The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Local avocados are in demand as the mainland market is insatiable and imports expensive. See
the list of fruits and vegetables that local wholesaler Suisan seeks to market for local farmers.
Photo from University of Hawai'i

SUPPORT FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL came from Sen. Mazie Hirono today. She released the following statement announcing that she backs Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All bill:
“We are all one diagnosis away from a major illness. When that time comes, no one should have to worry about whether they can afford the care that might save their life.

Both national and state campaign for single-payer health care have
been launched. Image from Dennis Miller who started a
Hawai'i petition.

“I support universal, affordable, accessible, quality health care as a right, not a privilege. A single payer, Medicare for All system is a strong articulation of this principle, which is why I support this bill.
“There are other strong proposals that will put us on a path to a single payer system. I will support proposals that reaffirm the principle that universal health care is a right, not a privilege.”

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KEEPING GRANDPARENTS, AND COUSINS from joining their relatives under the Trump travel ban received a nod from the U.S. Supreme Court today. The decision will immediately block about 25,000 refugees from entering the country.

The Administration filed a brief with the high court today, asking that a ban on grandparents and other close relatives remain until the court hears the broader travel ban case in October. Countering the Trump effort is Hawai'i Attorney General Doug Chin. On 9/11, he filed the State of Hawai'i's brief on the merits in Hawai'i v. Trump before the United States Supreme Court.
The Trump administration went to the Supreme court today, after an appeals court last week ruled that the Trump travel ban cannot block entry to grandparents and cousins of those already in the U.S., if an agency to resettle them has already agreed to sponsor them. This June, the high court prohibited the Administration from banning entry to those with a “bona fide” relationship with people or entities in the United States.
Trump's 90-day travel ban is directed at citizens coming here from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Hawai'i's brief to the Supreme Court states that "the President issued an executive order that exceeds his authority under the immigration laws and transgresses the boundaries of the Establishment Clause. In defending that order, the President claims authority 'parallel to Congress’s' to make 'federal law' with respect to immigration, insists that the courts owe him complete 'deference [as] the Executive,' and declares his decisions wholly 'immune from judicial control.' That breathtaking assertion of presidential power is irreconcilable with our constitutional framework. Our Framers crafted a Constitution predicated on the understanding that the 'accumulation of all powers legislative, executive and judiciary in the same hands, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny."

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Pick up the September edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli`i
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at kaucalendar.com

FARMERS AND SUPPLIERS OF LOCAL PRODUCE ARE SOUGHT AFTER by local food distributor Suisan Company. The Kohala Center's Rural and Cooperative Business Development Services reports that Suisan is looking connect for suppliers of: eggplant, soft and hard squash, peppers, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, corn, beets, carrots, daikon, radish, carrots, avocados, 'ulu, taro, beans, mustard cabbage, arugula, pineapple, melons, citrus, liliko'i, mango, banana, and dragonfruit. Those interested can contact Suisan Produce at 808-329-3746 or producegroup@suisan.com.

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BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS ARE ENCOURAGED by The Kohala Center's Rural and Cooperative Business Development Services to apply for USDA Farm Service Agency microloans to “cultivate big dreams on a small scale.”
The Kohala Center says that microloans have “reduced requirements and a simpler loan application [to help] small, niche, and beginning farmers and ranchers meet their goals. Apply for up to $35,000 to fund your farm or ranch operation." For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov/farmloans or the local FSA office.

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UPCOMING EVENTS FOR FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball: Wednesday, Sept. 13, Kamehameha vs. Ka'ū, home game.
Competitive Cheerleading: Wednesday, Sept. 13, at Hilo.

Eight-Man Football: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away game.

Cross Country: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away game.

Bowling: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Hilo & Konawaena at Kona Bowl.

Friends of the Ka'ū Libraries host their annual meeting
on Wednesday at 6 p.m., Pāhala Palntation House.

FRIENDS OF THE KA'Ū LIBRARIES will hold its annual meeting at Pāhala Plantation House tomorrow, Sept. 13, at 96-3209 Maile Street beginning at 6 p.m. Interested persons are invited to attend.

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES will be available at Ocean View Community Center on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more details, call 939-7033.

RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS MEET THURSDAY, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m., in the HOVE Road maintenance Corp. office. The meeting is meant for volunteers and those interested in becoming volunteers. For more, call Hannah Uribes at 929-9953.

REGISTER KEIKI FOR SUNFLOWER CRAFT until Sept. 15. The craft class, for keiki ages 6 to 14, will take place on Monday, Sept. 18, at Kahuku Park from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 929-9113 for more.

REGISTER 5TH GRADE GIRLS FOR GEMS BY SEPT. 15. Ka‘ū fifth grade girls are invited to start registering for GEMS, Girls Exploring Math and Science. The annual all day event has been set for the Crown Marriot King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel for Nov. 9.
Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and space is limited. Registration fee is $20 and scholarships are available. No girl will be turned away because of financial need.
All fifth grade girls residing in the West Hawai‘i School complex in public, private, or home-schooled are welcome. Sponsorship of girls by individuals or businesses will be accepted. For more information about GEMS, to sponsor a girl, or to request a registration packet, contact Cindy Armer, GEMS chairperson at cbarmer@hotmail.com or 808-896-7180. Remember GEMS registration form must be postmarked by 9-15-17. See more details on Ka'ū News Briefs from August 15, 2017.

WOOD VALLEY WATER COOPERATIVE will hold its annual meeting at Pahala Plantation House, 96-3209 Maile St. on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

REDEEM HI-5 RECYCLABLES AT NĀ'ĀLEHU SCHOOL GYM on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and receive 5 cents per container (sorted by type) and an additional 20 cents per pound on all aluminum. Atlas Recycling donates 20 cents per pound on all aluminum redeemed to the school. For more details, call 939-2413, ext. 230.

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI'IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk this Saturday, Sept. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit nps.gov/havo.

PEOPLE & LAND OF KAHUKU is a free, guided, 2.5 mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park that focuses on the area’s human history from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR a Tissue Art class register until Sept. 19. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

Growing seeds for those food plants that can thrive in the many environmental niches of Ka'ū and elsewhere on
the island will be discussed with training at the Hawai'i Seed Fest: Local Seeds for Local Needs. See story below.
Photo from hawaiiseedgrowersnetwork.com

PREVENTING POLICE FORCES FROM SEIZING PRIVATE PROPERTY - for profit without due process - is the aim of a bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday. Co-sponsored by Ka'ū's Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, with support from both Democrats and Republicans, it would ban adoptive forfeiture, the practice allowing the federal government to accept money and property seized by local law enforcement agencies from people, in some cases, before individuals are formally charged or proven guilty of a crime. According to Gabbard, the practice creates a loophole for states that have adopted "stringent, constitutionally sound asset forfeiture laws and allows them to continue practices that are otherwise deemed illegal at the state level."

Rep. Tulsi Gabber's bill, preventing asset forfeiture before owners of
property are found guilty, passed the U.S. House of Representatives.
Image from American Civil Liberties Union

Gabbard said that Attorney General Jeff Sessions' recent announcement to expand civil asset forfeiture "allows local law enforcement to bypass state laws and seize property from people with the lowest possible burden of evidence without concern for whether the person is eventually charged or convicted.

“While some will tell you this is necessary to go after big drug cartels, the reality is the median value of the adoptive forfeiture seizures is around $9,000. Not only is this median value not a sign of major drug trafficking operations, but seizures tend to be focused on poorer neighborhoods." She gave the example of the county where Chicago is located: "Between 2012 and 2017, the median value of assets seized by Cook County police was just over $1,000." She also pointed to Philadelphia: "In 2015, the median value was just $192."

Said Gabbard, “This policy does not discriminate between the innocent and the guilty. Rather, this policy places the responsibility on private citizens to prove their innocence rather than put the appropriate burden on law enforcement to prove guilt. All too often, innocent people without legal representation never see their money or property again, and even those who are proven innocent have no promise their property will be returned.

“The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution exists to protect the citizens of this country from being deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. In practice and in principle, adoptive forfeiture is a violation of that Fifth Amendment,” Gabbard declared.

Hawai'i Seed Growers and Kohala Center host two
events on growing seeds for food that are adapted
for the Hawai'i environment.
Image from Hawai'i Seed Growers Network

According to Gabbard, the practice of adoptive forfeiture was significantly drawn back during the Obama Administration and limited to exceptions related to public safety. "However, Attorney General Sessions recently issued a policy directive reauthorizing adoptive forfeiture practices. This decision marks a return to previous practices that run contrary to safeguarding civil liberties," said the Congresswoman.

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HAWAI’I SEED FEST: LOCAL SEEDS FOR LOCAL NEEDS, sponsored by The Kohala Center and Hawai’i Seed Growers Network, is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon in Pāhoa and Honalõ.
The Kohala Center’s event description invites interested persons to become part of the conversations on the hows and whys of growing seeds specifically adapted for Hawai'i.
"Check out variety trials in progress, learn how to conduct successful trials in your garden, enjoy refreshments and tastings of crops being grown from local seed, talk story with a local seed grower, and meet others in your community interested in improving local food security," says an announcement from The Kohala Center. Attendance is free but space is limited. Reserve a spot online at localseeds.eventbrite.com or call The Kohala Center at 808-887-6411. Visit Hawai'i Seed Growers Network.

Little Fire Ants can be identified at a session this Saturday. Bring
frozen ants in a bag to find out their identity.
Photo from Big Island Invasive Species Committee

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BATTLING LITTLE FIRE ANTS has come to the attention of the Queen Lili'uokalani Foundation, Ma'ona Community Garden and The Kohala Center, which are sponsoring an information session led by the Big Island Invasive Species Committee this Saturday, Sept. 16. It will be held at Ma'ona Community Garden in Honaunau.
Attendees will learn about the impact and threat of little fire ants to Hawai'i, how to survey for ants, and how to plan an effective treatment approach if ants are found. BIISC will also provide strategies and suggestions for working with neighbors to address an infestation in the neighborhood.

Also offered will be an on-site confirmation of ants - people can bring collected ants in a plastic bag after at least 12 hours in the freezer.
The Little Fire Ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, is known by many names around the world, including cocoa-tree ant, little red fire ant, or electric ant - because stings have been compared to the feeling of an electrical burn. It is native to South America, but has invaded tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world from Africa to Israel to Australia to the Galapagos Islands. It has spread to become a greenhouse pest in colder areas such as Europe and Canada. Little Fire Ants can be transported easily though many kinds of personal and commercial cargo. The Hawai'i Ant Lab and the University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture have worked for a decade to research and develop methods of controlling little fire ant in Hawai'i.

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THE KOHALA CENTER’S DEMONSTRATION FARM HOSTS A FIELD DAY on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (45-434 Lehua St, Honoka’a).
The Kohala Center’s event description offers "a farm tour, hands-on training, and planting of an agroforestry system designed to diversify crops, control weeds naturally, and improve soil health."
This event is open to the public, with high school students and teachers encouraged to learn about the upcoming fall High School Sustainable Agriculture Program.
Contact Dave Sansone at sansone@kohalacenter.org or 808-887-6411 for more information.

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Coach Josh
Ortega hosts
a volleyball
clinic Sept. 25.

'Ulu Makuakane, the first Miss Ka'ū
Coffee and former Miss Hawaiian
Islands, in the Miss South Pacific
Pageant, starts a Hula Werk class
on Sept. 28 at Ka'ū District Gym.

A VOLLEYBALL CLINIC for five to 14 year-old youth, co-sponsored by the Hawai'i Police Department, will be held at Ka'ū District Gym from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday Sept. 25. The instructor will be Ka'ū High School girls volleyball coach Joshua Ortega and coaching staff, assisted by the Ka'ū High School Girls Volleyball team. Gym or court shoes required. Participants must turn in a signed registration waiver form. For more information, and to register, call Ka'ū District Gym at 928-3102.

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'ULU MAKUAKANE has moved home to Ka'ū and begins teaching her Hula Werk exercise class on Thursday, Sept. 28 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m at the Ka'ū District Gym Multipurpose Room. Makuakane employs hula, Tahitian, Samoan and Hip Hop Dance moves for the workout. She recommends that participants dress comfortably, bring a pareo and water. Participants need to sign a release form before joining the class. Class is free but donations are accepted. Makuakane was the first Miss Ka'ū Coffee. She also served as Miss Hawaiian Islands representing Hawai'i in the Miss South Pacific Pageant.

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UPCOMING EVENTS FOR FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Eight-Man Football: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away game.

Cross Country: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away game.

Bowling: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Hilo & Konawaena at Kona Bowl.
Girls Volleyball: Monday, Sept. 18, Ka'ū vs. Makualani, away game.
Wednesday, Sept. 20, Ka'ū vs. Konawaena, away game.

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES will be available at Ocean View Community Center tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more details, call 939-7033.

RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS MEET TOMORROW, Thursday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m., in the HOVE Road maintenance Corp. office. The meeting is meant for volunteers and those interested in becoming volunteers. For more, call Hannah Uribes at 929-9953.

REGISTER KEIKI FOR SUNFLOWER CRAFT until Friday, Sept. 15. The craft class, for keiki ages 6 to 14, will take place on Monday, Sept. 18, at Kahuku Park from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 929-9113 for more.

REGISTER 5TH GRADE GIRLS FOR GEMS BY FRIDAY SEPT. 15. Ka‘ū fifth grade girls are invited to start registering for GEMS, Girls Exploring Math and Science. The annual all day event has been set for the Crown Marriot King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel for Nov. 9.
Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and space is limited. Registration fee is $20 and scholarships are available. No girl will be turned away because of financial need.
All fifth grade girls residing in the West Hawai‘i School complex in public, private, or home-schooled are welcome. Sponsorship of girls by individuals or businesses will be accepted. For more information about GEMS, to sponsor a girl, or to request a registration packet, contact Cindy Armer, GEMS chairperson at cbarmer@hotmail.com or 808-896-7180. Remember GEMS registration form must be postmarked by 9-15-17. See more details on Ka'ū News Briefs from August 15, 2017.

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WOOD VALLEY WATER COOPERATIVE will hold its annual meeting at Pahala Plantation House, 96-3209 Maile St. on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

REDEEM HI-5 RECYCLABLES AT NĀ'ĀLEHU SCHOOL GYM on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and receive 5 cents per container (sorted by type) and an additional 20 cents per pound on all aluminum. Atlas Recycling donates 20 cents per pound on all aluminum redeemed to the school. For more details, call 939-2413, ext. 230.

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI'IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk this Saturday, Sept. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit nps.gov/havo.

PEOPLE & LAND OF KAHUKU is a free, guided, 2.5 mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park that focuses on the area’s human history from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR a Tissue Art class register until Sept. 19. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

A GILBERT & SULLIVAN CHRISTMAS CAROL will be the December play by Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network. Auditions will be held on Thursday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 21, at 10 a.m. at KMC's Kīlauea Theater. Auditioneers should prepare a song that best features their vocal ability. There are parts for all ages, from Scrooge to Tiny Tim.

A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol with story by Charles Dickens, music by Arthur Sullivan, and Words by Gayden Wren (inspired by W.S. Gilbert) is another look at the Christmas classic with the bonus of Gilbert & Sullivan music. The show uses songs from many of the Gilbert & Sullivan operettas; an example is the three ghosts sing Three Little Maids from School from The Mikado but with lyrics that suit the show. Suzi Bond is directing the show with musical direction by Walter Greenwood.
A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol will play for one weekend only Dec. 14 to 17; Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.. For more information call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.

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http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

Filipino World War II Veterans will finally receive the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor on Oct. 25.
Photo from Asian Journal

FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS will receive the highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25. The ceremony, announced today, is the result of Sen. Mazie Hirono and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s bill to honor more than 260,000 Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers who fought in the Pacific Theater.

“The presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal to our Filipino World War II veterans is the culmination of decades of work to honor these veterans for their service to our country,” said Hirono. “These veterans and their families overcame many challenges in their fight for

Filipino World War II veterans who fought for the U.S. will receive
the Congressional Gold Medal following passage of a bill in
Congress championed by Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.

compensation, family reunification, and verification of wartime service. I look forward to participating in the ceremony to provide this long overdue recognition next month.”

Gabbard put it this way: “The United States is indebted to the service, bravery, and perseverance of Filipino veterans of World War II. Their sacrifices were left untold in the United States for decades, as they fought for recognition by the country they served. I am proud that we can correct the record today, and finally honor the service and sacrifice of these heroes and their families, and ensure they are never forgotten.”

The ceremony will be held in Emancipation Hall and will be live-streamed on speaker.gov/live. Filipino World War II veterans and their families who are interested in participating in the ceremony and receiving a bronze replica medal can register through the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project at filvetrep.org/registry.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi will take part in the bipartisan, bicameral ceremony, along with Hirono and Gabbard.

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FREE SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND A DINNER, sponsored by Nā'ālehu teacher Raina Whiting, will be held at Ocean View Community Center tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 15 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO HELP WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES IN THE COMMUNITY is offered by The Nature Conservancy.

The Nature Conservancy has announced a call for applications through Nov. 3 for student projects that develop nature-based, green infrastructure solutions to an environmental challenge in their community.
Applications are open for public and charter schools to build or maintain a Nature Works Everywhere school garden, greenspace or green infrastructure project. Up to sixty (60) grants will be given in the amount of $2000 during the 2017 - 2018 school year.

Ka'ū High School Service Club volunteers at The Nature
Conservancy's Kaiholena Preserve in 2014.
Photo from The Nature Conservancy

"A Nature Works Everywhere project empowers students and teachers to work together to create and implement their own solutions to environmental challenges in their communities," says a statement from The Nature Conservancy. "Whether addressing issues surrounding access to healthy food, air quality, heat island effect, or storm water collection, youth are empowered as social innovators to model solutions in their school communities through design and implementation. Nature Works Everywhere projects connect students to a global challenge – to protect the natural systems that produce our food, water, clean air and energy."
For full details on requirements, eligibility, and how to apply go to NatureWorksEverywhere.org/#grants

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RIDE SO THEY CAN WALK invites the community to help end polio worldwide with a Rotary Club biking event Saturday, Nov. 11 through Saturday, Nov. 18. Organized statewide by Volcano resident Charlene Meyers, Ride So They Can Walk invites everyone to ride on their own schedule, desired distance and place.

Charlene Meyers is ready to Ride So They Can Walk to help end
polio worldwide. Photo by Amos Meyers

Meyers, a Rotarian and Polio Plus Chair for the state, said, “Rotarians, individual community members, biking groups and clubs riding bikes, and those on stationary bikes in health clubs and gyms will ride in support of eradicating polio. This ride is different in that no roads need be closed as everyone will ride on their own schedule and desired distance.”
Each rider will pay a $20 registration fee and "will also have friends and family sponsor their ride with all those donations going to Rotary’s Polio Plus program.”

When Rotary Club International started the campaign to eradicate polio in 1988 there were 350,000 cases a year in the world.

“As of the date of writing this there are ten cases worldwide – six in Afghanistan and four in Pakistan,” said Meyers. “This isn’t good enough – Zero is the magic number.” Even with the few cases worldwide each year, vaccinations are needed to keep the disease from spreading again through vast populations of people, Meyers explained.

Each Ride So They Can Walk participant will receive a commemorative towel with the specially designed logo once they complete the ride and bring in a minimum of $100 in sponsor donations. Suggested Meyers, “Do even more by challenging another rider to see how many sponsor dollars you can bring in.”

To sign up for Ride So They Can Walk, make the $20 registration check to Charlene Meyers, with Polio Plus Chair on the notation line. Make out contribution checks of $100 or more to Rotary D5000 - Polio Ride. Send both to: Charlene Meyers, Polio Plus Chair, P.O. Box 59, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, HI 96718.
Meyers is former President of Volcano Rotary Club and current member of Hilo Rotary Club. She also owns the company Images of Hawai'i.

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Image from Braddah Ben and Kaniu

KA'Ū NATIVE AND KA'Ū HIGH GRAD Ben Mejia, who lives and performs on O'ahu, wants to bring home his band, Braddah Ben and Kaniu, with its first album, Hawai'i Is My Home.
The trio seeks sponsors to allow them to make their way back to the Big Island to perform, says Mejia.
Braddah Ben and Kaniu play Contemporary Hawaiian island music. Mejia is lead guitarist, with Al Rowland on rhythm guitar and Herman Coiser on bass.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser columnist John Berger gave the album an “excellent review in the newspaper welcoming us to the Hawaiian Contemporary music scene. We are so excited to see our music spread around the island and expand throughout the world,” says the bands official website, mejiamusic123.com.
In Ka'ū, find the Braddah Ben and Kanio Hawai'i Is My Home album at Punalu'u Bake Shop in Nā'ālehu and Hawai’i’s Local Buzz on South Point Road. It is also available at Bishop Museum on O'ahu and on iTunes, and over 150 online music retailers. Braddah Ben and Kaniu can also be heard on YouTube.

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UPCOMING EVENTS FOR FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Eight-Man Football: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away game.

Cross Country: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.

Bowling: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Hilo & Konawaena at Kona Bowl.
Girls Volleyball: Monday, Sept. 18, Ka'ū vs. Makualani, away.
Wednesday, Sept. 20, Ka'ū vs. Konawaena, away.

REGISTER 5TH GRADE GIRLS FOR GEMS BY TOMORROW SEPT. 15. Ka‘ū fifth grade girls are invited to start registering for GEMS, Girls Exploring Math and Science. The annual all day event has been set for the Crown Marriot King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel for Nov. 9.
Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and space is limited. Registration fee is $20 and scholarships are available. No girl will be turned away because of financial need.

For more details, see the Ka'ū News Briefs from Aug. 30, 2017.

All fifth grade girls residing in the West Hawai‘i School complex in public, private, or home-schooled are welcome. Sponsorship of girls by individuals or businesses will be accepted. For more information about GEMS, to sponsor a girl, or to request a registration packet, contact Cindy Armer, GEMS chairperson at cbarmer@hotmail.com or 808-896-7180. Remember GEMS registration form must be postmarked by 9-15-17. See more details on Ka'ū News Briefs from August 15, 2017.

REGISTER KEIKI FOR SUNFLOWER CRAFT until tomorrow, Sept. 15. The craft class, for keiki ages 6 to 14, will take place on Monday, Sept. 18, at Kahuku Park from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 929-9113 for more.

REGISTER FOR A VOLLEYBALL CLINIC for five to 14 year-old youth, co-sponsored by the Hawai'i Police Department. It will be held at Ka'ū District Gym from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday Sept. 25. Instructors are Ka'ū High School Girls Volleyball coach Joshua Ortega and coaching staff, assisted by Ka'ū High School Girls Volleyball team. Gym or court shoes required. Participants must turn in a signed registration waiver form. For more information, and to register, call Ka'ū District Gym at 928-3102.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR TISSUE ART CLASS until Sept. 19. The class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

WOOD VALLEY WATER COOPERATIVE will hold its annual meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, 96-3209 Maile St., on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

REDEEM HI-5 RECYCLABLES AT NĀ'ĀLEHU SCHOOL GYM on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and receive 5 cents per container (sorted by type) and an additional 20 cents per pound on all aluminum. Atlas Recycling donates 20 cents per pound on all aluminum redeemed to the school. For more details, call 939-2413, ext. 230.

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI'IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk this Saturday, Sept. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit nps.gov/havo.

PEOPLE & LAND OF KAHUKU is a free, guided, 2.5 mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park that focuses on the area’s human history from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17.

A GILBERT & SULLIVAN CHRISTMAS CAROL will be the December play by Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network. Auditions will be held on Thursday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 21, at 10 a.m. at KMC's Kīlauea Theater. Auditioneers should prepare a song that best features their vocal ability. There are parts for all ages, from Scrooge to Tiny Tim.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist monitored the advance of an 'a'ā lava flow on April 6 during
the 1984 Mauna Loa eruption. This flow was about 4 m (13 ft) high and advancing at a rate of 50 m (55 yards)
per hour. Lava reached within 6 km (4 mi) of Hilo city limits before the 22-day-long eruption ended on
April 15. See story below. USGS photo by P.W. Lipman

SUPPORTERS OF THE PUBLIC ACQUISITION OF WAIKAPUNA took enthusiasm to this week's county Public Access Open Space and Natural Resources Commission meeting. John Replogle, Nohea Ka'awa, La'akea Suganuma, Megan Lamson, Michelle Galimba, Rick Gmirken from the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail; Keoni Fox, Linda Gallano and an intern from Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail Association; Marcie Davis from E Mau Na Ala Hele, Wendy Vance from Ho’omalu Ka’ū and Laura Ka'akua, Native Lands Project Manager for The Trust for Public Land, traveled to the PONC meeting in Kona.

Waikapuna, in orange and Kaunamano, in purple are two proposed area for preservation along
the Ka'ū Coast. Image from state Department of Land & Natural Resources

Those speaking to the commission shared their connection to Waikapuna and their ability to kokua through a partnership with Ala Kahakai Trail Association owning the property and the local community helping to steward the land. Suganuma shared stories of his kupuna connection to Waikapuna. Galimba talked of her family ranch connection. Lamson, a marine biologist, spoke of commitment to malama marine resources.

Also in attendance were Bruce Rae and Olivia Ling of Ka'ū Agroforestry Association who testified in support of their separate Waikapuna nomination where the County would own the property and Ka'ū Agroforestry would steward.

After public testimony, the commissioners discussed their Waikapuna site visits and PONC commissioner Rick Warshauer, of Volcano, summarized his site visit report on the record. Gmirkin, an archaeologist for the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, clarified the nature of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail corridor to the commissioners.

Fox explained that two kuleana lots within the larger Waikapuna parcel are not for sale because the landowner does not have clear title. Fox and Ka'akua spoke about the need for balanced and managed access.

Council member Maile David said after the meeting that once the PONC scoring is finalized and released, prioritizing those properties on the PONC to be negotiated for purchase, she hopes to submit a resolution to the County Council to authorize the County to protect Waikapuna in perpetuity.

Another proposal is for acquisition of Kaunamano and the Makahiki Grounds, which comes before the PONC committee on Oct. 9. See map.

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FRIENDS OF THE KA'Ū LIBRARIES held its annual meeting this week at Pāhala Plantation House. Officers for 2017 - 2018 are President Sandra Demoruelle, Vice President Linda Morgan, Secretary Debbie Wong Yuen and Treasurer Ann Fontes. Directors are Kirsi Klein, Deborah Lynn Dickerson and Joe Demoruelle. DD Davis was thanked for her years of service and allowed to step down to concentrate on her art and design work.

Friends of the Ka'ū Library, former President DD Davis, Secretary Linda
Morgan, Treasurer Ann Fontes, Director Kirsi Klein, President
Sandra Demoruelle. Back row Nā'ālehu Librarian Sara Kamibayashi,
Directors Joe DeMoruelle and Deborah Lynn Dickerson.
Photo by Julia Neal

Demourelle said that since Friends of the Ka'ū Libraries formed in 1995, volunteer members "have continuously worked hard raising funding which has been used to improve library services and resources for the Ka'ū community." This year, the organization supported programming at both Pāhala Public and School Library and Nā'ālehu Library such as the Summer Reading Program. The Summer Reading Program is for every age group – children to senior citizens – encouraging family members to participate together.
Demoruelle said she enjoyed challenging her great-grandson Daniel to keep reading during summer vacation to have a head-start on kindergarten. Friends of the Ka'ū Libraries volunteer readers also participated in the Ka'ū Health Fair in April.
Along with the regular resources provided to the libraries, Friends of the Ka'ū Libraries has funded the Ka'ū History Project which has maintained and expanded the historic record through oral histories of Ka'ū’s seniors and records of events like the Keiki Fishing Tournament.
Each year, volunteers work to sponsor fundraising book sales, with the most successful, said Demoruelle, being the annual Ho'olaule'a for the Ka'ū Coffee Festival in Pāhala.
To join or learn more about Friends of the Ka'ū Libraries, email at friendskaul@gmail.com.

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Aerial view of Mauna Loa erupting on the morning of March 25, 1984, the
first day of the volcano's most recent eruption. The lava flow was
advancing southeast, toward Kīlauea, from fissure vents at about
11,200 feet on Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone. Moku'āweoweo, Mauna
Loa's summit caldera, is visible at top left. USGS photo by J.P. Lockwood

MAUNA LOA'S UNREST CONTINUES, BUT OUTCOME IS UNCERTAIN is the word in this week's Volcano Watch written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists:
On Sept. 17, 2015, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory upgraded the Volcano Alert Level for Mauna Loa, Hawaiʻi Island's largest volcano (on which most of Ka'ū is located). The Alert Level was changed from Normal to Advisory and the Aviation Color Code from Green to Yellow. Two years later, the volcano remains at Advisory/Yellow.
What's up with Mauna Loa, and is any change in sight? Should residents relax or stay vigilant?
The 2015 alert level upgrade followed more than a year of inflation as magma slowly filled shallow reservoirs beneath the summit and upper Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. This was new behavior for the volcano following several years of no new magma input into the shallow plumbing system. At the same time, the rate of shallow, small earthquakes beneath the volcano was elevated, reflecting stresses that built as the volcano became pressurized.
Since then, rates of inflation and seismicity have waxed and waned, but have remained above what is considered to be long-term background levels. In addition, HVO has detected more small magnitude (less than M3) earthquakes beneath Mauna Loa than at any time since the previous eruption in 1984.

Erupting vents on Mauna Loa’s northeast rift zone near Pu‘u‘ula‘ula

(Red Hill) on Mar. 25, 1984, sent massive ‘a‘ā lava flows down

the rift toward Kūlani. Photo from HVO/USGS

From 2013 to 2015, shallow earthquakes clustered in locations similar to those that preceded Mauna Loa's two most recent eruptions in 1975 and 1984. But, the cumulative energy release—basically, the sum of the energy of each individual earthquake—remained relatively low compared to the years before the 1975 and 1984 eruptions. That low energy release was one indication that an eruption was at least many months to years away.

But today, the cumulative energy release of earthquakes since 2013 has essentially matched the pre-1975 and pre-1984 energy releases. Does this mean an eruption could occur within weeks to months?
Not likely, say HVO scientists. If Mauna Loa follows the "script" of 1975 and 1984, before the volcano ramps up to an eruption, HVO would expect to see lots of small earthquakes occurring frequently beneath the summit—many more than are currently recorded—over a period of months. HVO would also expect at least an hour, or hours, of tremor (constant ground vibration) as a final warning that magma is on its way to the surface.

Hot and cold, the summit of Mauna Loa at 13,679 feet, with pit craters

Moku’aweoweo Caldera, 3 miles long, and Mauna Kea in the

background. HVO/USGS photo

But how certain is it that Mauna Loa will follow the script of 1975 and 1984? That's the unknown.
Scientists cannot discount the possibility that Mauna Loa will move from current conditions to eruption more quickly than it did in 1975 and 1984, potentially with only days to weeks of sharply increased activity.

It also remains possible that the current unrest will gradually cease without the volcano erupting, as it did during periods of unrest in 2002 and 2004. HVO scientists concluded, We must continue to live with uncertainty about the timing and details of Mauna Loa's next eruption.
In the meantime, HVO is closely monitoring the volcano and working with partner agencies and communities to prepare for a future eruption response. HVO scientists are also identifying the key scientific questions they would seek to answer in the next eruption.

Since 1984, HVO has upgraded and added monitoring instrumentation, developing alarm systems to rapidly notify changes that might indicate that a Mauna Loa eruption is imminent or in progress. HVO also created map tools and other products to assist authorities and the public during the volcano's next eruption.
Getting back to the question, HVO scientists ask, "Should residents relax or stay vigilant?" The answer is, "Be prepared. Develop a family emergency plan and review emergency supplies. Know where you live and work with respect to Mauna Loa hazard zones."

More information on readying our island community for whatever Mauna Loa has in store for us can be found at volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/preparedness.html.
Counsels HVO, "In Hawai'i, we also face hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunami, flooding, and fires, so there are many possible emergencies year round. Preparing for one helps prepare for all."
The USGS Fact Sheet, Mauna Loa—History, Hazards, and Risk of Living with the World's Largest Volcano, provides valuable info and is available online at pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2012/3104/fs2012-3104.pdf.
Residents and visitors can also stay informed about Mauna Loa through volcano updates and monitoring data posted on the HVO website at volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/. Sign up to receive email updates automatically through the free USGS Volcano Notification Service at volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns/.

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Ka'ū Trojans traveled to Lana'i and took a loss to the
Wildcat but Ka'ū freshman Isaiah Pilanca-Emmsley
won Hawai'i Tribune Herald Athlete of the Week.
Photo from Lana'i High Athletics

ISAIAH PILANCA-EMMSLEY has been named Hawai'i Tribune-Herald Athlete of the Week. The Tribune-Herald story, published Sept. 14, praises the freshman for his five touchdowns last weekend when the Trojans traveled to Lana'i to play the Wildcats.
Pilanca-Emmsley won the award for standing strong as the Trojans suffered a devastating loss, with Lana'i scoring 90 points and Ka'ū 58. According to the Tribune Herald, the game "was reported to be the highest-scoring Hawai'i high school football game on record, and the Trojans' freshman played a big role with five touchdowns."
According to the Tribune Herald, Pilanca-Emmsley's farorite song is Hail Mary; favorite food is steak; favorite sports role model is Michael Vic; football makes him happy and SpongeBob SquarePants is his favorite cartoon character.

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Ocean View Pickleball, including Dakota and Stephanie
Hensley meets three times a week and invites new players.
Photo by Jacquie Lee Woodmansee

THE OCEAN VIEW PICKLEBALL CLUB is reaching out to the community, offering to teach and welcome more players. Secretary Jacquelynn Lee Woodmansee said the hui has been "playing Pickleball for a little over five years. We have players of all ages. We welcome new comers and beginners. Equipment is available for all."
Stephanie Hensley is President, Roberta Barger is Treasurer.
Ocean View Pickleball meets Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Kahuku Park on Paradise Parkway Circle. Bring water and a chair.
See facebook.com/oceanviewpickleball/
For more information, call 929-7092.

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IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP KEIKI SAFE, National Child Passenger Safety Certification, a Safe Kids Worldwide program, is offering free car seat checks at Pāhala Community Center on Friday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. Partners for Safe Keiki and Hawai’i County Fire Department co-sponsor the event. All are welcome.

The program flyer states the event is a “non-profit community effort to promote traffic safety through awareness and education. Future Child Car Seat Safety Checks will be available. We ensure that children leave checkpoints safer than when they arrived."

Those with recalled or structurally unsound car seats will receive a free new car seat, acquired through grant funding from the Department of Transportation. Check points have certified technicians on hand who have been trained according to National Child Passenger Safety Certification standards.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call or text 808-896-1336. For information about Child Passenger Safety, visit safekids.org.

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UPCOMING EVENTS FOR FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Eight-Man Football: tomorrow, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away game.

Cross Country: tomorrow, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away game.

Bowling: tomorrow, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Hilo & Konawaena at Kona Bowl.

Girls Volleyball: Monday, Sept. 18, Ka'ū vs. Makualani, away game.

Wednesday, Sept. 20, Ka'ū vs. Konawaena, away game.

For more details, see the Ka'ū News Briefs from Aug. 30, 2017.

BATTLING LITTLE FIRE ANTS has come to the attention of the Queen Lili'uokalani Foundation, Ma'ona Community Garden and The Kohala Center, which are sponsoring an information session led by the Big Island Invasive Species Committee tomorrow, Sept. 16. It will be held at Ma'ona Community Garden in Honaunau.

Attendees will learn about the impact and threat of little fire ants to Hawai'i, how to survey for ants, and how to plan an effective treatment approach if ants are found. BIISC will also provide strategies and suggestions for working with neighbors to address an infestation in the neighborhood.
Also offered will be an on-site confirmation of ants - people can bring collected ants in a plastic bag after at least 12 hours in the freezer.
Read the full story on Wednesday, Sept. 13's Ka'ū News Briefs.

WOOD VALLEY WATER COOPERATIVE will hold its annual meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, 96-3209 Maile St., tomorrow, Sept. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

REDEEM HI-5 RECYCLABLES AT NĀ'ĀLEHU SCHOOL GYM tomorrow, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and receive 5 cents per container (sorted by type) and an additional 20 cents per pound on all aluminum. Atlas Recycling donates 20 cents per pound on all aluminum redeemed to the school. For more details, call 939-2413, ext. 230.

A MEMBERSHIP MEETING AND POTLUCK, open to members and the public, will be hosted by Hawai'i Farmers Union United East Hawai'i Chapter tomorrow, Sept. 16, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at a private farm in Onomea. "Activities will include hands-on farm work, chapter updates, potluck lunch, and a special presentation from Hawai'i Island Swine Producers Cooperative about no smell piggeries using localized feed. There is no cost to attend. Please contact Drake Weinert at drakew@gmail.com to register and receive directions to the farm."

"Pele and Hi'iaka," an oil painting by Linda Rowel Stevens
depicting Hawaiian Goddess Pele holding an egg
bearing her little sister, Hi'iaka.

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI'IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk tomorrow, Sept. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit nps.gov/havo.

PEOPLE & LAND OF KAHUKU is a free, guided, 2.5 mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park that focuses on the area’s human history from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17. For more, visit nps.gov/havo.

Tissue Art: register until Sept. 19. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD meets Wednesday, Sept. 20, at noon in the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA'Ū meets Thursday, Sept. 21, at 5:30 p.m. For more details, call 929-9731 or 936-7262.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

Less than a week left to sign up online for the annual Ka'ū Coffee Trail Run starting at Ka'ū Coffee Mill
up Wood Valley Road. See poster below. Photo by Pam Taylor

CLIMATE WEEK IS Gov. David Ige's destination. He left for New York City on Friday to attend one of the key international summits that has driven climate action since it was launched in 2009. It will be held at the Morgan Library & Museum.
The Climate Group is hosting the summit, which will be the first international climate conference in the United States since Pres. Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

Gov. David Ige heads to New
York for Climate Week.

The summit brings together international government, business and community leaders to discuss global climate action. Climate Week takes place alongside the United Nations General Assembly. Ige will speak at the opening session and and participate in moderated discussion between the speakers.
The governor is traveling with Scott Glenn, director of the Office of Environmental Quality Control and a member of the governor’s security team. Ige departed for Los Angeles Friday for a brief lay-over. He arrives in New York City on Sunday. He returns to Hawai‘i on Wednesday, Sept. 20.
Attorney General Douglas Chin is acting governor while Ige is out of town.

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The two largest earthquakes in Hawai'i
in the last two days were in the sea-
bed off O'ahu and near Pahala. Map
from Hawai`i Volcano Observatory

A MAGNITUDE-4.2 EARTHQUAKE was felt on Hawai'i Island last night, though its epicenter was 20 miles northeast of Kaneohe on O'ahu below the seabed. It struck at 8:40 p.m. and according to Hawai'i Volcano Observatory Seismic Manager Brian Shiro, "The earthquake was likely due to bending of the oceanic plate from the weight of the island chain and poses no significant hazard.”

On Thursday, a 3.04 earthquake struck at 3:45 p.m. 0.6 miles south, southeast of Pahala at a depth of 22 miles.
Learn more on HVO's website at volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/earthquakes/.

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MORE JAPANESE VISITORS ARE EXPECTED to travel to Ka'ū to Green Sands Beach, Punalu'u Black Sand Beach and Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, with the return yesterday of Japan Airline's daily flights to the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. Gov. David Ige was on island to welcome the inaugural flight from Narita International Airport.

Gov. David Ige welcomes the return of daily JAL flights to
the island. Photo from the Office of Governor David Ige

The new service is expected to generate $9.8 million in tax revenue and create 900 new jobs, according to the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.

Said the governor, “We warmly welcome Japan Airlines back to Kona. We are extremely excited about the daily service to Kona, which is on its way to becoming Hawai‘i’s second major international port of entry. JAL has offered excellent service to the Aloha State for more than 60 years, and has played a significant role in expanding and supporting our tourism industry and economy. We are also thankful for the opportunity for cultural exchange with Japan.”

Hawai'i Tourism Authority predicts
$9.8 million in tax revenues and
900 jobs from new JAL daily flights.
Photo from Office of Gov. David Ige

George Szigeti, President and Chief Executive officer of Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, said, “Our thanks go to Japan Airlines and Chairman Masaru Onishi for being such a great and loyal friend to Hawai'i’s tourism industry. This new non-stop flight connecting Tokyo and Kona reinforces Japan Airlines’ commitment to support travel to the Hawaiian Islands, while offering its customers an enticing new vacation experience to discover the allure and natural beauty found on the island of Hawai‘i.”

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MELE AND HULA will be presented by Hālau Ke ‘Olu Makani O Maunaloa, this Wednesday at Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Led by Kumu Hula Meleana Manuel, the halau mission is to strive to perpetuate the native Hawaiian culture through mele (song) and hula. The event is free. Park entrance fees apply. The event is sponsored by Hawai'i Volcano National Park's interpretation division.

Hālau Ke ‘Olu Makani O Maunaloa performs this Wednesday

at Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. Photo from NPS

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ONLINE NATIVE HAWAIIAN CULTURAL RESOURCES will be more accessible to remote Ka'ū residents as more online programs receive funding. Sen. Mazie Hirono announced yesterday that Native Hawaiian organizations will receive more than $500,000 from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services to enhance access to Native Hawaiian language and cultural resources.

Hirono said that “By increasing access to Native Hawaiian manuscripts and historic materials, the projects supported by this grant will help to preserve Native Hawaiian traditions and culture. I will continue working to see that Native Hawaiian programs receive the federal support they need to implement important projects like these.”

Yesterday's federal investment announcement includes four grants that support research, archival, and educational projects from the Bishop Museum, Hawai'i Maoli, Hula Preservation Society, and Papahana Kuaola.

Digitizing and providing online accessibility
to songs of old Hawai'i come with the
Welo Hou project.
Image from Bishop Museum

“Mele are an invaluable primary resource for Hawaiian scholarship and cultural connection. Welo Hou: Building Connections to the Roberts Mele Collection will improve the digitization, indexing, and accessibility of a unique and treasured collection of mele dating from pre-Western contact to the early 1900s. This pilot project will serve as a model for improved access to and increased engagement with the Bishop Museum Library & Archives’ other mele collections,” said Leah Caldeira, Library & Archives Collection Manager for the Bishop Museum. “In support of the Museum’s mission to inspire our community and visitors through the exploration and celebration of extraordinary history, culture, and environment of Hawai'i and the Pacific, Welo Hou honors the connections between Hawaiian voices of the past and our community of the present.”

Maile Alau, Executive Director of Hawai'i Maoli, said, “Our teachers are on the frontlines of addressing the critical learning needs of Native Hawaiian students. Through Nana I Ke Kumu (Look to the Source), we will offer professional development to train librarians and other educational leaders to use Hawaiian cultural repositories and resources that support curricular goals of Hawaiian students. With so much culturally relevant digital content available at any computer, tablet, or smartphone, we believe that teachers and students will be able to expand and deepen their knowledge of Hawaiian history, culture, genealogy, chant, and language.” The project will provide library research skills training for 40 Native Hawaiian students and Hawaiian resource database workshops for at least 125 educators.

Hula Preservation Society preserves oral
histories and creations of hula elders, like
the late George Na'ope who mentored
kumu hula and wrote songs for Ka'ū.
Image from Hula Preservation Society

Maile Loo, Executive Director of the Hula Preservation Society, said: “Hula Preservation Society’s cultural library is built upon the oral histories and associated materials of our late hula elders, who helped lay the groundwork for the Hawaiian Renaissance in the last century. This grant from the Institute of Museum & Library Services will assist the Hula Preservation Society in providing first-time direct online access to these resources, digitally preserve an additional 700 treasured historical items under are care, dating back to 1890, and provide internship opportunities for Native Hawaiian youth entering the Library Information Science and Hawaiian Studies fields."

The project will develop online tutorials and digital preservation of 150 audio pieces and 550 historic photos.

Papahana Kuaola's Makaikai Mele a Moolelo project will provide moolelo/mele tours specifically designed for kupuna and the general community to nurture understanding and appreciation of traditional Hawaiian literature and the places to which they are connected.

Hirono said she continues to support federal funding for Native Hawaiian programs and services, and has consistently supported the Institute for Museum & Library Services, National Endowment for the Arts, and National Endowment for the Humanities during her time in Congress. Earlier this year, she signed letters with her colleagues requesting support for Institute for Museum & Library Services Office of Museum Service. She said it is the country’s largest dedicated commitment "to our nation’s museums, which support around 400,000 Americans and contributes $21 billion to the U.S. economy ever year."

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Ka`u Chamber of Commerce logo by Tanya Ibarra

CU HAWAI'I OFFERS TO PAY $1 ENTRY FEE FOR KEIKI ARTISTS submitting art to the Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce's Annual Art Show, which accepts entries on Monday, Sept. 25. The art show will be open for public viewing from Tuesday, Sept. 26, to Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā'ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.
An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30.
Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There will also be categories for Youth and Keiki entries, for which the entry fee is $1 per artwork.
The winning popular vote piece will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

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Hawaiian Petrel
Photo by Jim Denny

THE ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN PETREL, ‘UA‘U, will be the subject of discussion at Coffee Talk on Friday, Sept. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. inside the Visitor Center at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
The ‘ua‘u, an endangered Hawaiian seabird that spends the majority of its life at sea, lands only to nest and raise its young in deep burrows. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Avian Research Technician Charlotte Forbes-Perry will present a talk about the life of the ‘ua‘u and the National Park’s efforts to monitor and protect them.
Coffee Talk at Kahuku, an informal conversation on a wide variety of topics, is open to the public, and takes place on the last Friday of every month. Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to the event and park is free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

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TROJANS TRAVELED TO KOHALA today, Saturday, for the eight-man Ka'ū High School football team to take on the Cowboys. Ka'ū beat Kohala on Sept. 2 with a score of 26-6. In other games this season, Ka'ū traveled to Lana'i, losing 58-90. Ka'ū lost to Pāhoa, 8-32.
Ka'ū's Cross Country team traveled to Kea'au on Saturday. The bowling team went to Kona.

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball
Monday, Sept. 18, Ka'ū vs. Makualani, away.

Wednesday, Sept. 20, Ka'ū vs. Konawaena, away.

Friday, Sept. 22,Ka'ū vs. Christian Liberty, home.

Eight-Man Football
Thursday, Sept. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, away game at Kea'au Field.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Hawai'i Prep, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe at Kona Bowl.

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PEOPLE & LAND OF KAHUKU is a free, guided, 2.5 mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park that focuses on the area’s human history from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 17.

Tissue Art: register until Sept. 19. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD meets Wednesday, Sept. 20, at noon in the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA'Ū meets Thursday, Sept. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Methodist Church. The new President is Berkeley Yoshida. For more details, call Blossom DeSilva at 929-9731.

IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP KEIKI SAFE, National Child Passenger Safety Certification, a Safe Kids Worldwide program, is offering free car seat checks at Pāhala Community Center on Friday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. Partners for Safe Keiki and Hawai’i County Fire Department co-sponsor the event. All are welcome.

Those with recalled or structurally unsound car seats will receive a free new car seat, acquired through grant funding from the Department of Transportation. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call or text 808-896-1336. For information about Child Passenger Safety, visit safekids.org.

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THE NATURE CONSERVANCY HOSTS A VOLUNTEER DAY at its Kona Hema Preserve in South Kona on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Space is limited so those wanting to volunteer must contact Schubert in advance to reserve a spot on one of the trucks. For more, read the Ka'ū News Briefs from September 8. To contact Schubert, email lschubert@tnc.org or call 443-5401.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a moderate hike approximately 2 miles takes place Saturday, September 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

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ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENT PLAYERS, DRUMMERS, SINGERS AND DANCERS ARE WELCOMED for Kanikapila on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church Hall. For more, call Desmond at 937-6305.

THE KOHALA CENTER’S DEMONSTRATION FARM HOSTS A FIELD DAY on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (45-434 Lehua St, Honoka’a).
The Kohala Center’s event description offers "a farm tour, hands-on training, and planting of an agroforestry system designed to diversify crops, control weeds naturally, and improve soil health."

Seeds adapted to Hawai`i's environmental niches
will be exchanged on Saturday, Sept. 23.
Photo from Hawai`i Seed Growers Network

This event is open to the public, with high school students and teachers encouraged to learn about the upcoming fall High School Sustainable Agriculture Program.
Contact Dave Sansone at sansone@kohalacenter.org or 808-887-6411 for more information.

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HAWAI’I SEED FEST: LOCAL SEEDS FOR LOCAL NEEDS, sponsored by The Kohala Center and Hawai’i Seed Growers Network, is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon in Pāhoa and Honalõ.
"Check out variety trials in progress, learn how to conduct successful trials in your garden, enjoy refreshments and tastings of crops being grown from local seed, talk story with a local seed grower, and meet others in your community interested in improving local food security," says an announcement from The Kohala Center. Attendance is free but space is limited. Reserve a spot online at localseeds.eventbrite.com or call The Kohala Center at 808-887-6411. Visit Hawai'i Seed Growers Network.

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http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

HI-SEAs crew explored outside their dome, but only when wearing spacesuits, during their eight
months of isolation on Mauna Loa, where they simulated living on Mars. Photo from HI-SEAS

HI-SEAS MISSION V CREW MEMBERS EXITED EIGHT MONTHS of isolation today after simulating life on Mars on Mauna Loa, living in and around a dome. The six crew members of the fifth Hawai‘i Space Exploration Analog and Simulation belong to a University of Hawai'i at Manoa team, funded by NASA. They are Laura Lark, Ansley Barnard, Samuel Payler, James Bevington, Josha Ehrlich and Brian Ramos. See their diversified backgrounds, from engineering to biology and agriculture, with hobbies from sewing to fiddle playing, singing, cooking and SCUBA at hi-seas.org.
A story at phys.org describes the return to civilization and the mission: "Their first order of business after subsisting on mostly freeze-dried and canned food: Feast on fresh-picked pineapple, papaya, mango, locally grown vegetables and a fluffy, homemade egg strata cooked by their project's lead scientist.

The six members of the HI-SEAS V crews. See their very varied

backgrounds and their interests at hi-seas.org. Photo from HI-SEAS

"The crew of four men and two women were quarantined on a vast plain below the summit of the world's largest active volcano in January. All of their communications with the outside world were subjected to a 20-minute delay—the time it takes for signals to get from Mars to Earth.
"They are part of a study designed to better understand the psychological effects that a long-term manned mission to space would have on astronauts. The data they gathered will help NASA better pick crews that have certain traits and a better chance of doing well during a two-to-three year Mars expedition. The space agency hopes to send humans to the red planet by the 2030s.
"The Hawai'i team wore specially-designed sensors to gauge their moods and proximity to other people in the small, 1,200 square-foot (111-square meter) dome where they have lived.
"The devices monitored, among other things, their voice levels and could sense if people were avoiding one another. It could also detect if they were next to each other and arguing.

"The crew played games designed to measure their compatibility and stress levels. And when they got overwhelmed by being in such close proximity to teach other, they could use virtual reality devices to escape to tropical beaches or other familiar landscapes."

Phys.org reports the opinion of Laura Lark, an IT specialist and crew member with HI-SEAS V: “Long term space travel is absolutely possible,”she said. "There are certainly technical challenges to be overcome. There are certainly human factors to be figured out, that’s part of what HI-SEAS is for. But I think that overcoming those challenges is just a matter of effort. We are absolutely capable of it.” Read more at phys.org.

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The sunrise ceremony at dawn at Punalu'u, which opens the Ho'okupu Hula No Ka'ū Cultural Festival.
This year the main festival day will by Saturday, Nov. 4 at Pāhala Community Center.
Photo by Julia Neal

HO'OKUPU HULA NO KA'Ū CULTURAL FESTIVAL will be held, with main events at

Pāhala Community Center, on Saturday, Nov. 4, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sponsored by Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai'i, Inc., the festival is directed by Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder, who teaches hula on Wednesday evenings to all ages at Pāhala Community Center.

Organizers are holding a meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center. Ryder said the meeting is for "all interested volunteers to come and kōkua your community. We invite all organizations to come and join us. Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai'i, Inc. needs your support to showcase our Ka‘ū hospitality to all the participants who are coming from afar and here in our islands to experience the true aloha spirit of Ka‘ū."

The late Bobby Gomes and his granddaughter dancing
at a Ho'okupu Hula No Ka'ū Cultural Festival in
Pāhala. Photo by Julia Neal

Community members interested in becoming vendors for Ho'okupu Hula No Ka‘ū can also call 649-9334 for an application. There are openings for craft vendors, food vendors, informational booths, and game vendors for children. Deadline to apply is Oct. 27. Craft vendors fee is $50.00. Food vendors fee is $75.00. Informational booths are free. Game Vendors fee is $50.00.

The festival started in 2009 on the island of Lana'i and resulted in a cultural exchange between Pāhala and Lana'i residents.

Volunteers from Pāhala, including Dane Galiza, the late Bull, and Jamie Kailiawa, Jarrett Pestana, Harry Evengelista and Robert Ahia, along with the late Bobby Tucker, Pāhala Plantation Cottages and Olson Trust, helped with the event.

The Pāhala based Hālau Hula O Leionalani, under the direction of Ryder, traveled to Lana'i for the 2013 festival. Ryder and her family soon moved to Pāhala and brought the festival with them.
Ryder said that Lana'i folks, and hālau from Japan and Honolulu are planning to come here for the 2017 Ho'okupu Hula No Ka‘ū.

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AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE FOR HAWAI'I FAMILIES is an effort by U.S. Sen. Mazie K. Hirono and Sen. Patty Murray, state of Washington, who partnered to introduce the Childcare for Working Families Act.
Said Hirono, “For many of Hawai'i’s working parents, child care has become unaffordable —exceeding other household costs and expenses and eating into their hard-earned income. This legislation represents a long-term investment in our keiki to ensure that every family has access to high-quality early learning and child care programs that are affordable.”

Most Hawai'i families can expect to spend more than 11 percent of their household income on child care this year—exceeding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ standard of affordable care, Hirono pointed out.
Murray, Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, said, “At a time when far too many working families are struggling, finding quality child care that doesn’t break the bank shouldn’t be another thing keeping parents up at night. As a former preschool teacher, I know what quality early learning and care can do for a child’s development, so I’m proud to introduce the Child Care for Working Families Act to address our child care crisis and support access to high-quality preschool so that all children are ready for kindergarten and beyond. This is not only the right to thing to for working families, but it’s a smart investment in our children, our future, and our economy.”
The Child Care for Working Families Act would:
· Ensure that no families below 150 percent of state median income pay more than seven percent of their income on child care. Last year in Hawai'i, this would have included families of four making less than $128,034.

· Promote universal access to high-quality preschool programs for all three and four year olds.
· Improve compensation and training opportunities for the child care workforce.
Hirono has advocated for high-quality early childhood and child care programs during her career as an elected official. As Hawai'i’s Lieutenant Governor, she introduced the Pre-Plus program to provide for preschool facilities on public school campuses. As Hawai'i’s U.S. Representative and Senator, she authored and continues to advocate for the Providing Resources Early for Kids Act, legislation that provided a structure for the Preschool Development Grant program established by the Obama Administration and funded by Congress. Hawai'i was awarded a four-year Preschool Development Grant in December 2014. A new program was authorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act signed into law in December 2015.

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KA'Ū HOSPITAL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION is making great progress on its lānai and garden area for long term residents and patients who are enjoying the outdoors, says a news release from the organization.

Long-term resident Richard at Ka'ū Hospital enjoys
the outdoors and he new lānai and garden area.
Photo from Ka'ū Hospital Charitable Foundation

Hospital Administrator Merilyn
Harris and Nursing Director Sherrie
Brazin with new Desert Rose plants.
Photo from Ka'ū Hospital
Charitable Foundation

The Foundation gives an example: "Richard is a resident at Ka'ū Hospital and he is thrilled to see the progress being made on the garden/ lānai project. He likes being outdoors with the guys when they are working on the project because he enjoys socializing! He says being in the garden in the soft air and breezes is very healing for him and he is so happy to have this space to go to!"
Hospital Administrator Merilyn Harris and Nursing Director Sherrie Bazin said they are thrilled to see the forms in place for the concrete work, which will be accomplished soon to provide more access to the outdoors for residents in wheelchairs, using walkers and other assistive devices that help them be more independent.
Last week Joah and Vicki Swift donated Desert Rose plants. The Swifts said they look forward residents being able to see beautiful views, colorful flowers and feel the soft breezes on a regular basis.

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EVENTS CELEBRATING WORLD FOOD DAY, presented by Hawai’i Island Food Alliance, KTA Super Stores, and The Kohala Center, are set for Tuesday, Oct. 24, at KTA locations - Puainako, Waimea, Waikoloa, and Keauhou - from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Kohala Center describes the event as following, “Support local farmers showcasing their value-added products at this in-store event. Enjoy tastings, samples, and purchase a selection of products direct from farmers." The Kohala Center will distribute plant starts as supplies last. Farmers and value-added producers who would like to distribute samples at KTA for World Food Day, may contact Nicole Milne at nmilne@kohalacenter.org or 808-887-6411. See a short slide show called The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World by the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

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KA'Ū TROJANS BEAT KOHALA 48-0 on Saturday in eighT-man football, after traveling to Kapa'au on the north end of the island. The Trojans put 40 points on the board by halftime: J. Badua ran for an 18-yard touchdown, with extra point by Echalas. Z. Kai made a one yard touchdown, with extra point by I. Pilanca-Emmsley. Pilanca-Emmsley intercepted and ran 73 yards for a touchdown, with extra point by Kai. Kai ran a 32-yard touchdown with extra point by Badua. Pilanca-Emmsley ran for a 28-yard touchdown. The extra point was good.
The final touchdown for Ka'ū came in the fourth quarter when Kai ran 83 yards, Naboa made the extra point.

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball
Monday, Sept. 18, Ka'ū vs. Makualani, away.

Wednesday, Sept. 20, Ka'ū vs. Konawaena, away.

Friday, Sept. 22, Ka'ū vs. Christian Liberty, home.

Eight-Man Football
Thursday, Sept. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, away game at Kea'au Field.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Hawai'i Prep, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe at Kona Bowl.

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REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR ART: For Tissue Art, register until Tuesday, Sept. 19. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

For Metal Stamped Bracelets, register tomorrow, Monday, Sept. 18, to Sept. 26. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

MELE AND HULA shared by Hālau Ke ‘Olu Makani O Maunaloa, is on the Wednesday, Sept. 20 agenda at Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Kumu Hula Meleana Manuel and her halau perform. Park entrance fees apply. The event is sponsored by Hawai'i Volcano National Park's interpretation division. See details on park events.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD meets Wednesday, Sept. 20, at noon in the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA'Ū meets Thursday, Sept. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Methodist Church. The new President is Berkeley Yoshida. For more details, call Blossom DeSilva at 929-9731.

IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP KEIKI SAFE, National Child Passenger Safety Certification, a Safe Kids Worldwide program, is offering free car seat checks at Pāhala Community Center on Friday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. Partners for Safe Keiki and Hawai’i County Fire Department co-sponsor the event. All are welcome.

ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENT PLAYERS, DRUMMERS, SINGERS AND DANCERS ARE WELCOMED for Kanikapila on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church Hall. For more, call Desmond at 937-6305.

A field day is set for Kohala Center's Demonstration Farm next
Saturday, Sept. 23. Photo from Kohala Center

THE KOHALA CENTER’S DEMONSTRATION FARM HOSTS A FIELD DAY on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 45-434 Lehua St. in Honoka’a.
The Kohala Center’s event description offers "a farm tour, hands-on training, and planting of an agroforestry system designed to diversify crops, control weeds naturally, and improve soil health."
This event is open to the public, with high school students and teachers encouraged to learn about the upcoming fall High School Sustainable Agriculture Program.
Contact Dave Sansone at sansone@kohalacenter.org or 808-887-6411 for more information.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a moderate hike approximately 2 miles takes place Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Free. See details on park events.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

Thank a Police Officer Day brought keiki and community together with Ka'ū police on Saturday, with
donations from local people and local businesses. See story below. Photo by Peter Anderson

REPEAL AND REPLACE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT is on the agenda this week for the U.S. Senate. Hawai'i Sen. Brian Schatz sent out an alert today saying that Senate Republican leader "Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump are lobbying Senate Republicans to try yet again to repeal your health care. And here’s the terrifying part: They only need to flip one vote by the end of September to pass a repeal bill.
"I am not exaggerating here. I am really alarmed. Millions of Americans are at risk of losing their health care in just two weeks," claims Schatz. "They think if enough people believe Trumpcare is dead, they can rush their bill through Congress before we have a chance to organize and fight back."
He said that he and other Senate Democrats are taking the Senate floor tonight "to try to stop this disastrous repeal bill, but we cannot win this fight alone."

Schatz asked constituents to "Sign my petition and tell Senate Republicans we won’t let them strip away care from millions of Americans."
According to the Hawai'i Senator, three Republicans in the U.S. Senate will be needed "to kill this newer, nastier bill, but we do not have that yet. Two weeks ago, Sen. John McCain, who was the deciding vote against Obamacare repeal, announced he’s willing to support Senator Graham and Cassidy’s awful 'health care' bill. That means this bill could be passed in a matter of days."
Schatz contended that "If this repeal bill passes the Senate, 32 million Americans will lose coverage. The bill ends Medicaid expansion, cuts coverage for low-income seniors, children, and people with disabilities, targets women’s health and family planning, and increases insurance rates. Republicans know these health care cuts are nothing short of a massive tax break for insurance companies, drug companies, and the wealthy -- that’s why they’re working on this disastrous legislation behind closed doors."

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Gov. David Ige is in NYC this week,
joining states committed to dealing
with climate change. See the report.

CLIMATE WEEK HAS DRAWN GOV. DAVID IGE TO THE U.N. ASSEMBLY in New York where governors and mayors are huddling with leaders of countries from around the world. The New York Times reported that California Gov. Jerry Brown said today that the Trump Administration did not send representatives to Climate Week, which is taking place at the same time as the U.N. Assembly. "That's why we have governors here. Because we don't have someone from Washington D.C., the states are picking up the baton."
The New York Times reported the Hawai'i governor saying, "We certainly believe if the federal government won't lead in this area we want the world to understand there are states across the country that are committed."The New York Times pointed out that Hawai'i was the first state to enact the 100-percent-renewable energy standard.
Hawai'i is one of 14 states and Puerto Rico that joined the United States Climate Alliance to continue the commitment to the Paris Accord after the Trump Administration vowed to drop out. According to the New York Times, North Carolina is expected to join the Alliance and its governor has gone to Climate Week.
Organizers of Climate Week, today, released a report entitled ‘States, cities and businesses leading the way: a first look at decentralized climate commitments in the US’. It concludes that the U.S. can already meet half of its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement by 2025, if the 342 commitments included in the analysis are implemented.

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AS CLIMATE WEEK PROCEEDS, SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ is drumming up support to block Pres. Donald Trump's appointments of climate change deniers to key positions in the federal government.

Said Schatz, "President Trump has made it a top priority to dismantle the progress we’ve made on climate - and now he’s working with Congress to make it happen. Right now, he is drumming up support for climate change denier and birther, Sam Clovis, who isn’t even a scientist, to be the next Chief Scientist of the USDA. He is campaigning to put Representative Jim Bridenstine, who doesn’t believe climate change is caused by humans, in charge of NASA.

"President Trump and Scott Pruitt are ramping up their attacks to please their climate denier base -- there’s no doubt about it."

Dr. Sam Clovis, whom Sen. Brian Schatz calls a climate change denier
and birther, has been nominated by the Trump Administration to
become the chief scientist of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Photo from Sam Clovis' YouTube

Over the weekend Schatz launched a "fundraising drive to get ahead of the Trump administration’s attacks on climate." He said the donations are needed because "Coal, oil, and gas industries funneled over $90 million to candidates who publicly deny climate change to build a 'Climate Denier Caucus' in Congress - and now they’re looking for a return on their investment.
"Withdrawing from the Paris climate accord was first. Confirming Sam Clovis and Jim Bridenstine is next. And the only thing that’s stopping them is what we are willing to do about it. When President Obama was in office, climate change deniers had little reason for optimism. Under President Trump, they’re growing more influential. But if they see that their attacks trigger a wave of grassroots activism urging the administration and Congress to provide a solution to climate change, they will have to take a step back."

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DACA RECIPIENTS IN HAWAI'I fear "being separated from their families despite being brought here as minors, through no choice of their own," said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. Over the weekend she met with a group of those protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, who came to the country illegally with relatives when they were children. She said, "Those in Hawai'i and the hundreds of thousands across the country have been able to come out of the shadows and use DACA to obtain an education, serve our country, find work, support their families, and build a future for themselves without fear of deportation in the only home they have ever known.

DACA residents in Hawai'i met with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard over the
weekend to talk about their fears of being deported.
Photo from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

"President Trump’s ending of the DACA program requires each and every one of us to stand up, speak out, and take action to enact a permanent solution for the 800,000+ DACA recipients in this country. The time is now for you to speak up to tell the President and Congress that we want our young people here in America on DACA to stay." The Congresswoman said she encourages everyone to "Sign on as a citizen cosponsor to the DREAM Act and urge Congress to pass this bipartisan bill."
According to Gabbard, DACA has allowed more than 600 young people in Hawai'i to realize the opportunity promised to all Americans. "We cannot allow them to be deported to a foreign land or be forced back into the shadows. To do so would betray the trust they placed in our government, and runs contrary to the spirit of aloha that we try to live by.
"We cannot afford any more band-aid temporary fixes. Congress must show compassion to those who have put their faith in the hands of the federal government, and now face uncertainty, wondering if that trust will be used against them," stated Gabbard.

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Celebrated Saturday in Nā'ālehu
and nationally.

THANK A POLICE OFFICER DAY, the national celebration, brought appreciation to Ka'ū police, with a gathering organized by Lizzie Stabo and volunteer fire fighters from Engine 11 Alpha in Nā'ālehu. Stabo said that having law enforcement in her family made it even more important to organize the event. She thanked Flyin' Hawaiian Coffee, J&J Coffee farms, Wiki Wiki Mart, Ace Hardware of Nā'ālehu, Punalu'u Bake Shop, Hana Hou Restaurant, The Bee Boyz, Crooked C Ranch, Engine 11 A and Engine 11 D. She also thanked many individuals, including photographer Peter Anderson, Renee Vetter, Sherri McDaniels and Taylor and Alton Spurgeon, "who all donated amazing items to complete our Big Blue bucket full of Aloha and thank you's!"

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GIVE ALOHA: FOODLAND’S ANNUAL COMMUNITY MATCHING GIFTS PROGRAM will match a portion of each Maika’i member donation to PARENTS, Inc. (Providing: Awareness, Referrals, Education, Nuturing, Therapy, Support) for the rest of September 2017.

Donations can be made of up to $249 at the checkout with the organization name PARENTS, Inc. and donation code 77251, at any Foodland, Foodland Farms or Sack N Save store statewide during the month of September. Foodland and the Western Union Foundation will match all donations up to a total of at least $300,000 for all organizations combined.
PARENTS, Inc. says they are looking to reach a goal of $5,000, with “.95 cents of every dollar donated going directly to programs in our communities” and contributions “directly [benefiting] families right here in Hawai’i.” PARENTS, Inc., has a Ka'ū office located in Nā’ālehu, where its mission is to “strengthen families by providing resources, skills, support and advocacy to create cycles of positive parenting.” For more about PARENTS, Inc. visit hawaiiparents.org.

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UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball
Wednesday, Sept. 20, Ka'ū vs. Konawaena, away.

Friday, Sept. 22, Ka'ū vs. Christian Liberty, home.

Eight-Man Football
Thursday, Sept. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, away game at Kea'au Field.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Hawai'i Prep, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe at Kona Bowl.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR ART: For Tissue Art, register until tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 19. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102. For Metal Stamped Bracelets, register until Sept. 26. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD meets Wednesday, Sept. 20, at noon in the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

Hālau Ke ‘Olu Makani O Maunaloa comes to Kīlauea Visitor

Center auditorium this Wednesday evening. Photo from NPS

MELE AND HULA will be presented by Hālau Ke ‘Olu Makani O Maunaloa, this Wednesday, Sept. 20, at Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Led by Kumu Hula Meleana Manuel, the halau mission is to strive to perpetuate the native Hawaiian culture through mele (song) and hula. The event is free. Park entrance fees apply. Hawai'i Volcano National Park's interpretation division is the sponsor.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA'Ū meets Thursday, Sept. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Methodist Church. The new President is Berkeley Yoshida. For more details, call Blossom DeSilva at 929-9731.

IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP KEIKI SAFE, National Child Passenger Safety Certification, a Safe Kids Worldwide program, is offering free car seat checks at Pāhala Community Center on Friday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. Partners for Safe Keiki and Hawai’i County Fire Department co-sponsor the event. All are welcome.

HAWAI’I SEED FEST: LOCAL SEEDS FOR LOCAL NEEDS, sponsored by The Kohala Center and Hawai’i Seed Growers Network, is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon in Pāhoa and Honalõ.
"Check out variety trials in progress, learn how to conduct successful trials in your garden, enjoy refreshments and tastings of crops being grown from local seed, talk story with a local seed grower, and meet others in your community interested in improving local food security," says an announcement from The Kohala Center. Attendance is free but space is limited. Reserve online at localseeds.eventbrite.com or call The Kohala Center at 808-887-6411. Visit Hawai'i Seed Growers Network.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a moderate hike approximately 2 miles takes place Saturday, September 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENT PLAYERS, DRUMMERS, SINGERS AND DANCERS ARE WELCOMED for Kanikapila on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church Hall. For more, call Desmond at 937-6305.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

Albatross in Flight, a hand-colored block print, as seen in A Perfect Day for an Albatross, a new

book by Volcano artist Caren Loebel-Fried, with book signing and discussion with seabird biologist

Cynthia Vanderlip on Thursday, Sept. 28. See story below.

FILL DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS is the directive in the letter to Pres. Donald Trump from Sen. Mazie Hirono and nine other U.S. Senators today. Hirono, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, says that diplomacy is key to avoiding war with North Korea.

It may look a little like Florida but
this is the Korean Peninsula where
diplomacy could prevent war, says
Sen. Mazie Hirono.

The letter to Trump states: "As North Korea continues its illegal nuclear weapons program, commits blatant violations of international law, and makes threats to our country and allies, the confirmation of a U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea must be prioritized to send a concrete signal to reassure not only our ROK allies but also the American people. Just as our diplomatic mission to the ROK deserves leadership of an ambassador to represent our nation's interests, our country's diplomatic and military efforts in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region deserve permanent Assistant Secretaries of State and Defense to coordinate our diplomatic efforts on North Korea, other regional challenges as well as opportunities to advance U.S. interests."

Sen. Mazie Hirono

Hirono and nine Senate Democrats also call on Trump to fill the vacancies for Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. "These key positions have gone unfilled in over eight months of the Trump presidency. In the wake of North Korea's actions, Senate-confirmed nominees for these positions would provide stable leadership and coordinate State and Defense Department efforts as our country works with our allies and partners to reach a diplomatic solution," says the letter.

Hirono and colleagues point out that the United States has diplomatic relations with over 190 nations "but none are as extensive and instrumental to our national security as those with our treaty allies such as the ROK. The U.S.-ROK alliance was strengthened by the bonds forged between U.S. and ROK troops during the Korean War and it continues to be strengthened by the Korean-American community, our economic ties and our mutual defense treaty commitments."
To date, the Senate has confirmed 20 ambassadorial nominees including six to close allied nations. "It is critical now for our government to affirmatively convey to our ROK allies that our relationship is valued in the same manner as these nations, and as senators we stand ready to consider your nominees," states the letter, which also calls for Trump to respond.

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HAWAI'I IS THE MOST ETHNIC AND RACIALLY DIVERSE STATE, and the second most generationally diverse state, according to a study released today by WalletHub. The company set out to determine where the most idea and identity exchanges have occurred at the highest level in the U.S. — and where the population is relatively more homogeneous. WalletHub's analysts compared the 50 states across five key categories: socio-economic, cultural, economic, household and religious diversity.

Hawai'i is the most racially and ethnically diverse state, and third
most diverse overall. See the study at WalletHub.com.

Hawai'i comes in first in Racial & Ethnic Diversity, second in Generational Diversity, third in Income Diversity and Household Size Diversity, fourth in Worker Class Diversity, ninth in Linguistic Diversity, 14th in Birthplace Diversity, 22nd in Industry Diversity, 27th in Educational-Attainment Diversity and 30th in Occupational Diversity. The economic measures covered only the civilian population and did not include the military.
Hawai'i ranks as the third most diverse state overall, after California and Texas, and just ahead of New Jersey, New York and New Mexico. The least diverse, according to WalletHub is West Virginia, with Maine second and Vermont, New Hampshire, Montana and Kentucky, behind them.
Read the full report on diversity, how the study was done and what it means at WalletHub.com.

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TELEHEALTH COMES IN OCEAN VIEW and the public is invited to check it out on Thursday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at Ocean View Community Center.
The Kona Veterans Administration Community Based Outreach Center has helped to bring in the new method of health care. VA staff will share innovations in technology that will increase care for veterans. The public will view telehealth equipment, observe demonstrations and speak with VA providers.
Ocean View Community Association President Ron Gall said: "The Telehealth equipment was donated to the Ocean View Community Association by GlobalMed Telemedicine. It was installed and tested today and volunteers will be trained on the equipment this week. The VA has targeted November 1st to launch the system. Veterans will be able to have real time visits with a Kona VA doctor without traveling to Kona."
For more information, Call David Willard at 329-0574 or Ron Gall at 939-7033.

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THE KA'Ū COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN, Bill 52, AND THE ISLANDWIDE STYROFOAM BAN, Bill 13, will be discussed again at tomorrow's Hawai'i County Council Meeting in Kona at the West Hawai'i Civic Center, starting at 9 a.m. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building or by attending the meeting.
To read more about these bills visit previous Ka'ū News Briefs, Bill 13 - Styrofoam Ban and for Bill 52 - Ka'ū CDP.

Caren Loebel-Fried on Midwahy Atol,
Photo by Dan Clark

A PERFECT DAY FOR AN ALBATROSS is a new book with writing and illustrations by Volcano artist Caren Loebel-Fried. The public is invited to a book signing and discussion with Loebel-Fried and seabird biologist Cynthia Vanderlip on Thursday, Sept. 28, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center, Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.

School Library Journal describes the book as “A wonderful introduction to a magnificent sea bird, this vibrantly illustrated story belongs on every shelf.”
The artist will share personal experience researching on Midway Atoll, and explain how she created the book, A Perfect Day for an Albatross. She will sign copies of her book, and personalize limited edition prints of the book art. The original art created for the book will also be on display.

Cynthia Vanderlip has worked in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands since 1989 for National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and Oceanic Society as a biologist, technician, naturalist and U.S. Coast Guard-licensed boat captain. Since 2002, Vanderlip has led annual field camps at Kure Atoll for the DLNR, Division of Forestry & Wildlife.

Cynthia Vanderlip on Kure Atoll. Photo by Hawane Rios

See more of Caren Loebel-Fried Art at carenloebelfried.com.

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TWO STORY TIME EVENTS ARE OFFERED AT KA'Ū LIBRARIES the first week of October. Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool staff will read a book aloud to keiki of all ages, with "a fun activity and snack provided following the story,” according to the event flier issued by Hawai‘i State Public Library System.

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UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Wednesday, Sept. 20, Ka'ū vs. Konawaena, away.

Friday, Sept. 22, Ka'ū vs. Christian Liberty, home.

Eight-Man Football
Thursday, Sept. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, away game at Kea'au Field.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Hawai'i Prep, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe at Kona Bowl.

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OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD meets tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 20, at noon in the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

MELE AND HULA will be presented by Hālau Ke ‘Olu Makani O Maunaloa, tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 20, at Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Led by Kumu Hula Meleana Manuel, the halau mission is to strive to perpetuate the native Hawaiian culture through mele (song) and hula. The event is free. Park entrance fees apply. Hawai'i Volcano National Park's interpretation division is the sponsor.

HAWAI’I SEED FEST: LOCAL SEEDS FOR LOCAL NEEDS, sponsored by The Kohala Center and Hawai’i Seed Growers Network, is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon in Pāhoa and Honalõ.
"Check out variety trials in progress, learn how to conduct successful trials in your garden, enjoy refreshments and tastings of crops being grown from local seed, talk story with a local seed grower, and meet others in your community interested in improving local food security," says an announcement from The Kohala Center. Attendance is free but space is limited. Reserve online at localseeds.eventbrite.com or call The Kohala Center at 808-887-6411. Visit Hawai'i Seed Growers Network.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a moderate hike approximately 2 miles takes place Saturday, September 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

THE 4TH ANNUAL KA'Ū COFFEE TRAIL RUN with races starting and ending at the Ka'ū Coffee Mill will take place this Saturday, Sept. 23. Staggered gun starts begin at 7 a.m. Runners will receive a race goodie bag, including a T-shirt and more. Each registered participant will also be entered into a door prize drawing valued at $700.
Trail terrains vary between races: the 5K is a family-friendly, run/walk trail through macadamia nut groves and coffee fields; the 10K is a moderate run through macadamia nut groves and coffee fields; and the Half Marathon follows the 5K & 10K course, then continues up to an elevation of 3,100 feet, traverses onto a 4-wheel drive access road, marked trails undulating through grazing pastures. Through midnight on Thursday, Sept. 21, runners can register online at webscorer.com/

Free music and entertainment and post-race massages will also be available for $1.00/Minute at the event.
Race day registration ends at 6:30 a.m. For more details about the event visit okaukakou.org/kau-coffee-trail-run/.

Palm Trail in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Photo from NPS/Sami Steinkamp

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

ART ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED ON MONDAY, SEPT. 25 for the Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce's Annual Art Show. The art show will be open for public viewing from Tuesday, Sept. 26, to Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā'ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.
An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30.
Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There will also be categories for Youth and Keiki entries, for which the entry fee is $1 per artwork - CU Hawai'i has offered to sponsor any and all keiki who ask.
The winning popular vote piece will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR ART: For Metal Stamped Bracelets, register until Sept. 26. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

Dave Parker wound up at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park yesterday to complete his goal of
visiting all 59 National Parks in the U.S. He received a 59ers Certificate of Achievement today.
Photo by Janice Wei/ NPS

COMPLETING HIS MISSION TO VISIT ALL 59 NATIONAL PARKS in the U.S., Dave Parker entered Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Tuesday night. He accomplished his lifelong dream and said, “To see Kīlauea erupt is indescribable and it’s just spectacular to see. It’s the reason we came here."

On Wednesday, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park surprised Parker with a 59ers Certificate of Achievement, signed by National Park Service Acting Director, Mike Reynolds. Acting Superintendent and Chief Ranger John Broward made the presentation and congratulated Parker in front of visitors and staff at Kīlauea Visitor Center.

“It’s uplifting that Mr. Parker made it a priority to see all 59 of the iconic national parks,” Broward said. “Park visitors help steward our public lands, and by appreciating them, they protect them. And Dave Parker, you couldn’t have a better last name.”

Elizabeth Fien, Executive Director of Friends of Hawaii Volcanoes
NationalPark; Dave Parker "59er"; Margot Griffith, Executive
Director of Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association; and Hawai'i
Volcanoes' Acting Superintendent and Chief Ranger John
Broward at Kīlauea Visitor Center. Photo by Janice Wei/NPS

Parker’s love for national parks blossomed at the tender age of 14, when his parents took him to his first parks, Yellowstone and Grand Teton. His family camped, rode horses, hiked the trails and watched Yellowstone’s famous geyser, Old Faithful, erupt. Now 77, Parker, his wife Carol, and friends Red and Sheri Cavaney, will spend a few nights at Volcano House and explore the eruptions of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. They enjoyed a ranger talk about the volcanic origins of the Hawaiian Islands, and a guided tour with the Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

The Friends and another non-profit supporting partner, Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association, presented the Parkers and their friends with commemorative items including ball caps, T-shirts, pins, a gift certificate for The Rim restaurant, and mementos and educational items to help them enjoy and discover the park.

“There are many ways to support your parks,” Parker said. “All parks have organizations that support them that you can donate to. You can volunteer and give back with your time. It’s an important investment to make for the survival of public lands and our future generations."
The auspicious visit was Parker’s fifth time to Hawai‘i, and his first to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. During his early career working for the Dept. of Commerce in Washington, D.C., he helped promote travel to the U.S., and had close ties to the Hawai‘i visitor industry. He and his wife live in McLean, VA.

According to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park staff, the National Park Service has more than 20,000 National Park Service employees who care for 417 sites in the National Park System and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.

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BREAKING THE NATIONAL DEPENDENCE ON FOSSIL FUELS "that degrade and destroy our environment," is the aim of legislation that U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has introduced into Congress. She issued a statement today, saying that her Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act sets an ambitious goal of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2035 with an interim benchmark of 80 percent renewable energy by 2027. "It removes the tax giveaways for the oil industry, and provides transition assistance for workers through a Center for Clean Energy and Workforce Development as we move away from a fossil fuel economy to a clean energy economy. My bill also acknowledges the consequences of climate change that already disproportionately affect minority and tribal communities," said Gabbard.

Gabbard noted that Hawai‘i has already passed legislation pledging to achieve 100 percent renewable energy "and is already making great progress towards this goal. This was done in no small part due to our geographic vulnerability and need for energy security, as well as the precious environment which makes our state so beautiful and special. Warming oceans have bleached our coral reefs, impacted marine life, and begun to erode our world renowned beaches, flooding roads and high tide and imperiling our fragile infrastructure."
The Congresswoman said: "In recognizing the risks posed by continuing our reliance on fossil fuels and moving to address them, Hawai‘i has seen a boom in solar energy and other renewable energy sources that allow our citizens greater energy independence while advancing new technologies and creating sustainable jobs for our economy."

Gabbard asks contituents to "Imagine a country without oil spills, with pristine water free of trash and pollution. Low income areas and communities of color without the disproportionate effects of respiratory illnesses because of nearby chemical and fossil fuel plants polluting the air. It is not too late to restore and preserve our natural environment, but we must act now.
"Natural disasters of increasing scope and frequency have rocked the world over the past several weeks. Atlantic Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose, Katia, and Maria, flooding in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Nigeria, mudslides in Sierra Leone, and more events have claimed lives, ravaged communities, and wrought billions of dollars in damage that can never fully be repaired. These weather systems will only grow more extreme if we fail to act now.

She contends that "The OFF Act is the next step to create a clean energy economy that puts our people and planet before corporate profits." She urges her constituents to become citizen cosponsors of the OFF Act and "commit to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035" by signing on as a citizen cosponsor of the OFF Act.

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RECENT COLLISIONS AND SERIOUS INCIDENTS involving ships in the Seventh Fleet are being investigated by Sen. Mazie K. Hirono. Yesterday, she questioned top Navy officials. In 2017, four Navy ships have been involved in incidents, including two major collisions, resulting in the loss of life of 17 service members.

Said Hirono, “While we still haven’t received the final reports into what caused these tragic incidents, it’s clear that prioritizing deployment over safety and training played a role. There is no excuse for neglecting readiness, training, and the safety of our service members, and we will continue our oversight role as the Navy moves forward to take action to prevent these tragedies from happening again.”

Sen. Mazie Hirono questions Navy brass about recent accidents.
Photo from Office of Sen. Mazie Hirono

At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Hirono questioned Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson, and Government Accountability Office Director John Pendleton. She asked how an optimized fleet response plan for forward deployed ships could help to improve schedule certainty and increase the fleet’s ability to train and maintain ships in order to prevent these types of accidents.

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THE FOOD BASKET AND KTA roll out the DA BUX today, Wednesday, Sept. 20, at KTA's in Hilo. The Double UP Food Bucks program is an incentive for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP – EBT cardholders. DA BUX doubles the purchase of Hawai'i Island grown produce while supporting local farmers through an incentivized dollar for dollar match. A separate program rolls out at Volcano Farmers Market, starting Oct. 15.

Da Bux is supported by a $500,000 United States Department of Agriculture Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive grant, which was awarded to The Food Basket to aid healthy food access.

"DA BUX is not simply free food. It is a driver for economic development for our island," said Chelsea Takahashi, DA BUX Coordinator. "I believe infusing hundreds of thousands of dollars directly into our island's agriculture industry can make a difference in terms of sustaining and growing small farm revenue. It also ensures more of our federal money stays circulating in our local economy."
SNAP customers at KTA Super Stores' Puainako and Downtown locations can purchase up to $20 in participating Hawai'i Island grown produce and receive an equivalent amount of participating produce for free through an at-register rebate. The program will run at these KTA Super Stores locations for one week a month in 2017, beginning on the third Wednesday: Sept. 20-26, Oct. 18-24, Nov. 15-21, and Dec. 20-26.
Beyond the KTA Super Stores Puainako and Downtown Hilo pilot, The Food Basket has implemented DA BUX with its own Community Supported Agriculture program, providing SNAP customers with a buy one, get one free weekly subscription. Customers may purchase a four-week month of boxes for the payment of two weeks.
The DA BUX incentive is available at The Food Basket in 2017 through Dec. 22.

Through the support of Ka'ū's County Council members Maile David, along with council members Eileen O'hara, Jen Ruggles and Dru Kanuha, DA BUX has rolled out at Maku'u Farmers Market, Volcano Farmers Market, Keauhou Farmers Market, and Kona Sunset Farmers Market.

Each farmers market is limited to $10 in matching dollars and is implemented based on the market's SNAP payment system. Check with your local participating farmers market's cashier office for more information.
Maku'u Farmers Market and Volcano Farmers Market will implement the DA BUX incentive on the third Sunday of the month for 2017: Oct. 15, Nov. 19, and Dec. 17. The DA BUX incentive is available at Kona Sunset Farmers Market on the third Wednesday of the month for 2017: Sept. 20, Oct. 18, Nov. 15, and Dec. 20. At the Keauhou Farmers Market, the DA BUX incentive will take place on the third Saturday of the month for 2017: Oct. 21, Nov. 18, and Dec. 16. 2018 DA BUX incentive offerings are to be determined.
For more information on DA BUX, visit HawaiiFoodBasket.org. For questions about DA BOX and SNAP sign-ups, contact Haunani by calling 933-6030. The mission of The Food Basket is to end hunger in Hawai'i County.

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KA'Ū FOOD PANTRY'S next distribution is Tuesday, Sept. 26 at St. Jude's Episcopal Church on Paradise Circle-Mauka in Ocean View, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. "We ask all of our participants to respect the grounds where this will be held. Volunteers are always needed and welcomed, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on that Tuesday," says a statement from the organizers.

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REGISTER ONLINE TO VOTE says the giant card sent this week to every mailbox in Ka'ū and beyond. The Hawai'i Votes program, of the state Office of Elections, is getting ahead of next year's Primary on Aug. 11, 2018, and the General Election on Nov. 6, 2018.
In five languages, the mailer refers prospective voters to elections.hawaii.gov, 1-800-442-VOTE and elections@hawaii.gov. "Register to Vote. Request to Vote by Mail. Update your Registration," advises the Office of Elections. To use the online system, one needs a current Hawai'i Driver's License or Hawai'i Statde ID card and a Social Security Number.

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KA'Ū HIGH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAMS came home this week after defeating Makualani. Trojan varsity girls won in four sets, 25-10, 23-25, 25-18 and 25-20. Trojan JV won in two sets, 25-11 and 25-15, under coach Joshua Ortega.

A VOLLEYBALL CLINIC for five to 14 year-old youth, co-sponsored by the Hawai'i Police Department, will be held at Ka'ū District Gym from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 25. The instructor will be Ka'ū High School girls volleyball coach Joshua Ortega and coaching staff, assisted by the Ka'ū High School Girls Volleyball team. Gym or court shoes required. Participants must turn in a signed registration waiver form. For more information, and to register, call Ka'ū District Gym at 928-3102.

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Wednesday, Sept. 20, Ka'ū vs. Konawaena, away.

Friday, Sept. 22, Ka'ū vs. Christian Liberty, home.

Eight-Man Football
Thursday, Sept. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, away game at Kea'au Field.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Hawai'i Prep, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe at Kona Bowl.

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LAST DAY TO REGISTER ONLINE FOR KA'Ū COFFEE TRAIL RUN pre-race fees is tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 21. This Saturday, Sept. 23rd, the Ka'ū Coffee Trail Run starts with staggered gun at 7 a.m. with all races beginning and finishing at Ka'ū Coffee Mill. Runners receive a race goodie bag, including a T-shirt and more. Each registered participant is entered into a door prize drawing valued at $700.

Trail terrains var: 5K is a family-friendly, run/walk trail through macadamia nut groves and coffee fields; 10K is a moderate run through macadamia nut groves and coffee fields; Half Marathon follows the 5K & 10K course, rising to an elevation of 3,100 feet.

Through midnight tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 21, runners can register online at webscorer.com/

register?raceid=94997 with the following prices: 5K/$55, 10K/$65, and HM/$75. Race day registration ends at 6:30 a.m., fees subject to change for race day registration.

Free music and entertainment along with post-race massages, for $1.00/minute, will be available at the event.
For more details about the event visit okaukakou.org/kau-coffee-trail-run/.

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HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA'Ū meets tomorrow, Sept. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Methodist Church. The new President is Berkeley Yoshida. For more details, call Blossom DeSilva at 929-9731.

FREE CAR SEAT CHECKS checks at Pāhala Community Center will be this Friday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. Partners for Safe Keiki and Hawai’i County Fire Department co-sponsor the event. All are welcome.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY HOSTS A VOLUNTEER DAY at its Kona Hema Preserve in South Kona on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Kona Hema where volunteers are invited this Saturday.
Space limited. Photo from The Nature Conservancy

Space is limited so those wanting to volunteer must contact Linda Schubert in advance to reserve a spot on one of the trucks. For more, read the Ka'ū News Briefs from September 8. To contact Schubert, email lschubert@tnc.org or call 443-5401.

HAWAI’I SEED FEST: LOCAL SEEDS FOR LOCAL NEEDS, sponsored by The Kohala Center and Hawai’i Seed Growers Network, is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon in Pāhoa and Honalõ. Attendance is free but space is limited. Reserve online at localseeds.eventbrite.com or call The Kohala Center at 808-887-6411. Visit Hawai'i Seed Growers Network.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a moderate hike approximately 2 miles takes place Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENT PLAYERS, DRUMMERS, SINGERS AND DANCERS ARE WELCOMED for Kanikapila on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church Hall. For more, call Desmond at 937-6305.

THE KOHALA CENTER’S DEMONSTRATION FARM HOSTS A FIELD DAY on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (45-434 Lehua St, Honoka’a). This event is open to the public, with high school students and teachers encouraged to learn about the upcoming fall High School Sustainable Agriculture Program.
Contact Dave Sansone at sansone@kohalacenter.org or 808-887-6411 for more information.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

JOIN A GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL on Sunday, Sept. 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. This moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traverses scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR ART: For Metal Stamped Bracelets, register until Sept. 26. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

ART ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED ON MONDAY, SEPT. 25 for the Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce's Annual Art Show. The art show will be open for public viewing from Tuesday, Sept. 26, to Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building in Nā'ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.
An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30.
Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There will also be categories for Youth and Keiki entries, for which the entry fee is $1 per artwork - CU Hawai'i has offered to sponsor any and all keiki who ask.
The winning popular vote piece will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

HOVE ROAD MAINTENANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS meet Tuesday, Sept. 26, starting at 10 a.m. at St. Jude's Episcopal Church. For more, call 929-9910.

KA'Ū FOOD PANTRY OFFERS FREE FOOD FOR THOSE IN NEED on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

TELEHEALTH FOR VETS, who along with the public, are invited Thursday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon to Ocean View Community Center. Kona Veterans Administration Community Based Outreach Center will demonstrate increased care for veterans. View telehealth equipment, observe demonstrations and speak with VA providers. Telehealth equipment was donated by GlobalMed Telemedicine. The VA has targeted November 1 to launch the system. "Veterans will be able to have real time visits with a Kona VA doctor without traveling to Kona," said Ocean View Community Association President Ron Gall.

For more information, Call David Willard at 329-0574 or Ron Gall at 939-7033.

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on Instagram and Twitter.

Firefighters are working all night to tame a fire from Ka‘alu‘alu to Waikapuna above the Ka‘ū Coast. The fire was first
seen this morning, above viewed from Wai'ohinu. See story below. Photo by Shalan Crysdale

STATE REP. RICHARD CREAGAN IS RUNNING FOR THE STATE SENATE in the 2018 election. He declared his candidacy today, following the announcement earlier this month by incumbent Sen. Josh Green who announced that he will run for Lieutenant Governor, leaving the District 3 Senate seat open from Honu‘apo into Kona.

In the state House of Representatives, Creagan represents west Ka‘ū from Honu‘apo into Kailua-Kona. He chairs the Committee on Agriculture and serves on the Public Safety, Education, Higher Education and Ocean Marine Resources and Hawaiian Affairs Committees. In order to run for the Senate he will leave his House District 3 seat open during the election.

In a statement issued this morning, Creagan said that the Senate "allows a much freer voice for its members and the possibility of being a stronger advocate for you, my constituents.” He said he decided to run "when Senator Green officially announced he was running for Lieutenant Governor."

Dr. Richard Creagan
announced a run for state
Senate today.
Photo by Ann Bosted

Creagan said that as a state Senator, he would continue to advocate for a new medical center for Kona next to the college campus. In coordination with University of Hawai‘i Medical School, it would be a teaching hospital for physician training and also would create more health careers for local residents. Near the Kona Airport, it could be a hub to develop a coordinated medical system for islandwide services. Funding for a $500,000 feasibility study won approval last session with Creagan's push in the state legislature. In 2015, Creagan was named Legislator of the Year by the Hawai‘i Medical Association.

A graduate of Yale University and a former Peace Corps volunteer in the Marshall Islands, Creagan is a physician who has worked at Kona Hospital. He also worked for hospitals on the mainland and for a biotech company.

He and his wife have lived on their Ka‘ū farm for more than 25 years and Creagan is an officer of Hawai‘i Farmers Union United's Ka‘ū Chapter. Creagan studied agriculture at University of Hawai‘i-Hilo. Creagan said he supports the goal of Gov. David Ige to double food production, and advocates for more training and developing resources for new farmers as well as more effort by government in controlling and eradicating invasive species, such as the coffee berry borer.

He said he is disturbed that funding to fight rat lungworm disease, which has affected sales of local produce, failed in the legislature and would like to take it up again in the Senate.

In his statement, Creagan said, "We need to fight for a living wage. A living wage would be the foundation for improved housing opportunities which we so desperately need and partially address homelessness." He also called for diversification of the economy. "As a medical director for a Bay Area biotech company, ACROGEN, I saw the power of biotechnology to provide excellent jobs and I would champion further expansion of those opportunities at NELHA and throughout our island."

Rep. Richard Creagan, meeting with Ocean View residents before this year's session. Photo by Ann Bosted

Regarding schools, he said, "As a former educator, I realize how critical is our public education system, including our excellent charter schools. I would, among other things, fight for funding for facilities and infrastructure for our charter schools as well as our non-charter schools. I also support expanding our public pre-schools."

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Aerial photograph of coastal fire located at Waikapuna, believed to have been taken
by fire crews working the area earlier today. Photographer unknown

FIRE CREWS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY THROUGH THE NIGHT
to fight a large brushfire along the Ka'ū Coast below Nā‘ālehu, spanning from Waikapuna to near Ka‘alu‘alu.
A Civil Defense message at 6 p.m. announced the following advisories:
"There are no roadway closures at this time. Motorist should be on the lookout for emergency vehicles.
"Smoke from the fire may affect visibility for driving and air quality for Wai‘ōhinu area including Green Sands, Mark Twain Estates and Discovery Harbor.
"The public is requested to stay out of the active fire area.
"Fire crews will remain on scene throughout the night.
"Additional Closures may occur without notice."
As of 5 p.m. today, Thursday, Sept. 21, Hawai‘i Fire Department dispatch reported that only one fire in Ka‘ū is being fought by fire crews today.
Ka‘ū resident Cheryl Cuevas said that the fire has been "burning on the coast below Mark Twain all day. It was going when we got up around 5:30 a.m. this morning and [the Fire Department] was already working it." She said that later in the day she saw it had "spread Mauka-Kona direction." When she called the fire department she said she was told the fire was still actively being fought and that they should evacuate if they think they should, but at their own discretion as it was not officially recommended at that point.
Some Ka‘ū community members have voiced concerns on Facebook about the preservation of cultural sites, should bulldozing fire breaks in those areas be necessary.

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Lomi massage demonstrated in the park. NPS Photo/Jay Robinson

LOMI, A POPULAR HEALING ART and the traditional massage practice of the Hawaiian people, will be demonstrated by lomi practitioner Annie Erbe in a free workshop on the lānai of Kīlauea Visitor Center at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
There are many different styles of lomi used throughout Hawai‘i, and most are used as a way to heal body and mind. The workshop is part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” and will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

HAWAI‘I SEED FEST: LOCAL SEEDS FOR LOCAL NEEDS, sponsored by The Kohala Center and Hawai‘i Seed Growers Network, is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon in Pāhoa and Honalō.

"Check out variety trials in progress, learn how to conduct successful trials in your garden, enjoy refreshments and tastings of crops being grown from local seed, talk story with a local seed grower, and meet others in your community interested in improving local food security," says an announcement from The Kohala Center. Attendance is free but space is limited. Reserve online at localseeds.eventbrite.com or call The Kohala Center at 808-887-6411. Visit Hawai'i Seed Growers Network.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

KA‘Ū TROJANS Girls Volleyball lost to Konawaena yesterday, Wednesday, Sept. 20. In the JV game, Kona won two sets, Ka‘ū zero. In Varsity, Ka‘ū lost 11-25, 15-25 and 23-24.

The game was held at Konawaena.

Pick up the September edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Friday, Sept. 22, Ka‘ū vs. Christian Liberty, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka‘ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka‘ū vs. Pahoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka‘ū vs. Hawai‘i Prep, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka‘ū vs. Kealakehe at Kona Bowl.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP KEIKI SAFE, National Child Passenger Safety Certification, a Safe Kids Worldwide program, is offering free car seat checks at Pāhala Community Center tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. Partners for Safe Keiki and Hawai‘i County Fire Department co-sponsor the event. All are welcome.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a moderate hike approximately 2 miles takes place Saturday, September 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

THE 4TH ANNUAL KA‘Ū COFFEE TRAIL RUN with races starting and ending at the Ka‘ū Coffee Mill will take place this Saturday, Sept. 23. Staggered gun starts begin at 7 a.m. Runners will receive a race goodie bag, including a T-shirt and more. Each registered participant will also be entered into a door prize drawing valued at $700.
Trail terrains vary between races: the 5K is a family-friendly, run/walk trail through macadamia nut groves and coffee fields; the 10K is a moderate run through macadamia nut groves and coffee fields; and the Half Marathon follows the 5K & 10K course, then continues up to an elevation of 3,100 feet, traverses onto a 4-wheel drive access road, marked trails undulating through grazing pastures. Through midnight tonight, Thursday, Sept. 21, runners can register online at webscorer.com/register?raceid=94997 with the following prices: 5K/$55, 10K/$65, and HM/$75.

Free music and entertainment and post-race massages, for $1.00/Minute, will also be available at the event.
Race day registration ends at 6:30 a.m. For more details about the event visit okaukakou.org/kau-coffee-trail-run/.

See story below. Photo of Palm Trail from nps.gov/havo/

THE KOHALA CENTER’S DEMONSTRATION FARM HOSTS A FIELD DAY on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (45-434 Lehua St, Honoka‘a).
The Kohala Center’s event description offers "a farm tour, hands-on training, and planting of an agroforestry system designed to diversify crops, control weeds naturally, and improve soil health."
This event is open to the public, with high school students and teachers encouraged to learn about the upcoming fall High School Sustainable Agriculture Program.
Contact Dave Sansone at sansone@kohalacenter.org or 808-887-6411 for more information.

JOIN A GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL on Sunday, Sept. 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park. This moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traverses scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR ART: For Metal Stamped Bracelets, register until Sept. 26. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

A VOLLEYBALL CLINIC for five to 14 year-old youth, co-sponsored by the Hawai‘i Police Department, will be held at Ka‘ū District Gym from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday Sept. 25. The instructor will be Ka‘ū High School girls volleyball coach Joshua Ortega and coaching staff, assisted by the Ka‘ū High School Girls Volleyball team. Gym or court shoes required. Participants must turn in a signed registration waiver form. For more information, and to register, call Ka‘ū District Gym at 928-3102.

ART ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED ON MONDAY, SEPT. 25, for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce's Annual Art Show. The art show will be open for public viewing from Tuesday, Sept. 26, to Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai‘i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā‘ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.
An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30.
Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There will also be categories for Youth and Keiki entries, for which the entry fee is $1 per artwork - CU Hawai‘i has offered to sponsor any and all keiki who ask.
The winning popular vote piece will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

HOVE ROAD MAINTENANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS meet Tuesday, Sept. 26, starting at 10 a.m. at St. Jude's Episcopal Church. For more, call 929-9910.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY OFFERS FREE FOOD FOR THOSE IN NEED on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

HAWAI‘I FARMERS UNION United has announced will host its annual Ka‘ū chapter meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, at 96-3209 Maile St., on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Members and friends are invited to participate in the Ka‘ū Chapter business and Convention discussion, election of board members and a potluck dinner.

DA BUX supports local agriculture and encourages SNAP-EBT cardholders to eat healthy.
See story below. Photo from The Food Basket

BRENDA FORD WILL RUN FOR THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES representing west Ka‘ū and Kona. The District V seat, now held by Dr. Richard Creagan, serves the citizenry from Honu‘apo, through Nā‘ālehu, Discovery Harbor, Green Sands, Mark Twain, South Point, Ocean View and up through Miloli‘i and into Kona to Holualoa. In the 2018 election race, Creagan will run for the state Senate seat held by Dr. Josh Green, who is running for Lt. Governor.
Ford made the announcement yesterday and said this morning that she is eager to work again on Ka‘ū issues. She served as a County Council member for four two-year terms, the maximum. During the last term, her territory included all of Ka‘ū, after the district lines were changed with reapportionment.
Ford said that she is interested in working once again on infrastructure issues, including the construction of a second well for Ocean View. She said she would attempt to hold onto funding for the well that was approved during Rep. Richard Creagan's tenure in the House. Should the county move forward, she said that the National Guard may be able to volunteer to build it.

Brenda Ford said she supports truth in labeling
for Ka‘ū and Kona Coffee.

While many water issues are solved at the local level, Ford said the Hawai‘i Legislature can often help with some of the funding. When she served on the County Council, she lobbied for additional water infrastructure for homes, farms and to fight fires. She advocated for more firefighting equipment and water stations for range fires at South Point and for water lines to extend from Hwy. 11 down to beach and residential communities. She lobbied for a waterline extension from Ho‘okena to Miloli‘i and for a new well around Miloli‘i and Papa Bay Road.
She mentioned needed improvements to situations where spaghetti lines are running alongside roads to housing areas. She said water hydrants are needed. A million gallon water tank on the makai side of Hwy. 11 near the Ka‘alu‘alu Road intersection was one of her ideas when she served on the council.
Ford also advocated for the new permanent transfer, reuse, recycling and mulch center for Ocean View. As a councilwoman she aimed to improve the Ocean View Police Station and to keep in place the Ka‘ū interactive communication site for giving testimony and witnessing County Council and other public meetings.

In terms of state legislation, she said she supports allowing one extra dwelling on each farm, for long-term rental income, workers or family, but opposes using farms for vacation rentals. She said the extra housing on farms could be under the same roof as the house, or a separate ‘ohana dwelling. She said that elder farmers often need workers and extra income.

Ford said she also advocates for truth in labeling for Ka‘ū and Kona Coffee and other local produce.

She and her husband Larry live on a small farm in South Kona where they are retired from growing coffee but still manage their fruit trees, she said.

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Ka‘ū coastal brushfire continues to burn as fire crews battle strong
trade winds and limited ground access to the scene.
Photo by Ka‘ū resident and Volunteer Firefighter Lizzy Stabo

COUNTY AND VOLUNTEER FIRE CREWS CONTINUE TO FIGHT A LARGE BRUSHFIRE that started yesterday in a “remote area of Ka‘ū coastline near Waikapuna Bay,” states a Hawai‘i Fire Department press release.
The release states that an alarm was raised at 5:17 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, with "multiple units dispatched to reported fire." However, "due to [the] location of the fire" and "limited 4x4 access roads," when the first units were eventually able to arrive at the scene, almost two hours later, "approximately 5 acres of grass and brush [was] actively burning." The release also said that "strong trade winds" caused the fire to continue spreading "throughout [the] day. Dozers were utilized to establish fire breaks and choppers carried out water drops. Much of [the] area [was unaccessible] to ground vehicles." As of 6 p.m. Thursday, 840 acres had burned. Spreading of the fire "slowed down throughout nighttime hours", though "much of [the] area [was] still actively burning" today, said the release.
As of 4:30 p.m. today, Sept. 22, Hawai‘i Fire Department dispatch reported that firefighters were still battling the flames. Read yesterday’s Ka‘ū News Briefs for more.

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DA BUX, A HAWAI‘I FOOD BASKET PARTNERSHIP with KTA, farmers markets and other food sellers, rolled out its new promotion this week to help hungry people eat healthily. KTA promoted local foods, such as Rainbow Papayas for $1.39 a lb., bananas for $1.29 a lb. and red leaf lettuce for $1.19 a lb. for needy families who qualify and use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Local papayas promoted at KTA to low-income families
through Da Bux. Photo from Hawai‘i Food Basket

SNAP-EBT cards.

The program, subsidized by the USDA, started Wednesday at the Hilo downtown and Punainako KTAs. During the third week of each month through the end of 2017 SNAP-EBT customers will receive 50 percent of their total purchase (up to $20) back on their purchase of Hawai‘i Island produce. "It helps low income families and local farmers," says the post on Hawai‘i Food Basket's Facebook.
Volcano Farmers' Market will implement the DA BUX incentive on the third Sunday of the month: Oct. 15, Nov. 19, and Dec. 17 with support from County Councilwoman Maile David.

See more in the Sept. 20 Ka‘ū News Briefs.

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THE 4TH ANNUAL KA‘Ū COFFEE TRAIL RUN with races starting and ending at the Ka‘ū Coffee Mill will take place tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 23. Staggered gun starts begin at 7 a.m. Runners will receive a race goodie bag, including a T-shirt and more. Each registered participant will also be entered into a door prize drawing valued at $700.

Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run is Saturday morning at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill.
Photo by Vernon Harvey

Trail terrains vary between races: the 5K is a family-friendly, run/walk trail through macadamia nut groves and coffee fields; the 10K is a moderate run through macadamia nut groves and coffee fields; and the Half Marathon follows the 5K & 10K course, then continues up to an elevation of 3,100 feet, traverses onto a 4-wheel drive access road, marked trails undulating through grazing pastures.

KA‘Ū TROJANS beat Pāhoa, 18-12 in Eight-Man Football, Thursday on Pāhoa's home turf. The Trojan wining touchdowns all came in the fourth quarter. Trojan Z. Kai ran a 31-yard touchdown to tie the game at 12-12. The final score came when I. Pilanca-Emmsley intercepted the ball and ran for 95-yard across the goal line.
The second and third quarters were scoreless and halftime saw Pāhoa ahead 12-6, after the home team scored two touchdowns in the first quarter. Ka‘ū also scored in the first quarter when Pilanca-Emmsley passed to J. Badua.

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UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Wednesday, Sept. 27, Ka'ū vs. Ehunui, home.
Friday, Sept. 29, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, away.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Hawai'i Prep, away.
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 23, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe at Kona Bowl.
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

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THE NATURE CONSERVANCY HOSTS A VOLUNTEER DAY TOMORROW, Saturday, Sept. 23, at its Kona Hema Preserve in South Kona from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Space is limited so those wanting to volunteer must contact Schubert in advance to reserve a spot on one of the trucks. For more, read the Ka'ū News Briefs from September 8. To contact Schubert, email lschubert@tnc.org or call 443-5401.

For more details, see the Ka'ū News Briefs from Aug. 30, 2017.

HAWAI’I SEED FEST: LOCAL SEEDS FOR LOCAL NEEDS, sponsored by The Kohala Center and Hawai‘i Seed Growers Network, is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon in Pāhoa and Honalō.
"Check out variety trials in progress, learn how to conduct successful trials in your garden, enjoy refreshments and tastings of crops being grown from local seed, talk story with a local seed grower, and meet others in your community interested in improving local food security," says an announcement from The Kohala Center. Attendance is free but space is limited. Reserve online at localseeds.eventbrite.com or call The Kohala Center at 808-887-6411. Visit Hawai'i Seed Growers Network.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a moderate hike approximately 2 miles takes place tomorrow, Saturday, September 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENT PLAYERS, DRUMMERS, SINGERS AND DANCERS ARE WELCOMED for Kanikapila tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 23, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church Hall. For more, call Desmond at 937-6305.

THE KOHALA CENTER’S DEMONSTRATION FARM HOSTS A FIELD DAY TOMORROW, Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (45-434 Lehua St, Honoka’a).
The Kohala Center’s event description offers "a farm tour, hands-on training, and planting of an agroforestry system designed to diversify crops, control weeds naturally, and improve soil health."
This event is open to the public, with high school students and teachers encouraged to learn about the upcoming fall High School Sustainable Agriculture Program.
Contact Dave Sansone at sansone@kohalacenter.org or 808-887-6411 for more information.

JOIN A GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL on Sunday, Sept. 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. This moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traverses scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

ART ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED ON MONDAY, SEPT. 25 for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce's Annual Art Show. The art show will be open for public viewing from Tuesday, Sept. 26, to Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā‘ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.
An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30.
Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There will also be categories for Youth and Keiki entries, for which the entry fee is $1 per artwork - CU Hawai‘i has offered to sponsor any and all keiki who ask.
The winning popular vote piece will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR ART: For Metal Stamped Bracelets, register until Sept. 26. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

HOVE ROAD MAINTENANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS meet Tuesday, Sept. 26, starting at 10 a.m. at St. Jude's Episcopal Church. For more, call 929-9910.

KA'Ū FOOD PANTRY OFFERS FREE FOOD FOR THOSE IN NEED on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

LEARN ABOUT KA‘Ū DESERT’S FOOTPRINTS IN THE ASH with Park Ranger Jay Robinson during Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s After Dark in the Park on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium.
Hawaiians once traversed Kīlauea on foot to travel between Puna and Ka‘ū, and during the 18th century, explosions from the volcano rained volcanic ash down on the people, preserving their footprints in the sands of “Keonehelelei.” Robinson will discuss new interpretive displays in the Ka‘ū Desert and explain what is known today about the impact of these explosive eruptions on native society. The event is free, park entrance fees apply.

Pāhoehoe lava flows are common but a hazard to residents in their paths. See story below.
Photo by Alicia Burtner/USGS

RAINA WHITING ANNOUNCED HER BID FOR THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TODAY. The Nā‘ālehu school teacher is campaigning as a Democrat for the District 5 seat that covers the citizenry from Honu‘apo through Nā‘ālehu, Green Sands, Discovery Harbour, South Point and Ocean View through Miloli‘i and up to Holualoa in Kona. District V is currently being represented by Richard Creagan, MD, who has announced he is running for the State Senate seat being vacated by Senator Josh Green, MD.
Whiting said she is committed to championing the issues that matter the most to the nearly 50,000 residents of District 5, including advocating for farmers, "working towards the schools our keiki deserve, infrastructure improvements particularly the state highways, clean elections and the needs of kupuna."

Raina Whiting announced her bid for
state House of Representative today.
Photo from the Friends of Raina Whiting

She said she believes in coastal preservation and "making a sound plan for sustainable growth and economic development of our island home. This campaign is about building capacity in our community. I am one rural school teacher with a big desire to work hard for the future we desire on our islands - Together, our future is one to believe in!”
Whiting is a kindergarten teacher at Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. She earned her B.A. in Literature with a Certificate in Latin American and Iberian Studies from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa and her MS in Education from The Johns Hopkins University.
A statement from her campaign says, Whiting "is focused on community advocacy, hosting events to feed the community and providing free school supplies; and leading events that engage children in crafting and agriculture. As a school teacher she received over $5,000 in grant funding for the 2017-18 school year. The grant funding will go towards environmental place-based education, musical instruments, new furniture and gardening resources for her students."
Whiting is the co-founder of the Ka‘ū Farm School and is involved in supporting family farms. Whiting is also an active member of the Hawai‘i Farmers Union United’s Hawai‘i Island Chapter and a member of the Hawai‘i State Teacher’s Association’s Speakers Bureau, having contributed to its recent publication Schools Our Keiki Deserve: a blueprint for public education (hsta.org/index.php/news/schools-our-keiki-deserve-a-blueprint-for-public-education).

Whiting was the elected Democratic
party National Delegate for
Bernie Sanders.
Photo from Raina Whiting

Whiting was previously a legal advocate for victims of domestic abuse at the Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i. She’s served as an AmeriCorps volunteer in legal services and in education as a Teach for America corps member. She has also been active at the state capitol lobbying the legislature on behalf of organizations that advocate for social justice issues such as education, human rights, death with dignity, labor rights, environment, coastal preservation, homelessness, child advocacy and public land access and open space issues.
Whiting was the elected Democratic Party National Delegate for Bernie Sanders in 2016. She is the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i’s Hawai‘i County Secretary and is a State Senate District 3 representative on the State Central Committee. She is also a member of the Environmental Caucus, serving as an at-large elected officer. She was recently selected to participate in the Rural School Leadership Academy. Participants in the program learn early school leadership skills and deepen their exposure to the power of the role of the school leader, while building a powerful national network of aspiring school leaders in rural communities. The 2017-18 program is a cohort of 39 teachers from Alabama, Appalachia, Arkansas, Delaware, Eastern North Carolina, Greater New Orleans–Louisiana Delta, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rio Grande Valley, South Carolina, South Dakota, South Louisiana, and Washington.

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on Instagram and Twitter.

Long-view photograph of the Ka‘ū coastal fire from the Cane Haul Road above Nā‘ālehu. Photo by Richard Taylor

THE KA‘Ū COASTAL BRUSHFIRE CONTINUES WITH AROUND 1,600 ACRES BURNED says a Hawai‘i Fire Department press release issued today, Saturday, Sept. 23, around 9 p.m. The fire began near Waikapuna Bay with the first alarm raised at 5:24 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, according to and earlier press release issued by Hawai‘i Fire Department. Now three days in, fire crews are still battling the flames. By mid-morning today, the fire had grown "substantially" with "about 1400 acres" burned. The cause of the fire is "undetermined," says the Hawai`i Fire Department statement.

"This photograph was taken with a telephoto lens of the aircraft and
communications towers below Nā‘ālehu. Many firefighters on the scene
there. Fire is actually some distance from the towers, maybe 1000 feet,
foreshortened by the lens," says Richard Taylor who lives on a nearby ranch.

The brushfire "is long, reaching from Waikapuna Bay to within .75 miles of Green Sands Subdivision, and has more than a dozen spot fires outside the main burn area." It has "continued to burn through uneven terrain with variable fuel/vegetation mixtures." The "spot fires range from 100 square feet to several acres. Air support by two helicopters using water drops assisted ground units who were extinguishing fires that had jumped fire breaks.
"By nightfall, the fire was contained, with no further fires outside of 4-wheel roads widened by bull dozers, creating a perimeter for the approximately 1,600 acre fire."
The location of the fire offers "rugged plains with limited 4x4 vehicle access" over "primarily cattle pasture, with some native trees and archeology of unknown periods," says the release.
"No structures have burned or are in immediate danger."
The release states their fire fighting efforts are manpowered by a total of 26 individuals - 14 Hawai‘i Fire Department personal, along with 12 volunteer firefighters - with four privately owned bulldozers, one engine, two tankers, one medic unit, five rescue boat related volunteer apparatuses, two choppers and seven other units being used.

An aerial view of the Ka‘ū coastal fire approaching Nā‘ālehu and Mark Twain. Photo by Shalan Crysdale

Hawai‘i Fire Department "will remain on scene overnight, and operations will resume in the morning with choppers and ground fire fighting," says the statement.

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Matt Peharda won the Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run
half-marathon and was greeted at the finish line
with a wooden pendant lei presented by
Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Jami Beck.
Photo by Trevor Goff

THE KA‘Ū COFFEE TRAIL RUN Half Marathon welcomed Matt Peharda, 29, of Portland, Oregon, as first across the finish line today at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill in 1 hour and 41 seconds. Peharda, who was hosted overnight by Pāhala Plantation Cottages, described his experience. "I've run several races across Oregon, Colorado and California and this was the most scenic one. The entertainment before and after the race was fun, as well as the emcee."
Peharda is a senior financial analyst at Adidas and has written a book on running, available on Amazon, entitled Running with a Vengeance.
The Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run's Mens 10K saw Kip Niewlse coming first across the finish line in 45.51.8, Zachary Hines second in 46.03.1 and Brian Shiro in 46.24.8.
The Men's 5K saw Troy Aukai coming in first in 22.087.7, followed by Sumuo Engichi in 32.25.2 and Alexander Keely in 23.43.7. See more results in tomorrow's Ka‘ū News Briefs.
Today's was the fourth annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run, sponsored ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou and the Edmund C. Olson Trust, which provided the venue at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and the trails through coffee fields and macadamia orchards into the rainforest above Wood Valley.

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KA‘Ū BEAT CHRISTIAN LIBERTY at home in girls volleyball Friday night. With only Varsity in contention, the Trojans won with scores of 25-21, 25-15, 20-25 and 25-17, under Coach Joshua Ortega.

Pick up the September edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered

free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli`i

through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout

the district. See it online at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS

Girls Volleyball

Wednesday, Sept. 27, Ka'ū vs. Ehunui, home.

Friday, Sept. 29, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, away.

Eight-Man Football

Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.

Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country

Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.

Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.

Bowling

Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading

Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.

Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

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THERMAL MAPS HELP WITH PĀHOEHOE CHALLENGES, says this week's Volcano Watch, written by scientists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory:

Pāhoehoe lava flows are a common feature on Hawaiian volcanoes, and they have been a serious hazard to residential areas during the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption over the past few decades. Pāhoehoe destroyed much of the town of Kalapana, buried most of the Royal Gardens subdivision, and most recently threatened the town of Pāhoa.
A challenge with pāhoehoe flows is that they are difficult to track and forecast, in large part owing to how they spread out on the ground. As the surface of a pāhoehoe lava flow cools, lava tubes can develop and transport lava beneath the flow surface. This lava emerges at the active flow front, and on the flow surface in "breakouts" from the tube system. These lava breakouts can occur in many different areas along the length of a flow at any given time. On Kīlauea, lava breakouts are often scattered over areas spanning kilometers (miles).

An example of a thermal map, created on August 9, 2017. The thermal map is limited to the current flow
(episode 61g flow), which runs along the center of the map. The blue and green colors correspond to lower
surface temperatures, areas of cooled, inactive lava. The orange and red colors show areas of hot, active
breakouts on the flow surface. USGS map

The scattered nature of breakouts is the main challenge for monitoring and forecasting pāhoehoe flows. In some ways, monitoring pāhoehoe flows can be much more difficult than monitoring ‘a‘ā flows, which are often focused in a single, well-defined lava channel.
Until recently, geologists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory could only effectively map the margins of a pāhoehoe flow. The advance and expansion of the flow margins provided a picture of evolving behavior at the edge of the flow (and potential hazard), but it was difficult to map out exactly where all the breakouts on the flow surface were located.
These breakouts are commonly positioned well away from the flow front and margins. Sometimes they advance to reach the flow margins, and drive the flow in a new direction. Knowing where breakouts are clustered, and how they are evolving, is valuable for anticipating where the advance of a pāhoehoe flow might become focused.
Over the past few years, HVO geologists developed a new technique to map activity across the entire surface of a pāhoehoe flow. During our routine helicopter overflights, scientists use a handheld thermal camera to collect a series of overlapping, oblique images along the entire length of the lava flow, from the vent to the ocean entry. Scientists then use "structure-from-motion" computer software to stitch the individual images into a large mosaic.

Thermal web cam captures images for USGS scientists in Hawai‘i.
Photo from USGS

This type of software uses the overlapping images to calculate the exact 3-dimensional position of each image pixel on the surface of the Earth. Scientists insert a handful of known coordinates in the image mosaic as "ground control" points, which provide "georeference" for the mosaic and orients it to its correct position on the Earth's surface.
This mosaic of thermal images is basically a thermal map of the lava flow surface, and reveals the exact location of all the active surface breakouts. The map provides a highly accurate picture of surface activity, improving our ability to anticipate where lava might advance. The added benefit is that scientists can precisely map the path of the main lava tube, which produces a subtle line of warm temperatures on the surface.
Structure-from-motion software has become much more accessible in the past 5-10 years, and geologists around the world use it to make accurate 3D ground surface models. This software is another example of how rapidly technology is changing. "It also shows how new techniques can overcome long-standing challenges and improve our ability to monitor Hawaiian volcanoes,"
says the Volcano Watch article.

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A FREE CONCERT FEATURING LOCAL RECORDING ARTIST MARK YAMANAKA will be hosted in the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park on Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Mark has been awarded multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards since the debut of his first album, Lei Puakenikeni. His next album, Lei Maile, has also received critical acclaim. A press release from Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ promoting the event says “Mark’s crisp, clear falsetto and rich baritone voice will mesmerize you.” This even is part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing Nā Leo Manu “Heavenly Voices” presentations. Park entrance fees may apply.

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Stewardship at the Summit: a local resident removes invasive

Himalayan ginger from the park. Photo from NPS Photo/Janice Wei

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO HELP REMOVE INVASIVE, NON-NATIVE PLANT SPECIES that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This Stewardship at the Summit event will take place four times in October - Saturdays, Oct. 7 and 21, and Fridays, Oct. 13 and 27, at 9 a.m.
To join the efforts, meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. on any of the aforementioned dates. Volunteers should wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants and bring a hat, rain-gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools will be provided. No advance registration is required, and there is no cost to participate, but park entrance fees apply. Visit the park website for additional planning details: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

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JOIN A GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL TOMORROW, Sunday, Sept. 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes' National Park. This moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traverses scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

A VOLLEYBALL CLINIC for five to 14 year-old youth, co-sponsored by the Hawai'i Police Department, will be held at Ka'ū District Gym from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 25. The instructor will be Ka'ū High School girls volleyball coach Joshua Ortega and coaching staff, assisted by the Ka'ū High School Girls Volleyball team. Gym or court shoes required. Participants must turn in a signed registration waiver form. For more information, and to register, call Ka'ū District Gym at 928-3102.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

ART ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED ON MONDAY, SEPT. 25, for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce's Annual Art Show. The art show will be open for public viewing from Tuesday, Sept. 26, to Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai‘i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā‘ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.
An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30.
Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There will also be categories for Youth and Keiki entries, for which the entry fee is $1 per artwork - CU Hawai‘i has offered to sponsor any and all keiki who ask.
The winning popular vote piece will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR ART: For Metal Stamped Bracelets, register until Sept. 26. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

HOVE ROAD MAINTENANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS meet Tuesday, Sept. 26, starting at 10 a.m. at St. Jude's Episcopal Church. For more, call 929-9910.

KA'Ū FOOD PANTRY OFFERS FREE FOOD FOR THOSE IN NEED on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

A SPECIAL OPEN HOUSE FOR VETERANS TO PREVIEW the newly installed Telehealth Medical Equipment at Ocean View Community Center is planned for Thursday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon.
For more information, read the Ka'ū News Briefs from September 10, or call 939-7033.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. MEETS Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m., at the Hawaiian Ranchos office.

THE ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN PETREL, ‘UA‘U, will be the subject of discussion at Coffee Talk on Friday, Sept. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. inside the Visitor Center at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park.
Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park Avian Research Technician Charlotte Forbes-Perry will present a talk about the life of the ‘ua‘u and the National Park’s efforts to monitor and protect them.
Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to the event and park is free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

Taiko Drums sounded the celebration for the fourth annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run.
Photo by Peter Anderson

THE COMPLETE RESULTS OF THE KA‘Ū COFFEE TRAIL RUN are out after yesterday’s sunny and sturdy trail conditions. Sponsored by ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou and the Edmund C. Olson Trust, the venue was Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and its trails through coffee fields and macadamia orchards into the rainforest above Wood Valley. Taiko drummers sounded the applause and community groups offered entertainment, food and information.
In the Mens Half Marathon, Matt Peharda, 29, of Portland, Oregon, won in 1:41:40.9. Second was Alec Richardson. 27, in 1:48:34.4. Third was Lyman Perry, 50, in 1:48:51.0. Fourth was Joe Barica, 47, in 1:50:13:3. Fifth was Justin Young, 39, in 1:56:29:4.
Dylan Saragosa, 19, took first in the 19 and under group, in 2:09:57.4. Kyle Ignacio, 10, came in second in 2:21:29.5. He was the youngest runner in the race.
Some of the older runners did well, with 52-year old Shawn Mishler taking seventh overall, and 52 year-old Kai McBride taking tenth overall.

Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run took competitors high into the forest

above Wood Valley, past wooden water flumes that

formerly served the sugar plantation. Photo by Peter Anderson

The eldest runner in the Half Marathon was Don Zimbeck, 76, who came in ahead of six younger runners.
First in the Women’s Half Marathon was Bree Wee, 37, of Kona, in 1:51:37. Second was Harmony Wayner, 20, in 2:12:06.8. Third was Sally Marrack, 46, in 2:19:00.9. Fourth was Christina Lundgren, 23, in 2:19:26.3. Fifth was Elda Carreon, 37, in 2:20:54.3. The eldest in the race was 63 year-old Lee Otani. The youngest was the second place finisher.
The Mens 10K saw Kip Niewlse, 22, coming first across the finish line in 45.51.8, Zachary Hines, 35, second in 46.03.1 and Brian Shiro, 39, in third at 46.24.8. The eldest in the race was 74 year-old Donald Choquette, who beat three younger men. The youngest was the overall winner.
The Womens 10K saw Megan Lamson, 34, take first in 1:01:04:7, Melissa Kunz, 31, in 1:04:20.9, and Michelle Young, 39, in 1:05:52.5. The eldest in the race was 71 year-old Linda Gross. The youngest was 22 year-old Sarah Bermingham, who finished 15th.
The Mens 5K saw Troy Aukai, 17, coming in first in 22.08.7, followed by Sumuo Engichy, 17, in 32.25.2 and Alexander Keely, 16, in 23.43.7. The youngest competitor to finish, was Takami Munnerlyn, 4 years of age, who beat four other competitors, 12 to 16 times his age. The eldest in the race was Jay Cable, 74, who finished 20th.
The 5K women’s competition saw 16 year-old Keely Alexander come in first in a time of 23:43:47, followed by 46 year-old Kendra Ignacio in 25:56:4, and 65 year-old Janet Schleifer in 27:43.5. The eldest to finish the race was Madalyn McWhite-Lamson, 73, who beat eight younger women. The youngest was eight-year old Anabella Anthony who placed 17th.
See all the results at www.webscorer.com and look for the Sept. 23 race date and Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run.

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FriendRaiser welcomes community
support for the November event.
Photo from Nā‘ālehu School

RAFFLE PRIZES AND INFO BOOTHS ARE WELCOMED by Nāʻālehu Elementary Student Council for its second annual FriendRaiser to be held on Saturday, Nov. 18, on the school grounds. The event, runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to include games, food, booths, fun and, "most importantly, opportunities to build and strengthen friendships," says a statement from organizers. Community organizations are invited to host information booths. For more information, contact Amber Keohuloa at ajavar@naalehu.org or 345-9283.

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HAWAI‘I PUBLIC RADIO, with two stations, HPR-1 and HPR-2 reaching Ka‘ū, begins its semi-annual, on-air fundraiser this Wednesday, Sept. 27. The nonprofit is supported by 14,000 member donors, as well as nearly 200 businesses and foundations. Its reach covers the inhabited Hawaiian Islands, with Ka‘ū being the most recent area added, when it obtained the KAHU community radio license. In Ka‘ū, HPR-1 is found at 89.1 FM and HPR-2 is at 91.3 FM.

During the anticipated ten-day campaign, statewide, the station seeks to break its own pledge drive record by enrolling 1,000 new individual members and growing the rolls of those who contribute monthly from 45 to 50 percent.
In the last three years, despite steadily increasing costs, according to HPR, it has been able to lower its fund drive goals as more of its donors have opted to become monthly Sustaining Members. This fall's target of $875,000 continues this downward trend, and returns the station to a goal level not seen since the fall of 2013.

HPR President and GM José Fajardo

HPR President and General Manager José Fajardo states, "A larger base of donors is essential to weather the uncertain future of federal funding for public broadcasting. We are confident that more and more of HPR's listeners have come to realize how much they count on us for their news and entertainment and how HPR, in turn, counts on their support. It's a unique symbiotic relationship and listening to each other is at its core."
The station's realignment in February, "while generally well-received, elicited suggestions from listeners," says a statement from HPR. "Various programming adjustments have been made when listener demand warranted. The most recent, on Sept. 18, includes a new lineup at 7 p.m. on HPR-1, including the return of the popular weekly wrap-up Left, Right & Center, billed as a "confrontation over politics, policy and popular culture." Other returning shows during this hour are On the Media (Mondays) and Freakonomics Radio (Tuesdays). Two new programs round out the week: Reveal (Wednesdays) is dedicated to investigative reporting and Hidden Brain (Thursdays, starting Oct. 12) uses social science to help people understand the world, current events and themselves.
Last month, HPR received a top rating from Charity Navigator, the nation's largest charity evaluator. "Attaining a four-star rating verifies that Hawai‘i Public Radio exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work. Only 5 percent of the charities we evaluate have received at least six consecutive four-star evaluations, indicating that Hawai‘i Public Radio outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets Hawai‘i Public Radio apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness," states the letter from Charity Navigator.
Contributions to HPR may be made online at hawaiipublicradio.org, as well as through the HPR mobile app. Fund drive phone lines open on September 27 in the station's two studios. Donations to HPR-1 may be made at (808) 944-8800, toll-free (888) 970-8800, and to HPR-2 at (808) 941-3689, toll-free (877) 941-3689.

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CELEBRATING THE HISTORY OF THEIR FAITH, Bahá’í’s of Ka‘ū have issued a statement about the the story of their founder and the 200th anniversary of his birth. They also invite the public to a dinner and open house on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.

Bahá’í’s of Ka‘ū adopted a two-mile stretch

of highway and volunteer to keep it clean.

Photo from Bahá’í’s of Ka‘ū

The Bahá'í faith “originated in Iran in the mid-19th century. In less than 200 years it became a universal faith “present in every country in the world with adherents from virtually every national, ethnic, religious and tribal background,” says the statement from Bahá’í’s of Ka'ū.
The name of the founder, Bahá’u’lláh, who lived from 1817 to 1892, means "The Glory of God.” He is considered by millions of Bahá’í around the world as “the Divine Educator for this age whose coming was foretold by all of the Divine Messengers of the Past.”
In his writings, Bahá’u’lláh outlines a framework for the development of a global civilization which takes into account both the spiritual and material dimensions of human life. His teachings center around the recognition of the oneness of humanity and “offer a compelling vision of a future world united in justice, peace and prosperity.”
Bahá’u’lláh’s coming was heralded by the Báb who lived from 1819 to 1850. He was a prophet with the name Báb meaning “the Gate. The Báb declared His Divine Mission in 1844, which is considered the beginning of the Bahá’í Era – a new cycle of human history and social evolution,” say the Bahá’í’s of Ka'ū.
To read more about the Bahá’í faith, see bahai.us/bicentenary-resources. To contact the Bahá’í’s of Ka‘ū and to R.S.V.P. for the Oct. 21 gathering, contact Sandra Demoruelle. Email naalehutheatre@yahoo.com or phone 929-9244.

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A youngster learns to weave lau hala bracelet

at the 2017 Cultural Festival. NPS Photo/Janice Wei

“LEARN ONE OF THE GREAT TRADITIONAL ARTS OF HAWAI‘I, ulana lau hala” says Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park regarding its free Lau Hala workshop set to take place Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai.
Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ press release for the event says “Hawaiians have used the hala (pandanus) tree to create many useful and beautiful items for centuries. Learn to weave lau hala and take home your own piece of lau hala art,” from this Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshop. Park entrance fees apply.

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Aunty Ka‘ohu Monfort demonstrates lā‘au lapa‘au at the

2017 Cultural Festival. NPS Photo/Jay Robinson

FAMILIES ARE INVITED FOR A DAY OF FUN, CULTURE AND DISCOVERY for Kahuku ‘Ohana Day in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Registration required by Friday, Oct. 13).
Hawai‘i Volcanoes' press release promoting the event says “Learn about the hidden powers that plants have to keep us healthy through the teachings of Aunty Ka‘ohu Monfort, a practitioner of lā‘au lapa‘au (Hawaiian herbal medicine). Collect seeds from native plants and help park rangers bring new life to Kahuku.”
Kids 17 and under and their families must sign up by October 13 to participate by calling 808-985-6019. Bring water, lunch and snacks, sunscreen, hat, long pants, shoes and reusable water bottle. Kahuku is located between the 70 and 71 mile markers on Highway 11.

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Pick up the September edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Wednesday, Sept. 27, Ka'ū vs. Ehunui, home.
Friday, Sept. 29, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, away.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

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A VOLLEYBALL CLINIC for five to 14 year-old youth, co-sponsored by the Hawai‘i Police Department, will be held at Ka‘ū District Gym from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, Monday, Sept. 25. The instructor will be Ka‘ū High School girls volleyball coach Joshua Ortega and coaching staff, assisted by the Ka‘ū High School Girls Volleyball team. Gym or court shoes required. Participants must turn in a signed registration waiver form. For more information, and to register, call Ka‘ū District Gym at 928-3102.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

ART ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED TOMORROW, MONDAY, SEPT. 25, for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce's Annual Art Show. The art show will be open for public viewing from Tuesday, Sept. 26, to Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai‘i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā‘ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.
An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30.
Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There will also be categories for Youth and Keiki entries, for which the entry fee is $1 per artwork - CU Hawai‘i has offered to sponsor any and all keiki who ask.
The winning popular vote piece will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR ART: For Metal Stamped Bracelets, register until Tuesday, Sept. 26. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

HOVE ROAD MAINTENANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS meet Tuesday, Sept. 26, starting at 10 a.m. at St. Jude's Episcopal Church. For more, call 929-9910.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY OFFERS FREE FOOD FOR THOSE IN NEED on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

A SPECIAL OPEN HOUSE FOR VETERANS TO PREVIEW the newly installed Telehealth Medical Equipment at Ocean View Community Center is planned for Thursday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon.
For more information, read the Ka'ū News Briefs from September 10, or call 939-7033.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. MEETS Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m., at the Hawaiian Ranchos office.

THE ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN PETREL, ‘UA‘U, will be the subject of discussion at Coffee Talk on Friday, Sept. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. inside the Visitor Center at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Avian Research Technician Charlotte Forbes-Perry will present a talk about the life of the ‘ua‘u and the National Park’s efforts to monitor and protect them.
Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to the event and park is free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

HAWAI‘I FARMERS UNION United has announced its annual Ka‘ū chapter meeting, to be held at Pāhala Plantation House, at 96-3209 Maile St., on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Members and friends are invited to participate in the Ka'ū Chapter business and Convention discussion, election of board members and a potluck dinner.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU a free hike within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more details.

Makana Gregg counting ‘opihi, limpets in the intertidal waters of Nihoa within the
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Photo from NOAA

HOW IS THE ‘OPIHI POPULATION IN REMOTE HAWAI‘I? Scientists and cultural practitioners bent on answering the question of the survivability of the savory rock-hugging limpets that are favored in the Hawaiian diet, returned to the inhabited Hawaiian Islands aboard the research vessel M/V Searcher today. On board was Miloli‘i resident Will Mae Huihui.

These 'opihi counters, including Will Mae Huihui, of Miloli‘i, returned today from
studying intertidal life at Nihoa in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
Photo from NOAA

Scientists and practitioners studied ‘opihi populations and other rocky intertidal organisms in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. This year marks the ninth annual intertidal monitoring expedition, which integrates cultural knowledge and practices with western science to assess and better understand the shorelines and shallow waters of high islands within the Monument.

Participants surveyed Nihoa, Mokumanamana, and La Perouse Pinnacle at French Frigate Shoals. This ongoing research, led by members of the ‘Opihi Partnership, a public-private collaborative partnership consortium, provides managers with insights into how to make better-informed management decisions concerning harvesting of intertidal species in the main Hawaiian Islands.

Team members had about two days to survey the intertidal areas at each site, engaging in a wide range of protocol addressing natural as well as cultural health and wellness. One focus of the

Science and local knowledge, which often is science,
combined to study intertidal life. Photo from NOAA

expedition was to determine what proportion of ‘opihi - the Hawaiian limpet - populations are actually spawning at this time of year. "‘Opihi is a Hawaiian delicacy and culturally important species whose numbers have been dwindling in the Main Hawaiian Islands due to overharvesting. This research aims to help develop sustainable harvest protocols over time," said a statement from the scientists.

During the voyage, scientists conducted the first rigorous scientific investigation of the limu (algae) along the rocky intertidal habitats in the Monument. A phycologist (limu specialist) from the Waikīkī Aquarium was on board to lead this work. According to the scientists, this expedition also included the first shallow rocky intertidal and subtidal fish surveys in this habitat.

Nā Maka o Papahānaumokuākea, a Hawai‘i-based nonprofit organization, led Huli‘ia, a method to collect detailed, holistic observations based on traditional knowledge systems that build intimate knowledge of the surrounding environment. The creation of seasonal calendars is one product born from Huli‘ia where connections are drawn on between dominant patterns in the atmosphere, land and ocean. It is a collaborative effort to strengthen place-based knowledge and re-establish healthy relationships between people and place.

Researching ‘opihi at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

helps scientists make a plan for conserving them. Photo from NOAA

Members of the expedition also included staff from NOAA and the University of Hawai‘i as well as representatives of coastal communities, like Miloli‘i, who are involved in sustainably managing their own ‘opihi stocks. USFWS biologists conducted studies on endangered species on Nihoa.

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NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY IS SATURDAY, Sept. 30, and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park offers free entrance and two opportunities to help protect Hawai‘i. Both involve removing invasive plant species, one in the park and the other in the Ocean View community.

Invasive Himalayan ginger will be pulled by
volunteers during National Public Lands Day.
Photo from NOAA

In honor of National Public Lands Day, the largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands in the United States, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offering the Stewardship at the Summit program from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet volunteers Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center

at 8:45 a.m., then head into the forest to remove Himalayan ginger from the summit of Kīlauea. Himalayan ginger is one of the most invasive plants in the park, and on earth. It is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as one of the 100 World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species.

A statement from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park says, "The park strives to protect the rainforest habitat of native birds and plants, but Himalayan ginger takes over the native rainforest understory, making it impossible for the next generation of forest to grow, and it crowds out many native plants, including pa‘iniu (a Hawaiian lily), ‘ama‘u fern, and others."

Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, sunscreen, raingear, snacks, and water. Loppers/gloves provided. No advance registration required. Volunteers for Stewardship at the Summit on Saturday will receive a free park pass to use on another date of their choosing.

Volunteers can help the Ocean View community take out invasive
fountain grass on Saturday, Sept. 30. Meet at OV Community Center.
NPS Photo

In Ocean View, volunteers are needed to remove invasive fountain grass from roadsides in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Meet at the Ocean View Community Center this Saturday, Sept. 30, at 9 a.m.; bring lunch, water, a hat and sun protection. This noxious weed increases the risk of wildfire. In 2005, fountain grass was responsible for a 25,000-acre fire that forced evacuation of Waikoloa Village. Contact Park Ecologist David Benitez at 985-6085 or email him at david_benitez@nps.gov for more information about this project.

Every year on National Public Lands Day, all fee-charging national parks offer free entry. Many parks and public lands across the nation organize stewardship projects and special programs on National Public Lands Day to raise awareness about why it is important to protect our public lands.

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UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Wednesday, Sept. 27, Ka'ū vs. Ehunui, home.
Friday, Sept. 29, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, away.
Friday, Oct. 6, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe, home.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away.
Friday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. Honoka'a, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. BIIF, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR ART: For Metal Stamped Bracelets, register until Tuesday, Sept. 26. The art class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 928-3102.

THE ANNUAL ART SHOW OPENS TOMORROW for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce. Held in the annex of the CU Hawai‘i Federal Credit Union, the art show will be open for public viewing from Tuesday, Sept. 26, to Friday, Sept. 29, during normal credit union business hours. The public votes on the art to be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, the annual business and community guide to the district.

According to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble, the annual art show is a fundraiser for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

A PERFECT DAY FOR AN ALBATROSS is the draw to a book signing by Volcano artist Caren Loebel-Fried and a talk story with the artist and seabird biologist Cynthia Vanderlip this Thursday, Sept. 28, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center, Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.

School Library Journal describes the book as “A wonderful introduction to a magnificent sea bird, this vibrantly illustrated story belongs on every shelf.”

The artist will share personal experience researching on Midway Atoll, and explain how she created the book, A Perfect Day for an Albatross. She will sign copies amd personalize limited edition prints of the book art. The original art created for the book will also be on display.

Vanderlip has worked in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands since 1989 for National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and Oceanic Society as a biologist, technician, naturalist and U.S. Coast Guard-licensed boat captain. Since 2002, Vanderlip has led annual field camps at Kure Atoll for the DLNR, Division of Forestry & Wildlife.

See more of Caren Loebel-Fried Art at carenloebelfried.com.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. MEETS Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m., at the Hawaiian Ranchos office.

THE ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN PETREL, ‘UA‘U, will be the subject of discussion at Coffee Talk on Friday, Sept. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. inside the Visitor Center at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park.
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Avian Research Technician Charlotte Forbes-Perry will present a talk about the life of the ‘ua‘u and the National Park’s efforts to monitor and protect them.
Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to the event and park is free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

HAWAI'I FARMERS UNION United has announced its annual Ka'ū chapter meeting, to be held at Pāhala Plantation House, at 96-3209 Maile St., on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Members and friends are invited to participate in the Ka'ū Chapter business and Convention discussion, election of board members and a potluck dinner.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU a free hike within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered tomorrow, Sept. 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more details.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

Ho‘okupu Hula No Ka‘ū Festival will be Saturday, Nov. 4 and keiki and hula dancers of all ages practice
Wednesdays at Pāhala Community Center. Those interested in volunteering or sponsoring a booth
meet Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 6:30 p.m. Pāhala Community Center. See story below. Photo by Julia Neal

AFTER FIVE DAYS, THE WAIKAPUNA BRUSHFIRE THAT BURNED 1,645 ACRES along the Ka‘ū Coast, sending smoke across South Point ranches and neighborhoods, "is now contained" with "no structures or communities... threatened at this time," the county Fire Department and Civil Defense agency announced today.

The Waikapuna fire burned for more than five days and is now
contained. Photo from Big Island Video News.

However, advisories to the public remained in place: “Area motorists should be on the lookout for emergency vehicles. Smoke from the fire may affect visibility for driving and air quality for Wai‘ōhinu area including Green Sands, Mark Twain Estates, and Discovery Harbor. The public is requested to stay out of the active fire area. Closures may occur without notice." According to the Hawai‘i Fire Department, a cause is yet to be determined.
See a wrap up of the fire coverage in Wednesday’s Ka‘ū News Briefs.

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DE-ESCALTING THE NORTH KOREA CRISIS THROUGH DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT is the call today from Tulsi Gabbard, Ka‘ū's representative in Congress: "After spending trillions of dollars on counterproductive regime change wars in Iraq, Syria, and Libya, we cannot afford to enmesh ourselves in another costly conflict with North Korea.
"Trading barbs, personal insults, and threats with Kim Jong Un has put the United States in a more tenuous position in East Asia than we have experienced since the Korean War. Taking a hardline stance that abandons diplomacy has caused the North Korean military to multiply their ballistic missile tests, put Guam in their crosshairs, and now threaten to shoot down American military planes.

Kim Jong Un
Image from Wikipedia

"Regime change policy has failed, and it has nearly bankrupted our federal government. We have leaders who drag their feet at ensuring clean water for Flint or health care for the American public, but who jump at the opportunity to entangle ourselves in more costly foreign conflicts. Toppling Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein has not made the world safer—instead, dictators like Kim Jong Un cling harder to their nuclear arsenal as the only deterrent to further U.S. aggression.
"The cost of war is profound," Gabbard stated, noting that during her own military service, "I have served alongside friends in the Middle East who never made it home, and alongside still more who have struggled against systemic issues at home that we have neglected for want of more foreign entanglements.

Hawai‘i Army National Guard Major and

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard calls

for talks with North Korea.
Photo from Office of Tulsi Gabbard

Gabbard said her view is that "Diplomacy is our best hope to de-escalate the crisis with North Korea, and ultimately denuclearize the Korean peninsula. In order to protect our troops and allies in South Korea, Japan, and on naval vessels patrolling the Pacific, we have a responsibility to bring North Korea to the table.

"We can only win North Korea's trust when we swear off our arbitrary interventions in sovereign countries. Peace, not war, is the only sane option, but there is a longstanding bipartisan consensus in Washington that disagrees. I have never been afraid of going against my own party or the Washington establishment to do what I feel is right. Please sign our petition for diplomacy and an end to counterproductive regime change policy," she proclaimed with a link to her peace petition.
"Peace is more difficult to achieve than conflict. We cannot be afraid of standing up to our enemies—especially when all our enemies seem to want is violence. Let's find a better path forward," Gabbard concluded.

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THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WAS PRESERVED, at least one more time today, when U.S. Senate Republicans withdrew their latest Obama Care repeal bill. Sen. Mazie Hirono tweeted: "Mahalo to everyone who spoke out against #GrahamCassidy. Our work toward health care - that is a right & not a privilege - must continue."

Sen. Mazie Hirono speaking to the Senate Finance Committee on
Monday, regarding preserving and improving the Affordable Care Act.
Photo fro the Office of Sen. Mazie Hirono

Yesterday, she testified in Washington, D.C. before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.
She shared that when she was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer, about five months ago, the diagnosis came to her as a total shock, incidental to a physical exam." Out of the blue. Bang! You can't plan for it."

She said she is being treated with much compassion from colleagues and even from total strangers. "It helps me a lot."
Sadly, however, compassion was not in the health care bill, Hirono said. "In the greatest, richest country in the world, compassion for our fellow men and women should not be so illusive, or, indeed, missing."

"The Graham-Cassidy proposal neither reflects care nor compassion for millions across the country," Hirono testified.

She said the proposed bill treated health care like a commodity that can be bought and sold. "This is fundamentally wrong." She reported that "before the Affordable Care Act, catastrophic health care costs were the largest driver of personal bankruptcy across the country. And since the law went into effect, we've seen a huge reduction in personal bankruptcies. There is a causal relationship when people get health care."

Hirono also testified that "Under the thin veneer of states rights and local control, the Graham-Cassidy bill imposes a radical overhaul of one-sixth of the American economy."

According to the Brooking Institution, 32 million people would have lost their health care under Graham-Cassidy, Hirono said. Close to 600,000 in Hawai‘i and 134 million people across the country, with pre-existing conditions would have been at risk of losing health insurance.

She said it could have taken away health insurance benefits "at someone's moment of greatest need." She said Hawai‘i would have suffered about $4 billion in cuts and with about 91,000 fewer people covered for health care.

"Let's return to the bipartisan negotiations," to stabilize the health insurance marketplace, Hirono recommended.

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A TRAVEL BOOST INSTEAD OF A TRAVEL BAN, is a small piece of economic development promotion that Sen. Mazie K. Hirono helped make permanent today, Sept. 26. The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Program grants Americans and citizens from APEC nations access to fast-track processing lanes at Daniel K. Inouye Honolulu International Airport and airports across the U.S. and Asia-Pacific. It will become a permanent program with the U.S. Senate's unanimous approval today, if it also wins approval form the U.S. House of Representatives.

Hirono said that more than 200 Hawai‘i residents are active holders of the APEC Business Travel Card, which saves 43 minutes on average in airport wait times. Without the passage of the bill, U.S. Customs and Border Protection cannot issue cards to U.S. citizens after September 30, 2018.
“By permanently extending this successful program, the Senate today has affirmed the importance of travel to our economy and our country’s engagement with the nations of the Asia-Pacific.”
Said Hirono, “With 95 percent of the world’s consumers outside of the United States, it’s
critical that we continue to make it more efficient for American businesses to reach overseas markets.”

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HAWAI‘I HAS THE HIGHEST TEACHER-FRIENDLINESS but is ranked the worst in the country for starting salaries for teachers and average annual salary for teachers, when considering the adjusted cost of living. The study by WalletHub, which came out yesterday, ranked Hawai‘i number 42 in teachers' income growth potential, 39 in the overall quality of the school system, 35 in pupil-teacher ratio, 34 in ten-year change in teacher salaries, and 20 in public school spending per student.

WalletHub announced the results of its study to be tagged with World Teachers Day. It is called 2017's Best & Worst States for Teachers.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

WalletHub analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 21 key metrics, ranging from teachers' income growth potential to pupil-teacher ratio to teacher safety. See the full study at 2017's Best & Worst States for Teachers.

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THE ANNUAL ART SHOW, organized by Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce, opened for public viewing today and will run through Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building in Nā‘ālehu, during normal credit union business hours. The public is invited to vote on art for the cover of The Directory 2018.
Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There are also categories for Youth and Keiki entries.
Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble said the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. BIIF, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

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A SPECIAL OPEN HOUSE FOR VETERANS TO PREVIEW the newly installed Telehealth
Medical Equipment at Ocean View Community Center is planned for Thursday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, read the Ka'ū News Briefs from September 10 and September 19, or call 939-7033.

A PERFECT DAY FOR AN ALBATROSS is a book for signing by Volcano artist Caren Loebel-Fried during her talk story with seabird biologist Cynthia Vanderlip this Thursday, Sept. 28, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center, Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.

The artist shares personal experience researching on Midway Atoll, and explains how she created the book. She will sign copies and personalize limited edition prints of book art, and display original work.

Vanderlip will share her work experience in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands since 1989 for National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and Oceanic Society as a biologist, technician, naturalist and U.S. Coast Guard-licensed boat captain. She leads annual field camps at Kure Atoll for the DLNR, Division of Forestry & Wildlife.

See more of Caren Loebel-Fried Art at carenloebelfried.com.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. MEETS Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m., at the Hawaiian Ranchos office.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park Avian Research Technician Charlotte Forbes-Perry will present a talk about the life of the ‘ua‘u and the National Park’s efforts to monitor and protect them.
Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to the event and park is free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

HAWAI'I FARMERS UNION United will hold its annual Ka'ū chapter meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, at 96-3209 Maile St. this Saturday, Sept. 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Members and friends are invited to participate in the Ka'ū Chapter business and Convention discussion, election of board members and a potluck dinner.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU a free hike within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered tomorrow, Sept. 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more details.

NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY IS SATURDAY, Sept. 30, and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offering free entrance and two opportunities to help to remove invasive plant species, one in the park and the other in the Ocean View community.

To join the Stewardship at the Summit program from 9 a.m. to noon, meet volunteers Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m., then head into the forest to remove Himalayan ginger from the summit of Kīlauea. Volunteers receive a free park pass to use on another date of choice.

Firefighters are watching over the 1,645 acre Waikapuna fire which is largely contained, but at risk of reigniting.

WHAT CAUSED THE WAIKAPUNA BRUSHFIRE THAT BURNED 1,645 ACRES along the Ka‘ū Coast and spread inland with smoke across ranches, Discovery Harbour, Mark Twain, South Point and Wai‘ōhinu residential neighborhoods? While no evacuations were ordered, it was a fire that brought some residents to consider leaving their homes.

Due to limited 4x4 access roads, the location of the fire,
and strong trade winds, it tool ground crews two hours
to reach the fire.

The most common cause of remote brushfires, according to firefighters, are cigarettes thrown on the ground and camp and cooking fires not fully extinguished. Sometimes a spark from a vehicle can ignite a fire. Another possibility is arson. The Fire Department is investigating and clues can be shared by calling Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
The fire was first seen and reported by area residents before dawn on Thursday, Sept. 21. It was hard to reach and the Fire Department reported: "Due to the location of the fire" and "limited 4x4 access roads," when the first units were eventually able to arrive at the scene, almost two hours later, approximately five acres of grass and brush were “actively burning.”

According to the Fire Department, 14 county firefighters and 12 volunteer firefighters responded. Bulldozers to make firebreaks, water hauling vehicles, and helicopters to track the fire and drop water arrived. However, strong trade winds caused the fire to spread on Thursday. With much of the area inaccessible to ground vehicles, the Fire Department reported, as of 6 p.m. Thursday, 840 acres had burned.
Civil Defense warned residents and travelers to be on the lookout for emergency vehicles. "Smoke from the fire may affect visibility for driving and air quality for Wai‘ōhinu area including Green Sands, Mark Twain Estates and Discovery Harbour. The public is requested to stay out of the active fire area.”

Fire crews worked day and night for five days before
the brushfire could be called contained.

Through the firefighters efforts, however, the spreading fire "slowed down throughout nighttime hours," on Thursday, though "much of area [was] still actively burning" on Friday, announced the Fire Department. By mid-morning Saturday, the winds picking up, the fire had grown again, "substantially" with "about 1,400 acres" burned, the Fire Department reported.
The brushfire "is long, reaching from Waikapuna Bay to within 0.75 miles of Green Sands Subdivision, and has more than a dozen spot fires outside the main burn area,” said Saturday’s release. It has "continued to burn through uneven terrain with variable fuel/vegetation mixtures." The "spot fires range from 100 square feet to several acres. Air support by two helicopters using water drops assisted ground units who were extinguishing fires that had jumped firebreaks.”
The Fire Department reported that by nightfall on Saturday, “the fire was contained, with no further fires outside of [4-wheel drive] roads widened by bull dozers, creating a perimeter for the approximately 1,600 acre fire.”
After weekend rains helped douse the fire, brining it to a crawl, Sunday's release said 1,645 acres were the total consumed.
The Fire Department described the location as "rugged plains with limited 4x4 vehicle access" over "primarily cattle pasture, with some native trees and archeology of unknown periods."

County and volunteer crews, private bulldozer operators, water haulers

and helicopter pilots, worked together to tame the flames.

Police and fire officials said today that the cause of the fire

remained undetermined. No structures burned.

Area residents posted about the fire on The Ka‘ū Calendar Facebook:
From Thomas Pasquale: "Thank you for reporting on this. As we smelled smoke and watched the fire spread closer and closer to Green Sands and Mark Twain subdivisions on Saturday, we kept checking back on the Civil Defense website all day for any update. Even now, at 10 a.m. on Sunday, their latest alert is dated last Thursday at 6 p.m. Don't get me wrong, we are infinitely thankful for the hard work of all the County and volunteer firefighters. They are our heroes. But, the County could have at least updated their message to reassure us that we did not, in fact, need to start planning to evacuate. Am I wrong?"
From Leah Silver Kotuby: “How tragic. Hope no animals or people have been injured.”
From Sherrie LaRue Bazin: “Thank you for all who have served to keep our community safe… you are appreciated!!!”

1,645 acres burned along the Ka‘ū coast near Waikapuna,
most of which was cattle ranch land, with some native trees
and archeological sites.

From Candy Casper: “Love to all of our firefighters, volunteer and paid. Lizzy Stabo (volunteer firefighter), you are really something! Thanks!!!”
From Alikka Tag: “Be safe out there, we see & appreciate your efforts.”
Some Ka‘ū community members voiced concern on other public Facebook pages about the preservation of cultural sites while bulldozing firebreaks.

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CANDIDATES FOR THE KA‘Ū COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEES are sought by the County of Hawai‘i Planning Department. "Action Committee members should be community-minded, reflect a wide variety of perspectives, and represent a broad spectrum of the community," says a statement from the Planning Department. County of Hawai‘i Website. The Planning Department encourages Ka‘ū residents to share this opportunity "within your personal and professional networks."

A memo from the Planning Director briefly outlining the role of Action Committee members is available on the County of Hawai`i Website.

Applications are accessible at Hawai‘i County Mayor's Website; Mayor Harry Kim's offices in Hilo at 25 Aupuni Street, and his office in Kona at 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Bldg C, Kailua-Kona.

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TWO COUNTY DEPARTMENT HEADS AND A DEPUTY HAVE RESIGNED. A news alert from Nancy Cook Lauer, of West Hawai‘i Today, says that county Human Resources Director Sharon Toriano resigned today, “following a critical audit that showed ‘questionable hiring practices,’ and a Monday newspaper article indicating preferential treatment of job applicants through her use of sticky notes on official hiring documents.”
Cook Lauer reported that Mayor Harry Kim said he told the Merit Appeals Board and County Council chairs, about the importance of restoring public confidence in county hiring practices. He said he did not ask for Toriano’s resignation. Cook Lauer reported the mayor saying, “My goal is to resolve this as best we can without creating an atmosphere of a circus.”
Deputy Human Resources Deputy Director William Brilhante, a former Deputy County Attorney, was accepted by the Merit Board as Acting Director.

Bill Brilhante is acting Human Resources Director. He
is a former Deputy County Attorney.

County Department of Parks & Recreation Director Charmaine Kamaka and Deputy Director Ryan Chong resigned earlier, according to an announcement this week by the mayor. Regarding Parks & Recreation, the statement from the mayor’s office said that Kim thanked Kamaka and Chong, “and praised them for their very good and hard work. We are very grateful for all that Charmaine and Ryan have done for the community,” the Mayor said. “They took on a very difficult task and did good work.”
Roxcie Waltjen, the Department’s Culture Education Administrator, has been asked to fill in as the interim Director of Parks & Recreation. Kim said that a letter to the County Council for Waltjen’s confirmation will be drafted this week.

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Seniors Daryl Moreira and Revis Petitt

at Kea‘au High School on Sept. 16.

Next race is at Waiakea High School

on Sept. 30.

Senior Revis Petitt, Freshmen Bernadette

Ladia and Angel Morton-Dahlstedt

cool off after 5K race at Kamehameha

High School on Sept. 9.

KA‘Ū HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY team is traveling to meets, from Kea‘au High to Kamehameha School with the next race at Waiakea High School, this Saturday, Sept. 30, at 10 a.m. Coach Erin Cole has been working with the team after school on weekdays, running through the streets, onto the old cane roads above Pāhala.

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KA‘Ū HIGH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL suffered a setback Wednesday evening, losing to Ehunui at home. With only a varsity match, scores were 25-18, 25-16, 24-26, 15-25 and 8-15. Next game is Thursday on the road against Pahoa.

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Pick up the October edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered

free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i

through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout

the district. See it online now at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball
Friday, Sept. 29, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, away.
Friday, Oct. 6, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe, home.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away.
Friday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. Honoka'a, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. BIIF, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

THE ANNUAL ART SHOW, organized by Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce, is open for public viewing through Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā'ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.

An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30.

Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There will also be categories for Youth and Keiki entries.

The winning popular vote piece will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR AN ART CLASS until Tuesday, Oct. 3. The class, Cupcake Liner Owl, takes place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at the Pāhala Community Center. For more, call 928-3102.

A SPECIAL OPEN HOUSE FOR VETERANS TO PREVIEW the newly installed Telehealth Medical Equipment at Ocean View Community Center is planned for tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, read the Ka'ū News Briefs from September 10 and September 19, or call 939-7033.

A PERFECT DAY FOR AN ALBATROSS is a book for signing by Volcano artist Caren Loebel-Fried during her talk story with seabird biologist Cynthia Vanderlip tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 28, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center, Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.

See more of Caren Loebel-Fried Art at carenloebelfried.com.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. MEETS Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m., at the Hawaiian Ranchos office.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park Avian Research Technician Charlotte Forbes-Perry will present a talk about the life of the ‘ua‘u and the National Park’s efforts to monitor and protect them.

Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to the event and park is free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

HAWAI'I FARMERS UNION United will hold its annual Ka'ū chapter meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, at 96-3209 Maile St. this Saturday, Sept. 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Members and friends are invited to participate in the Ka'ū Chapter business and Convention discussion, election of board members and a potluck dinner.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU a free hike within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered tomorrow, Sept. 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more details.

To join the Stewardship at the Summit program from 9 a.m. to noon, meet volunteers Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m., then head into the forest to remove Himalayan ginger from the summit of Kīlauea. Volunteers receive a free park pass to use on another date of choice.

In Ocean View, volunteers will remove invasive fountain grass. Meet at the Ocean View Community Center this Saturday, Sept. 30, at 9 a.m.; bring lunch, water, a hat and sun protection. Contact Park Ecologist David Benitez at 985-6085 or email him at david_benitez@nps.gov for more information about this project.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC takes place Sunday, Oct. 1, at Manukā Park. All American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio and families are invited to attend. For more details, contact Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS MONDAY, Oct. 2, at 4 p.m., at the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

For more information call Nā‘ālehu Public Library at 939-2442 or Pāhala Public Library at 928-2015. For more library events, visit librarieshawaii.org/events.

Michael Newman, working with KUPU at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Photo from KUPU

ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO VISIT AND WORK IN NATIONAL PARKS was the subject of a public hearing yesterday in Washington, D.C., convened by Sen. Mazie Hirono. Witnesses included John Leong, Chief Executive Officer of KUPU, an AmeriCorps program that provides young people with service learning and educational opportunities through maintaining and preserving Hawai‘i’s natural resources.
“The work being done to improve our national parks is a vehicle that is helping to unlock the potential in our youth and it’s really allowing them to explore careers in conservation. But, at the same time they are getting transferable job skills like leadership, communication, teamwork, responsibility, the value of hard work, and transferable technical skills that they can take with them throughout life,” said Leong.

National Parks Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Steve Daines, Sen. Mazie

Hirono, and John Leong, of KUPU. Photo from Mazie Hirono

Said Hirono, “While America is growing more diverse and urban, and younger generations are making up a greater share of the population, these trends are not reflected in visitors to our national parks. KUPU and programs like it are helping to fill this gap by training our keiki to become stewards of the ‘āina and serve our communities as Hawai‘i’s future conservationists.”
Hirono also heard from leaders at the National Park Service and Niantic, the makers of Pokemon Go, regarding challenges and opportunities for national parks to engage the next generation of park visitors and conservation workers.
According to a 2015 report, only seven percent of National Park Service employees were 29 or younger, while 75 percent were 40 or older. However, said Hirono, the Trump administration’s budget proposes a 13 percent cut to the NPS’s overall budget and an 11 percent cut to visitor services.
A statement from Hirono's office noted that shte Senator, who is the Ranking Member of teh senate Energy and Natural Resouces Subcommittee on National Parks, "has been a strong advocate for federal funding to support workforce development for future leaders in conservation and to ensure that people of all ages have access to our national parks." In August, Hirono met with leaders and interns from KUPU and the state Department of Land & Natural Resources.
Programs like KUPU help provide job training and opportunities for youth interested in pursuing
careers in conservation. As a result of this partnership, there are many DLNR workforce who are
KUPU corps members or alumni, Hirono stated.

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LOW INCOME HOUSING FOR NATIVE HAWAIIANS was on Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's agenda today when she joined a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in introducing the reauthorization of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act. She said it has empowered more than 1,400 low-income families in Hawaiʻi over the past two decades, along with native communities across the country. In addition to the introduction of the bill today in the House, U.S. Senator Tom Udall has also introduced companion language in the U.S. Senate.

“Reauthorizing NAHASDA is critical to fulfill our nation’s trust responsibility to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Safe, secure, and affordable housing is essential to the wellbeing of our country’s native people which leads to better health, education, and economic outcomes that strengthen native communities,” said Gabbard.

“In Hawaiʻi, almost 30 percent of the homeless population is comprised of Native Hawaiians—a statistic that is far too high in the most prosperous country in the world. Reauthorizing NAHASDA provides needed financial support to native communities in Hawaiʻi and across the country. We must continue to fight for the programs that will improve housing and wellness resources for Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities throughout the country,” said Gabbard.
In Hawaiʻi, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is the sole recipient of the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant as provided for by the law. DHHL administers 203,000 acres of trust land; 99 percent of those lands are located in Hawai‘i’s Second Congressional District: from the southernmost tip of Hawai‘i Island to Kauaʻi and Niʻihau; it includes every Hawaiian Island, but excludes urban Honolulu. Ka‘ū lands are at Ka Lae and above Punalu‘u.

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THE ANNUAL KA‘U COFFEE TRAIL RUN organizer ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou has announced the success of last weekend's event that drew 188 runners, joggers and walkers who crossed the finish line at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Six flew in from Austria, Canada, United Kingdom and New Zealand and 20 from 11 states outside of Hawai‘i.

Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Flower, Evalyn Ornelas,
was one of the greeters for the Ka‘ū Coffee Trail
Run finishers, giving them a koa lei and a high five.
Photo by Trini Marques

OKK brought much entertainment to the scene, including Eddie O of Nutrex Hawai‘i, who announced the winners on a sunny day that began with the Hilo Okinawa Kohudo Taiko Drummers pounding out an inspiring rhythm to the start line. Volunteers numbered, including OKK members, the Hawai‘i National Guard Youth Challenge Academy who closed the event with a ceremonial drill, the Ka‘ū High School Athletic teams, Team BioAstin, retired Police Officers, the Ham Radio Operators from Ocean View and the Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Court.
The race, sponsored by County of Hawai‘i, Edmund C. Olson Trust II, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill, HPM Building Supplies, and Pacific Quest, was followed by local food from several vendors, live entertainment and award presentations.
The statement from ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou promises that "all proceeds from the event go back into the Ka‘ū community in the form of providing school supplies and scholarships to students; fundraising assistance for schools, athletic teams and other organizations; producing the annual Keiki Fishing Tournament; performing minor home repairs and installing grab bars and ramps for seniors; running stewardship projects for the highway, beaches, cemeteries and much more."
Read more about the organization and the race at www.okaukakou.org.

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Pick up the October edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered

free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i

through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout

the district. See it online now at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Friday, Sept. 29, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, away.
Friday, Oct. 6, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe, home.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away.
Friday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. Honoka'a, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. BIIF, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

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REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR AN ART CLASS until Tuesday, Oct. 3. The class, Cupcake Liner Owl, takes place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at the Pāhala Community Center. For more, call 928-3102.

THE ANNUAL ART SHOW, organized by Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce, will be open for public viewing through tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā'ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.

An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30. The winning popular vote art will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. MEETS tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m., at the Hawaiian Ranchos office.

THE ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN PETREL, ‘UA‘U, will be the subject of discussion at Coffee Talk tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. inside the Visitor Center at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park Avian Research Technician Charlotte Forbes-Perry will present a talk about the life of the ‘ua‘u and the National Park’s efforts to monitor and protect them.

Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to the event and park is free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU a free hike within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more details.

To join the Stewardship at the Summit program from 9 a.m. to noon, meet volunteers Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m., who will lead the effort to remove Himalayan ginger from the summit of Kīlauea. Volunteers receive a free park pass to use on another date of choice.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC takes place Sunday, Oct. 1, at Manukā Park. All American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio and families are invited to attend. For more details, contact Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS MONDAY, Oct. 2, at 4 p.m., at the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

DANCE IMAGINED, a class lead by Karen Masaki that “encourages exploration and builds strength and fluidity for pure exhilaration of movement,” will be held on Tuesdays this month: Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31. The classes will take place at the Volcano Art Center from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and incur a fee of $20 non-members and $15 for Volcano Art Center members or $50 for the entire series. For more, call 967-8222.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS Tuesday, Oct. 3, and Wednesday, Oct. 4. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET TUESDAY, Oct. 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Pāhala Community Center.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S LAVA LOUNGE, in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more details, call 967-8371.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ENROLL in the The Kohala Center’s High School Sustainable Agriculture Program. The next session is at TKC's Demonstration Farm in Honoka’a, Oct. 9 to 13, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Kohala Center's Rural and Cooperative Business Development Services says, “The weeklong program features hands-on training in sustainable agriculture practices and visits to important traditional Hawaiian agricultural sites and farms. Students will also learn about opportunities in farming and supporting Hawai'i's food security. Contact Dave Sansone at 808-887-6411 or dsansone@kohalacenter.org for more information.”

A monk seal rests along the Ka‘ū Coast. Photo by Julia Neal

MONK SEALS AND OTHER MARINE MAMMALS will be further protected as Hawai‘i conservation programs receive nearly $200,000 in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funding for the recovery and treatment of stranded marine animals. Sen. Mazie Hirono said this morning, "Marine mammals are threatened by climate change, development, and pollution. This funding will help two Hawai‘i organizations with a history in marine mammal protection to conduct research on marine mammal mortality and rehabilitate and release monk seals."
This year's John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance grant was awarded to The University of Hawai‘i and The Marine Mammal Center for their work to support conservation research. As part of the grant funding, UH will receive $100,000 to investigate causes of mortality in Pacific Island marine mammals.
"Whales and dolphins are sentinels of ocean health, and like a canary in a coal mine are one of our first indicators of change to Hawai‘i's marine ecosystem," said Dr. Kristi West, standing director for the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. "As the only entity in the state that conducts cause of death investigations for stranded dolphins and whales, we rely heavily on the Prescott grant to determine what threatens the survival of 20 different species of dolphins and whales that call Hawai‘i home."

Keiki play behind a monk seal at Honu‘apo years ago, during the
early efforts to conserve the Ka‘ū Coast. Photo by Julia Neal

In addition, The Marine Mammal Center will receive $98,951 to support its Hawaiian Monk Seal Rehabilitation Program.
"Public-private partnerships are essential for the successful conservation of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal," said Dr. Jeff Boehm, Executive Director of The Marine Mammal Center, which operates Ke Kai Ola in Kailua-Kona, a dedicated hospital for monk seals. "The critical funds from this award allow us to continue to rehabilitate vulnerable seals, understand health trends in the population, and enhance community involvement in recovery efforts."
A statement from Hirono's office says that she continues to advocate for the protection of federal funding for NOAA. Earlier this year Hirono and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) led a bipartisan letter to the Trump administration urging reconsideration of proposed cuts to NOAA's budget that would disproportionately hurt Hawai‘i and other coastal states.
The Trump administration's 2018 budget proposal currently threatens to zero out funding for the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program and other NOAA programs.

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ONE OF KA‘Ū'S SISTER COFFEE PRODUCING REGION IN THE U.S. IS PUERTO RICO where
coffee plantations were recently ripped to shreds by Hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico and Hawai‘i are the only places coffee is grown in any quantity in the U.S. Ka‘ū coffee farmers have met their Puerto Rican counterparts numerous times at the annual Specialty Coffee Association of America conventions across the country as both regions have developed a specialty coffee. Coffee pickers from Puerto Rico also come to Ka‘ū to work.
Jayson Harper, a professor of agricultural economics at Penn State University, who has spent time in Puerto Rico, told the Associated Press, which reportedyesterday, that Hurricane Maria destroyed the high value crop that cannot be simply replanted like corn taken out by a tornado in the Midwest.

Coffee tree from Hacienda Pamarossa were ready for picking before
Hurricane Maria destroyed them and the industry. Only Hawai‘i
and Puerto Rico grow coffee in the U.S. Photo from Pamaross

He told AP writer David Pitt that coffee trees, when destroyed by wind, take several years to mature enough to produce beans again.
The story stated that the Puerto Rico "coffee industry was hit at the worst time, just before the beans are picked, said Eva Legner, who with her husband Kurt operates Hacienda Pomarrosa in Ponce, a city on the island's southern coast where they have eight acres of coffee plants. The couple operates a small specialty coffee growing operation and a cottage where guests can stay on the coffee farm, tour the field and experience production. It is part of the island's growing agri-tourism industry.
"She said the storm cut right through the island's mountainous coffee-growing area. The specialty beans their farm produces grow on bushes that are planted beneath taller trees to protect them from direct sun.
"We've lost many trees which fell on the bushes and broke them," Legner said. "My husband tells me we lost a complete harvest," Legner told AP.

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Image from change.org

THE STYROFOAM REDUCTION BILL is expected to be signed by Mayor Harry Kim, after passing the County Council and after much campaigning from individuals and non-profit organizations. The Hawai‘i County Council passed the bill last week. The council vote was 7 to 2, with Ka‘ū member Maile David in favor and only Aaron Chung and Sue Lee Loee Loy in opposition. It goes into effect July 1, 2019.

Bill 13 reduces styrofoam use on the island by food vendors.

The measure prohibits “food vendors from dispensing prepared food in disposable polystyrene food service ware.” The bill “exempts food packaged outside the limits of the County.”

It also allows for use of styrofoam ice chest and coolers; and packaging for raw meat, fish, and eggs that have not been further processed,

For years, proposals to cut back use of styrofoam have been proposed to the County Council but all have failed until now. Recently, Puna councilwoman Eileen O’Hara resurrected the effort by paring it back from an outside, business-wide, islandwide ban to use by those involved with county government.

Mayor Harry Kim said he is grateful that the council gave him lead time for the transition. “They did a great job packing it into a tight bill,” he told West Hawai‘i Today.

During the months prior to the bills passing, local non-profit Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund made many public posts on Facebook asking community members to send in written testimony in support of the bill using the hashtag reference #HOLDTHEFOAM. Foam Free Hawai‘i, another non-profit organization, shared an online petition found on change.org that sought to encourage Hawai‘i County Council to “Ban Single-Use EPS (Styrofoam) Containers in Hawai‘i County.”

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund’s Megan Lamson said there are solid reasons to ban styrofoam: negative impact to Hawai‘i’s marine environment, the economy, solid waste management, and common sense. To read more of her testimony, visit the Sept. 6 Ka‘ū News Briefs.

See the films on the council meetings at Big Island Video News.

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THE ANNUAL ART SHOW WINNERS will be announced tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 30, between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at an Artist Reception, which is arranged by Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā'ālehu.

Door prizes and art show winner prizes will be distributed.

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Pick up the September edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered

free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i

through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout

the district. See it online at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Friday, Oct. 6, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe, home.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away.
Friday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. Honoka'a, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. BIIF, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

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Birth of Kahuku is offered tomorrow. Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

HAWAI'I FARMERS UNION United will hold its annual Ka'ū chapter meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, at 96-3209 Maile St. tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Members and friends are invited to participate in the Ka'ū Chapter business and Convention discussion, election of board members and a potluck dinner.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU a free hike within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more details.

NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY IS TOMORROW, SATURDAY, Sept. 30, and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offering free entrance and two opportunities to help to remove invasive plant species, one in the park and the other in the Ocean View community.

To join the efforts, meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. on any of the aforementioned dates. Volunteers should wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants and bring a hat, rain-gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools will be provided. No advance registration is required, and there is no cost to participate, but park entrance fees apply. Visit the park website for additional planning details: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

Looking somewhat like an old plantation tunnel in Ka‘ū, this tunnel was bored after a volcanic eruption landslide
plugged the outflow of a lake, preventing its overflow and catastrophic flooding. It is an example
of managing conditions around a volcano, this one Mount St. Helens. See Volcano Watch below.

HELP FOR SISTER COFFEE FARMS in Puerto Rico, devastated by Hurricane Maria, and in Mexico, devastated by its own natural disasters, is the call from Specialty Coffee Association, Barista Guild of America, Roasters Guild and others. These organizations represent a number of Ka‘ū Coffee farms and host events that have showcased Ka‘ū Coffee.

Specialty Coffee Association, a new unifying
organization of Specialty Coffee Associations of
America, Europe and others, is calling for help
for Puerto Rico and Mexican coffee farmers.

A statement from SCA yesterday said, "Coffee communities around the world are coming together to raise funds for general relief efforts. As always, specialty coffee professionals are supporting one another and we encourage all SCA members to participate in these activities."

SCA is searching for organizations working to support the coffee sector in each country. "We hope to help amplify their message and connect them to professionals within the SCA’s membership who are willing and able to volunteer their skills and time to help the Puerto Rican and Mexican coffee communities recover." Coffee farmers and other coffee professionals interested in supporting relief efforts for the coffee sectors in these two countries, can submit their information using this form.

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A 3.3 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE shook Pāhala at 10:33 a.m. this morning. The epicenter was along Wood Valley Road, just above town in macadamia orchards. No damage reported.

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THE U.S. COFFEE INDUSTRY is valued at $48 billion. WalletHub came out with statistics this week showing the location of the most intense coffee culture cities in the country, many of them places where Ka‘ū Coffee is sold at such outlets as Starbucks and other specialty coffee shops. WalletHub lists the 2017's Best Coffee Cities in America.

Rusty's Hawaiian is a local Ka‘ū Coffee that has penetrated a number of

coffee intense markets, like New York, New Jersey, Portland and

Seattle, as well as Honolulu and its international airport. Ralph Gaston

and Lorie Obra are two of the team. Photo by Julia Neal

To determine the best local coffee scenes, WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across 14 key indicators of a strong coffee culture. The data set ranges from coffee shops, coffee houses and cafés per capita to average price per pack of coffee.

Identified as the Top 20 Cities for Coffee Lovers are Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Denver, Boston and Washington, D.C, followed by Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Honolulu, Miami, Atlanta, Long Beach, Austin, Las Vegas and Jersey City.

WalletHub reported that Miami has the lowest average price for a pack of coffee, $3.43, which is 2.3 times lower than in Honolulu, the city with the highest at $7.87.

Fremont, California, has the highest average annual spending on coffee per household, $185.00, which is three times higher than in Detroit, the city with the lowest at $61.29.

Gilbert, Arizona, has the highest share of households that own a single-cup/pod-brewing coffee maker, 21.1 percent, which is 2.9 times higher than in Hialeah, Florida, the city with the lowest at 7.3 percent.

New York has the most coffee shops, coffee houses and cafés (per square root of population), 1.0739, which is 45.5 times more than in Laredo, Texas, the city with the fewest at 0.0236.

Portland has the most coffee and tea manufacturers (per square root of population), 0.0180, which is 36 times more than in Riverside and San Bernardino, California, the cities with the fewest at 0.0005. To view the full report. visit: wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-for-coffee-lovers/23739/

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RA‘IĀTEA HELM WILL HEADLINE HO‘OKUPU HULA NO KA‘Ū CULTURAL FESTIVAL at Pāhala Community Center, on Saturday, Nov. 4, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Helm is a famed singer and 'ukulele player from Moloka‘i.

Community members who would like to volunteer and support the event are invited to a public meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.
Hālau from Tokyo, Okinawa, Honolulu, Mexico and West Virgina will come to Pāhala for the festival. Cultural practitioners from Lana‘i will share their skills.

Those interested in becoming vendors for Ho‘okupu Hula No Ka‘ū can also call 649-9334 for an application. There are openings for craft vendors, food vendors, informational booths, and game vendors for children. Deadline to apply is Oct. 27. Craft vendors fee is $50.00. Food vendors fee is $75.00. Informational booths are free. Game Vendors fee is $50.00.

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Aerial view of Spirit Lake looking north from above the crater of Mount St. Helens. The lake’s outlet to the west (left)

was blocked by the 1980 landslide, which required a new engineered outlet to maintain the lake at a safe level. A

tunnel was drilled through a bedrock ridge on west side of the lake in 1984-1985. Glacier covered Mount Rainier

in distance. USGS photo by M. Logan, 2005.

A CASE STUDY IN MANAGING RESPONSE TO VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch, written by scientists at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. While it involves Mount St. Helens, it also brings up Ka‘ū history when horizontal tunnels were hand-dug into Mauna Loa to bring out water. In this case, sophisticated mechanical borers did the job:

Thirty-seven years after the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington, scientists, engineers, land managers, and federal, state, and county officials are still grappling with a challenge created by the eruption—how to prevent potentially massive downstream flooding by the release of water from Spirit Lake, located at the base of the volcano.

A new report published this summer by the U.S. Forest Service describes the complex and interrelated natural hazards—volcanic, seismic, and hydrologic—and risks associated with several options to manage the water level of Spirit Lake (fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/54429). The USFS is the agency charged with management of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, including an engineered outlet for Spirit Lake.

A tunnel was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after
the Mount St. Helens eruption, to allow Spirit Lake water to flow again
into the Toutle River, in order to prevent catastrophic flooding below
the lake. Photo from Army Corps of Engineers

The 1980 eruption began with an enormous landslide, released as a series of massive blocks of rock and ice from the volcano. Most of the sliding debris sped 22 km (13.7 mi) down the North Fort Toutle River, filling the valley to an average depth of about 45 m (148 ft) in about ten minutes.

Part of the landslide slammed into Spirit Lake, blocking its natural outlet and raising the lake level by 60 m (197 ft). In the area between Spirit Lake and the North Fork Toutle River to the west, the landslide deposit is as thick as 195 m (640 ft).

Without an outlet, the lake rose with each rainstorm and seasonal snowmelt. By August 1982, the lake level had risen another 16.5 m (54 ft). At that filling rate, water was projected to possibly breach the blockage and produce a catastrophic flood by 1985.

Such a flood would likely lead to loss of life and extensive damage (more than $1 billion) in communities downstream along the Toutle, Cowlitz, and Columbia rivers.

A mammoth tunnel boring machine used to give relief to water in Spirit
Lake after Mount St. Helens erupted. Photo from Army Corps of Engineers

To mitigate this potential flood hazard, President Ronald Reagan, on Aug. 19, 1982, directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop a strategy to prevent breaching of the landslide blockage. While various outlet alternatives were proposed and studied, a temporary pumping facility was installed to lower and stabilize the lake level.

Ultimately, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a 2.6-km (8,500 ft) long, 3.4-m (11 ft) diameter tunnel through a bedrock ridge on the west side of Spirit Lake to deliver its water back into the North Fork Toutle River. The tunnel has successfully controlled the lake level since 1985.

However, several major and costly repairs to the tunnel, owing to damage caused by surrounding rock squeezing it, were necessary in 1995, 1996, and 2016. Additional repairs are expected in the future.

When sections of the tunnel are repaired or upgraded, the tunnel is closed for many months. Repairs always happen during the winter rainy season to ensure adequate streamflow downstream for fish. With the tunnel closed, the lake level rises, and during each repair water has approached its maximum “safe” level.

Tunnel from Spirit Lake, following Mount Saint
Helens eruption's landslide blocking natural outflow of
water in the lake. Photo from Army Corps of Engineers

Such high water levels raise concern. If the lake rises only a few meters (yards) higher than it has during prior repairs, for example during an exceptional weather event coincident with an extended tunnel closure, the consequences could be “severe” according the USFS report.

To address this concern, an interagency task force evaluated risks associated with the current tunnel and alternative outlets. The new report summarizes those potential risks, including those to an engineered open channel just below the volcano’s north-facing crater, an option exposed to volcanic events that could block or damage the channel, and a buried pipe through the chaotic landslide deposit.

Another much anticipated report is expected soon from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (dels.nas.edu/Study-In-Progress/Long-term-Management-Spirit/DELS-BESR-15-03). This report will focus on a “framework for technical decision making related to the long-term management of risks related to the Spirit Lake/Toutle River system” and take into consideration “regional economic, cultural, and societal priorities.”

As yet, the USFS has not made any decisions regarding a new outlet strategy. The new reports will help inform such decisions given the volcanic, seismic, and hydrologic hazards that threaten each alternative as well as the long-term costs.

Visit HVO website for past Volcano Watch articles, volcano updates and photos, recent earthquake info, and more. Call for summary updates at 808-967-8862 (Kīlauea) or 808-967-8866 (Mauna Loa). Email questions to ask HVO@usgs.gov.

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Pick up the September edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered

free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i

through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout

the district. See it online at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Friday, Oct. 6, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe, home.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away.
Friday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. Honoka'a, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. BIIF, away.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Story Time is free to attend and will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Public Library on Monday, Oct. 2, and from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Pāhala Public Library on Thursday, Oct. 5.
For more information call Nā‘ālehu Public Library at 939-2442 or Pāhala Public Library at 928-2015. For more library events, visit librarieshawaii.org/events.

DANCE IMAGINED, a class lead by Karen Masaki that “encourages exploration and builds strength and fluidity for pure exhilaration of movement,” will be held on Tuesdays this month: Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31. The classes will take place at the Volcano Art Center from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and incur a fee of $20 non-members and $15 for Volcano Art Center members or $50 for the entire series. For more, call 967-8222.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS Tuesday, Oct. 3, and Wednesday, Oct. 4. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET TUESDAY, Oct. 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Pāhala Community Center.

NATIONAL COFFEE WITH A COP DAY takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 4. All are welcome to celebrate with Ka‘ū police officers from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Ka‘ū District Gymnasium Conference Room in Pāhala. The event is a casual talk-story opportunity with no agenda, where attendees can meet local police officers. Coffee and pastries will be available at no cost.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S LAVA LOUNGE, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more details, call 967-8371.

HULA VOICES takes place on Thursday, Oct. 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates this free event, with Kumu hula Iwalani Kalima of Hula Hālau O Kou Lima Nani E presenting her hula experiences. Park entrance fees apply.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETS THURSDAY, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m. in the Ocean View Community Center.

SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO HELP WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES IN THE COMMUNITY is offered by The Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy has announced a call for applications through Nov. 3 for student projects that develop nature-based, green infrastructure solutions to an environmental challenge in their community. For full details on requirements, eligibility, and how to apply go to NatureWorksEverywhere.org/#grants.

Three thousands pounds of marine debris were gathered this summer from the Ka‘ū Coast and will be shipped to New York to help build a 30 foot whale sculpture to be installed in a European city to remind everyone about plastics in
the ocean. Photo from Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund

A THIRTY FOOT BLUE WHALE SCULPTURE, made of marine debris, some 3,000 lbs. of it from the Ka‘ū Coast, will be installed in Europe in May of 2018. In early July, Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund and volunteers began working to fill a 40 ft. Matson container with blue and white plastics for the architect couple in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang of StudioKCA. They will build the blue Bruges Whale and ship it to the city of Bruges, a UNESCO World Heritage site like Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Known for its canals, Bruges is the capital city of West Flanders in Belgium. The Bruges Whale will be installed as part of a triennial event of contemporary art and architecture, called Liquid City.

Architects Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang (center), of
StudioKCA in Brooklyn, N.Y., came to Hawai‘i to help gather
marine debris for a whale sculpture with Hawai‘i Wildlife
Fund's Nohea Ka‘awa, Bill Gilmartin and Megan
Lamson-Leatherman. Photo from Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund

“The Bruges Whale is meant to spark conversation and raise awareness about the tremendous amount of plastic waste that is ending up in our oceans, hopefully helping the nearly 2,000,000 anticipated visitors reconsider what and how we consume, package, and dispose of plastic," said Klimoski. "Special thanks to Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund for their tremendous effort over the course of the last several months, helping us collect blue, white, and grey plastic to build ‘Skyscraper’, or ‘the Bruges Whale’ for the 2018 Bruges Triennial.”

Seventeen Hawai‘i Island cleanup events were coordinated by Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund to fill the shipping container with approximately 3,000 lbs. of plastics while it was stationed at the Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station in Ka‘ū. Additionally, Surfrider Foundation volunteers on Kaua‘i collected 1,000 lbs. of plastic debris that were added to the container once it reached Hilo, courtesy of a Young Brothers gratis-shipping grant that was received by Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund.

Matson Navigation was another supporter of the project with a free extension of time allowed to fill the container. Kona Trans also provided StudioKCA with a discounted hauling rate for the project and the County of Hawai‘i’s Department of Environmental Management provided HWF space to store the 40 ft. container for 12 weeks as volunteers contributed to fill it with plastic debris, making this effort an especially collaborative project by local businesses and residents alike. The container will ship from Hilo on Oct. 4, to begin its journey to New York, and later Belgium.

"We are thrilled to able to work with artists to create awareness installations, like this Blue Whale project, and simultaneously divert some of this plastic pollution from our island landfills," said Megan Lamson, Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund's Hawai‘i Island Program Director. "Since 2003, HWF and volunteers have removed nearly 225 tons of debris from the shores of Hawai‘i Island. Whatever cannot be recycled, generally ends up in landfills. Innovative projects that include re-use, art, research, and recycling are always preferred."

StudioKCA's mockup of a blue, white and gray whale sculpture, made from marine debris from Ka‘ū and
other Hawai‘i sites. It will be installed in Europe in 2018. Image from StudioKCA

HWF is a small nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1996 to conserve native wildlife. During its 21 years, HWF and volunteers have removed 260 tons of marine debris from the shores of Hawai‘i Island (86% by weight), Maui, Midway and French Frigate Shoals. In 2017, HWF and volunteers have removed 63,343 lbs. of marine debris from Hawai‘i Island and Maui during 51 community cleanup events. The majority of HWF’s marine debris removal work is conducted by volunteer labor, with financial support from the federal government through NOAA's Marine Debris Program, local businesses including Matson Navigation, Kona Surf Film Festival, Kona Brewers Festival and Norwex, and individual donations from around the world.

For more information on the project or how to get involved with HWF, contact kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com or at 808-769-7629. See Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund. See more on Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang of StudioKCA. See more on the Bruges Triennial.

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Ka‘ū chapter of Farmers Union United operates a Farm School in Ka‘ū.
Photo from Farmers Union United

KA‘Ū FARMERS UNIION UNITED held elections on Saturday in advance of the statewide annual meeting of Hawai‘i Farmers Union United next weekend on O‘ahu. The elected officers are President Kyle Studer who grows corn and other vegetables at the Hester Farm above Pāhala; Secretary-Treasurer Raina Whiting, a kindergarten teacher at Nā‘ālehu School, who advocates for school gardens; and Vice President Greg Smith, who operates Earth Matters Farm at Kama‘oa and South Point Roads.
During the meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, members discussed working more closely with the local schools, the Farm School initiative, the upcoming Hawai‘i Farmers Union United state convention and 2018 state legislature. Studer and Whiting will represent Ka‘ū at the state convention.
See more at Hawai‘i Farmers Union United.

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Pele & Friends won the popular vote last week
for The Directory 2018. The mixed media work
is by Meriam Meliha Corcoran.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

THE COVER ART AND BEST IN SHOW from the annual Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce art contest have been announced. The popular vote, which determines the cover art for The Directory, according to Chamber co-chair Allan Humble, went to Meriam Meliha Corcoran, of Discovery Harbour. Cocoran is the Office Assistant at Discovery Harbour Community Association. Her artwork of mixed media is called Pele & Friends.
The Best in Show award went to Thomas King, of Honu‘apo for his woodworking. King's winning art is a podium with a Ka‘ū emblem on the front.

Thomas King, of Honu‘apo won Best in
Show at the annual Ka‘ū Chamber of
Commerce Art Show with his
podium displaying the Ka‘ū emblem.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

Cover of the
guide will be
Pele &
Friends, said Humble. The publica-
tion is an
annual community and business resource for all of Ka‘ū.
The art show, with the popular vote for the cover, was held during credit union hours all last week, at the CU Hawai‘i Federal Credit Union facility in Nā‘ālehu.
See Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce.

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TAI CHI QIGONG DEMONSTRATION SESSIONS will be given by Dr. Myrtle Miyamura, a certified Tai Chi for Health Institute Instructor. The new Ka‘ū Gym in Pāhala is the venue on Fridays, Oct. 6, 13 and 20 from 10 a.m. to noon.
The tai chi instructions include movement for injury and arthritis management and prevention. According to the state Department of Health, injury prevention information online, Tai Chi for Health "is an evidence-based program endorsed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention."
The classes are cosponsored by Ka‘ū Rural Health Community Association and the county Department of Parks & Recreation, Call KRHCA executive director Jessie Marques at 928-0101.
See Ka‘ū Rural Health Community Association.

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A HEALTH FAIR AT DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY CENTER has been announced for Saturday, Nov. 4. The time is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the program are healthty cooking demonstrations with the Blu Zones Project from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Island Health Care from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Dr. Renee Dufault will offer a talk on her new book called Unsafe at Any Meal. Longs Drugs will offer Flu Shots, others will offer massages. Also making presentations will be Bay Clinic and the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as Ornish Lifestyle Medicine.
Demonstrations will include Yoga with Suzanne Brady at 9 a.m., Hula with Kumu Hula Hannah Uribes at 10 a.m., Pilates plus with Judy Knapp at 10:30 a.m., Tai Chi with David Copeland and Qigong with Shary Grogker.
See Discovery Harbour Community Association.

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Pick up the October edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered

free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i

through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout

the district. See it online now at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball

Friday, Oct. 6, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe, home.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away.
Friday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. Honoka'a, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. BIIF, away.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS TOMORROW, MONDAY, Oct. 2, at 4 p.m., at the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

Story Time is free to attend and will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Public Library tomorrow, Monday, Oct. 2, and from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Pāhala Public Library on Thursday, Oct. 5.
For more information call Nā‘ālehu Public Library at 939-2442 or Pāhala Public Library at 928-2015. For more library events, visit librarieshawaii.org/events.

DANCE IMAGINED, a class lead by Karen Masaki that “encourages exploration and builds strength and fluidity for pure exhilaration of movement,” will be held on Tuesdays this month: Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31. The classes will take place at the Volcano Art Center from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and incur a fee of $20 non-members and $15 for Volcano Art Center members or $50 for the entire series. For more, call 967-8222.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS Tuesday, Oct. 3, and Wednesday, Oct. 4. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

HO‘OKUPU HULA NO KA‘Ū CULTURAL FESTIVAL organizing meeting will be this Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Pāhala Community Center at 6:30 p.m. for those who would like to volunteer and support the Nov. 4. event.

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET TUESDAY, Oct. 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Pāhala Community Center.

NATIONAL COFFEE WITH A COP DAY takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 4. All are welcome to celebrate with Ka‘ū police officers from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Ka‘ū District Gymnasium Conference Room in Pāhala. The event is a casual talk-story opportunity with no agenda, where attendees can meet local police officers. Coffee and pastries will be available at no cost.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S LAVA LOUNGE, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more details, call 967-8371.

HULA VOICES takes place on Thursday, Oct. 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates this free event, with Kumu hula Iwalani Kalima of Hula Hālau O Kou Lima Nani E presenting her hula experiences. Park entrance fees apply.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETS THURSDAY, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m. in the Ocean View Community Center.

REGISTER THROUGH THURSDAY, OCT. 5, FOR A KAHUKU PARK CLEANUP that takes place Friday, Oct. 6, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.. Those interested in joining must register. Call 929-9113 for more details.

LEARN THE ART OF TROPICAL FLOWER ARRANGING at Volcano Art Center on Friday, Oct. 6, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Kaipo Ah Chong will provide cleaned tropical flowers. The class is $45 plus $20 supply fee. For more, call 967-8222.

Ka'ū News Briefs Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Ka'ū News Briefs Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017

Ka'ū News Briefs Thursday, September 14, 2017

Ka'ū News Briefs Friday, September 15, 2017

Ka'ū News Briefs Saturday, September 16, 2017

Ka'ū New Briefs Sunday, September 17, 2017

Ka'ū News Briefs Monday, September 18, 2017

Ka'ū News Briefs Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Ka'ū News Briefs Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Ka'ū News Briefs Thursday, September 21, 2017

Ka'ū News Briefs Friday, September 22, 2017

Ka'ū News Briefs Saturday, September 23, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Sunday, September 24, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Monday, September 25, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Thursday, September 28, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Friday, September 29, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Saturday, September 30, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Sunday, October 1, 2017