agent Sharon Motomura-Wages
will research expansion of avocado
production in Hawaiʻi. U.H. Photo

Led by a team from the University of California-Riverside, Tian and Motomura-Wages will characterize pathogen populations, identify disease-resistant germplasm from Hawaiʻi collections, and evaluate the performance in Hawaiʻi of elite rootstocks selected by the California Rootstock Breeding Program. Tian and Motomura-Wages also will introduce effective fungicides, rapid in-field diagnostics, and advanced management strategies to local avocado producers.
Motomura-Wages said, "This grant would not be possible without the support of our stakeholders and their valued input. I would like to thank our producers for working together with CTAHR to pursue critical funding opportunities and devoting their time to serve as advisors on projects they believe will benefit Hawaiʻi's avocado industry."
SCRI supports specialty crop industries by addressing problems in production, distribution, processing and consumer markets. View the grant summary here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

HOW TO DIVERSIFY THE ECONOMY is an editorial this weekend from Grassroot Institute of Hawai`i. Its founder and CEO, Keliʻi Akina, Phd., who is also an Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee, writes: We've heard the mantra for many decades: Hawaiʻi's economy needs to diversify. But lately we're hearing it even more, thanks to the collapse of our state's biggest industry, tourism, due to the coronavirus lockdowns implemented in March that continue to this day. The idea of diversification, of course, has merit. It's clearly not a good idea to put so many of our eggs in one basket. In years past, when the pineapple and sugar industries were dying in Hawaiʻi, we heard much the same thing.

But just as government cannot shut down an economy and turn it back on as if it were an engine, so is it risky to let government get involved in specifying exactly how our economy should diversify.
In fact, according to Seth Colby, an economist with the state Department of Taxation, diversification could actually make us worse off, depending on how it's achieved.

Keli`i Akina, founder of Grassroot Institute of Hawai`i and
OHA trustee.

"If we were just trying to get more industries into Hawaiʻi, we could actually have a decline in income," he said last week in a presentation to the Hawaiʻi Economic Association. "If all of us had to go back and work in the agricultural sector, we're not as productive in that, and we would lose income."

Instead, he said, the key is to focus on what you're good at, and, "In the case of Hawaiʻi, we're very good at tourism." Thus, we probably should continue to focus on tourism — though, I would add, we should stop subsidizing it, since that has undoubtedly contributed to our overreliance on one industry. But we can still encourage diversity, and the key to that, Colby said, is improving Hawaiʻi's business environment.

"We have one of the highest tax burdens for high-income earners and most of the time, entrepreneurs," he said. "We have the second-highest income tax brackets in the country. We have one of the highest regulatory burdens. We're at the bottom of all the business rankings all the time. Rather than focusing on a specific industry, what if we just focus on moving up Hawaii as this place to do business?"
What if, indeed!

Colby also talked about reliability for investors. Large investment projects like the Thirty Meter Telescope or the Superferry typically run into significant local opposition, sending a signal to businesses that Hawaii is a risky place to invest.
Finally, there are practical issues, he said. Hawaiʻi is geographically remote. Real estate is expensive, as is energy, shipping and nearly everything else. If you're thinking about setting up a new business, you have a reason to choose Hawaii over another location. For many industries, it doesn't make economic sense.

But logic hasn't stopped the state from trying to create new industries through government action. Over the years, we have seen millions of taxpayer dollars poured into initiatives meant to diversify Hawaiʻi's economy. There have been tech parks, farm co-ops, research centers, space industry incentives, an attempt

to create a stock exchange, and dozens of other programs, tax breaks and grants, all of which promised to diversify the economy. But that's not how diversification happens. Even if they have the best intentions in the world, our lawmakers cannot create a Silicon Valley in the islands through just tax breaks, incentives and grants.
The only way to diversify an economy is to let it happen organically, by removing the barriers to innovation that have been built up over the years. A few examples: Cut taxes and regulations, reduce government spending and borrowing, allow more competition in currently protected industries, increase labor mobility, rely more on the private sector to provide public services. Such an environment would appeal to outside investors, while the businesses already established here, being able to keep more of their profits, would be able to invest in new enterprises — ones that the entrepreneurs, not the politicians, believe could succeed here.
Tourism likely will always remain Hawaiʻi's most important industry. But by all means, let's encourage sustainable diversification as well. And the way to do that is to just have our state and county governments get out of the way. E hana kakou! (Let's work together!)

Buy the sticker, tee shirt, mug and more here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

CONTACT COUNTY OF HAWAI`I ELECTIONS OFFICE, urges west Hawaiʻi state Sen. Dru Kanuha. He sent out a message to those who have not received election ballots in the mail. "With the general elections just around the corner, please contact the COH Elections Office if you have not received your ballot by today. Exercising the right to vote is one of the most important ways you can support policies that serve our communities' needs and ensure your voice is heard in decisions that benefit society.
"As we continue to reduce the spread of COVID-19, by observing COVID-19 mandates and practicing general physical precautions, this also comes with finding different ways to enjoy the aloha spirit in our State or to kōkua those who do so much for our community and ask for so little in return.
"Therefore, a big mahalo to those who generously continue to dedicate their time away from the safety of their homes: our first responders, healthcare workers, and every single person carrying out essential roles for the safety and well-being of our community."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

SUNDAY'S UPDATE ON COVID-19 came from county Civil Defense: "The number of new active cases, on Hawaii Island, reported and monitored by the Department of Health, is 14. At this date, for Hawaiʻi Island, ten are hospitalized. A total of 40 deaths have been reported on Hawaiʻi Island. Please do your part to stop the spread of this virus."

Civil Defense reported that no tests were scheduled for Sunday. Testing open to the public is scheduled in Kona, tomorrow, Monday, at Keauhou Shopping Center. "Understand that the importance of testing is to identify positive cases as early as possible and in this way help stop the spread of the Coronavirus. Know that the preventive measures of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings are mandated for all to follow in order to stop the spread of the virus and protect our family, friends and community. Please accept this kuleana to make Hawai'i Safe," urged Civil Defense.
Midday, state Department of Health reported 83 new cases statewide and one new death. The state death toll for COVID-19 is 187. The state case total to date is 14,031.

Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one.
See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel here. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
At noon Sunday the COVID-19 case count in the U.S. was more then 8,147,060 with more than 219,667 deaths. Worldwide, there were more than 39,848,303 million cases and more than 1,11,994 deaths.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

The ‘amakihi is a protected native Hawaiian bird in the Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge.
Read, below, about a resolution passed last year by Hawaiʻi County Council
to stem the affects of humans in Hawaiʻi County. US Fish &Wildlife photo

Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year

Last year, a Climate Emergency Resolution passed Hawaiʻi County Council during National Wildlife Refuge Week – see yesterday's Kaʻū News Briefs. The council called for a "just transition" to "an economy that is ecologically sustainable, equitable, and just for all its members." Read the resolution here.
The resolution talks about phasing out industries harming "workers, community health, and the planet, while also providing just pathways for workers into new livelihoods." It attempts to guide the county toward "just transition initiatives" to shift the economy "from dirty energy to energy democracy, from funding highways to expanding public transit, from incinerators and landfills to zero waste, from industrial food systems to food sovereignty, from car-dependent sprawl and unbridled growth to smart urban development without displacement, and from rampant, destructive over-development to habitat and ecosystem restoration."
The resolution says that "justice requires that frontline communities, which have historically borne the brunt of the extractive fossil-fuel economy, participate actively in the planning and implementation of this mobilization effort at all levels of government and that they benefit first from the transition to a renewable energy economy, and recognizing fairness demands a guarantee of high-paying, good-quality jobs with comprehensive benefits for all..." It supports these and other tenets of a Green New Deal effort "as the mobilization to restore a safe climate is launched."

Helping farmers with sustainable practices is part of the County

Council Climate Emergency Resolution passed last year. These

farms are Kaʻū Coffee growing at Moaʻula. Photo by Julia Neal

  The resolution contends that "County of Hawaiʻi has an opportunity to continue to be a global leader by rapidly organizing a regional emergency climate mobilization effort and converting to an ecologically, socially, and economically regenerative economy at emergency speed, and by catalyzing a unified regional just transition and climate emergency mobilization effort this year."
   The council puts forth the recommendation for the county to "implement a just, equitable, countywide emergency climate mobilization effort to reverse global warming, by drastically reducing countywide emissions of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, and safely drawing down carbon from the atmosphere no later than 2030, while accelerating adaptation and resilience strategies in preparation for intensifying climate change impacts."
   It calls for County of Hawaiʻi to revise "its existing policies, priorities, processes, and use and distribution of resources to implement emergency climate mobilization efforts countywide, including the development of an environmentally preferable purchasing policy to guide efficient, consistent, and just action."
   It asks that County of Hawaiʻi commit "to rapidly completing the Hawaiʻi Island Climate Action Plan by establishing ambitious goals, consistent with or exceeding State goals and objectives. The resolution asks the county to work immediately to implement the paths laid out in the plan," including "phasing out existing sources of greenhouse gas emissions and implementing initiatives such as tree planting, to sequester carbon from the air."

Educating county employees and residents about the climate crisis and the work needed is also on the agenda proposed in the resolution "to allow our community to more proactively respond to the inevitable disruption of our communities by rising sea levels and egregious weather disasters."

Hawaiian green sea turtles live at Punaluʻu black sand beach, but nest in

the northern Hawaiian Islands which have been devastated by recent

hurricanes and are subject to rising waters due to climate change.

Photo from Sen. Mazie Hirono's Twitter feed.

  The agenda calls for the county to integrate "science-based and cultural-based approaches to combating climate change locally involving researchers, cultural practitioners, and other community organizations integral to the emergency climate mobilization effort." It asks for "full community participation, inclusion, and support," and commits to "working with and keeping the concerns of vulnerable communities central to all just transition and climate emergency mobilization effort planning."
   It asks that that county be involved in reducing emissions related to transportation "by supporting both affordable housing and transit-oriented development while implementing a robust Transportation Demand Management Program calling on the Hawaiʻi County Department of Planning, Mass Transit Agency, and the Department of Public Works, alongside other appropriate local agencies, to participate in this regional emergency climate mobilization effort, as well as actively encourage and promote the use of emission-free vehicles, and enable a rapid expansion of public EV charging infrastructure."
   The resolution calls on the County of Hawaiʻi to join a nationwide effort to transform "our region and rapidly catalyzing a mobilization at all levels of government to restore a safe climate." It urges cooperation with State of Hawaiʻi, the United States of America, "and all governments and peoples worldwide, to initiate a just transition and climate emergency mobilization effort."
   The resolution was sent to Mayor Harry Kim; the Director of the Department of Public Works; Mass Transit Administrator; Director of the Planning Department; Corporation Counsel; and the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission.

An ʻōpaeʻula, one of the most climate-sensitive and endangered organisms in Kaʻū. This photo of the

shrimp was posted on Sen. Mazie Hirono's Twitter feed last year during National Wildlife Refuge Week.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Presidential Debates Schedule: The first Presidential Debate was held Sept. 29. The single Vice Presidential Debate was held Wednesday, Oct. 7. The second Presidential Debate was scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 but was canceled. The final Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

ONGOING

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

Native plants may be able to help clean up nearshore waters where corals live, according to a study

proposed by Kohala Center. Photo from Kohala Center

CAN NATIVE PLANTS SAVE CORAL REEFS? Kohala Center plans to help answer that question by conducting an applied research project to measure the effectiveness of two native plants to reduce nitrogen levels in nearshore environments. The project is funded with $30,000 and seeks matching money to conduct this investigation "that could enhance the resilience of coastal ecosystems in Hawai'i and beyond," says a statement from the non-profit.
The problem, as Kohala Center describes it: "Elevated nitrogen levels from submarine groundwater discharge are negatively affecting corals along Hawai'i's coastlines, making them more susceptible to coral bleaching and disease. In Kahalu'u Bay alone, for example, up to 1.8 million gallons of polluted water per day flows in via SGD, carrying high levels of nitrogen in the form of sewage and excess fertilizer that can amplify the rapid decline of coral reef ecosystems."
A Natural Solution can be found around the planet, suggests Kohala Center. "In many parts of the world, plants have been used as natural water filters to remove pollutants. This process is called phytoremediation, and has been used as part of wastewater and stormwater treatment processes for decades. Studies of one native Hawaiian plant, makaloa, have demonstrated that they are capable of

Corals die off from bleaching and disease. Native plant
filtration of water could possibly help them recover.
Photo from Kohala Center

removing nitrogen in nearshore environments. We want to expand on this research to study other native plants that may also have potential to improve water quality and increase the resilience of coastal ecosystems."
According to the Kohala Center statement, "This is a novel phytoremediation project that is designed to bridge ancestral knowledge and modern science to create natural solutions to address today's water quality issues. We believe an important outcome will be to elevate community knowledge about the potential ecological services wetland plants provide. Specifically, the work would include evaluating two indigenous wetland plants, ahu'awa, Cyperus javanicus, and 'aka'akai, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, for their potential in reducing nutrient runoff from fertilizers, improperly treated sewage, and nonpoint source pollution levels in SGD prior to entering coastal waters. Research will include evaluating the adaptation of these plants to brackish/saltwater conditions.
Outcomes projected by the Kohala Center are to "Help support restoration initiatives in Hawai'i where water quality in coastal areas has been compromised, and to support research and development for these plants to be used in innovative natural wastewater treatment systems in Hawai'i and other coastal communities where high salt concentrations are present.
To help fund the Kohala Center's project interested persons can go to this link to support its community-based research. Contact can be made with project director Cindi Punihaole at cpunihaole@kohalacenter.org or 808-895-1010.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us

A small tsunami wave, elevated water slightly on

eastern shores of Hawai`i, after a 7.5 M quake

in Alaska. National Tsunami Warning Center image

on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

A 7.5 EARTHQUAKE OFF ALASKA'S SOUTH COAST created a tsunami advisory for Hawai`i this afternoon and county Civil Defense closed all beaches and shoreline parks. Slightly elevated ocean levels, up to three feet, were expected on the eastern side of the island. Higher water was measured at Hilo Harbor after 3:27 p.m.
The advisory from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that "Based on all available data a major tsunami is not expected to strike the state of Hawai'i. However, sea level changes have been recorded at Hilo and Kahului just above advisory level that could be a hazard to swimmers and boaters as well as to persons near the shore at beaches and in harbors and marinas. The threat may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival." The advisory was cancelled this evening.
The quake struck about 573 miles southwest of Anchorage at 10:55 a.m. Hawai`i time with no serious damage reported.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

DA BUX, DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS will increase SNAP buying power at KTA on this island and Times Supermarket on other islands. The program involves a $500,000 donation from private sector organizations, matched by the State of Hawai`i. The aim is to also help local farmers provide healthy food to recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. SNAP recipients receive a 50 percent discount on qualifying foods.
DA BUX doubles the value of SNAP benefits spent on locally grown food at participating grocery stores. The state match increases that amount to $1 million that will be available for SNAP recipients to purchase locally produced, fresh and nutritious fruits, vegetables and proteins at participating locations statewide.
Gov. David Ige said, "DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks is a triple-win solution because it supports local farmers with an increased customer base, low-income families who receive double the purchasing power for healthy, Hawai'i-grown produce, and our entire community by keeping dollars in the local economy."
DA BUX is administered by The Food Basket in partnership with the Hawai'i Good Food Alliance.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

STRICTER GUIDANCE FOR ON-CAMPUS LEARNING in public schools was released today by the state Department of Health. They follow Center for Disease Control guidelines with decisions based on the number of cases and positivity percentage rates over a two-week period. DOH set a positivity percentage rate of less than 1 percent to send all students back to campus.

Hawai`i Island and O`ahu don't qualify for all students to back to capus yet, while Kaua`i, Maui, Moloka`i and Lana`i would all qualify, based on the last two weeks of metrics. This island's positivity rate was 3.0 percent from Oct. 7 to 13, up from 2.7 percentage, Sept. 30 to Oct. 6. O`ahu's positive rate rose from 3.2 percent to 3.4 percent during the same time period. Kaua`i's rate was zero. Maui, Lana'i and Moloka`i rates decreased from 0.3 percent 0.1 percent. The rates on this island and O`ahu qualify for blended learning, with some students on campus and others distance learning.
The amount of on and off campus learning is expected to change as the number of people testing positive goes up and down. In determining who stays on campus when blended learning is required, the Department of Education plans to give as much campus time to elementary school students as possible.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

HAWAI`I PUBLIC RADIO LAUNCHED ITS FALL FUNDRAISING DRIVE TODAY. See the link to make a pledge. HPR is offering ten Hawaiian Airline miles for each $1 donations. The minimum pledge for the miles is $12.50 a month - a total of $150 to receive the miles. There is no limit on the miles earned with larger donations. Go to Unlock 10x miles to make a pledge.
Another offering is an HPR red dowl with a black log. It is 100 percent cotton terry velour. Minimum pledge is $20 a month or $200 all at once. Take the pledge.
HPR can be heard on FM radio channels 88.7 KHPH for West Kaʻū, and 89.1 KANO for East Kaʻū and Volcano.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS EXPORTS IN HAWAI`I is going the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. Sen. Mazie Hirono, a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, made the announcement.
The funding, provided through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s State Trade Expansion Program, will pay for several programs at DBEDT, including those to help businesses reach customers through international trade shows, webinars focused on e-commerce and digital marketing strategies,

webinars focused on export- and market-specific topics, business counseling with partner organizations, and technical assistance.
“Small businesses in Hawai'i and across the country have felt the devastating economic consequences of the pandemic. This funding will help Hawaii small businesses learn and employ new approaches to marketing their products abroad. I will continue to advocate for programs and funding that support small businesses as they navigate this particularly challenging time,” said Hirono.
Dennis Ling, Administrator of the Business Development & Support Division of DBED, said, “This is the eighth year we received STEP export expansion grant from the SBA. Throughout those years, we have supported over 900 companies with training, trade shows, missions and direct assistance. As a result, over $105 million in exports have been realized, not taking into account those continued exports

as a result of our introductory assistance. Although the 2020 economic environment is a totally different, we look forward to pivoting into new ways working with the STEP program to maintain and grow exports.”
During the last eight years, Hawaii has received more than $4.5 million through STEP, which it has used to support more than $80 million in new exports for Hawaii businesses. The program has supported over 800 jobs, and created over $100 million in economic impacts, generating millions in state taxes.
Hirono voted to create STEP during the 111th Congress, and has since advocated for increases in program funding. This March, she signed a letter requesting increased funding for the program in Fiscal Year 2021.

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See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.co

EVERYONE NEEDS TO WEAR A MASK WHEN IN HAWAI`I, urges Lt. Gov. Josh Green, MD, following reports of visitors failing to wear masks. Police across the state have given out thousands of warnings and hundreds of citations since visitors began arriving and bypassing quarantine with negative COVID-19 tests last Thursday.

Lt. Gov Josh Green, MD gave daily reports on the new Safe Travels testing at
airports in his daily COVID updates over the weekend and this morning.
See Green's facebook page.

Green reported on his facebook this morning that he sees the reopening to tourism as a success. Among the thousands of arrivals to Kona since Thursday, there were five false positive COVID tests and four waiting for confirmation. He said the low rate of travelers testing positive is encouraging.

Life Care Center of Hilo reports on its website today that 53 residents and 16 employees tested positive since the outbreak began. One resident died last Friday, bringing the count to five at Life Care. Five residents recovered, two were discharged, one is under treatment at Hilo Medical Center and the others are receiving treatment in house. Seven employees recovered.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

MONDAY MORNING'S UPDATE ON COVID-19 came from county Civil Defense: "On today's update of COVID-19, the number of new active cases, on Hawai'i Island, reported and monitored by the Department of Health is seven. At this date, for Hawaii Island, ten are hospitalized. A total of 40 deaths have been reported on Hawai'i Island.
"Please do your part to stop the spread of this virus. Understand that the importance of testing is to identify positive cases as early as possible and in this way help stop the spread of the Coronavirus. Know that the preventive measures of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings are mandated for all to follow in order to stop the spread of the virus and protect our family, friends and community. Please accept this kuleana to make Hawai'i Safe."

At mid-day, the state reported no-deaths statewide and 39 new cases, The state death toll for COVID-19 is 187. The state case total to date is 14,068.

Hawaiʻi Island police are stepping up enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel here. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
At 7:45 p.m., the COVID-19 case count in the U.S. was more then 8,212,981, with more than 220,119 deaths. Worldwide, there were more than 40,348,737 cases and more than 1,117,577 deaths, according to the reporting of Johns Hopkins University.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar
directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is
free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout
Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at
kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your
business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

Presidential Debates Schedule: The first Presidential Debate was held Sept. 29. The single Vice Presidential Debate was held Wednesday, Oct. 7. The second Presidential Debate was scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 but was canceled. The final Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

ONGOING

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

Buddhist temples in Ka`u are historically known for education. Na`alehu Hongwanji has openedfor the Na`alehu

Resilllience Hub with free WiFi, computer use and mentoring Mondays through Fridays from noon to 4 p.m.

A bonus is free food at noon and 3 p.m. See more below. Photo from the Hub

NINETEEN OF 74 PEOPLE TESTED IN OCEAN VIEW FOR COVID-19 over the weekend came up positive. The testing by Premier Medical Group was sponsored by Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association and Papa Ola Lokahi. It focused on testing the Marshallese and Native Hawaiian communities. The numbers were reported today by Big Island Now, quoting Dr. Kaohimanu Akiona with Premier Medical Group. She told Big Island Now's Tiffany Masters that many of those testing positive were already self-quarantined and showing symptoms. Premier plans to return to Ocean View for more testing this Saturday.

THE LEARNING HUB IN OCEAN VIEW FOR KA`U HIGH & PAHALA ELEMENTARY is shut down for two weeks after a young man going there tested positive for COVID-19, according to a member of the St. Jude's Episcopal Church. The church provides the space where the distance learning is supported with WiFi, computers and mentors. See more on COVID-19 below.

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PEOPLE TRAVELING AND RETURNING FROM NEIGHBOR ISLANDS CAN BYPASS QUARANTINE on Hawaiʻi Island, with a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of travel. They can also take the test here and leave quarantine when negative results arrive. Mayor Harry Kim made the announcement today. He also said medical trips to another island will be exempt from quarantine, providing permission is received from the county, medical appointments documented, and no other activities carried out during the trip. An accompanying person can be approved through a note from the doctor and a commitment to refrain from other activities.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Nāʻālehu Resilience Hub is open at Na`alehu Hongwanji Mondays through Fridays, noon to 4 p.m. Photo from the Hub

NA`ALEHU RESILIENCE HUB IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC with free access to laptop computers and WiFi; business, education and creative mentoring; classes and nutrition. A 3D printer is on its way. Located in Nāʻālehu Hongwanji on makai side of Hwy 11, it is open weekdays from noon to 4 p.m.

Students in need of internet and computers, help with distance learning and taking outside classes are invited to stop in. So are representatives of Kaʻū businesses, in need of mentoring and help with applying for assistance during the pandemic. Anyone considering starting or expanding a business or developing a new career is welcomed.

Nāʻālehu Resilience Hub is at 96-5695 Hwy 11.
Photo from the Hub

Free meals are available for those who stop into the Hub on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with to-go lunches from Hana Hou at noon and to-go dinners from Kalaekilohana at 3 p.m. Both meals are distributed at the Hongwanji. Hana Hou and Kalaekilohana have committed to buying as much locally produced food as possible for the Hub meals program. They are each providing 30 meals per pick-up session. Each meal is large enough for two to three people.
Co-Captains of Nāʻālehu Resilience Hub are Marcia Masters, known for her career in social work and small business experience in Kaʻū, and Michelle Galimba, a rancher involved with Kaʻū Coast land preservation, who has volunteered for Kaʻū Coffee Festival, 4H, state Board of Agriculture and agricultural educational organizations.
The non-profit organization, with fiscal umbrella for the Hub, is O Kaʻū Kakou, with its liaison Nadine Ebert. Other volunteers include Dennis Riordan, Elizabeth Crook; and students Shemaya Doi, Nettie Llanes-Masters and Kealia Galimba.
Providing the space, as a sponsor, is Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, along with help from Thy Word Ministries.

Financial sponsors are County of Hawaiʻi through federal CARES funds, Vibrant Hawaiʻi and Rise Hawaiʻi Foundation. County Council member Maile David supported the project with funding from the council's own CARE's money allotted for her district. She said arrangements are being made to transition the HUB location to Nāʻālehu Community Center once renovations there are completed, most likely early next year. Renovations will include improvements to its food preparation area.

Distancing is required at the Resilience Hub.
Photo from the Hub

The councilwoman said, "I am very grateful for allocation of CARES funding to council members These funds allowed each council member to supplement CARES's Act programs in our respective council districts. I am personally very happy that I could provide funds for ongoing food assistance programs and to assist with funding for the Na`alehu Resilience Hub, with its captains Michelle Galimba and Marsha Masters." Funding goes toward purchase of the laptops and other distance learning supplies, as well as meals provided at the Hub and food prep equipment for Nāʻālehu Community Center. "Mahalo a nui loa to the many dedicated community members who are directly responsible in helping our Kaʻū communities survive COVID and beyond," said the council woman.
For more, contact Galimba at 808-430-4927. The address of Nāʻālehu Resilience Hub is 96-5695 Hwy 11.

Michelle Galimba gives food to a visitor to the new Na’alehu Resilience Hub. Photo from the Hub

CARES ACT FUNDING TO MAILE DAVID'S COUNCIL DISTRICT has gone to a number of community organizations. To supplement feeding in the district, she provided $25,000 through Vibrant Hawaiʻi. For distance learning in Volcano at Cooper Center, in cooperation with Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences, the councilwoman provided $15,000. For the Nāʻālehu Resilience Hub she provide $20,000. The councilwoman provided $30,000 for West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center for COVID testing including outreach into Ka`u, with focus on Marshallese Islanders. Each council member received $100,000 of CARES money to distribute.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

HAWAIʻI COUNTY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL will receive $130,561from USDA Rural Development. Brenda Iokepa-Moses, Rural Development Director for Hawai'i and the Western Pacific, said “It is a great day when we can partner with our communities to make a difference. We will continue to reach out to our rural communities to get the word out about our programs. We intend to have an even bigger footprint in helping our rural communities prosper in 2021!”

Brenda Iokepa-Moses

The $130,000 Rural Development investment will be used to help provide technical assistance to non-profit organizations and cooperatives to develop and improve board operations, management, and financial systems; instruction on how to develop and implement a strategic plan; instruction on how to access alternative funding sources to increase leveraging to organizations serving low-income communities on Hawaiʻi island. The technical assistance will develop the capacity of rural community organizations serving low-income community members in these four areas: Strategic Leadership, Performance Management, Communications & Marketing and Fund Development.

Iokepa-Moses pointed to opportunities to fund infrastructure. “Our Community Facilities projects impact entire communities and we are proud to be part of that process.”

According to the Rural Development statement, "Essential community infrastructure is key in ensuring that rural areas enjoy the same basic quality of life and services enjoyed by those in urban areas. Community Facilities Programs offer direct loans, loan guarantees and grants to develop or improve essential public services and facilities in communities across rural America. These amenities help increase the competitiveness of rural communities in attracting and retaining businesses that provide employment and services for their residents."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

HELP WITH SIGNING UP FOR MED-QUEST HEALTH INSURANCE is available through nonprofit organizations from Nov. 1 - Dec. 15. Local contacts through the community organization Kalanihale include Ka`imi Kaupilo of Miloli`i who can be reached at 808-937-1310 and Donna Kekoa, of Pāhala, at 808-769-1334.
The state's Med-Quest provides eligible low-income adults and children access to health and medical coverage through managed care plans.

Island of Hawaiʻi YMCA helps through Shon Araujo at 808-854-0152 and Carrie Fernandez at 808-854-0256. West Hawaiʻi Community Center assists through Beonka Snyder at 808-327-0803, Tina Evans at 808-640-8587, Charles Kelen at 808-491-9761, and Walter Lanw at 808-785-8201. Hawaiʻi Island HIV/AIDS Foundation helps through Rachelle Hanohano at 808-896-5051, Paul Thome at 858-876-5154, Melani Matsumoto at 808-854-1877 and Jennifer Reno-Medeiros at 808-333-6443.
Kokua Services will help with virtual appointments through the Certified Assisters above.

Springer Kay, of Kay Family Farms, won
a microgrant from Zonta for a second year
developing her business. Zonta photo.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

THE ZONTA CLUB ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND has issued $6,000 in five microgrants to women entrepreneurs. Its Pay It Forward 2020 program supports women entrepreneurs starting a new business or working to expand an existing business.

Receiving new grants are: Aesha Shapiro, founder of Ladies Artisan Market; Mattie Mae Larson, founder of Upcycle Hawaiʻi; and Sara Krosch, founder of Big Island Active. "All three women are working diligently to adapt their businesses to the current economic climate," said a statement from Zonta.

Repeat grant recipients were Springer Kaye of Kaye Family Farms and Kristina Henricks of Good Karma Spay and Neuter
Clinic. Both women received initial grants in 2019 and were awarded second grants this year based on reports of successful use of first year funding.

Zonta President Elyse Robinson said, ""We are excited that Zonta was able to assist female business owners keep their ventures on track, especially in tough 2020,"

The Zonta Club's Pay It Forward program opened the grant application process this summer for women-owned businesses on Hawaiʻi Island, and received a record number of high-quality applications.

Good Karma Spay & Neuter Program
founder Kristina Henricks won a grant
for the second year. Zonta photo

Plans for a program in 2021 are still under development. Microgrants are funded through the charitable arm of the club, Zonta Club of Hilo Foundation. Donations are tax-deductible. For more information, visit zontahilo.org. Zonta is based in Hilo.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

TUESDAY MORNING'S UPDATE ON COVID-19 came from county Civil Defense, saying, "The number of new active cases, on Hawaiʻi Island, reported and monitored by the Department of Health is 24. At this date, for Hawaiʻi Island, five are hospitalized. A total of 40 deaths have been reported on Hawaiʻi Island. Please do your part to stop the spread of this virus.

"On testing, there are no district tests today. For tomorrow, Wednesday, a district test, which is open to the public, is scheduled in North Kona at the Keauhou Shopping from 9 in the morning 'til 12 noon and in Hilo at the Civic Auditorium beginning at 3 in the afternoon 'til 6. Understand that the importance of testing is to identify positive cases as early as possible and in this way help stop the spread of the Coronavirus. Know that the virus spread is occurring island wide and preventive measures of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings are critical to stop the spread of the virus and therefore protect our family, friends and community. Please accept this kuleana to make Hawaiʻi Safe."

At mid-day, the the stateDepartment of Health reported two deaths and 91 new cases today. The state death toll for COVID-19 is 189. The state case total to date is 14,156.

At 4:45 p.m., the COVID-19 case count in the U.S. was more then 8,266,7711, with more than 220,955 deaths. Worldwide, there were more than 40,705,706 cases and more than 1,123,824 deaths, according to the reporting of Johns Hopkins University.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar

directory f or farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is

free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout

Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at

kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your

business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS

Presidential Debates Schedule: The final Presidential Debate will be held this Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee. The first Presidential Debate was held Sept. 29. The single Vice Presidential Debate was held Wednesday, Oct. 7. The second Presidential Debate was scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 but was canceled.

This week's debate will air from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., broadcast live on C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, Fox News, Fox Business Network, and MSNBC, among others. All the major news networks will offer a free live stream, as will YouTube and Twitter. Listen to the Hawaiʻi Public Radio broadcast at 89.1, or stream the audio here, on the HPR mobile app, or on a smart speaker.

Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center. Partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank system, the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Survey closes Oct. 31. Responses are confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.

Vote and Register In-Person same day. Locations are in Hilo at 101 Pauahi Street, #1, and Kona, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy. Ballots for registered voters should have arrived starting around Oct. 16. Secure ballot dropbox located in Nāʻālehu Police Station at 95-5355 Māmalahoa Hwy, 24 hours a day, until 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, Election Day. See other locations here. is Tuesday, Nov. 3. See tips on helping others to register to vote at nationalvoterregistrationday.org. Find more information at elections.hawaii.gov. Check voter registration status here.

ONGOING

Presidential Debate Schedule: The first Presidential Debate was held Tuesday, Sept. 29. The single Vice Presidential Debate was held Wednesday, Oct. 7. The second Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 15 in Miami, Florida. The final Presidential Debate will be held Thursday, Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.

Payments are made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.

Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.

The State of Hawai'i requires a Letter of Exemption for Farm Workers. Requests should be submitted to

covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church services and worship are posted online at stjudeshawaii.org. Join the Aloha Hour via Zoom at 11 a.m. on Sundays, here, Meeting ID: 684 344 9828, Password: Aloha. Weekly hot meals, hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended.

One-Time Emergency Food For Pets is available through KARES. Call David or Barbara Breskin at 319-8333.

Food Basket Distribution last Tuesday of the month, provides food at St. Jude's to those in need. See hawaiifoodbasket.org.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo

r Chromebooks and iPads here. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O

pen to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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.

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