The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Nā‘ālehu School Gym filled with joy as children prepared for the winter break from Friday, Dec. 22, through
Monday, Jan. 8. Photo from Nā‘ālehu School Council.

RETIRING ALL CESSPOOLS IN HAWAI‘I to protect clean drinking and recreational waters is the goal of the state Department of Health and the federal Environmental Protection Agency. “Cesspools are an antiquated technology for disposal of untreated sewage that have the potential to pollute groundwater,” says the state Department of Health report to the 2018 Hawai‘i Legislature, released this week.
The report notes that Hawai‘i relies on groundwater for over 90 percent of its drinking water, but has more cesspools than any other state. Some 88,000 of them across the islands put “53 million gallons of raw sewage into the State’s groundwater and surface waters every day,” says the report.

The state Department of Health says that sewage can reach coral
reefs and drinking water sources quickly from cesspools in
porous lava. Photo from N.O.A.A.

“Cesspools also present a risk of illness to island residents and a significant harm to streams and coastal resources, including coral reefs.”

Even some remote places in Hawai‘i are seeing effects on drinking water.” Health Director Dr. Virginia Pressler said, “The water in these areas is still safe to drink, with no evidence of bacterial contamination; however, there are early warning signs that tell us we must act now to protect the future of our drinking water and the environment.”
The 2017 Hawai‘i Legislature passed Act 125, which requires the replacement of all cesspools by 2050. It directs the Department of Health to: “investigate the number, scope, location, and priority of cesspools Statewide that require upgrade, conversion, or connection based on each cesspool’s impact on public health.” It also directs the Department of Health “to work in collaboration with the Department of Taxation to assess the feasibility of a grant program to assist low-income property owners with cesspool upgrade, conversion, or connection. The Department of Health came up with the places it considers most at risk from cesspools and Ka‘ū went unnamed.
However, concerning areas with new and old lava flows, with “little to no soil cover to mitigate the impact of cesspools or slow the drainage of cesspool effluent to the water table, travel time from the ground surface to the groundwater could be as short as a fraction of an hour.

“A high density of cesspools and short leachate infiltration time pose a significant health risk in an area where residents rely on domestic wells for drinking water.” The DOH tested waters in Kea‘au and found that “25 percent of domestic wells sampled tested positive for wastewater indicator bacteria, demonstrating the potential for disease transmission.”

The report also states that “Over 90 percent of Hawai‘i’s public drinking water sources are groundwater wells, and dense concentrations of cesspool are present over many drinking water aquifers, posing a threat to new drinking water sources.” The report estimates a cost of $1.75 billion to upgrade cesspool systems across the state.
In Ka‘ū, sewage treatment plants are planned for Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu, but only to serve the homes on the old plantation sewer system with disposal in illegal large capacity, gang cesspools. The new systems would also serve nearby houses where the sewer pipes will be built in the road next to them.

When the rest of the towns would be served by sewage treatment plants, giving the deadline 33 years for all cesspools to be gone in Hawai‘i, is unclear. However, consultants working on the Pāhala design said it will be designed to include a plan for expansion.
Public meetings were held in Pāhala in December regarding the planned new wastewater treatment plant for the community. More meetings will be held early next year and residents are invited to a field trip to view a treatment plant in Honoka‘a, similar to the initial concept for Pāhala.

Funds from sushi sales was presented to Ka‘ū
Hospital from ladies of Nā‘ālehu Hongwanji, left
to right, Masako Sakata, Sumiye Takaki, Hanako
Miyahara, Lily Nagata, Administrator Merilyn
Harris, Alice Yonemitsu, Director of Nursing
Sherrie Bazin and Irene Kohara.

To sign up, call 961-8339.

See more on the local wastewater meetings in Ka‘ū News Briefs on Friday, Dec. 15, Thursday, Dec. 14, Wednesday, Dec. 13 and Tuesday, Dec. 12. Also see the January edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar newspaper.

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KA‘Ū HOSPITAL & CLINIC RECEIVED A GIFT FROM NĀ‘ĀLEHU HONGWANJI just before the holidays. Members of the Hongwanji presented a check for $500.00 after raising the money "from the sale of their famous sushi," said Hospital Administrator Merilyn Harris.

The check arrived in a thank you card for Ka‘ū Hospital & Clinic, saying, "Thank you for the health care you provide to all the communities in Ka‘ū. Best wishes for a bright and successful future."
During their visit, they shared some of their stories about family members who have been taken care of at Ka‘ū Hospital & Clinic. The first baby ever born in Ka‘ū Hospital was Hongwanji member Alice Yonemitsu's daughter in July of 1971. "It is really inspiring to be supported by such kind and wonderfully strong women," said Harris.

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TROJAN GIRLS BASTKETBALL HOSTED WAI‘AKEA on Wednesday. The Jayvee final was Wai‘akea 59, Ka‘ū 15; Jayme Kaneshiro led Ka‘ū in scoring with 5 points. The Varsity final was Wai‘akea 75, Ka‘ū 16; with Reishalyn Jara scoring 8.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html.

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decembercommunity.html.

December print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is

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

through Volcano. Also available free on stands throughout

the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Swimming: Saturday, Dec. 23, @ Hilo.
Saturday, Dec. 30, @ Kamehameha.
Saturday, Jan. 6, @Kamehameha.

Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Dec. 27, @ Pāhoa.
Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Dec. 30, Konawaena.
Tuesday, Jan. 2, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.

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A CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER will be Friday, Dec. 22, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. A young Spanish choir form San Carlos, California will perform. Also on the program are popular Christmas carols, a skit and hula, followed by refreshments. Santa Claus will appear. Call Ron Gall at Ocean View Community Association, 939-7033, or email ovcahawaii@gmail.com.

MAKE LEI WITH TROPICAL AG FARMER KAIPO AHCHONG at Aloha Friday, Dec. 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center. AhChong's experience marries the science of agriculture with Hawaiian lei and hula traditions. For more visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-7565.

Lanaya Deily submitted this Mamaki Wreath for the
17th Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibition last year.
The 18th exhibition is ongoing now at Volcano
Art Center Gallery in Hawaii‘i Volcanoes National
Park. Photo from Volcano Art Center

VOLUNTEER WITH HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK to help remove invasive non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in at two remaining Stewardship at the Park events that take place this December. The upcoming event is Saturday, Dec. 23, with the event also taking place Dec. 30. Volunteers should meet leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. Fore more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

JOIN A GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Dec. 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Palm Trail is a moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traversing scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, sections of remnant native forest and amazing volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A BELL CHOIR, MUSIC AND SINGING WITH GUITARS, ‘Ukulele and other instruments are a highlight of the Christmas Eve celebration on Sunday, Dec. 24, at Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church on Hwy. 11 beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Learn to make a pulumi nī‘au, coconut broom, on Wednesday, Dec. 27.

See event details at right. Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

A CHRISTMAS DAY BUFFET IN VOLCANO is offered Monday, Dec. 25, at Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The café is located inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The menu includes Prime Rib, Roast Turkey, Holiday Lamb Stew and much more. Entry fees are $27.95 per adult, and $14.50 per child (age 6-11). Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8356.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY offers free food to those in need on Tuesday, Dec. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

LEARN THE SIGNIFICANTS OF THE COCONUT TREE and its myriad of uses in Hawaiian culture and the Pacific during Pulumi Nī‘au Demonstration on Wednesday, Dec. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free, park entrance fees apply.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY, FEATURING THE ANNUAL INVITATIONAL WREATH EXHIBITION, BEGINS continues through Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
Christmas in the Country features a fresh lineup of artists hosting special events throughout each weekend.

The concurrent Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit presents one-of-a-kind wreaths in a variety of imaginative media, techniques and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional. “Those looking for truly original wreaths as well as one-of-a-kind, handmade gift items will not be disappointed by the selection created by our local artistic community, ” states gallery manager Emily C. Weiss. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-7565.

REGISTER BY SUNDAY, DEC. 31, FOR THE 2018 MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM 2018 which begins Saturday, Jan. 23 and continued for 13 weeks. The program is open to Ka‘ū applicants through the UH Cooperative Extension Office.
Each person enrolling in the Master Gardener Program commits to completing 39 hours of instruction plus nine field trip hours, an open-book Midterm and Final Exam, plus 40 hours of volunteer service within 12 months of completing the Master Gardener instruction. To continue being Certified as a Master Gardener, on-going service of 30 hours of volunteer time is required every year.
Classes are held at The Kona Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu, with field trips and workshops in the area. The next program will be held for three hours every Tuesday morning through April 17. Classes will be involved with current Master Gardener projects and will include hands-on orientation to the Helpline and Outreach programs.
Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.

LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS BEDECK THE STONE AND WOODEN COTTAGES at Kīlauea Military Camp. They are open for outdoor strolling within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park through Friday, Jan. 1.Vote on the best decorated cottage. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8371 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

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Lava is breaking out at the bottom of the pali on the coastal plain. A geologist marks a G.P.S. waypoint.
USGS photo

THE NEW FEDERAL TAX BILL, signed into law Friday, Dec. 22, by Pres. Donald Trump, received a quick review by Hawai‘i Gov. David Ige's team. "This week, House and Senate Republicans hastily passed a federal tax bill that President Trump signed today. What does this mean for the people of Hawai‘i? The corporate tax rate will drop, and the income tax for working families will temporarily be lowered. But in the long run, our working families could face a tax hike. Governor Ige has always stood up for the values of Hawai‘i in the face of national issues, from rejecting the Travel Ban to signing onto the Paris Climate Accord. Team Ige has no doubt that he will continue fighting for the working families in Hawai‘i. "The tax break in the bill only provides a short term solution for us. The state and local tax deduction cap, as well as the mortgage interest deduction cap, will mean that the people of Hawai‘i will get some kind of tax break in the short run but overtime will eventually face such consequences from it, like cutbacks in federal services.

"The tax break would also affect housing since costs are high, and this could really hurt us and the many families who may never fulfill their dream of home ownership. Additionally, the elimination of private activity bonds, or tax-exempt bonds for special projects, could mean that the state could face a decrease in funding for initiatives aimed at improving and developing low-income communities. Finally, this bill could discourage tourist spending and hurt a significant part of our economy.

Rubbly clinker and other ‘a‘ā formations moving down the pali.
U.S.G.S. photo

"Governor Ige has always represented the values of Hawai‘i by keeping his promise of promoting economic diversity and growth. The new G.O.P. federal tax bill goes against the values of Hawai‘i, and Governor Ige's leadership is imperative to our state's progress," says the statement from Team David Ige.

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LAVA IS DIVERTED FROM THE KAMOKUNA DELTA by an evolving tube network that blocks it, says this week's Volcano Watch from scientists at the U.S.G.S. Hawaiian Volcano Obeservatory:
Lava erupting from the active vent on the east flank of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō has not entered the ocean or reached the Kamokuna lava delta during the past month. Instead, small lava flows are scattered across the 61g flow field, breaking out from the lava-tube network between Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō and the coastal plain. Geologists of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory last observed active lava atop the delta on November 17.

Breakouts active on the pali but not near the ocean on Thursday.
U.S.G.S. Photo

For nearly 16 months beginning on July 26, 2016, lava traveled through an evolving lava-tube network into the ocean at Kamokuna. Lava alternately built new land into the ocean when the steep submarine slope grew sufficiently seaward to support a lava delta; and poured directly into the ocean as a great lava fall when the delta and submarine slope collapsed, shearing the tube at the sea cliff and exposing a lava stream 1 to 2 m (3 to 6 ft) in diameter gushing into the ocean.
Earlier this year, with commercial boat operators taking people to the lava entry by sea, thousands of people viewing the lava fall from the established viewing area inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park or by helicopter, more people probably witnessed this lava fall than any other since lava first reached the ocean in 1986.
Why did the lava delta become inactive? Simply, lava stopped reaching the delta either through the tube or as surface flows, slowly at first, and then intermittently.

Thermal map of the 61g lava flow, created on Dec. 12. 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

on Dec. 12. The lava-tube network is shown by white lines, mapped from a sequence of thermal images

made over the past year. Steepest-descent paths, shown as blue lines and calculated from a 2013 digital elevation

model of the flow field, represent possible flow paths based on topography. U.S.G.S. map

Most likely, a combination of three factors prevented lava from reaching the delta.

First, many scattered breakouts from the lava-tube network between Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō and the delta effectively decreased the amount of lava reaching the coast. A series of breakouts from the upper section of tube this past summer developed into a second tube on the east side of the 61g flow, diverting an increasing volume of lava from the primary (west) tube and ultimately, the delta.
For at least the past few weeks, this east tube, which has not yet reached the ocean, appears to be supplying more lava to surface flows than the west tube.

It's been more than a month since lava has flowed into the ocean at the
Kamokuna Delta. Find out why from the scientists at Hawaiian Volcano
Observatory in Volcano Watch. Photo from Lava Ocean Tours

Second, starting in mid-November, tiltmeters at the summit of Kīlauea recorded two sharp deflationary trends followed by alternating deflation-inflation episodes. These tilt patterns have corresponded well during the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption to a decrease in the supply of magma or an interruption in supply of magma to the erupting vent, respectively.
Less lava erupting from the vent results in less lava entering the tube network, further diminishing the volume reaching the coastal plain in either branch of the tube network.
Finally, by mid-November one or more restrictions along the west lava tube on the coastal plain blocked the entire underground lava stream from reaching the delta. Several breakouts from the tube within 100 m (300 ft) of the sea cliff had flowed onto the delta or into the ocean in recent months but after November 14, these flows were too small to make it that far. No active flows in this area have occurred since November 22.
If the east tube continues to capture more of the lava stream from the west tube and more voluminous breakouts spread eastward, they could eventually travel towards the coast along steepest-descent paths east of the current 61g flow. Stay tuned to the flow's next move by visiting the HVO website at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov.

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Kane Pō is the pōhaku from Ka‘ū in the outdoor
garden of the Museum of the American Indian
in Washington, D.C. Photo by Julia Neal

KANE PŌ GOES TO WASHINGTON is the featured topic for Coffee Talk at Kahuku next Friday, Dec. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is located near he 70.5 mile marker on Hwy. 11. Kane Pō is the name of a large pōhaku (stone) from the Ka‘ū Desert on loan to the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
It was shipped to D.C. for the dedication of the Museum in 2004. Learn more about this pōhaku and the role it has on the National Mall. Keola Awong, former Cultural Anthropologist at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, will share her experience of this special event. Coffee Talk is free to attend. Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. For more details, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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TAI CHI CHUAN: YANG LONG FORM 108 is offered at Discovery Harbour Community Hall on Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. A $5 donation is asked of attendees. For more, call David at 785-6644.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at
kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html.
See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at
kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decembercommunity.html.
December print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i
through Volcano. Also available free on stands throughout
the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

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A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.

VOLUNTEER TO HELP REMOVE INVASIVE NON-NATIVE PLANTS that prevent native plant species from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at two remaining Stewardship at the Park events that take place this December. The upcoming event is Saturday, Dec. 23, with the event also taking place Dec. 30. Volunteers should meet leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. Fore more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church invites the community to a Christmas Eve
Celebration on Sunday, Dec. 24. See event details at left.
Photo from tripadvisor.com

TRAVERSE ALONG A MODERATELY DIFFICULT 2.6 MILE LOOP HIKE through scenic pastures and past an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer on the Palm Trail guided hike that takes place Saturday, Dec. 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, sections of remnant native forest and amazing volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures. The entrance to the Kahuku Unit of Hawaii‘Volcanoes National Park can be found near mile marker 70.5 along Hwy. 11. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A BELL CHOIR, MUSIC AND SINGING WITH GUITARS, ‘Ukulele other instruments are a highlight of the Christmas Eve celebration on Sunday, Dec. 24, at Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church on Hwy. 11 beginning at 7:30 p.m.

CAROLS, BELLS AND A CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE are offered on Sunday, Dec. 24, at 5 p.m. at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View. The schedule includes carols and bells at 5 p.m., main service at 6:15 p.m., with a potluck after. For more details, visit stjudeshawaii.org or call 939-7000.

PRIME RIB, ROAST TURKEY AND HOLIDAY LAMB STEW are featured on Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café's Christmas Day Buffet menu for Monday, Dec. 25, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The café is located inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Entry fees are $27.95 per adult, and $14.50 per child (age 6-11). Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8356.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY offers free food to those in need on Tuesday, Dec. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

LEARN ABOUT THE MYRIAD OF USES AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COCONUT TREE in Hawaiian Culture and in the Pacific during Pulumi Nī‘au Demonstration on Wednesday, Dec. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Free, park entrance fees apply.

ONE-OF-A-KIND WREATHS IN A VARIETY OF IMAGINATIVE MEDIA, techniques and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional are available for viewing in the concurrent Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit. “Those looking for truly original wreaths as well as one-of-a-kind, handmade gift items will not be disappointed by the selection created by our local artistic community, ” states gallery manager Emily C. Weiss.
Christmas in the Country features a fresh lineup of artists hosting special events throughout each weekend.
Christmas in the County featuring the 18th Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit continues through Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-7565.

STROLL OUTDOORS AND VIEW THE LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS bedecking the stone and wooden cottages at Kīlauea Military Camp within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park through Friday, Jan. 1.Vote on the best decorated cottage. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8371 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

REGISTER BY SUNDAY, DEC. 31, FOR THE 2018 MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM 2018 which begins Saturday, Jan. 23 and continued for 13 weeks. The program is open to Ka‘ū applicants through the UH Cooperative Extension Office.
Each person enrolling in the Master Gardener Program commits to completing 39 hours of instruction plus nine field trip hours, an open-book Midterm and Final Exam, plus 40 hours of volunteer service within 12 months of completing the Master Gardener instruction. To continue being Certified as a Master Gardener, on-going service of 30 hours of volunteer time is required every year.
Classes are held at The Kona Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu, with field trips and workshops in the area. The next program will be held for three hours every Tuesday morning through April 17. Classes will be involved with current Master Gardener projects and will include hands-on orientation to the Helpline and Outreach programs.
Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.

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Hannah's Mahana ‘Ohana Hālau from Ocean View danced for the Christmas Concert at Ocean View Community
Center on Friday night. Photo by Ann Bosted

THE FIRST SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATES in Hawai‘i have brought in the first $25,000 for Haleakalā National Park on Maui and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The specialty license plates in Hawaiʻi became available from Hawaiʻi Department of Motor Vehicles offices in August. They feature colorful, iconic scenes from Haleakalā National Park and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
The license plates were authorized by a 2015 state law to raise funds for resource protection and education projects at Hawai‘i Volcanoes and Haleakalā. The cost of these specialty plates is $40.50 for O‘ahu, Kauai and Hawai‘i Island, $41.25 for Maui, with a $25 annual renewal fee.
The program is administered by the DMV, and revenues generated are managed by Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association, a non-profit partner that supports six national park sites in Hawaiʻi and American Samoa. Plate monies are processed, and then donated to the national parks. Donations will be used for numerous national park projects, large and small.

Specialty license plates have raised $25,000 for Hawai‘i Volcanoes and Haleakalā National Parks in the
first quarter of being available. To buy them, see hawaiiparkplates.com.

"This is a great way to show state pride and support the protection of natural and cultural resources," said a statement from the Pacific Parks Association.
Other national parks that benefit from specialty license plate programs include Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Crater Lake National Park, and Yosemite National Park.
For more information on how to purchase a specialty plate, visit hawaiiparkplates.com.
For more information on Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association, visit hawaiipacificparks.org.

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THE CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER on Friday night featured a bilingual visiting church choir from California. Also on the program were solos, duets, a piano recital and hula dancing, along with carols sung by the audience.

The Christmas Concert entitled O’ Holy Night was hosted by the Lamb of God Baptist Church, and supported by the Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Nā‘ālehu.

A bilingual choir from California preformed in Spanish and English in Ocean View Friday night.
Photo by Ann Bosted

As visiting guests, the bilingual church choir from Inglesia Bautista Fundamental Buenas Nuevas, provided a variety of entertainment with a medley of songs in English and Spanish. They also performed an amusing skit. They were led by Pastor Jose Talavera. Pastor Tim Chace emceed the concert.
Hannah’s Makana ‘Ohana Hālau from Ocean View danced hula for the audience. Maria Miranda performed a piano solo entitled Ocean. Tim and Annette Chace sang duets, while other performers, including Debra, Crystal and Lee McIntosh, Nalani Stevenson, and Janette Kiesow also drew on their talents. The audience joined in with classic favorites, including Mele Kalikimaka and Angels We Have Heard on High. Silent Night, Holy Night was sung in both English and Hawaiian.

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FIREWORKS PERMITS FOR THE UPCOMING NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION will be available for purchase at 15 location throughout the island beginning Tuesday, Dec. 26. Fireworks sales will begin Tuesday, Dec. 26, and will end at midnight on Dec. 31.

Fireworks permits become available Dec. 26, the day after Christmas, and
are good through 1 a.m. on New Year's Eve. Photo by Julia Neal

Setting off of Fireworks for the New Year celebrations are allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, and 1 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Permits should be visibly displayed at the site of use, during the time of the firing.
Each permit costs $25.00 and will entitle the holder to purchase 5,000 individual firecrackers - multiple permit purchases are authorized. Permits will only be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable.
The Hawai‘i Fire Department announced the following sites: from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on December 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31;

KTA Puainako, 50 E. Puainako Street, Hilo;
KTA Kona; Kona Coast Shopping Center, 74-5594 Palani Rd. Kailua Kona;
KTA Keauhou, 78-6831 Alii Drive, Keauhou Kona;
Pacific Fireworks Kona, 74-5629 Kuakini Hwy, Suite 155, Kailua-Kona;
J. Hara Store, 17-343 Volcano Hwy Kurtistown, HI;
BJ Alan Tent Kona, 74-5586 Palani Rd. Kailua Kona;
BJ Alan Tent Kona, 74-5454 Makala Blvd. Kailua Kona;
BJ Alan Tent 75-1000 Henry St. Kailua-Kona;
BJ Alan Tent 325 Maka‘ala St. Hilo;
BJ Alan Tent Hilo, 111 E. Puainako St. Hilo;
Long’s Puainako 111 E. Puainako St. Hilo;
TNT Tent Hilo 381 E. Maka’ala St. Hilo;
Fire Administration Office located at the Hilo County Building, 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2501, from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on December 26, 27, 28, and 29;
Kona Fire Prevention Office, located at the West Hawaii Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Bldg E, second floor from, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on December 26, 27, 28, and 29.

Ka‘ū Coffee farmers, like Leo Norberte, are getting ready to celebrate
the end of the coffee picking season with New Year's Eve parties.
Photo by Julia Neal

The Hawai‘i Fire Department asks the community to "please Kokua in helping to prevent fires, and also to avoid the unnecessary injuries caused by fireworks each year.

"Help by using extreme care when setting off fireworks. Children playing with fireworks should be under an adult’s close supervision at all times. Even the smallest of fireworks can cause severe injuries that will quickly ruin the Holidays. Please help us, to help you, start the New Year off safely.

"Fireworks should be set off in an area well away from dry grass or flammable materials.

"Be sure Fireworks are completely extinguished before being disposed of.

"And most importantly, have a fire extinguisher and/ or a water hose ready to use in the event of an unplanned or unexpected fire. Be sure the water hose(s) can reach all areas of where fireworks activities are being conducted, especially around the entire house. It’s also a great idea to wet down any dry, grassy area before and after setting off Fireworks. Doing it before will also let you know the capability of your water source."

Hawai‘i Fire Department Fire Chief Darren Rosario reminds the public that it is illegal for anyone to: remove the powder or pyrotechnic contents from any firework; throw fireworks from, at, or into any vehicle; offer for sale, sell, or give any fireworks to minors; or for any minor to possess, purchase, sell, or set off, ignite, or otherwise cause to explode any fireworks, except under the immediate supervision of an adult; set off any aerial luminary devices, commonly called Sky Lanterns or Hawai‘i Lanterns; or any other aerial devices, such as bottle rockets, sky rockets, roman candles, cakes, mortars, or shells.

Fire Departments are sending out statements on the rules and safety
practices for using fireworks on New Year's Eve.
Photo by Julia Neal

Additionally, it is illegal to set off any firework: at any time not within the specified time periods; within 1,000 feet of any hospital, convalescent home, care home for the elderly, zoo, animal hospital or shelter, or church when services are held; on any school property without authorization from the said school official; on any Public way such as a highway, alley, street, sidewalk, or park.

For more information on the purchasing of Fireworks permits, or the use of Fireworks, please call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911 in Hilo or 323-4760 in Kona.

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A NEW YEAR'S PARTY HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED AT THE DISCOVERY HARBOUR Community Centera at Kahiki and Makali‘i Streets, on Sunday, Dec. 31, from 7 p.m. A potluck dinner begins at 5:30 p.m.

The Robert Thomas Band Trio will entertain from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Pre-sold tickets are $15 per person. Seating is limited to 72 persons; first come, first serve. To purchase tickets or for more information call Elaine at 805-479-6266 or Sue at 310-770-9644. R.S.V.P. by Thursday, Dec. 28. The event is B.Y.O.B.

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KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

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JOIN A GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Dec. 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Palm Trail is a moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traversing scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, sections of remnant native forest and amazing volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A BELL CHOIR, MUSIC AND SINGING WITH GUITARS, ‘Ukulele other instruments are a highlight of the Christmas Eve celebration on Sunday, Dec. 24, at Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church on Hwy. 11 beginning at 7:30 p.m.

A CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE IS OFFERED TO ALL on Sunday, Dec. 24, at 5 p.m. at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View. The schedule includes carols and bells at 5 p.m., main service at 6:15 p.m., with a potluck after. For more details, visit stjudeshawaii.org or call 939-7000.

A CHRISTMAS DAY BUFFET IN VOLCANO is offered Monday, Dec. 25, at Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The café is located inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The menu includes Prime Rib, Roast Turkey, Holiday Lamb Stew and much more. Entry fees are $27.95 per adult, and $14.50 per child (age 6-11). Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8356.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY offers free food to those in need on Tuesday, Dec. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

Learn the significance of the coconut tree in Hawaiian culture and in the Pacific on
Wednesday in Volcano. See event details above. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

View unique wreaths and Christmas decor at
the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

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Christmas Eve celebrated by villagers inside and outside of Holy Rosary Church in Pāhala, following the Pope's
message supporting understanding, tolerance and help for immigrants. Photo by Julia Neal

CATHOLIC CHURCHES IN KA‘Ū focused on peace on earth on Christmas Eve, following the message of Pope Saint Francis who spoke to some 10,000 people at St. Peters Basilica in the Vatican Sunday evening.
The Pope focused on the number of refugees, which has grown worldwide to more than 22 million people. "We see the tracks of entire families forced to set out in our own day. We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away but, driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones." The Pope said that many flee from those who "see no problem in shedding innocent blood." The Pope himself is an Argentine whose grandparents were immigrants from Italy.

Father Martin Mwanshibula came a long way from Zambia in Africa to serve
Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu Catholics, many of them immigrants or descendants
from immigrants to Ka‘ū. Photo from Hawai`i Cathlolic Herald

He said that Catholics everywhere should welcome foreigners and compared immigrants to Mary and Joseph with no place to stay in Bethlehem. "So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary," said the Pope.
The Pope asked for a "new social imagination," leaving no one feeling like "there is no room for them on this earth." He was harsh on those who exploit desperate refugees, calling them "Herods of today," saying they have blood on their hands.
In Ka‘ū, Father Martin Mwanshibula, the Catholic priest who himself is a long way from his African home in the Diocese of Kasama, Zambia, led Christmas Eve masses In Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu. Father Martin has been the administrator of Holy Rosary Church, Pāhala, and Sacred Heart Church in Nā‘ālehu for about six years, He serves many immigrants and descendants of immigrants from Portugal, the Philippines, India and other far off places who came to Ka‘ū for better lives in the sugar industry long ago and the coffee industry more recently.

Proteus and other local foliage become the
Christmas setting with candle at
Thy Word Ministries Ka‘ū Christmas
Celebration. Photo by George Kamakahi

Father Martin said earlier this year in the Hawai`i Catholic Herald that there is a challenge in being far from home, where he is eldest of five brothers and two sisters. "But, within any challenge,
something also appears. And that is the community which becomes your family, your support. I am very fortunate the people are very supportive here," in Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu, said Father Martin.

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TAI CHI CHUAN: YANG LONG FORM 108 is offered at Discovery Harbour Community Hall on Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. A $5 donation is asked of attendees. For more, call David at 785-6644.

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Santa wears at St. Jude's Keiki
Christmas party.

A NEW YEAR'S PARTY WILL BE AT DISCOVERY HARBOUR Community Center at Kahiki and Makali‘i Streets on Sunday, Dec. 31, from 7 p.m. A potluck dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. The Robert Thomas Band Trio will entertain from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Marie baked cookies for the St.
Jude's Keiki Christmas Party
in the new church kitchen.
Photo from St. Jude's

Pre-sold tickets are $15 per person. Seating is limited to 72 persons; first come, first serve. To purchase tickets or for more information call Elaine at 805- 479-6266 or Sue at 310-770-9644. R.S.V.P. by Friday, Dec. 28. The event is B.Y.O.B.

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

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Dec. 27, @ Pāhoa.
Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Swimming: Saturday, Dec. 30, @ Kamehameha.
Saturday, Jan. 6, @Kamehameha.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Dec. 30, Konawaena.
Tuesday, Jan. 2, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.

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

Fireworks image from wikipedia.com

FIREWORKS AND A FIREWORKS PERMITS become available starting Tuesday, Dec. 26. Firework and permit sales will end at midnight on Sunday, Dec. 31.
Setting off of Fireworks for the New Year celebrations are allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, and 1 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Permits should be visibly displayed at the site of use, during the time of the firing.
Each permit costs $25.00 and will entitle the holder to purchase 5,000 individual firecrackers - multiple permit purchases are authorized. Permits will only be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable.

LEARN THE SIGNIFICANTS OF THE COCONUT TREE and its myriad of uses in Hawaiian culture and the Pacific during Pulumi Nī‘au Demonstration on Wednesday, Dec. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Free, park entrance fees apply.

REGISTER BY SUNDAY, DEC. 31, FOR THE 2018 MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM which begins Saturday, Jan. 23 and continues for 13 weeks. The program is open to Ka‘ū applicants through the UH Cooperative Extension Office.
Each person enrolling in the Master Gardener Program commits to completing 39 hours of instruction plus nine field trip hours, an open-book Midterm and Final Exam, plus 40 hours of volunteer service within 12 months of completing the Master Gardener instruction. To continue being Certified as a Master Gardener, on-going service of 30 hours of volunteer time is required every year.
Classes are held at The Kona Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu, with field trips and workshops in the area. The next program will be held for three hours every Tuesday morning through April 17. Classes will be involved with current Master Gardener projects and will include hands-on orientation to the Helpline and Outreach programs.
Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.

View Ken Charon's Four ‘Ōhi‘a Wreath at the ongoing 18th Annual
Invitation Wreath Exhibition. See event details at right.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

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Christmas Day snow on top of Mauna Loa Volcano, the long mountain that makes up most of Ka‘ū. The photo
was taken Dec. 25 at Moku`aweoweo caldera's South Pit. Image from USGS

HIGH IN THE SNOW ON CHRISTMAS DAY above Ka‘ū is the top of Mauna Loa, 56,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean floor. At an age of 700,000 to a million years old, it is the largest and tallest volcano on Planet Earth by size and volume, rising 13,677 feet above sea level. It last erupted in 1984, but steam rising from fissures in Mauna Loa's Moku`aweoweo caldera floor and measurements of molten movements signal scientists that lava is on the rise.

Mauna Loa's summit cabin.
Photo from summitpost.com

It is filling chambers to someday send liquid rock down its slopes, likely flowing onto Ka‘ū, somewhere.

Most Ka‘ū people live on Mauna Loa volcano.
The path that early explorers took to reach the rim of Moku`aweoweo caldera at the top of Mauna Loa is the native Hawaiian Ainapo Trail through Kapāpala between Pāhala and Volcano Village. Summitpost.org reports some of the history:
"The summit of Mauna Loa was visited by prehistoric Hawaiians for ceremonial purposes. They constructed the Ainapo Trail from their closest village, Kapāpala, to the rim of Moku'aweoweo caldera. The Ainapo Trail had a series of shelters that were stocked with drinking water and firewood. The Hawaiian method of ascent involved moving upslope in easy segments to lessen fatigue and to allow proper acclimatization. Footwear for the climb usually involved wrapping the feet with ti leaves or merely going barefoot.

Walking on Mauna Loa in the snow.
Photo from summitpost.org

"The major stages were a series of overnight camps, complete with small, warm, thatched houses and supplied with food, water and firewood. Smaller stages were areas used as frequent rest stops in natural rock shelters, caves and lava tubes. Ascents of Mauna Loa by prehistoric Hawaiians were made during summit eruptions, when the goddess Pele was present to honor her with chants, prayers and offerings.
"The first non-Hawaiian credited with climbing Mauna Loa is Archibald Menzies. Menzies was the surgeon/naturalist for the 1791-1795 Voyage of Discovery led by Captain George Vancouver of the British Navy. An expedition set out on Feb. 6 1794 from Kealakekua Bay with Chief Luhea in a large double hulled canoe that belonged to King Kamehameha. Menzies reached the summit of Mauna Loa on Feb. 16, 1794 where he used barometric readings to calculate the summit elevation at 13,564 ft. An excerpt from Menzies journal:

Mauna Loa with snow, seen from Kīlauea caldera.
Photo from summitpost.org

'We managed to boil the chocolate in a tin pot over a small fire made of our walking sticks, and each had his share of it warm, with a small quantity of rum in it, before we went to bed. ...as it was agreed we should all sleep together to keep ourselves warm, we joined together everything we had for our general covering, made pillows of hard lava, and in this [way] was passed the night... Febuary 16. Next morning, at sunrise, the Thermometer was at 26 degrees and the air was exceedingly keen and piercing... About 11 in the forenoon we arrived at the mouth of an immense crater... [we] crossed over this rugged hollow after a hard struggle, and by noon got to the highest part of the mountain, on the western brink of the great crater, where I observed the Barometer...' For more, see www.summitpost.org.
To climb Mauna Loa through Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, permits are required. Stays are limited to three nights per site; group size is limited to a dozen people. The number of bunks are limited at Red Hill and Mauna Loa summit cabins. "Backpackers to Mauna Loa should be adequately equipped, experienced in wilderness/high altitude trekking, and physically fit," says the statement from the National Park Service. Learn more about making the trek to Mauna Loa summit at https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/hike_

Use of Ainapo Cabin on Mauna Loa requires a state
Department of Land and Natural Resources permit.
Photo from DLNR

maunaloa.htm.

The Ainapo Trail is managed by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and Kapāpala Ranch. Overnight hikes and reservations for the Ainapo Cabin require permits. See more at https://camping.ehawaii.gov/camping/all,

details,31727.html.

See webcams on Mauna Loa, showing the caldera, craters, pits, its weather and vistas from USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory sites at https://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/cams/.

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

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Dec. 27, @ Pāhoa.
Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Swimming: Saturday, Dec. 30, @ Kamehameha.
Saturday, Jan. 6, @Kamehameha.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Dec. 30, Konawaena.
Tuesday, Jan. 2, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.

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

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY offers free food to those in need on Tuesday, Dec. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

FIREWORKS AND A FIREWORKS PERMITS are available starting Tuesday, Dec. 26. Firework and permit sales end midnight on Sunday, Dec. 31.
Setting off of Fireworks for New Year celebrations are allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, and 1 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Permits should be visibly displayed at the site of use, during the time of the firing.
Each permit costs $25.00 and will entitle the holder to purchase 5,000 individual firecrackers - multiple permit purchases are authorized. Permits will only be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable.

Learn about the myriad of uses in Hawaiian culture and the Pacific for the coconut tree.
See event at left. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

BUY TICKETS FOR DISCOVERY HARBOUR'S NEW YEAR'S PARTY by Thursday, Dec. 28. The party will be held in Discovery Harbour Community Center (Kahiki & Makali‘i Streets) on Sunday, Dec. 31, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. (or later for those who wish to stay). A potluck dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. for those who wish to participate.

The Robert Thomas Band Trio will entertain from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Pre-sold tickets are $15 per person. Seating is limited to 72 persons; first come, first serve. To purchase tickets or for more information call Elaine at (805) 479-6266 or Sue at (310) 770-9644. The event is B.Y.O.B.

ALOHA FRIDAY: ‘OHE KAPALA WITH NOE NOE KEKAUALUA is Friday, Dec. 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Volcano Art Center. Learn about the various aspects of traditional hula arts - lei making, pa‘u styles, fabric stamping and more. For more details visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-7565.

A view from Birth of Kahuku Hike. Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

KANE PŌ GOES TO WASHINGTON is the featured topic for Coffee Talk at Kahuku this Friday, Dec. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is located near the 70.5 mile marker on Hwy. 11. Kane Pō is the name of a large pōhaku (stone) from the Ka‘ū Desert on loan to the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Keola Awong, former Cultural Anthropologist at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, will share her experience of this special event. Coffee Talk is free to attend. Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. For more details, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.

EXPLORE THE RICH GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF KAHUKU on a easy-to-moderate guided hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, displaying different volcano features and formations in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Dec. 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The hike, titled Birth of Kahuku, also offers hikers the opportunity to learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku.

Volcano Art Center's wreath exhibit continues through Dec. 31. See event
details below. Photo from Volcano Art Center

HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ASKS VOLUNTEERS to help remove invasive non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing at a Stewardship at the Park event Saturday, Dec. 30. Volunteers should meet leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. Fore more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

Master Gardener classes start Jan. 23.

Photo from ctahr.hawaii.edu

REGISTER BY SUNDAY, DEC. 31, FOR THE 2018 MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM which begins Saturday, Jan. 23 and continues for 13 weeks. The program is open to Ka‘ū applicants through the U.H. Cooperative Extension Office.
Each person enrolling in the Master Gardener Program commits to completing 39 hours of instruction plus nine field trip hours, an open-book Midterm and Final Exam, plus 40 hours of volunteer service within 12 months of completing the Master Gardener instruction. To continue being Certified as a Master Gardener, on-going service of 30 hours of volunteer time is required every year.
Classes are held at The Kona Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu, with field trips and workshops in the area. The next program will be held for three hours every Tuesday morning through April 17. Classes will be involved with current Master Gardener projects and will include hands-on orientation to the Helpline and Outreach programs.
Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.

LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS BEDECK THE STONE AND WOODEN COTTAGES at Kīlauea Military Camp. They are open for outdoor strolling within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park through Friday, Jan. 1.Vote on the best decorated cottage. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8371 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

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An historic Pāhala wooden clapboard cottage at Ohia and Pikake Streets with its tin roof, Christmas decorations.
Photo by Julia Neal

A SENIOR HOUSING NEEDS SURVEY FOR KA`U IS DUE FEB. 1: ʻO Kaʻū Kākou is asking seniors, over the age of 62 and living anywhere in the Kaʻū district, to fill out a quick, five-question survey to help OKK gather general data essential to the planning of a senior housing project to be located in Nā'ālehu.
The deadline to complete the survey is Feb. 1. OKK member Raylene Moses, who is spearheading the senior housing project, said the survey should take no more than five minutes and no contact information is needed. "The data will help to demonstrate a demand for senior housing," added Moses. For more information and to receive a survey contact Raylene Moses at 365-3788 or Nadine Ebert at 938-5124 or ebertn004@hawaii.rr.com.

O Kaʻū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi begins his 100 mile walk from Honoka`a to Nā'ālehu to raise money for the project on Jan. 2.

The site is the old Nā'ālehu Fruit Stand, Santangelo store on the mauka side of Highway 11. It has been unused in recent years. Owner Asha Mallick has agreed to sell the 1.9 acre property at a discount for the senior housing. The plan is to build 25 to 30 units.

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STATE CABINET CHANGES WERE ANNOUNCED BY THE GOVERNOR on Tuesday. Gov. David Ige is appointing Ryker Wada to serve as interim director of the state Department of Human Resources Development, The job will start Jan. 1, following the Dec. 31st retirement of Director James Nishimoto, who devoted over 40 years of his career to public service.
"Jim Nishimoto has been an outstanding leader in transforming state government. His innovative programs, including the multi-skilled pilot program, have expanded the use of technology and helped re-shape our workforce, and last year he was instrumental in renegotiating all fourteen collective

Ryker Wada is appointed to head the state
Department of Human Resources Development.

bargaining contracts. He has certainly earned his retirement, and I wish him well as he spends time with his family," said Gov. Ige. "I have every confidence in Ryker and know that he will continue to streamline current practices to create greater work efficiencies."

Wada has served as deputy director of the department since Dec. 2016. He is the former Certificated Personnel Regional Officer for the Windward District of the Department of Education where he was responsible for human resources and labor relations. Before joining DOE he served as the Managing Attorney for the Honolulu Office of the Legal Aid Society of Hawai`i. Wada earned a B.A. from the University of Washington and a J.D. from the University of California Hastings College of the Law.

Wada's appointment is subject to confirmation by the Hawaiʻi Senate during the next regular session.
The governor is also appointing Laurel Johnston to become Director of Budget and Finance effective Jan. 1, 2018 following the Dec. 31st retirement of Wesley K. Machida, who has completed 30 years of service to the state. "Wes has been a true partner in managing the state's finances. Under his leadership, the State's General

Laurel Johnson is appointed to state
Director of Budget and Finance.

Obligation bond credit ratings were raised, saving over $140 million taxpayer dollars. I'm grateful he chose to serve the people of Hawaiʻi," said Ige. "Laurel has been involved in the preparation of this year's budget and will provide steady direction for the department until a permanent replacement is named."

Machida leaves the position to spend more time with his family and anticipates doing some volunteer work with the state, especially in the area of retirement planning.
Johnston will serve in this capacity until the vacancy is filled by an appointment made pursuant to Article V, section 6 of the Hawai'i Constitution or 60 days after the vacancy, whichever occurs first. Johnston has served as the deputy director of the department since Dec. 2016.
During her 30-year career in Hawaiʻi, Johnston has worked as a public administrator, researcher, and writer in the diverse policy areas of education and health, criminal and social justice, economic development, and public finance. Prior to joining Ige's staff she was director of the University of Hawaiʻi System Budget Office. She earned a Master of Science degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology, both from Florida State University.
Ige also announced re-appointment of Sarah Allen to State Procurement Administrator effective December 1, for a term to extend through Oct. 3, 2021.

Sarah Allen is reappointed as
State Procurement Administrator.

"Sarah has played a vital role in this position, and I appreciate the energy with which she serves the people of Hawaiʻi," said the governor. Allen's expertise is in contracting, acquisition and financial management. From 2007 to 2013, she was a Senior Manager for ASI Government Inc., during which time she acted as Executive Advisor to the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. Prior to that, she was a Senior Acquisition Analyst from 2006 to 2007 for CACI at the Pentagon, and served in the U.S. Air Force as a Commissioned Contracting Officer from 2004 to 2006 and a Non-Commissioned Officer at Hickam Air Force Base from 2000 to 2004.
Allen earned a Global Executive Master of Business Administration from George Mason University, a Master of Acquisition Management from the American Graduate University, and a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Auditing from the University of South Africa.
Allen's appointment is subject to confirmation by the Hawaiʻi Senate during the next regular session.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html.

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at
kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decembercommunity.html.
December print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i
through Volcano. Also available free on stands throughout
the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE
Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Dec. 27, @ Pāhoa.
Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Swimming: Saturday, Dec. 30, @ Kamehameha.
Saturday, Jan. 6, @Kamehameha.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Dec. 30, Konawaena.
Tuesday, Jan. 2, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.

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

GET FIREWORKS AND A FIREWORKS PERMITS now until midnight on Sunday, Dec. 31.
Setting off of Fireworks for the New Year celebrations are allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, and 1 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Permits should be visibly displayed at the site of use, during the time of the firing.
Each permit costs $25.00 and will entitle the holder to purchase 5,000 individual firecrackers - multiple permit purchases are authorized. Permits will only be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable.
For more information on the purchasing of Fireworks permits, or the use of Fireworks, please call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911 (Hilo) or 323-4760 (Kona). For a list of places to purchase fireworks permits visit Dec. 23 Ka‘ū News Briefs.

Learn about the significance of the coconut tree in Hawaiian culture
at a Pulumi Nī‘au Demonstration Wednesday. See event details at left.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

LEARN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COCONUT TREE and its myriad of uses in Hawaiian culture and the Pacific during Pulumi Nī‘au Demonstration on Wednesday, Dec. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Free, park entrance fees apply.

TAI CHI CHUAN: YANG LONG FORM 108 is offered at Discovery Harbour Community Hall on Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. A $5 donation is asked of attendees. For more, call David at 785-6644.

BUY TICKETS FOR DISCOVERY HARBOUR'S NEW YEAR'S PARTY by Thursday, Dec. 28. The party will be held in Discovery Harbour Community Center (Kahiki & Makali‘i Streets) on Sunday, Dec. 31, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. (or later for those who wish to stay). A potluck dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. for those who wish to participate.
The Robert Thomas Band Trio will entertain from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Pre-sold tickets are $15 per person. Seating is limited to 72 persons; first come, first serve. To purchase tickets or for more information call Elaine at (805) 479-6266 or Sue at (310) 770-9644. The event is B.Y.O.B.

ALOHA FRIDAY: ‘OHE KAPALA WITH NOE NOE KEKAUALUA is Friday, Dec. 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Volcano Art Center. Learn about the various aspects of traditional hula arts - lei making, pa‘u styles, fabric stamping and more. For more details visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-7565.

Learn about the various aspects of traditional hula arts
at Aloha Friday. See event details above.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Monday, Jan. 1, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. For more details, call 939-7033, or ovcahi.org.

A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.

EXPLORE THE RICH GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF KAHUKU on a easy-to-moderate guided hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, displaying different volcano features and formations in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Dec. 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The hike, titled Birth of Kahuku, also offers hikers the opportunity to learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku.

HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ASKS VOLUNTEERS to help remove invasive non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing at a Stewardship at the Park event Saturday, Dec. 30. Volunteers should meet leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. Fore more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

See unique wreaths like this Fall Turkey, by

Lanaya Deily, on display

at Volcano Art Center Gallery.

Photo from Volcano Art Center

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY, FEATURING THE ANNUAL INVITATIONAL WREATH EXHIBITION, BEGINS continues through Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
Christmas in the Country features a fresh lineup of artists hosting special events throughout each weekend.
The concurrent Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit presents one-of-a-kind wreaths in a variety of imaginative media, techniques and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional. “Those looking for truly original wreaths as well as one-of-a-kind, handmade gift items will not be disappointed by the selection created by our local artistic community, ” states gallery manager Emily C. Weiss. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-7565.

REGISTER BY SUNDAY, DEC. 31, FOR THE 2018 MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM which begins Saturday, Jan. 23 and continues for 13 weeks. The program is open to Ka‘ū applicants through the UH Cooperative Extension Office.
Each person enrolling in the Master Gardener Program commits to completing 39 hours of instruction plus nine field trip hours, an open-book Midterm and Final Exam, plus 40 hours of volunteer service within 12 months of completing the Master Gardener instruction. To continue being Certified as a Master Gardener, on-going service of 30 hours of volunteer time is required every year.
Classes are held at The Kona Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu, with field trips and workshops in the area. The next program will be held for three hours every Tuesday morning through April 17. Classes will be involved with current Master Gardener projects and will include hands-on orientation to the Helpline and Outreach programs.
Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.

A NEW YEAR'S EVEN TOAST is hosted by Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more details call 967-8356 or 967-8371.

Kīlauea Military Camp invites Ka‘ū residents to vote for their

favorite decorated cottages until Dec. 31.

Photo by Dave Berry

LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS BEDECK THE STONE AND WOODEN COTTAGES at Kīlauea Military Camp. They are open for outdoor strolling within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park through Friday, Jan. 1.Vote on the best decorated cottage. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8371 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S CRATER RIM CAFÉ hosts a New Year's Day Brunch to take place from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1. Celebrate the new year over Roast Pork, Chicken Picata, Omelet Station, Pancakes, Breakfast Potatoes, Rice, Patties, Bacon, Fresh Fruit, Ice Cream Sundae Bar, Brownies and Beverage. Attendees pay an entry fee of $16.95 per adult and $9.50 per child (6-11 yrs). KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more details.

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Laurel Johnston is Gov. David
Ige's choice for Director of
Budget and Finance,

Ryker Wada is Gov. David Ige's choice for
Director of Human Resources Development.

Rep. Richard Creagan listens to residents in Ocean View. Photo by Ann Bosted

REP RICHARD CREAGAN IS SETTING PRIORITIES for the Hawai‘i State Legislature which opens Wednesday, Jan. 17, at the Capitol in Honolulu. Creagan, who chairs the House of Representatives Agriculture and Animal Welfare Committee, said on Wednesday that he wants to increase the Transient Accommodation Tax distribution to Hawai‘i Island. The tax will go up by 1 percent on Jan. 1 for all hotel, bed and breakfast, condominium and other rentals for terms less than six months. All of that extra income to the state, however, is going to help fund the rail on O‘ahu.
Creagan, a physician, weighed in on rat lungworm disease “It is a problem for human health, agriculture, and tourism,” said Creagan. He proposes to “provide substantial funding to University of Hawai‘i’s Hilo School of Pharmacy and the Jarvi Lab for rat lungworm research.” He said he will introduce legislation.

Rep. Richard Creagan
Photo by Ann Bosted

Creagan said he hopes to set up a center at Hilo Hospital in conjunction with a residency program clinic for study and treatment of rat lungworm. It would be “a place to go if you think you might have rat lungworm – early treatment may be key.” He forsees a “ morning after pill treatment" for those who think they may have been exposed. "We will introduce a resolution and/or a bill for funding,” he said.
Creagan pointed out that “animal welfare is now part of the agriculture committee.” He said he hopes to fund a study of rat lungworm in pets, particularly dogs and horses. “They are dying from this and we need diagnosis and treatment." Reinstating a position for a Public Health Veterinarian in the state Department of Health who can work with zoonoses (animal diseases that affect people) like leptospirosis, brucellosis, toxoplasmosis and rat lungworm is another aim of Creagan. “I have a bill for this,” he said.
Also regarding the state Department of Health, Creagan said it would be best to require the Neighbor Island County District Health Officers to be physicians. He pointed out that Health Officers on Maui and Kaua‘i are physicians, but not on Hawai‘i Island. He said the County Council supports this requirement. “We need a physician District Health Officer to stand up for the people of the Big Island against the O‘ahu centric Health Department. I have a bill for this as well.”
Creagan has long campaigned for a new hospital in Kona. “We badly need a new West Hawai‘i Hospital to replace Kona Hospital. I have proposed a University affiliated teaching hospital in West Hawai‘i in conjunction with Palamanui Community College. We have $500,000 for a feasibility study.”
He said he advocates for training health care providers on island. “If you train physicians, nurses, nurse-practitioners and physician assistant on the Big Island, they will stay on the Big Island." He said the Palamanui college campus in Kona can have training for health care careers such as imaging technicians, respiratory therapists and physical therapists. Training for primary care specialties could

Rep. Richard Creagan wants the state to ban chlorpyrifos, which the
EPA was planning to ban, but the Trump administration rescinded
the order. Image from draxe.com

include Internal Medicine and Community Psychiatry, Pediatrics and Family Medicine, adolescent behavioral health, inpatient addiction treatment, hyperbaric medicine for treatment of diving accidents and wounds, higher level trauma care and eventually interventional cardiology unit, he said.

Concerning health and the environment, Creagan called for better control of restricted use pesticides and banning chlorpyrifos. “There is no way to use it safely. Banned in Europe, banned for indoor use since 2002 in the U.S.,” he pointed out. He said the EPA planned to ban chlorpyrifos for all food use in 2017. “Scott Pruitt, Trump’s appointee, reversed the decision.
California plans to severely limit use of chlorpyrifos and we need to end all use on Jan. 1, 2019,” said Creagan.
Concerning farming, Creagan said, “We need to increase availability of land, water and loans to small farmers and young farmers.” He also called for establishing two positions in the state Department of Agriculture for ag. theft investigators.
Regarding marijuana, he called for “marijuana decriminalization and possible legalization on a county level.”
Creagan said he is a supporter of "Death with Dignity" legislation and hopes to bring it to a full House vote. The Senate passed it overwhelmingly last year.

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KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Swimming: Saturday, Dec. 30, @ Kamehameha.
Saturday, Jan. 6, @Kamehameha.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Dec. 30, Konawaena.
Tuesday, Jan. 2, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.

Girls Basketball: Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.

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The Robert Thomas Band Trio will entertain from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

KANE PŌ GOES TO WASHINGTON is the featured topic for Coffee Talk at Kahuku this Friday, Dec. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is located near the 70.5 mile marker on Hwy. 11. Kane Pō is the name of a large pōhaku (stone) from the Ka‘ū Desert on loan to the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. It was shipped to D.C. for the dedication of the Museum in 2004. Learn more about this pōhaku and the role it has on the National Mall. Keola Awong, former Cultural Anthropologist at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, will share her experience of this special event. Coffee Talk is free to attend. Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. For more details, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.

EXPLORE THE RICH GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF KAHUKU on a easy-to-moderate guided hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, displaying different volcano features and formations in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Dec. 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The hike, titled Birth of Kahuku, also offers hikers the opportunity to learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku.

The concurrent Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibition continues through Sunday, Dec. 31, in Volcano. See event details below. Photo from Volcano Art Center

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY, FEATURING THE ANNUAL INVITATIONAL WREATH EXHIBITION, continues through Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
Christmas in the Country features a fresh lineup of artists hosting special events throughout each weekend.
The concurrent Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit presents one-of-a-kind wreaths in a variety of imaginative media, techniques and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional. “Those looking for truly original wreaths as well as one-of-a-kind, handmade gift items will not be disappointed by the selection created by our local artistic community, ” states gallery manager Emily C. Weiss. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-7565.

Photo from wikipedia.com

GET FIREWORKS AND A FIREWORKS PERMITS now until midnight on Sunday, Dec. 31.
Setting off of Fireworks for the New Year celebrations are allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, and 1 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Permits should be visibly displayed at the site of use, during the time of the firing.
Each permit costs $25.00 and will entitle the holder to purchase 5,000 individual firecrackers - multiple permit purchases are authorized. Permits will only be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable.

Toast to New Year on Dec. 31 in Volcano. See event details at left.
Photo from wikipedia.com

Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.

A NEW YEAR'S EVEN TOAST is hosted by Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more details call 967-8356 or 967-8371.

KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S CRATER RIM CAFÉ hosts a New Year's Day Brunch to take place from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1. Celebrate the new year over Roast Pork, Chicken Picata, Omelet Station, Pancakes, Breakfast Potatoes, Rice, Patties, Bacon, Fresh Fruit, Ice Cream Sundae Bar, Brownies and Beverage. Attendees pay an entry fee of $16.95 per adult and $9.50 per child (6-11 yrs). KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more details.

Ka‘ū coffee blossoms. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS BEDECK THE STONE AND WOODEN COTTAGES at Kīlauea Military Camp. They are open for outdoor strolling within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park through Friday, Jan. 1.Vote on the best decorated cottage. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8371 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Monday, Jan. 1, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. For more details, call 939-7033, or ovcahi.org.

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more call 929-9576, or visit discoveryharbour.net.

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU begins Tuesday, Jan. 2, in Nā‘ālehu and continues through Friday, Jan. 5, to Honoka‘a. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi will walk 100 miles to raise $250,000 in an effort to purchase 1.9 acres in Nā‘ālehu for future senior housing. Make a donation to support his quest at okaukakou.org. For more call Karachi at 937-4773.

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Keiki are invited to sign up now for the annual ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Fishing Tournaments taking place Saturday, Jan. 27,
at Punalu‘u Beach Park. Photo by Nalani Parlin

THE FIRST ACT OF CONGRESS in the new year should be approving the Children's Health Insurance Program, proclaimed Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. In an end of the year statement issued Thursday, she said that CHIP provides health insurance coverage to 8.9 million keiki across the country. "Their family incomes are above Medicaid eligibility but not enough to afford private insurance. Essentially, it fills in one of the many gaps in our patchwork healthcare system that exist in the absence of a Medicare for All program," she explained.

"In Hawai‘i alone, 25,780 of our keiki receive their health insurance through CHIP. The clock is ticking for states like Hawai‘i where they are days away from running out of money and being forced to close the door on our keiki.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is calling on Congress to make renewal of the
Children's Health Insurance Program its first act of 2018 and asking
Hawai‘i residents to sign a petition to preserve the insurance for
more than 25,000 keiki in the Islands.

"In addition to passing a permanent fix for DACA, and increasing disaster relief for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and states affected by hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, one of the first orders of business Congress must take on in the new year is authorizing funding for CHIP. Providing for children's health should not be about politics or partisanship. It is about taking care of our children," stated the congresswoman. She asked for her constituents to sign her petition calling on Congress to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program.

She said she sees more opportunity to pass CHIP than the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, which she cosponsored. She stated that "People are angry with the pharmaceutical industry for lying and profiting from the opioid crisis that continues to ruin so many people's lives. They are upset with a system that leaves families caring for a loved one with crushing medical debt while health insurance executives boost their own pay. It is for these reasons that I am a cosponsor of H.R. 676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act. Unfortunately, our bill is blocked due to partisan politics."

CHIP, however has received bipartisan support "in every Congress since its initiation in 1997, which is all the more reason why Congress needs to reauthorize this important program immediately," said Gabbard. "America is stronger and more unified when we work together in the spirit of aloha."

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THE ANNUAL PUNALU‘U KEIKI FISHING TOURNAMENT sponsored by ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou is taking sign-ups. It happens Saturday, Jan. 27, at Punalu‘u Beach Park Pavilion.
Designed for children one to 14 years of age, it offers marine education and competition along the rocky shoreline of Punalu‘u and its tidepools.

Joy Buyuan caught the most fish for several years in a row.
Photo by June Domondon

Check in time is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The welcome will be at 9 a.m., with poles and bait distributed at 9:30 a.m. The fishing time is from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
A free lunch will be offered to participants and their families from noon to 12:30 p.m. Awards and prizes will be given out at 1 p.m.
Keiki and their families can pick up and drop off registration forms at Nā‘ālehu Elementary School, Nā‘ālehu Ace Hardware, Pāhala Elementary School, Mizuno Superette in Pāhala, Pāhala Gas Station, Wiki Wiki Mart in Nā‘ālehu, Wong Yuen Store in Wai‘ōhinu, Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View and Ocean View Auto Parts.
For more information, contact Guy Enriques at 217-2253 or Wayne Kawachi at 937-4773.
Fishing guidelines allow: Hand Pole Fishing with barbless hooks only; brining own personal hand poles; providing hand poles, fishing gear and bait to those without fishing equipment, on first to register-first to receive bases. There will be no chumming or using palu (bread mackerel or other fish attractant).
All fishing is Catch and Release.
The fishing will last one hour and a half.
Prizes are for size and the kinds of fish caught.
The event is sponsored by Pacific Quest, DLNR Marine Wildlife Program; County of Hawai‘i, S. Tokunaga, Suisan Co., Ka‘ū Royal Hawaiian Coffee & Tea and Ka‘ū Mahi.

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

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

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

Help Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park remove non-native invasive plant
species, like Morning Glory, that prevent native plants from growing.
Photo by Michael Szoenyi/NPS

EXPLORE THE RICH GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF KAHUKU on a easy-to-moderate guided hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, displaying different volcano features and formations in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Dec. 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The hike, titled Birth of Kahuku, also offers hikers the opportunity to learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku.

HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ASKS VOLUNTEERS to help remove invasive non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing at a Stewardship at the Park event Saturday, Dec. 30. Volunteers should meet leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. Fore more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY, FEATURING THE ANNUAL INVITATIONAL WREATH EXHIBITION, continues through Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Christmas in the Country features a fresh lineup of artists hosting special events throughout each weekend.
The concurrent Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit presents one-of-a-kind wreaths in a variety of imaginative media, techniques and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional. “Those looking for truly original wreaths as well as one-of-a-kind, handmade gift items will not be disappointed by the selection created by our local artistic community, ” states gallery manager Emily C. Weiss. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-7565.

REGISTER BY SUNDAY, DEC. 31, FOR THE 2018 MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM which begins Saturday, Jan. 23 and continues for 13 weeks. The program is open to Ka‘ū applicants through the UH Cooperative Extension Office.
Each person enrolling in the Master Gardener Program commits to completing 39 hours of instruction plus nine field trip hours, an open-book Midterm and Final Exam, plus 40 hours of volunteer service within 12 months of completing the Master Gardener instruction. To continue being Certified as a Master Gardener, on-going service of 30 hours of volunteer time is required every year.
Classes are held at The Kona Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu, with field trips and workshops in the area. The next program will be held for three hours every Tuesday morning through April 17. Classes will be involved with current Master Gardener projects and will include hands-on orientation to the Helpline and Outreach programs.
Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.

New Year's lights up peaceful Pāhala with fireworks at
family celebrations. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI‘I ELECTRIC LIGHT CO. is sending out a New Year‘s Eve Message in hopes that people will take care when using fireworks.

“New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration across the world. In the islands, tens of thousands of people celebrate by setting off fireworks. Though they are beautiful and fun, some caution is suggested when using fireworks,” says the statement.

HELCO suggests the following precautions:

Always set off fireworks in a place that is far away from any dry brush or other items that can easily catch fire. Keeping a bucket of water for used fireworks, and keeping a hose handy, are good first steps to keeping any flying sparks or hot debris from starting any fires.

Be aware that windy conditions can greatly affect fireworks, so always use caution when setting off fireworks in a breeze or light wind; postpone firework use when medium or higher winds are active.

Fireworks are best handled by adults who are not presently under the influence of any altering medications or alcohol.

Fireworks should not be set off while being held; always find a safe resting place before lighting one.

HELCO also suggests the following fireworks safety tips: keep tools, ladders, fireworks effects, etc., away from power lines; do not use utility poles for fireworks setups. Should an object become entangled in an overhead power line, do not try to get it free; instead, please call HELCO at 969-6666.

A NEW YEAR'S EVEN TOAST is hosted by Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more details call 967-8356 or 967-8371.

KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S CRATER RIM CAFÉ hosts a New Year's Day Brunch to take place from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1. Celebrate the new year over Roast Pork, Chicken Picata, Omelet Station, Pancakes, Breakfast Potatoes, Rice, Patties, Bacon, Fresh Fruit, Ice Cream Sundae Bar, Brownies and Beverage. Attendees pay an entry fee of $16.95 per adult and $9.50 per child (6-11 yrs). KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more details.

Ka‘ū coffee cherries. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS BEDECK THE STONE AND WOODEN COTTAGES at Kīlauea Military Camp. They are open for outdoor strolling within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park through Friday, Jan. 1.Vote on the best decorated cottage. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8371 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Monday, Jan. 1, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. For more details, call 939-7033, or ovcahi.org.

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more call 929-9576, or visit discoveryharbour.net.

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU begins Tuesday, Jan. 2, in Nā‘ālehu and continues through Friday, Jan. 5, to Honoka‘a. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi will walk 100 miles to raise $250,000 in an effort to purchase 1.9 acres in Nā‘ālehu for future senior housing. Make a donation to support his quest at okaukakou.org. For more call Karachi at 937-4773.

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

Neighborhood fireworks are popular in Ka‘ū. Photo by Julia Neal

A SURVEY ON CITIZEN OPINIONS has been posted for residents to fill out online, sponsored by Sen. Mazie Hirono. She also weighs in on her end of the year sentiments: "What is happening in Washington right now is deeply concerning. Just recently, the G.O.P. passed a tax scam that will eventually gut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security to pay for more than a trillion dollars in tax cuts to the richest Americans and corporations. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and his administration are once again threatening DREAMers with deportation and turning their backs on the values that make

our country truly great. But before the year ends, I want to make sure I get the chance to hear where you stand. Will you take a moment to share what’s on your mind right now?" The link is: surveys.signforgood.com/hirono-prioritiessurvey

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OPPOSITION TO THE NEW TAX BILL that recently passed Congress is the subject of a message from Ka‘ū's Representative in the U.S. House. Tulsi Gabbard wrote, "The corporate and elite donor class' influence over the tax scam that the G.O.P. passed and signed into law could not have been made any more apparent. Many Republicans in Congress made their donors' ultimatums public—to either pass a bill that directly benefits them or lose their donations. While many wealthy legislators personally benefited from this bill, others dragged their feet until they couldn't hold out any longer, knowing that a 'Yes' vote was the only way, in their minds, to keep their political coffers full and their political careers intact.

Citizens United allows corporations to donate to campaigns as
if they were individual citizens. Image from Bill Moyers.com

"While we are all aware that not all PACs and lobbyists are created equal and some do great work on behalf of everyday people, I do not accept money from any of these entities to make it clear that my priority is people. I continue the fight to overturn Citizens United. The stakes have never been higher. Dark money donors and special interests are simultaneously bankrolling PACs for the 2018 midterm elections and fighting in court to keep their identities anonymous. It undermines our democracy by giving undue influence to corporate interests over the voices of the people," wrote Gabbard.
According to Gabbard, "There is plenty of misinformation being spread by those who are simply working to bolster their bottom line with no regard for the consequences. The pharmaceutical, health insurance, fossil fuel, private prison, defense, and other industries all lobby for policies that benefit themselves, levying a heavy toll of consequences on the people and our communities. Government's role is to serve the people—not these special interests. We need to get their outsized influence out of the political process.
"I believe it is the power of the people, coming together in the spirit of aloha, that will give us the strength, courage, and inspiration to put our democracy back where it belongs—in the hands of the people," she concluded.

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Professional Artist Samantha daSilva teaches an acrylic painting workshop
on Saturday, Jan 6, in Volcano.
Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

SAMANTHA DASILVA, born in Brazil but living and working on Hawai‘i Island, shares her unique method of painting using rollers rather than brushes, tables instead of easels, lots of paint and water, canvas manipulation and plaster, sand and wood shavings to create "ethereal" textured abstracts.
The workshop, Fearless Abstract Painting, covers a basic overview of acrylic paints and mediums, the "emotional language" of color and more and takes place at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. No artistic experience is required. The class fee is $90 for non-members and $85 for VAC members plus a $15 supply fee per person. Additional materials are required. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222. See samathadasilva.com.

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HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNOUNCES a new volunteer opportunity entitled Stewardship of Kīpukapuaulu which begins at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy. 11 in Volcano. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants like morning glory from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." The event will take place again Jan. 11, 18, and 25. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html.

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decembercommunity.html.

December print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is

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

through Volcano. Also available free on stands throughout

the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Swimming: Saturday, Dec. 30, @ Kamehameha.

Saturday, Jan. 6, @Kamehameha.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Dec. 30, Konawaena.

Tuesday, Jan. 2, @ Kea‘au.

Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.

Girls Basketball: Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.

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A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.

Volunteers remove invasive plant species to help native plants grow in
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Photo by Janice Wei/NPS

Each person enrolling in the Master Gardener Program commits to completing 39 hours of instruction plus nine field trip hours, an open-book Midterm and Final Exam, plus 40 hours of volunteer service within 12 months of completing the Master Gardener instruction. To continue being Certified as a Master Gardener, on-going service of 30 hours of volunteer time is required every year.

Classes are held at The Kona Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu, with field trips and workshops in the area. The next program will be held for three hours every Tuesday morning through April 17. Classes will be involved with current Master Gardener projects and will include hands-on orientation to the Helpline and Outreach programs.

Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.

GET FIREWORKS AND A FIREWORKS PERMITS now until midnight on Sunday, Dec. 31.

Each permit costs $25.00 and will entitle the holder to purchase 5,000 individual firecrackers - multiple permit purchases are authorized. Permits will only be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable.

Fireworks permits are required for use of fireworks in Hawai‘i - see story above for guidelines.

NEW YEAR'S EVE is when tens of thousands of residents all over the islands celebrate by setting off fireworks. Hawaiian Electric Light Co. urges following these safety tips: Keep tools, ladders, fireworks effects, etc., away from power lines; do not use utility poles for fireworks setups.

Should an object become entangled in an overhead power line, do not try to get it free; instead, call the local electric company for assistance: 969-6666.

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Monday, Jan. 1, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. For more details, call 939-7033, or ovcahi.org.

Visit the decorated cottages at Kīlauea Military Camp until Jan. 1.
Photo from kilaueamilitarycamp.com

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU begins Tuesday, Jan. 2, in Nā‘ālehu and continues through Friday, Jan. 5, to Honoka‘a. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi will walk 100 miles to raise $250,000 in an effort to purchase 1.9 acres in Nā‘ālehu for future senior housing. Make a donation to support his quest at okaukakou.org. For more call Karachi at 937-4773.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more call 929-9576, or visit discoveryharbour.net.

Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Department meets Tuesday, Jan. 2.
Photo from discoveryharbour.net

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S LAVA LOUNGE is Wednesday, Jan. 3, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. welcoming singers, bands, comedians and other performers to take the stand. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests 21 years and older. The lounge is inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL committees meet Wednesday, Jan. 3, with a full council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 4. Both meeting days take place in Hilo. The committees will meet again on Wednesday, Jan. 23, and a full Council meets Thursday, Jan. 24, both in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets Thursday, Jan. 4, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

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Glow from an active ocean entry on Kīlauea Volcano’s Kamokuna lava delta was visible on the evening of
Sept. 27, when the 2017 delta was near its maximum size of eight to ten acres. Since then, the edges
of the delta began to crumble into the sea. With no lava entering the ocean since November, ocean waves
slowly erode the lava delta, further reducing its size. See story below. USGS image.

REPUBLICANS ARE RAISING PILES OF CASH, according to Sen. Brian Schatz. He said this comes after last week’s tax “reform” vote, the donations coming from "the wealthiest Americans -- the same people who benefit from the tax bill that transfers trillions of dollars from working families to the richest individuals and corporations, repeals the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, and guts Medicaid and Medicare."

In a statement released on Saturday, Schatz wrote, "I voted against that devastating legislation, and

so did every other Democrat in Congress. As you can guess, most billionaires aren’t interested in supporting our reelection campaigns -- especially after we voted against their tax breaks -- and so instead, I’m reaching out to you. We need to support Democrats running for federal office -- the ones serving now who are up for reelection and the candidates looking to join our fight for progressive values in Washington."

According to Schatz, "GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has even admitted that

Democrats have a strong chance of winning back a majority in both the House and Senate in 2018. But that will only be possible if we’re all willing to put in the work and invest in this movement. As long as we’re all willing to come together now to create change, I know we can win back the majorities in the House and Senate and save our country," Schatz predicted.

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CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALSO AN END OF THE YEAR TWEET for Sen. Brian Schatz: "Maybe the most reckless thing about the modern Republican Party is its position on climate change. I’m hoping there’s a new generation of conservatives who realize that there are free market solutions to this problem, and moral and religious reasons to solve it," he tweeted on Saturday.

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HAPPY 35th BIRTHDAY EAST RIFT ZONE and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is the message of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's Volcano Watch this week:

Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō on Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone reaches its 35th birthday. Since it began in 1983, the eruption has produced a range of volcanic processes and hazards, from captivating high lava fountains to majestic ocean entries. And after 35 years, it’s still going strong.
For Puʻu ʻŌʻō and its lava flows during 2017, the year started with a bang, or rather, a collapse of the eastern Kamokuna lava delta formed by an ocean entry during the last five months of 2016. By New Year’s Day 2017, most of the delta was gone, along with part of the adjacent sea cliff. Approximately 25 acres collapsed into the ocean, piecemeal over a period of 4 hours, leaving only 2.5 acres of the original delta in place.

Lava comes from deep within the volcano
as shown by this image from USGS

Kīlauea’s Episode 61g lava tube was abruptly exposed in the sea cliff as a result of the collapse. With nothing to hinder it, lava poured from the tube and plummeted into the ocean several meters (yards) from the sea cliff. This formed a spectacular lava fall referred to as a “firehose flow” that continued from early January through the end of March.
During that time, the ocean entry slowly rebuilt the underwater support needed for new lava delta formation. By April, the Kamokuna lava delta had begun to reform, growing outward from the sea cliff.
In early May, this delta became unstable and collapsed. But little of the subsurface support was removed, so the Kamokuna lava delta soon began to form again.
Over the next two months, a ramp of crusted lava built up on the delta, reaching the lava tube’s exit point on the sea cliff, and ultimately forming a hard shell around the lava fall. Multiple cracks formed across the delta as it slowly slumped into the sea.
By August, the Kamokuna lava delta was about 8 to 10 acres in size. It remained that size through November, as lava continued to create new land, although bits of the delta edges occasionally crumbled into the sea. However, between August and November, enough material was added to the lava delta to double its height above sea level!
In October, an apparent blockage within the lava tube system caused many overflows on the sea cliff. This created dozens of new, small lava flows cascading over the sea cliff just west of the Kamokuna ocean entry. But this activity lasted only two months before the lava became too viscous (or sticky) to continue exiting the tube.
Where is all the lava going now?

Small channelized ‘a‘ā flow moving through a kipuka in

late December. USGS Photo

Although eruption rates remained low (as best the USGS can tell), breakouts from the blocked tube occurred frequently in 2017. With the western, primary lava tube becoming increasingly blocked, lava emerged from the tube in many locations along its entire length.
Some breakouts remained in the upper flow field while others flowed from the top of Pulama pali and ponded at its base. On the lower flow field, numerous and sustained breakouts were scattered across the coastal plain. Few of them formed coherent flows and, as a result, lava resurfaced the same areas numerous times.
Nearly all of the breakouts were active for several weeks to months, allowing intrepid visitors who braved the rugged cross-country trek to witness active lava. As described in last week’s Volcano Watch, the flow field is currently creating a new tube on the east side of the flow field.
Back at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, the lava pond at this vent was active all year. It rose and fell in concert with large deflation-inflation events at the summit of Kīlauea. The Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō lava pond circulation is slower than that in the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake, causing a thicker crust to form on the pond’s surface. This crust was disrupted during several small rockfall events throughout the year.
As the Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption turns 35, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff prepare for another year of dynamic activity on Kīlauea. The public is invited to a number of Volcano Awareness Month presentations in January. Details are posted on the HVO website (https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/). You can also email askHVO@usgs.gov or call 808-967-8844 for more information.
Visit the HVO website (https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo) 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 askHVO@usgs.gov.

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KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Boys Basketball: Tuesday, Jan. 2, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.
Monday, Jan. 8, @ Honoka‘a.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Girls Basketball: Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kamehameha.
Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.

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CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY, FEATURING THE ANNUAL INVITATIONAL WREATH EXHIBITION, wraps up on Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
It includes the Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit with one-of-a-kind wreaths in a variety of imaginative media, techniques and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional. “Those looking for truly original wreaths as well as one-of-a-kind, handmade gift items will not be disappointed by the selection created by our local artistic community, ” states gallery manager Emily C. Weiss. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-7565.

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FIREWORKS AND A FIREWORKS PERMITS are available until midnight on Sunday, Dec. 31.
Setting off of Fireworks for the New Year celebrations are allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, and 1 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Permits should be visibly displayed at the site of use, during the time of the firing.
Each permit costs $25.00 and will entitle the holder to purchase 5,000 individual firecrackers - multiple permit purchases are authorized. Permits will only be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable.

For more information on the purchasing of Fireworks permits, or the use of Fireworks, please call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911 (Hilo) or 323-4760 (Kona). For a list of places to purchase fireworks permits visit Dec. 23 Ka‘ū News Briefs.

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Fireworks and power lines don't mix. Call HELCO at 969-6666 if any object gets
tangled in a power line. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I ELECTRIC LIGHT CO. URGES SAFETY during this year's New Year's Eve celebrations: When setting up fireworks, be sure the area is clear of overhead power lines, and keep ladders/tools at least 10 feet away from any power lines. Keep setups away from utility poles. If an object does get entangled in a power line, do not try to get it loose; call the electric company trouble line. Call HELCO at 969-6666.

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

REGISTER BY SUNDAY, DEC. 31, FOR THE 2018 MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM which begins Saturday, Jan. 23 and continues for 13 weeks. The program is open to Ka‘ū applicants through the UH Cooperative Extension Office.
Each person enrolling in the Master Gardener Program commits to completing 39 hours of instruction plus nine field trip hours, an open-book Midterm and Final Exam, plus 40 hours of volunteer service within 12 months of completing the Master Gardener instruction. To continue being Certified as a Master Gardener, on-going service of 30 hours of volunteer time is required every year.
Classes are held at The Kona Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu, with field trips and workshops in the area. The next program will be held for three hours every Tuesday morning through April 17. Classes will be involved with current Master Gardener projects and will include hands-on orientation to the Helpline and Outreach programs.
Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.

A NEW YEAR'S EVEN TOAST is hosted by Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more details call 967-8356 or 967-8371.

KMC wraps up the Christmas and New Years holiday season with
a New Years Day brunch from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the last
day to vote on the outdoor decorations put together by the staff,
Photo from KMC

KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S CRATER RIM CAFÉ hosts a New Year's Day Brunch to take place from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1. Celebrate the new year over Roast Pork, Chicken Picata, Omelet Station, Pancakes, Breakfast Potatoes, Rice, Patties, Bacon, Fresh Fruit, Ice Cream Sundae Bar, Brownies and Beverage. Attendees pay an entry fee of $16.95 per adult and $9.50 per child (6-11 yrs). KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more details.

LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS BEDECK THE STONE AND WOODEN COTTAGES at Kīlauea Military Camp. They are open for outdoor strolling within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park through Monday, Jan. 1.Vote on the best decorated cottage. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8371 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Monday, Jan. 1, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. For more details, call 939-7033, or ovcahi.org.

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more call 929-9576, or visit discoveryharbour.net.

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU begins Tuesday, Jan. 2, in Nā‘ālehu and continues through Friday, Jan. 5, to Honoka‘a. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi will walk 100 miles to raise $250,000 in an effort to purchase 1.9 acres in Nā‘ālehu for future senior housing. Make a donation to support his quest at okaukakou.org. For more call Karachi at 937-4773.

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU begins at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy. 11 in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants like morning glory from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." The event will take place again on Jan. 11, 18, and 25. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

TROPICAL FLOWER ARRANGING WITH HAWAIIAN CULTURAL PRACTITIONER Kaipo Ah Chong takes place Friday, Jan. 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Ah Chong offers a popular tropical flower arranging workshop and provides flowers for all those in attendance, however individuals must bring their own clippers. Pre-registration is required. The class fee is $45 plus a $20 supply fee per person. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

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In the street and in the air, fireworks lit up the sky, celebrated with sound and exploded on the streets and yards
throughout Ka`u, starting just after sunset on New Years Eve. Photo by Julia Neal

PUBLIC TELEVISION ON HAWAI`I ISLAND through Nā Leo ‘O Hawaiʻi, Nā Leo TV will open new Hilo studios in 2018, its President and Executive Officer, Stacy Higa, announced on New Years Eve. Na Leo is one of four independent Public, Education, Government entities in the State of Hawaiʻi. These PEG organizations hve the responsibility for providing services as demonstrated by Na Leo for the Island of Hawaiʻi.

More than 60 independent producers contribute to the broadcast at Na Leo, noted Higa during Na Leo's appreciation event in Hilo on Dec. 28.

Audrey Wilson offers a new episode in the kitchen on Na Leo.
Photo from Na Leo

"In an increasingly commercial world, we’re proud to be a non-profit organization with over 20 years of public, educational and governmental programming and broadcasting. Here at Nā Leo TV we work hard to form a thriving and well-rounded digital media destination committed to building community through media," Higa said.

One new show is Ukulele Lady hosted by BJ Soriano, which premiered Dec. 29 and can be seen with other Na Leo programs online at at http://naleo.tv/vod/

Na Leo broadcasts on Channels 53, 54 and 55 and online at naleo.tv/channel-53.

Financing for Na Leo public access TVis provided through a portion of the franchise fees collected from cable subscribers in each respective County in Hawaiʻi. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), through the Cable TV Division, handles the regulatory oversight for the PEG franchises in Hawaiʻi.
Na Leo is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 governed by a nine member Board of Directors. Board members are non-compensated and are representatives of various identified stakeholders throughout the Island of Hawaiʻi.

The Ukulelele Lady, BJ Soriano, produces a show for Na Leo and
its CEO Stacy Higa. Photo from Na Leo

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BUILDING NEGOTIATING SKILLS FOR 2018 is the aim of two courses coming to the island. University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, UH-Hilo Women’s Center, Hawai’i Women’s Leadership Forum, YWCA of Hawai‘i Island, and Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center are collaborating to present two workshops with Elizabeth Kent in East and West Hawai’i.

Negotiation Skills for Women runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Communication Skills of Highly Effective People runs from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 11 in Hilo and Friday, January 12 in Kona. The Hilo workshop location is University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, UBC 127 and the Kona workshop location is Hawai`i Community College - Palamanui, Panini Building, Room 127.

“We negotiate constantly—with our spouses, partners, bosses, children, peers, and others,” states Kent. “Do you want to develop the skills you need to negotiate successfully and narrow the gender gap?”

Elizabeth Kent

In Negotiation Skills for Women, participate in simulated negotiations, plus learn the stages and components of negotiation, including offers, counter-offers, and modes of communication.

In Communication Skills of Highly Effective People, increase emotional intelligence (EQ) and communication, including being patient, personable, positive, and respectful. Explore what to do

when someone doesn’t communicate effectively and how to offer a great apology when you don’t.

“You can learn to listen with your head, heart, and body—and to articulate clearly and directly using ‘I’ statements,” says Kent.

Elizabeth Kent, J.D., has helped people and institutions find solutions to sticky problems for over 25 years. A trained facilitator and mediator, Kent teaches graduate classes in conflict system design and negotiation at UH-Manoa and a variety of conflict resolution skills classes around the state.

Tuition is $50 for Negotiation Skills for Women, $30 for Communication Skills of Highly Effective People, or $75 for both workshops. Partial scholarships are available. To register or apply for a scholarship, contact Erika Ginnis at Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center: (808) 935-7844 x 1 or erika@hawaiimediation.org.

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Acrylic painting by Margaret "Peggy" Stanton.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

MARGARET "PEGGY" STANTON leads an ongoing series of acrylic painting workshops for artists of all levels in Painting with Peggy, with the first of the series taking place Monday, Jan. 8, and again on Monday, Jan. 15, from noon to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center's Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. "Each three hour class, is a hands on painting session where participants learn to approach their painting process with a new awareness and understanding of color dynamics and composition... Margaret helps artists to heighten and accentuate their own unique vision with bold colors, lines and shapes...She guides artist on painterly ways to put on the finishing stokes," says volcanoartcenter.org.
Stanton says she "blends expressive brushstrokes and vibrant colors to create bright seascapes and other sunny Hawaiian Island Acrylic Paintings." Stanton's murals can be found along the Hamakua Historical Heritage Coast and in Hilo Hospital. Stanton has been a resident of Hawai‘i Island for 22 years. She is a painter and a musician.
Painting with Peggy offers tips on Acrylic Paints and Mediums, allowing artists to create a painting on canvas using a "more immediate and intuitive process." Stanton also offers individual instruction for artists during each session. Cost for each session is $20/$15 for VAC Members. Students bring supplies and easels. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org. Address questions to Stanton at peggystanton007@yahoo.com. To see Stantons artwork online visit peggystanton007.wixsite.com/stanton-painting.

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KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

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KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S CRATER RIM CAFÉ hosts a New Year's Day Brunch to take place from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1. Celebrate the new year over Roast Pork, Chicken Picata, Omelet Station, Pancakes, Breakfast Potatoes, Rice, Patties, Bacon, Fresh Fruit, Ice Cream Sundae Bar, Brownies and Beverage. Attendees pay an entry fee of $16.95 per adult and $9.50 per child (6-11 yrs). KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more details.

LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS BEDECK THE STONE AND WOODEN COTTAGES at Kīlauea Military Camp. They are open for outdoor strolling within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park through Friday, Jan. 1.Vote on the best decorated cottage. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8371 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Monday, Jan. 1, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. For more details, call 939-7033, or ovcahi.org.

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more call 929-9576, or visit discoveryharbour.net.

Volunteers remove invasive plants like this one (Morning Glory)
from Kīpukapuaulu to help native plants thrive.
Photo by Janice Wei/NPS

Visitor on Hi‘iaka and Pele hike at lava tree mold in Kahuku.

Photo by Janice Wei/NPS

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Abandoned nets and trash collected by Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund employees and volunteers at Kamilo. A volunteer day
at Waiohinu Transfer Station will be held on Sunday, Jan 14 to load nets previously gathered from the shoreline into
a container to ship out to burn for electriciy. See event lising below.
Photo from Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund taken by Angie Metriyakool of Luu Kai Photography

THE ‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING TO BE BUILT IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU begins Tuesday At the 36.5 mile marker in Honoka`a, as the organization's president Wayne Kawachi walks 100 miles down the Hamakua and Hilo Coast, across Puna to Volcano and Kaʻū in his rubber slippers to raise money to buy property for the project. The four-day walk of about 20 to 28 miles per day is expected to go through Friday, Jan. 5 with Kawachi staying overnight along the way, as he travels in slippers from Honoka`a to Nā'ālehu. According to Nadine Ebert, of OKK, "Wayne’s progress on the walk can be tracked on our website okaukakou.org through a GPS tracking system."

Kawachi shows his rubber slippers
that will carry him from Honoka`a
to Na`alehu to raise money for
senior housing. Image from
YouCare video.

In a film on YouCaring, a fundraising website, Kawachi says, "I love ʻO Kaʻū Kākou because it's doing things that I personally like to do, which is helping the elders, helping the young ones. It's helping everybody and whatever comes up as a problem or something we can do to help the community, we are there to help it."
Regarding the plans to build senior housing, he said, "I'm excited about this project, I'm training, it's going to be done and I need your kokua." He said he will personally donate $10 a mile toward the fundraiser and asked others to chip in. "ʻO Kaʻū Kākou," proclaimed Kawachi. "We are Ka`u!"
The film notes that of the 194,190 residents in Hawai`i County, an estimated 17 percent are 65 and older. "There are only two senior housing projects in all of Ka`u. At this rate, our kupuna may not have a place to live."
The goal is to raise $250,000 toward the purchase of 1.9 acres on the makai said of Hwy 11 at the site of the old Nā‘ālehu Fruit Stand. The idea is to build 25 to 30 units of senior housing on the property now owned by Asha Mallick who has offered it to the community organization at a discount. To make a donation to support Kawachi's quest, see okaukakou.org or www.facebook.com/okaukakou.
As of Jan. 1 about $25,000 had been committed to the project, according to OKK members who are hoping for $50,000 by the end of Kawachi's walk.
In addition to monetary support, those interested who are senior citizens can fill out a survey form. ʻO Kaʻū Kākou is asking seniors, over the age of 62 and living anywhere in the Kaʻū district, to fill out a quick, five-question survey to help OKK gather general data essential to the planning for the senior housing project in Nā'ālehu.

The deadline to complete the survey is Feb. 1. OKK member Raylene Moses, who is spearheading the senior housing project, said the survey should take no more than five minutes. "The data will help to demonstrate a demand for senior housing," added Moses. For more information and to receive a survey contact Raylene Moses at 365-3788 or Nadine Ebert at 938-5124 or ebertn004@hawaii.rr.com. For more call Kawachi at 937-4773.

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HAWAI‘I WILDLIFE FUND HOSTS A VOLUNTEER DAY on Sunday, Jan. 14, at Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station, 9 a.m., in an effort to load away previously collected nets from beach clean-ups. Improperly discarded fishing nets can entangle and harm sea turtles and other marine life. To participate, contact kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com. Bring gloves and drinking water.

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KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

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KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more call 929-9576, or visit discoveryharbour.net.

Samantha daSilva shares her unique method of painting
on Saturday, Jan. 6. Photo from Volcano Art Center

FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING, an acrylic paint art class, is set for Saturday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Professional artist Samantha daSilva shares her unique method of painting using rollers, tables, lots of paint and water, canvas manipulation and plaster, sand and wood shavings to create textured abstracts. No experience necessary. Class fee is $85 for VAC members and $90 for non-members, plus $15 supply fee per person. Register online, at volcanoartcenter.org, or call 967-8222.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT offers four days in January for volunteers to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The upcoming meeting is Saturday, Jan. 6. Interested volunteers should meet Paul and Jane Filed at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Other opportunities this month take place Jan. 13, 19, and 26. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more see nps.gov/HAVO.

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI‘IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

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

Photo by Sami Steinkamp/NPS

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Astronomer Dean Regas, of Star Gazers on PBS, will host two events at the end of this month in Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park. See story below. Photo by Janice Wei/ National Park Service

THE MOA`ULA KA`U COFFEE FARMS contain some burial sites and they were the subject of a Burial Council meeting in late December. Making a plan for the burials is part of the ongoing process of the owners subdividing the farmlands to sell them off. A number of native Hawaiians came to the meeting held in Na`alehu to make sure the burials will be treated respectfully.
Keoni Fox, who said he is a descendent of those buried there, asked for a larger buffer area and that burial caves be treated as a whole rather than using a "cookie cutter" approach across the property. Fox said he has concerns about access and fencing. He talked about preserving cultural landscapes and protecting them as a whole and mentioned a non-burial cave next to the burials as also a cultural site to be preserved.
The archaeologist from Scientific Consultant Services, hired by the owner of the land being subdivided, is studying the site. He mentioned that the owner leases lands to farmers and is selling lands to farmers. "I think they are doing a re-subdivision to sell the lands to farmers," he said. He said there will be a burial plan in consultation with descendants of those buried there.

Pelekapu Dedman called on protection of the graves, with native
Hawaiians determining their future. Photo from Big Island Video News

Palekapu Dedman, who farms coffee in the area, and is a known preservation activist, said that Hawaiian ancestral bones, their burials and treatment, is an emotional issue. He has been a member of the Burial Council in the past and noted that back in 1986, it was accepted that property owners owned graves. "In 1986 - you could get off the plane, buy a piece of property - you own by tutu (grandparent)," he said. He recommended that the graves be covered and new owners be given full disclosure of where they are located and directions to protect them.
Dedman also accused the Burial Council of not being Hawaiian enough. He said that "we already know how it is to be colonialized and being controlled by non-Hawaiians and the Hawaiians themselves become conditioned to accept that." He said the Hawaiians don't need a burial plan with "foreign ideals." He said that Burial Council members should come from a spiritual tradition. He contended that "Chrisian Hawaiians - they dig up and move burials all day long."
He said that dealing with iwi is not not like dealing with forestry and aquatics. "These are bones,"
said Dedman.
A woman said she is a lineal descendent of those buried on the Moa`ula coffee lands. She talked about overall planning, urging to "to keep it Ka‘ū culturally, preserved and for our mo`opuna (descendants ) to learn and continue, cause it's real hope." She said that Kahu, spiritual leaders on this island and around the state, know that Ka‘ū "will continue to be preserved and our people fight to keep it." The council took no action on the burial plan which remains in draft form.

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Astronomer Dean Regas, co-host of PBS
Star Gazers, comes to Volcano.
Photo from Dean Regas

MEET ASTRONOMER DEAN REGAS, CO-HOST OF PBS STAR GAZERS, at two separate events at the end of this month in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
The first, Kīlauea Star Party, takes place Monday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m., and will be the park's first-ever Star Party at Kīlauea Overlook. Regas offers attendees the opportunity to learn about an endangered resource and sacred cultural connection: Hawai‘i Islands dark night skies. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park invites the public to "journey through time as we explore nearby planets and deep-space celestial wonders above the glow of Halema‘uma‘u Crater."
Event goers will be able to view the night sky through powerful telescopes. Dark Skies Rangers will be available to answer questions and guide visitors through the night sky.
The second, Witness the Lunar Eclipse, takes place on Jan. 30, at 8:30 p.m. following After Dark in the Park at Kīlauea Overlook. Regas guides attendees through the January 2018 lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse can only occur the night of the full moon, when the sun, earth and moon are aligned. As the earth’s shadow (umbra) passes across the moon, it creates a lunar eclipse. Every so often, this alignment is perfect or nearly so, and creates a total lunar eclipse.
Both events are free to attend, however they are subject to weather conditions and park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNOUNCES Kīlauea Volcano's East Rift Zone: 35 Years and Still Erupting as the After Dark in the Park talk scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, starting at 7 p.m. in Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta briefly describes the early history of the East Rift Zone eruption that began 35 years ago and provides and in-depth look at lava flow activity during the past year. the event is free, however park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Basketball: Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.
Monday, Jan. 8, @ Honoka‘a.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kamehameha.
Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.

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‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU continues today from Nā‘ālehu through Friday, Jan. 5, to Honoka‘a. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi will walk 100 miles to raise $250,000 in an effort to purchase 1.9 acres in Nā‘ālehu for future senior housing. Make a donation to support his quest at okaukakou.org. For more call Karachi at 937-4773.

Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets Thursday, Jan. 4, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

Margaret "Peggy" Stanton leads an ongoing series
of workshops for artists of all levels. See details below.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI‘IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC is Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Manukā Park. The event organizers invite American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio and families. For more, call Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

TAKE A FREE GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL and learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture in Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The hike is approximately 2 miles and moderately difficult. Observe the catastrophic change and restoration of the land as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

PAINTING WITH PEGGY, an acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton is set for Monday, Jan. 8, from noon to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. It is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels headed by Stanton. The class is $15 for VAC members and $20 for non-members per session. The class will take place again on Jan. 15. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR/ NĀ‘ĀLEHU C.E.R.T. meets Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. The public is invited to come see what Community Emergency Response Team is about as well as participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

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Taiko drummers encourage Wayne Kawachi as he walks from Honoka‘a to Nā‘ālehu to raise money
for senior housing. Photo from OKK

County Council member Maile David, who represents all
of Ka‘ū, catches up with Kawachi during his walk
through Hilo. Photo from OKK

THE HUNDRED MILE WALK to raise money for senior housing in Nā‘ālehu is well under way. As of 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3, Wayne Kawachi, who is walking in rubber slippers for the fundraiser, had passed Glenwood. He is on his way from Honoka‘a, through Hamakua and Hilo, into Puna and heading toward Ka‘ū on Hwy. 11. The walk began on Tuesday, Jan. 2, and is expected to end Friday, Jan. 5, as Kawachi takes the steps to reach his goal of raising $250,000.
His progress can be seen on a G.P.S. tracker on OKK's website where there is also video and photos at okaukakou.org/track-wayne-100-mile-walk.
OKK aims to purchase the 1.9 acre location of the old Nā‘ālehu Fruit Stand, owned by Asha Mallick, who is offering to sell it at a discount for the project. Once in possession of the property, OKK hopes to build some 25 to 30 housing units for seniors, cooperating with government and other nonprofit organizations.

Wayne Kawachi and his support crew at Mile 7 along his 100 mile walk to
raise money to build senior housing in Nā‘ālehu. He passed
Glenwood Wednesday evening. Photo from OKK

Kawachi noted that there are only two senior housing locations in all of Ka‘ū and said he is worried that some seniors will have nowhere to live.

To contribute to the cause, visit youcaring.com/wayne
kawachi-1038208.

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NEW HANDBLOWN, CHISELED AND ETCHED GLASSWORK by Big Island Artist Heather Mettler is showcased at Volcano Art Center’s upcoming art exhibit, Passage and Place. The collection questions the themes of migration, navigation and immigration.

Mettler challenges viewers to explore such themes as how humans, plants and animals make their way to a certain place, how a place becomes a home, and the "process that binds or connects us to particular places," she said.

Big Island artist Heather Mettler's glasswork is showcased
at Volcano Art Center Gallery this month.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

According to a statement from Volcano Art Center, using a combination of hand blown, chiseled and etched glass Mettler “reflects patterns and designs which illustrate her reverence for the mountain environment and the ocean which surround these islands.” While not born locally, her family moved to Hawaiʻi when she was six years old. Meter says she has “spent most of my life on the beautiful Big Island of Hawaiʻi. I grew up immersed in the flora, fauna, and ocean of the Kona coast. With its hapuʻu ferns, wild ginger, coconut palms, dolphins, sea turtles, rustic lava fields, and exquisite birds, Kona has been a magical place to call home.” Mettler says shefeels deeply rooted in this place and finds it a constant source of inspiration for her art.
Mettler’s fascination with glass began when she was a teenager working as an apprentice to an artist specializing in sandblasting. She expanded her skills at the Pilchuck Glass School where she studied mosaic design with Felice Nittolo. After learning casting and glass blowing, she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art in glass from the University of Hawaiʻi.

Mettler has been working in glass for nearly 20 years and states she is “continuously inspired by its versatility, fluidity, and textural capabilities… I draw creative energy for my pieces by watching the changing water of the Pacific, which reminds me of the liquid potential of my medium. I’m always looking for patterns and similarities in what I see, translating these elements into artistic language within my work. Glass has always been my canvas, but the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands is my true inspiration.”

Glasswork featured in Volcano Art Center's
Passage and Place exhibit starting Jan. 13.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

Mettler is well known for her unique Basket Series of glass vessels - a collection which combines layers of woven copper baskets, blown glass, and sandblasted imagery to create a watery and ethereal experience for the viewer. Her new works have taken that concept and expanded it even further. The “navigation cylinders” specifically in this new body of work expose the woven baskets on the exterior of the vessel instead of being contained within. The woven copper forms reference the use of woven star charts used by ancient navigators, according the Volcano Art Center statement. This unique collection of works by Mettler invites viewers to “think of their own migratory story and sense of place in this world.”
The exhibition opens to the public on Saturday, Jan. 13, and is on display through Sunday, Feb. 11, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. An opening reception with the artist present will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13. Learn about more art events at volcanoartcenter.org.

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HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNOUNCES A HAWAIIAN BAMBOO STAMPING demonstration to be scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to noon on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Learn to create beautiful designs using bamboo stamps (‘ohe kāpala), which were originally used to decorate clothing with deep symbolic meaning. The event is free to attend, however park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

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

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL meets Thursday, Jan. 4, in Hilo. The committees meet on Wednesday, Jan. 23, and a full Council meets again Thursday, Jan. 24, both in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch meets at Ocean View Community
Center Thursday, Jan. 4. Photo from oceanviewbc.org

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets Thursday, Jan. 4, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

Take a Fearless Abstract Painting class in Volcano Saturday, Jan. 6.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

Photo from jimmywayne on Flickr.com

TAKE A FREE GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL and learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture in Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The hike is approximately 2 miles and moderately difficult. Observe the catastrophic change and restoration of the land as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC is Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Manukā Park. The event organizers invite American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio and families. For more, call Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

PAINTING WITH PEGGY, an acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton is set for Monday, Jan. 8, from noon to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. It is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels headed by Stanton. The class is $15 for VAC members and $20 for non-members per session. The class will take place again on Jan. 15. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

Photo from NPS

DISCOVERY HARBOUR/ NĀ‘ĀLEHU C.E.R.T. meets Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. The public is invited to come see what Community Emergency Response Team is about as well as participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

KĪLAUEA VOLCANO'S EAST RIFT ZONE: 35 YEARS AND STILL ERUPTING is the After Dark in the Park talk scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, starting at 7 p.m. in Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta briefly describes the early history of the East Rift Zone eruption that began 35 years ago and provides and in-depth look at lava flow activity during the past year. the event is free, however park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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Bound for the home stretch, 72-year old Wayne Kawachi, center, is surrounded by Ka‘ū people supporting his 100-mile
walk from Honoka‘a to Nā‘ālehu to raise money for senior housing. He stopped after making it into Ka‘ū
on Thursday, camping out at the 39.5 mile marker between Volcano and Pāhala. A victory party is
scheduled for 5 p.m. at Nā‘ālehu Community Center on Friday. See more below. Photo by Glenn Okamoto

HUI MĀLAMA OLA NĀ ‘ŌIWI'S PRENATAL EDUCATION PROGRAM will be free and offered island-wide. Hui Mālama issued a statement this week saying the organization would "like to reach the Ka‘ū community and bring a class to the area if there are interested women." Healthy Hāpai classes are ongoing in Hilo and Puna, with a new class starting in Waimea on Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, and Feb. 14, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Kona classes are yet to be announced.

A free new prenatal education program could be offered in Ka‘ū if

there are interested women. Expecting mothers can call

Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi at (808) 969-9220.

The free five session program provides a curriculum designed to help mothers throughout pregnancy and after birth.
A session called Mālama Ola Kino Hāpai means Taking Care of My Pregnant Body and teaches expecting mothers how to stay healthy during pregnancy.
  Mālama ‘Ohana means Taking Care of My Family and includes discussing positive parenting, managing stress, preterm labor, and an introduction to breastfeeding.   Ho’omākaukau No Ka Hānau ‘Ana is Getting Ready for Birth, teaching preparation for labor and birth
  Ho’omākaukau No Ka Pepe means Preparing for Baby, reviewing basic baby necessities, creating a postpartum plan, and discussing postpartum depression.
  Mālama Keiki means Caring for my Child, providing newborn care, safety, and infant massage information.
All program participants receive a free pregnancy journal and calendar as well as an opportunity to win an infant car seat or breastfeeding pillow.
The Healthy Hāpai classes are facilitated by Leila Ryusaki who joined Hui Mālama in July 2017 to develop the Healthy Hāpai prenatal program initiative. She started her career in the healthcare field 20 years ago as a Pharmacy Technician in Hilo. In 2007, she accepted a position at North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital where she worked for ten years. It was her work at the Waimea Women’s Center that piqued her interest in prenatal care. Leila worked in the ob-gyn clinic with four Certified Nurse Midwives to conceptualize and start a prenatal care group called Centering Pregnancy.

Leila Ryusaki

Ryusaki worked as Program Coordinator and Facilitator for Centering Pregnancy for five years. During her time as Program Coordinator, she furthered her training and knowledge by becoming a Certified Lactation Counselor and Childbirth Educator. "Her dedication and passion for prenatal and postnatal education has been integral in the planning of Hui Mālama’s Healthy Hāpai program," says a statement from the organization. She explains, “Pregnancy is not only about the birth of the baby. It’s also about the birth of the parents. We’re here to help with that transition.”
The Healthy Hāpai program is ideal for mothers in their first and second trimesters, and open to mothers in their third trimester as well. Both first-time and experienced mothers are encouraged to join and meet other pregnant moms. Participants are welcome to bring a partner, friend, or family member to class.
To sign up or learn more, expecting mothers can call Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi at (808) 969-9220. For more information, visit hmono.org.

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TARGETING STATES ALLOWING MARIJUANA USE is the latest move by the administration of Pres. Donald Trump. Hawai‘i Rep. Tulsi Gabbard responded on Thursday.
After Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced rescinding the Obama-era, non-interference policy and that the fed will go after states that have legalized medical or recreational marijuana use, Gabbard denounced the decision. She called on Congress to pass H.R.1227, the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act, which removes marijuana from the federal controlled substances list.

"Attorney General Sessions' reversal of the current non-interference policy that essentially allowed states to implement their own marijuana laws without federal interference, tramples on states' rights and is a dangerous escalation of the failed so-called War on Drugs. This overreach by the federal government undermines state governments like Hawai‘i's that have legalized medical marijuana and threatens the livelihoods and rights of the people of Hawai‘i and those of the 29 states and Washington, D.C., who have legalized some form of marijuana.
"This decision reinforces our outdated and destructive policies on marijuana that turn everyday Americans into criminals, tear families apart, and waste billions of taxpayer dollars to arrest, prosecute, and incarcerate people for nonviolent marijuana charges. Taxpayer dollars would be better spent tackling the many problems that plague the American people including combating the opioid epidemic, ensuring affordable housing, repairing aging infrastructure, and investing in education, healthcare, veterans' care, and more.
Under H.R. 1227, marijuana would be treated the same as alcohol and tobacco. “Our bipartisan legislation will end this unnecessary and costly debate once and for all by federally decriminalizing marijuana and kick-starting long overdue, common sense criminal justice reform," declared Gabbard.
She is the lead Democrat co-sponsor of the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act.

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi continues his 100-mile
walk with the final stretch of his journey taking place tomorrow.
Follow his walk at okaukakou.org/track-wayne-100-mile-walk.

"By continuing to pour billions of dollars down the drain with our archaic marijuana policies, we stifle our economy, society, and criminal justice system and leave the people of Hawai‘i and millions more devastated – all for a substance that is far less dangerous and harmful than alcohol. Our laws should accurately reflect scientific consensus – not misplaced stigma and outdated myths about marijuana."

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DAY THREE OF THE ‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU 100-MILE WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU saw ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi walking up Kīlauea volcano along Hwy 11 to Volcano Village and down the mountain into Ka‘ū. He stopped on Thursday evening to camp out at the 39.5 mile marker between Volcano and Pāhala.
On Friday morning, Kawachi sets out on the final leg of trekking 100 miles in his rubber slippers to raise $250,000 toward purchase of 1.9 acres in Nā‘ālehu for future senior housing. The landowner, Asha Mallick, is giving a discount on the price for the project.
Make a donation to support his quest at okaukakou.org. Follow his walk online at okaukakou.org/track-wayne-100-mile-walk. Meet him at a welcome home celebration party on Friday at 5 p.m. at Nā‘ālehu Community Center.
For more call Kawachi at 937-4773.

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Visitors explore the Mauna Loa Lookout improvements.

Photo by Janice Wei, National Park Service

WHEEL-CHAIR FRIENDLY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MAUNA LOA LOOKOUT ARE COMPLETE, and the entire 11.2-mile Mauna Loa Road is now open to vehicles, says a press release issued on Wednesday, Jan. 3, by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
The parking area and path to the Mauna Lookout shelter were reconstructed and repaved, and a new accessible vault toilet was installed. Visitors will also find an inviting new wheelchair-friendly picnic table and accessible parking stall.
The Mauna Loa Lookout is perched at 6,662 feet, and provides panoramic views of Kīlauea volcano, old lava flows, and the ocean on clear days. The subalpine woodland includes koa, māmane and ‘ōhi‘a trees, and endemic bird species, including ‘i‘iwi. The octagonal shelter at the Lookout was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937.

New accessible pathway to the Mauna Loa Lookout Shelter.
Photo by Janice Wei, National Park Service

Backcountry hikers utilize Mauna Loa Road and Lookout to access Pu‘u‘ula‘ula (Red Hill) and its cabin, Mauna Loa summit and cabin, and other sections of the challenging Mauna Loa Trail - backcountry permits are required for all overnight stays.
Workers will begin to fix pot holes along Mauna Loa Road next week, but no closures are necessary.

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TROPICAL FLOWER ARRANGING WITH HAWAIIAN CULTURAL PRACTITIONER Kaipo Ah Chong takes place Friday, Jan. 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Ah Chong offers a popular tropical flower arranging workshop and provides flowers for all those in attendance; however, individuals must bring their own clippers. Pre-registration is required. The class fee is $45 plus a $20 supply fee per person. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE
Girls Basketball: Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.
Monday, Jan. 8, @ Honoka‘a.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kamehameha.
Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.

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FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING, an acrylic paint art class, is set for Saturday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Professional artist Samantha daSilva shares her unique method of painting using rollers, tables, lots of paint and water, canvas manipulation and plaster, sand and wood shavings to create textured abstracts. No experience necessary. Class fee is $85 for VAC members and $90 for non-members, plus $15 supply fee per person. Register online, at volcanoartcenter.org, or call 967-8222.

Lava dribbles into the ocean at the front of Kīlauea Volcano’s Kamokuna

lava delta, October 2017. Photo from U.S.G.S.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT offers four days in January for volunteers to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The upcoming meeting is Saturday, Jan. 6. Interested volunteers should meet Paul and Jane Filed at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Other opportunities this month take place Jan. 13, 19, and 26. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more see nps.gov/HAVO.

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI‘IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

TAKE A FREE GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL and learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture in Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The hike is approximately 2 miles and moderately difficult. Observe the catastrophic change and restoration of the land as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC is Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Manukā Park. The event organizers invite American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio and families. For more, call Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

Margaret "Peggy" Stanton.
Photo from peggystanton007.wixsite.com

PAINTING WITH PEGGY, an acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton is set for Monday, Jan. 8, from noon to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. It is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels headed by Stanton. The class is $15 for VAC members and $20 for non-members per session. The class will take place again on Jan. 15. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR/ NĀ‘ĀLEHU C.E.R.T. meets Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. The public is invited to come see what Community Emergency Response Team is about as well as participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

KĪLAUEA VOLCANO'S EAST RIFT ZONE: 35 YEARS AND STILL ERUPTING is the After Dark in the Park talk scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, starting at 7 p.m., in Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta briefly describes the early history of the East Rift Zone eruption that began 35 years ago and provides an in-depth look at lava flow activity during the past year. the event is free, however park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

‘OHE KĀPALA DEMO: HAWAIIAN BAMBOO STAMPING takes place Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Learn to create beautiful designs using bamboo stamps (‘ohe kāpala), which were originally used to decorate clothing with deep symbolic meaning. The event is free to attend; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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Long road through Ohia Forest, across the Ka`u Desert to Pahala into Na`alehu, marked the final day Friday
for the 100 mile walk by Wayne Kawachi, 72, to raise money for senior Housing in Na`alehu.
Photo by Doug Castro

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU'S WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING REACHED NĀ‘ĀLEHU on Friday, its final destination, with a welcoming party for the organization's president Wayne Kawachi. He trekked for 100 miles in his rubber slippers to raise $250,000 toward purchase of 1.9 acres in Nā‘ālehu for future senior housing. Make a donation to support his quest at okaukakou.org. See more details about his walk online, including maps, photos and videos, at okaukakou.org/track-wayne-100-mile-walk.
For more, call Kawachi at 937-4773.

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HAWAIIAN SPRINGS, LLC, a company involved in the planning for a water bottling plant in Pahala at the old sugar mill site, has filed for bankruptcy, according to a story in the Honolulu Star Advertiser this week.

Hawaiian Springs, involved in the proposal to build a water bottling
plant in Pahala, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize.
Photo from Hawaiian Springs

The Chapter 11 filing is for reorganization. The story says that Hawaiian Springs was formerly the official water of the Los
Angeles Dodgers and the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese baseball
league. The company listed assets and liabilities between $1 million and $10 million, with creditors claiming about $4 million. The Dodgers sued Hawaiian Springs over marketing agreements, with a trial set for June 25 in California. Hawaiian Springs, with a bottling plant in Kea`au, distributes on the mainland, in Hawai`i and Asia. It formerly advertised that it gave a percentage of its income to The Nature Conservancy.
The company was purchased in 2015 by Laulima International.
A foreclosure auction on the 60-acre site of the former sugar mill in Pahala was cancelled in December with the court-appointed attorney saying that the debt on the property had been settled. It is unclear whether Hawaiian Springs and the partners in the property plan to attempt to go ahead with the water bottling plant and commercial center in Pahala.

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TWO 8-WEEK HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES, PAPA ‘ŌLELO HAWAI‘I, BEGIN Thursday, Jan. 11, at Volcano Art Center’s Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village.

Both classes, Part One and Part Four, focus on simple vocabulary, conversation, grammar and sentence structure and will be taught by University of Hawai’i - Hilo instructor ʻĀlika Guerrero. Some Hawaiian Language experience is preferred for Part Four, however no experience is necessary for Part One.

Hawaiian Language instructor ‘Ālika Guerrero.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

Guerrero holds a B.A. in Hawaiian Studies, History, and Anthropology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and is currently pursuing his M.A. in Hawaiian Language and Literature. He has been teaching community Hawaiian language courses for 3 years.

Volcano Art Center asks, “Have you always wanted to learn Hawaiian but haven’t had the time? Just visiting the islands and want to immerse yourself in the culture? Or, are you new to the islands and unsure of how to pronounce street and place names? There are ever-increasing numbers of fluent Hawaiian speakers and now you can begin to learn this rich and vibrant language.”

Both classes are held every Thursday, beginning Jan. 11, with Part One scheduled from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Part Four following from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Fee for the class, Part One/Four, is $80 for Volcano Art Center members and $90 for non-members. The required workbook for the class is Nā Kai ʻEwalu and it is available at the U.H. -Hilo bookstore. It is also recommended for students to have a Hawaiian language dictionary. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

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A RECENTLY RELEASED 24-MINUTE U.S.G.S. DOCUMENTARY, which focuses on Kīlauea Volcano’s ongoing summit eruption within Halemaʻumaʻu, will be introduced by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Janet Babb, who co-produced and co-wrote the video, at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on Tuesday, Jan. 16.

Halema‘uma‘u lava lake on March 6, 2017.

Photo by P. Bieschke Jr., National Park Service

The story recounts the formation and growth of the summit vent, describes the fluctuating lava lake within it, and features U.S.G.S. scientists sharing their insights on various aspects of the eruption. Following the screening, U.S.G.S. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Matt Patrick, one of the featured scientists in it, provides an update on what’s happening at Halemaʻumaʻu today and answer questions about the summit eruption.
The free After Dark in the Park presentation, entitled Kīlauea Summit Eruption: Story of the Halemaʻumaʻu Lava Lake, starts at 7 p.m. in the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Park entrance fees may apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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KA‘Ū HIGH HOSTED KONAWAENA in girls basketball on Friday night. Top scorer for the Trojans was Kainie Mederios Dancel with three points. Ka`u lost, with a score of 98 for Kona and 3 for Ka‘ū.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.
Monday, Jan. 8, @ Honoka‘a.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kamehameha.
Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.

Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.

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LEARN PRO-ARTIST SAMANTHA DASILVA'S UNIQUE METHOD OF ACRYLIC PAINTING using rollers instead of brushes, tables instead of easels, lots of paint and water, canvas manipulation and plaster, sand and wood shavings to create textured abstracts. The class, Fearless Abstract Painting, takes place Saturday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. No experience necessary. Class fee is $85 for VAC members and $90 for non-members, plus $15 supply fee per person. Register online, at volcanoartcenter.org, or call 967-8222.

Volunteer to help native plants grow in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
by removing invasive non-native plants. Photo from National Park Service

VOLUNTEER TO REMOVE INVASIVE, NON-NATIVE PLANT SPECIES that prevent native plant species from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The upcoming Stewardship at the Summit event is Saturday, Jan. 6. Interested volunteers should meet Paul and Jane Filed at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Other opportunities this month take place Jan. 13, 19, and 26. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more see nps.gov/HAVO.

DISCOVER THE NATURAL PHENOMENA THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI‘IAKA & PELE represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

OBSERVE THE CATASTROPHIC CHANGE AND RESTORATION OF THE LAND as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora on a free guided hike along the Palm Trail in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The hike, Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship takes place on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. The hike is approximately 2 miles long and moderately difficult. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

ANYONE INTERESTED IN LEARNING HOW TO OPERATE A HAM RADIO, families and American Radio Emergency Service members are welcome to join a Ham Radio Operators Potluck Picnic on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Manukā Park. For more, call Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

MARGARET "PEGGY" STANTON teaches an acrylic painting class entitled Painting with Peggy on Monday, Jan. 8, from noon to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. It is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels headed by Stanton. The class is $15 for VAC members and $20 for non-members per session. The class will take place again on Jan. 15. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR/ NĀ‘ĀLEHU C.E.R.T. meets Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. The public is invited to come see what Community Emergency Response Team is about as well as participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

U.S.G.S. HAWAI‘I VOLCANO OBSERVATORY GEOLOGIST CAROLYN PARCHETA briefly describes the early history of the East Rift Zone eruption that began 35 years ago and provides an in-depth look at lava flow activity during the past year at an After Dark in the Park talk on Tuesday, Jan. 9, starting at 7 p.m. in Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The event, entitled Volcano's East Rift Zone: 35 Years And Still Erupting, is free to attend; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory Geologist Carolyn
Parcheta gives an After Dark in the Park talk Tuesday.
Photo from researchgate.net

‘OHE KĀPALA DEMO: HAWAIIAN BAMBOO STAMPING takes place Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Learn to create beautiful designs using bamboo stamps (‘ohe kāpala), which were originally used to decorate clothing with deep symbolic meaning. The event is free to attend, however park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

HUI MĀLAMA OLA NĀ ‘ŌIWI hosts a free new prenatal education program which is to be offered island-wide. The Healthy Hāpai classes currently scheduled are held in Hilo and Puna, with a new class being held in Waimea on Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, and Feb. 14, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Kona classes are yet to be announced. The organization would "like to reach the Ka‘ū community and bring a class to the area if there are interested women."
The free five session program is offered island-wide offer an engaging and educational curriculum designed to help mothers throughout pregnancy and after birth and is facilitated by Leila Ryusaki who started her career in the healthcare field 20 years ago. She says, “Pregnancy is not only about the birth of the baby. It’s also about the birth of the parents. We’re here to help with that transition.”
The Healthy Hāpai program is ideal for mothers in their first and second trimesters, and open to mothers in their third trimester as well. Both first-time and experienced mothers are encouraged to join and meet other pregnant moms. Participants are welcome to bring a partner, friend, or family member to class.
To sign up or learn more, expecting mothers can call Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi at (808) 969-9220. For more information, visit hmono.org.

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Expanding telehealth services has reached veterans served at Ocean View Community Center and is receiving
more support from the bill that just passed Congress, co-introduced by Sen. Mazie Hirono and her
Republican counterpart Joni Ernst. Image from telehealthperspectives.com

AN ACT TO SUPPORT VETERANS E-HEALTH AND TELEMEDICINE has unanimously passed the U.S. Senate. The bipartisan bill was introduced by Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Republican Joni Ernst. This legislation seeks to improve veterans’ access to health care services by expanding telehealth services

– including mental health treatment - provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. A telemedicine kiosk was recently installed at Ocean View Community Center.

“The VETS Act will help Hawai`i veterans access high quality VA care and health services when they need it, where they need it," said Hirono. “I urge the swift enactment of the bill and will continue to fight to ensure Hawai`i veterans can access the care they need from a strong, well-resourced VA system.”

At the end of the Ka`u Coffee season
comes the last harvest, strip picking and
the eruption of new coffee flowers.
Photo from Andrea Kawabata

“All of our veterans must have access to quality and timely care, including life-saving mental health treatment, regardless of where they live," said Ernst.

The VETS Act seeks to improve health care access for disabled or rural veterans by expanding telehealth services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs by allowing VA health officials to practice telemedicine across state lines if they are qualified and practice within the scope of their

authorized federal duties. Hirono and Ernst first introduced the VETS Act in 2015, and reintroduced it in the 115th Congress in April of 2017.

Hirono is a consistent and outspoken advocate for expanding health care access for Hawai`i’s veterans.

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FINAL HARVESTING FOR KA`U COFFEE is bringing reminders from University of Hawai`i Agricultural Extension Service. Andrea Kawabata, Associate Extension Agent, recommends that farmers "strip-pick remaining berries from your coffee trees as soon as possible following your final harvest. If you’ve missed our newest video, you can find the link here and at www.hawaiicoffeeed.com’s home page and 'field sanitation' and 'CBB publications'pages under the CBB Management tab."
During this time of year, it is also important to not the first and any major flowerings, writes Kawatabata. "This will help you time the start of your monitoring program, spray schedule, harvests, and determine if a pre-season strip-pick is needed to remove berries from an early, unsubstantial flowering. If using traps to monitor for CBB activity, employing them after the harvest season can be helpful in determining CBB flight activity prior to and during young berry development. Without coffee on the trees, CBB may be easier to lure into traps and killed by the soapy water. The only good CBB is a dead CBB. Learn more at the links Record keeping and Trapping.

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Take a Silk Painting with Wax Resist Workshop at Volcano Art Center under
the guidance of Big Island artist and instructor Patti Pease Johnson.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

A SILK PAINTING WITH WAX RESIST WORKSHOP led by Patti Pease Johnson has been announced by Volcano Art Center for Saturday, Jan. 13, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in Volcano Village. Johnson’s artwork can be found at galleries and shops across the state and in collections around the world.

The class combines batik methods with the art of Serti silk painting to create a representational piece of art, like a wall hanging.
A statement from Volcano Art Center says, “Wax resist dyeing of fabric is an ancient art form. Indonesian batik made in the island of Java has a long history of diverse patterns influenced by a variety of cultures, and is very developed in terms of pattern, technique, and quality of workmanship. In 2009, UNESCO designated Indonesian batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
“…The art of Serti silk painting, coined in France meaning ‘fence’ or closing’, was introduced there in the 20th century. It is a colorful, and popular art form practiced world-wide. The Crusades brought silk from areas surrounding the Indonesian Islands to Europe and eventually the industrial revolution made silk production available internationally.”

Big Island artist and instructor Patti Pease Johnson
demonstrates her technique. Photo from Volcano Art Center

In Johnson’s workshop, color theory and composition will be discussed. First, students will use a 5” × 8” China silk sampler to get the feel of the wax tool and using the dyes, and to work out color or composition details for the larger 12” × 16” piece each student will get to design.
All colors will be mixed with four process colors. Students are asked to bring a design concept in mind from an original photo, plant material or objects for an idea. Students are also welcome to prepare a 12” × 16” sketch before class.
The statement from Volcano Art Center says, “Big Island artist and instructor Patti Pease Johnson can help you gain the confidence and techniques of working in this medium. Patti supplies the instruction and materials along with guidance and inspiration for this process along with some handy tips for your creative journey.”
The workshop fee is $45 per Volcano Art Center member and $50 per non-member, plus a $10 supply fee per person - which includes a 3-page handout. Beginner and intermediate artists are welcome. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

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Image from Volcano Art Center

VOLCANO ART CENTER HAS ANNOUNCED A ZENTANGLE CLASS that blends inspiration from nature with traditional Zentangle patterns and explores possibilities within the Zendala (round) format with twirling leaves on a pre-strung tile. According to a summary from Volcano Art Center, tangles within the leaves may include tangleations and traditional Zentangle patterns such as Diva Dance, Crescent Moon, Betweed, Nipa, Enyshou, Bunzo, Flux, Dewd and others.
The class takes place on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Dina Wood Kageler, a Certified Zentangle Teacher, offers the class to beginning and returning anglers. The class fee is $30 for Volcano Art Center members and $35 non-members, plus a $10 supply fee. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.
Returning anglers are encouraged to bring a pencil, 01 pen and other tools of their choosing. Loaner pens, pencils and watercolor shadings will be available. The class is a potluck style with attendees asked to bring a light refreshment to share.

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KA‘Ū TROJANS BEAT LAPAHOEHOE 60 to 10 in boys basketball on Saturday at home. High scorers for Ka‘ū were Masen Dacalio with 13 points and Janslae Badue with ten points.

KA‘Ū HIGH HOSTED KONAWA`ENA FOR SOCCER on Saturday. The final was Kona boys 6, Ka‘ū 0; Kona girls 8, Ka‘ū 0.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Boys Basketball: Monday, Jan. 8, @ Honoka‘a.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.
Wednesday, Jan. 17, @ Kohala.

Boys Soccer: Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.
Friday, Jan. 19, @ Kealakehe.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.

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LEARN ABOUT NATIVE PLANTS THAT PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN HAWAIIAN CULTURE on a free guided hike along the Palm Trail in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The hike, Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship, takes place on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Observe the catastrophic change and restoration of the land as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora The hike is approximately 2 miles long and moderately difficult. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

AMERICAN RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE MEMBERS as well as anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio and families are welcome to join a Ham Radio Operators Potluck Picnic on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Manukā Park. For more, call Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

Margaret "Peggy" Stanton teaches an acrylic painting class Monday in
Volcano. Photo from peggystanton007.wixsite.com

AN ACRYLIC PAINTING CLASS, entitled Painting with Peggy, takes place on Monday, Jan. 8, from noon to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. It is part of an ongoing series of workshops headed by Margaret "Peggy" Stanton for artists of all levels. The class is $15 for VAC members and $20 for non-members per session. Painting with Peggy will take place again on Jan. 15. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO COME AND SEE what Discovery Harbour/Nā‘ālehu Community Emergency Response Team is about as well as participate in training scenarios at their meeting Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

A Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park ranger chats with visitors about

‘ohe kāpala. Photo by Christa Sadler, National Park Service

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3, 2018, MARKED THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY of Kīlauea Volcano's ongoing East Rift Zone eruption. Join Carolyn Parcheta, U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory Geologist, as she briefly describes the early history of the East Rift Zone eruption and provides an in-depth look at lava flow activity during the past year at an After Dark in the Park talk on Tuesday, Jan. 9, starting at 7 p.m. in Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The event, entitled Volcano's East Rift Zone: 35 Years And Still Erupting, is free to attend; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

LEARN TO CREATE BAMBOO STAMPS (‘OHE KĀPALA) in a demonstration Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. ‘Ohe kāpala were originally used to decorate clothing with deep symbolic meaning - it is now used to tell stories on a variety of modern materials. The event is free to attend, however park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi would like to offer Health Hāpai classes to

the Kā‘ū community by bringing a class to the area if there are interested

women. Expecting mothers can call Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi at

(808) 969-9220.

HUI MĀLAMA OLA NĀ ‘ŌIWI hosts a free new prenatal education program which is to be offered island-wide. The Healthy Hāpai classes currently scheduled are held in Hilo and Puna, with a new class being held in Waimea on Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, and Feb. 14, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Kona classes are yet to be announced. The organization would "like to reach the Ka‘ū community and bring a class to the area if there are interested women."
The free five session program is offered island-wide offer an engaging and educational curriculum designed to help mothers throughout pregnancy and after birth and is facilitated by Leila Ryusaki who started her career in the healthcare field 20 years ago. She says, “Pregnancy is not only about the birth of the baby. It’s also about the birth of the parents. We’re here to help with that transition.”
The Healthy Hāpai program is ideal for mothers in their first and second trimesters, and open to mothers in their third trimester as well. Both first-time and experienced mothers are encouraged to join and meet other pregnant moms. Participants are welcome to bring a partner, friend, or family member to class.
To sign up or learn more, expecting mothers can call Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi at (808) 969-9220. For more information, visit hmono.org.

BEGINNING HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES - two 8-week courses - start Thursday, Jan. 11, at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Both courses focus on simple vocabulary, conversation, grammar, and sentence structure. No experience necessary. Part One is scheduled for 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays and requires no prior experience in Hawaiian Language. Part Four follows from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays - some experience with Hawaiian Language is preferred. The course fee for either class is $80 for Volcano Art Center members and $90 for non-members. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.

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A new H.V.O. webcam provides improved views of Mauna Loa's summit caldera, Moku‘āweoweo, from the northwest
rim. See the time-lapse sequence showing a full day on Sunday, Dec. 3, starting and ending at midnight. The full moon
and sensitive low-light ability of the camera allow good views throughout the nighttime hours. Morning reveals a
fresh blanket of snow, which melts throughout the day. Images by this webcam (MLcam) are posted on H.V.O.'s
website at: volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/webcam.html?webcam=MLcam.

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY kicked off Volcano Awareness Month this past week, with the Wolf Moon illuminating Kīlauea Caldera from above and the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake glowing below. At Mauna Loa, a new webcam improves the view for scientists and for the public online.

This week's Volcano Watch reports that the U.S.G.S. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff looks forward to another year of "investigating the island’s magnificent, active volcanoes. Not surprisingly, 2018 will see additions and improvements to our monitoring and research toolkit."

Here is the first Volcano Watch for 2018:

Right off the bat, in early January, H.V.O. will work with colleagues from the University of Cambridge to use a portable radar system to study the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake. Under a research permit from the National Park Service, the system will be installed on the rim of Halemaʻumaʻu and trained on the surface of the lava lake.

Radar has been used at the Erebus lava lake in Antarctica, but this will be the first time radar is used to measure the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake. The objective is to provide a fine-scale movie of lake motion to help better understand processes such as lake circulation, degassing, and crustal formation and destruction.

First high-definition thermal image of the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake in the New Year, taken shortly after midnight
on January 1, 2018. This camera was deployed to track the dynamic surface activity of the lava lake at the summit
of Kīlauea. The high-resolution image allows H.V.O. scientists to better discern fine-scale features of the circulating,
spattering, and ever-changing lake surface, revealing insights into processes that drive lava lake motion. The
temperature scale at right is in degrees Celsius, but the highest temperatures of exposed lava (above 1100 C)
are not discernible at this setting to preserve detail in the cooler crust and walls. Images from this camera on the
H.V.O. website at volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/webcam.html?webcam=JTcam.

Combining radar imagery and results with other monitoring data, such as seismicity and gas flux, may provide new insights into the reasons for the rise and fall of the lava lake. Radar may also prove helpful in providing H.V.O. a real-time lava level tracking tool, something we do now with thermal web camera imagery.

Speaking of thermal pictures, H.V.O. has recently deployed a new, high-definition thermal camera on the rim of Halemaʻumaʻu to augment H.V.O.'s long record of infrared imagery of the lava lake. The new camera provides images at much higher resolution than the older model, which, coincidentally, just gave up the ghost after eight years of steady service in the corrosive gas plume.

The new high-definition camera provides unprecedented clarity in seeing small features on the surface of the lava lake in the thermal infrared: striations emanating from spreading centers, variable temperatures across the crustal plates, and even wrinkles and small bubbles on the surface of the crust. See images from this camera on the H.V.O. website at volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/webcam.html?webcam=JTcam.

A U.S.G.S. geologist in 2017 checking on equipment ahead of installing the new camera at the summit of Mauna Loa.
USGS photo

Turning to Mauna Loa, a new multi-gas monitoring system, designed and built by H.V.O. partners at the U.S.G.S.-Volcano Emissions Project, is riding out its first winter high on the slopes of the massive, restless volcano. This installation helps U.S.G.S. watch for changes in temperature next to a major fumarole along with hydrogen sulfide, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. A co-located meteorological station also records temperature and wind speed. This is the second high-altitude, real-time gas monitoring system on Mauna Loa; the other has been purring along on the floor of Moku‘āweoweo (caldera atop Mauna Loa) since its last tune-up in 2015. There is also a new camera at Mauna Loa.

Also on the gas front, H.V.O. is working to upgrade the sulphur dioxide (SO2) spectrometer array that monitors emissions from the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake. A goal in 2018 is to share more of these SO2 data with the public on the H.V.O. website. Stay tuned.

These are but a few of the activities ahead for H.V.O. staff and collaborating scientists in 2018.

As always, H.V.O. will continue to publish daily and weekly updates of activity at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, respectively, and populate the website with public domain images and movies of volcanic activity and H.V.O.’s fieldwork.

All through Volcano Awareness Month in January, there will be numerous opportunities to meet H.V.O. scientists and learn more about Hawaiian volcanoes.

Events include a talk about Kīlauea Volcano’s ongoing East Rift Zone eruption in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Jan. 9; a presentation about Kīlauea’s 1955 lower Puna eruption at Lyman Museum on Jan. 8 and 9; a “talk story” event focused on Mauna Loa at U.H.-Hilo on Jan. 13 and a Volcano Awareness Presentation at Ocean View Community Center on Jan. 17. Details about these talks and others throughout January are posted on HVO’s website (volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/). Email mail askHVO@usgs.gov or call 808-967-8844 for more information.

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Vocalist Binti Bailey will perform at two Jazz in the Forest concerts
set for Saturday, Jan. 13. Photo from Volcano Art Center

TWO JAZZ IN THE FOREST PERFORMANCES have been announced for Saturday, Jan. 13, with a matinee from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and an evening performance from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center.

Almost Like Being in Love is the theme of the evening. Vocalist Binti Bailey, and her guitarist/synthesizer partner Larry Seyer will join Jean Pierre Thoma and the Jazztones for a collection of love songs from the world over.
Jean Pierre Thoma is a world traveled professional musician on flute, saxophone, clarinet and piano, with experience throughout America, France, Japan, India, and Israel. He holds two masters degrees in music, and has been a public and private school teacher as well as member of numerous jazz and classical ensembles, such as the Maui and Marin Symphonies. His professional resume includes: leader of The Jazztones; Raga Jazz (with Sarangi, synth guitar and bass); member of Royal Kona Harp Ensemble (three harps with two flutes and winds); Volcano Trio (two flutes and piano); performer at Holy Cross Church choir and as instrumentalist; and pianist at restaurants, and charity performances at Hospice and Life Care Centers. Now a music teacher at The Pacific Academy of Music, and the Kukuau Studio, he lives in Hilo.

Jean Pierre Thoma

An area has been set aside for dancing. The Wine and Beer Room will be open before and after the concerts. Ticket holders will be able to purchase wine, Volcano Red Ale and Mauna Kea Pale Ale from Mehana Brewing Company. Pupu (appetizers) by ʻŌhelo Café will also be available for purchase.
Tickets are $18 for Volcano Art Center members and $20 for non-members. Purchase tickets online at volcanoartcenter.org, at V.A.C.’s Administration Office in Volcano Village and VAC Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The last day to purchase tickets online is Friday, January 12. After which, tickets will be sold at V.A.C. Gallery and at the door if available. Tickets will be held at Will Call on the day of the show or can picked up any day before the show at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus Administrative Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more, call 967-8222.

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A FEE-FREE DAY IS OFFERED AT HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK has been announced in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - no entrance fees will be collected at any fee-charging National Park on Monday, Jan. 15. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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A COFFEE ROOT-KNOT NEMATODE WORKSHOP AND FIELD DAY for Commercial Growers will be held twice this week. Both sessions start at the Conference Room of the UH-CTAHR’s Kona Cooperative Extension Service office at 79-7381 Mamalahoa Highway, Kealakekua. The first is Wednesday, Jan. 10. The second is Thursday, Jan. 11. Both are from 8:45 a.m. to noon. The workshops are sponsored by U.S.D.A. Agricultural Resource Service’s Daniel K. Inouye Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center and the County of Hawai‘i.

The event flyer states that coffee root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne konaensis, feed on and reproduces in coffee roots. They can disrupt plant growth, cause tree decline, and may reduce coffee yields by 20 percent or greater.
Participants will learn about nematode biology, the effects of nematodes on coffee, as well as the costs and benefits of grafted trees. Growers will take a tour of the nematode research plot, learn about the current project, and participate in a nematode sampling demonstration.
Attendees will also take home a nematode sampling instruction kit and a $5-off single submission voucher for nematode analysis on their farm (one per farm).
Event speakers include: Dr. Roxana Myers of USDA, Dr. Alyssa Cho, Dr. Stuart T. Nakamoto, Andrea Kawabata and Jen Burt of C.T.A.H.R.
Registration is required. Each class is limited to 30 participants. R.S.V.P. online or by contacting Gina at 808-322‐4892 by Jan. 8. For more details, such as an event agenda or suggested attire, visit hawaiicoffeeed.com/nematode-field-day.html.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Boys Basketball: Monday, Jan. 8, @ Honoka‘a.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.
Wednesday, Jan. 17, @ Kohala.
Saturday, Jan. 20, Kohala @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Soccer: Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.
Saturday, Jan. 20, @ Honoka‘a.

Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.
Friday, Jan. 19, @ Kealakehe.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.
Saturday, Jan. 20, @ HPA.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.
Saturday, Jan. 20, @ Hilo.

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U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory
geologist Carolyn Parcheta. Photo from jpl.nasa.gov

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING SCENARIOS and come and see what Discovery Harbour/Nā‘ālehu Community Emergency Response Team is about at their meeting Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

GET AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT LAVA FLOW ACTIVITY DURING THE PAST YEAR as Carolyn Parcheta, U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory geologist, gives a presentation and briefly describes the early history of the East Rift Zone eruption at an After Dark in the Park talk on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The event, entitled Volcano's East Rift Zone: 35 Years and Still Erupting, starts at 7 p.m. in the Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. It is free to attend; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

LEARN TO CREATE DESIGNS USING BAMBOO STAMPS (‘OHE KĀPALA) in a demonstration that takes place Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. ‘Ohe kāpala were originally used to decorate clothing with deep symbolic meaning - it is now used to tell stories on a variety of modern materials. The event is free to attend; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

An ‘ohe kāpala demonstration, bamboo stamping, is offered
Wednesday in Volcano. See event details above.
Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

A FREE PRENATAL EDUCATION PROGRAM class could come to Ka‘ū. Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi hosts Healthy Hāpai classes in Hilo and Puna, with a new class set for Waimea on Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, and Feb. 14, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Hui Mālama released a statement saying it would "like to reach the Ka‘ū community and bring a class to the area if there are interested women." Kona classes are yet to be announced.
The free five session program is facilitated by Leila Ryusaki, who started her career in healthcare 20 years ago. She says, “Pregnancy is not only about the birth of the baby. It’s also about the birth of the parents. We’re here to help with that transition.”
The Healthy Hāpai program is designed for mothers in their first and second trimesters, and open to mothers in their third trimester as well. Both first-time and experienced mothers are encouraged to join and meet other pregnant moms. Participants are welcome to bring a partner, friend, or family member to class.
To sign up or learn more, expectant mothers can call Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi at (808) 969-9220. For more information, visit hmono.org.

Volunteer to remove invasive plants along the Kīpukapuaulu Trail in

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Photo from hikingproject.com

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU takes place at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy. 11 in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants like morning glory from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." The event will take place again on Jan. 18 and 25. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

BEGINNING HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES - two 8-week courses - start Thursday, Jan. 11, at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Both courses focus on simple vocabulary, conversation, grammar, and sentence structure. No experience necessary. Part One is scheduled for 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays and requires no prior experience in Hawaiian Language. Part Four follows from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays - some experience with Hawaiian Language is preferred. The course fee for either class is $80 for Volcano Art Center members and $90 for non-members. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

A pancake breakfast is hosted at Ocean View Community Center Saturday.

A PANCAKE BREAKFAST will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU, a free, easy-to-moderate, guided hike traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku and learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

HEATHER METTLER'S GLASSWORK - handblown, chiseled and etched - is showcased in a new Volcano Art Center Gallery Exhibit: Passage and Place. The display will be open to the public from Saturday, Jan. 13, to Sunday, Feb. 11, during normal gallery hours - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. Mettler's unique collection of glass explores the themes of migration, navigation and immigration - how plants, animals and people find their way to Hawai‘i. Free, park entrance fees apply.

A SILK PAINTING WITH WAX RESIST WORKSHOP is led by Patti Pease Johnson on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. The class combines batik methods with the art of Serti silk painting to create a representational piece of art, i.e. wall hanging. The workshop fee is $45 per Volcano Art Center member and $50 per non-member, plus a $10 supply fee per person. Beginner and intermediate artists are welcome. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT takes place Saturday, Jan. 13, with volunteers removing invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Interested volunteers should meet Paul and Jane Filed at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. The event will take place again on Jan. 19 and 26. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more see nps.gov/HAVO.

A ZENTANGLE CLASS FEATURING THE ZENDALA - TWIRLING LEAVES takes place Saturday, Jan. 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. The class blends inspiration from nature with traditional Zentangle patterns and is suitable for beginning or returning tanglers. The class fee is $30 for Volcano Art Center members and $35 for non-members, plus a $10 supply fee. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.

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U.H. C.T.A.H.R. Extension Agent Andrea Kawabata suggests using Ken Love's Big Island Avocados poster to help identify the fruits of unknown avocados varieties. Kawabata offers more resources below.
Image from hawaiifruit.net/Avocado.pdf

FORMING A COALITION TO CHANGE CONGRESS is what Sen. Brian Schatz called for in a statement issued over the weekend. Though Hawai‘i is a predominantly Democratic Party state, Schatz talked about Republicans, nationwide:
He wrote that 2017 "was an eventful year for all of us. This Republican Congress continued its efforts to take away health care from millions of Americans, passed a 'tax reform' package that gives billions of dollars to the richest among us, and nominated climate deniers to lead our environmental agencies.
"Donald Trump pulled us out of the Paris climate accord, Scott Pruitt scrapped the Clean Power Plan, and Ajit Pai repealed net neutrality.

Blue tarps in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Friday.
Hawai‘i Sen. Brian Schatz calls for more assistance.
Hurricane Maria hit on Sept. 20. Almost four months
later, these homes still need roofing.
Photo from Brian Schatz Twitter

"But along with all of this, we also saw an unprecedented wave of grassroots activism and resolve. Hawai‘i is on track to meet our 100 percent clean energy law; our economy is growing, and clean energy is making strides in red and blue states."
The U.S. Senator said that, "Our job now to is to look forward. This election year has to be about the middle and working class, net neutrality, the rule of law, climate action, and peace among other things. And our coalition should be as broad, passionate, ferocious, and welcoming as possible.
"So here’s a New Year’s resolution I am going to focus on, and I invite you to join me: In 2018, let’s increase our efforts to elect Democrats in every corner of the country and reaffirm our resolve to do what we can - whether that’s running for office, making calls, or donating whatever you can afford - to support the progressive movement."
On Sunday, Schatz tweeted, "We need to invest in infrastructure. This will require real new money for public transportation, aviation, maritime, roads, bridges, bike and sidewalks, and rail."
He also called on more help for Puerto Rico, where blue tarps still remain on houses across the islands nearly four months after the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

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HOW TO IDENTIFY THE MANY KINDS OF AVOCADO TREES growing in Hawai‘i is a feature of the latest newsletter from a University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources' extension agent. Agent Andrea Kawabata writes: “If the plant is a seedling, it will have no variety name, unless you or someone else provided it one. Deciphering the parentage of seedlings can also be extremely difficult, though some look very similar to the mother plant."

Photo from U.H. C.T.A.H.R.

If the plant has been grafted, the scion is more than likely a varietal, Kawabata reports. Some common varieties grown in Hawai‘i are Sharwil, Green Gold, Kahalu‘u, Mālama, Murashige, and Linda. She says that when trying to identify a grafted tree, note the avocado's following physical characteristics:

- Main fruit harvest season;

- Mature, ripe fruit (shape and size), rind (texture, thickness, grittiness and color), seed (shape, size - seed to flesh ratio - and looseness in the cavity), and positioning of the peduncle (stem on fruit) – pick at least several fruits for an average;

- Flesh quality and oil content of mature, mid-season fruit;

- Young leaf color and smell when hand crushed – leaves of Mexican avocados have an anise-type fragrance;

- Young stem color or patterns;

- Mature, healthy tree height and canopy shape;

- Mature, healthy leaf shape, size and color;

- and A or B type flower.

This month, the U.H. C.T.A.H.R. Kona Cooperative Extension Service and Research Station shared a new publication, Sharwil Avocado Identification. This publication “will help you identify Sharwil trees on your farm,” says Kawabata. For other avocado varieties grown in Hawai‘i, U.H. C.T.A.H.R. publications can be found and referenced by searching "avocado" on the U.H. C.T.A.H.R. publications website, ctahr.hawaii.edu/site/Info.aspx. Fact sheets for Malama and Green Gold can also be found there. Kawabata says the top three U.H. C.T.A.H.R. publications with general avocado characteristics are: What Makes a Good Avocado Cultivar Good?, Producing Avocado in Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Avocado Industry Analysis Part 2: Buyer Preferences Focus (for colored fruit photos).

Kawabata suggests using Ken Love's avocado poster as another helpful visual aid in identifying the many varieties and seedlings found in Hawai‘i.

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Participants in The Wonderful World of Wine &
Watercolor workshop in Volcano will be welcomed
to taste several wines as they learn to transfer
a still life photo onto watercolor paper.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WINE & WATERCOLOR, a painting workshop, will be hosted at Volcano Art Center’s Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village on Tuesday, Jan. 16, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. according to volcanoartcenter.org.

Artist Nancy DeLucrezia will show class attendees how to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper and introduces all the basic techniques needed to “create a lovely painting of your picture.” Techniques covered will include basic palette setup, color theory and mixing, masking, wet in wet, texturizing and how to create depth, highlights and shadows.
During the course of the workshop, participants will be offered a sampling of several wines from Grapes, a wine store in Hilo.
DeLucrezia majored in Art at the State University of New York as a photographer and printmaker and has painted with watercolors for over 25 years. She has run a Japanese art gallery in New York City, designed public relations campaigns for several arts organizations, and developed a series of drawing and painting classes for children as well as an art therapy curriculum for adults. Before moving to the Big Island she was a member of the Santa Barbara Watercolor Society and Working Artists Ventura where she produced and participated in numerous art and theatrical events. She also served as Director of Art Programs for Turning Point Foundation and taught watercolor painting to adults with special needs.
The class fee is $35 for Volcano Art Center members and $30 for non-members, plus a $17 supply fee. A still life photo will be provided for students to paint. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Boys Soccer: Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.
Saturday, Jan. 20, @ Honoka‘a.
Thursday, Jan. 25, @ Pāhoa.

Boys Basketball: Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.
Wednesday, Jan. 17, @ Kohala.
Saturday, Jan. 20, Kohala @ Ka‘ū.
Tuesday, Jan. 23, @ Wai‘ākea.
Saturday, Jan. 27, HPA @ Ka‘ū.

Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.
Friday, Jan. 19, @ Kealakehe.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.
Saturday, Jan. 20, @ HPA.
Friday, Jan. 26, @ Kamehameha (BIIF Championships, prelims).
Saturday, Jan. 27, @ Kamehameha (BIIF Championships, finals).

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.
Saturday, Jan. 20, @ Hilo.
Saturday, Jan. 27 @ HPA.

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

DISCOVERY HARBOUR/NĀ‘ĀLEHU COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM meets Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. The public is invited to come and see what C.E.R.T. is all about and participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

High lava fountains erupting from Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent in the past is discussed at
the next After Dark in the Park event on Tuesday, Jan. 9. See event details at
left. Photo from U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory

HIGH LAVA FOUNTAINS ERUPTED EPISODICALLY FROM THE PU‘U ‘Ō‘Ō VENT during the first three years of Kīlauea Volcano's East Rift Zone eruption which began 35 years ago. Join Carolyn Parcheta, U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory Geologist, as she briefly describes the early history of the East Rift Zone eruption and provides an in-depth look at lava flow activity during the past year at an After Dark in the Park talk on Tuesday, Jan. 9, starting at 7 p.m. in Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The event, entitled Volcano's East Rift Zone: 35 Years and Still Erupting, is free to attend; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

‘OHE KĀPALA, BAMBOO STAMPING, was originally used to decorate clothing with deep symbolic meaning - it is now used to tell stories on a variety of modern materials. Learn to create beautiful designs with bamboo stamps in a demonstration that takes place Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. The event is free to attend; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A FREE FIVE SESSION PRENATAL EDUCATION PROGRAM COULD BE OFFERED IN KA‘Ū Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi would "like to reach the Ka‘ū community and bring a class to the area if there are interested women." The Healthy Hāpai classes currently scheduled are held in Hilo and Puna, with a new class being held in Waimea on Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, and Feb. 14, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Kona classes are yet to be announced.

The program offers an engaging and educational curriculum designed to help mothers throughout pregnancy and after birth. The course is facilitated by Leila Ryusaki, who started her career in the healthcare field 20 years ago. She says, “Pregnancy is not only about the birth of the baby. It’s also about the birth of the parents. We’re here to help with that transition.”
The Healthy Hāpai program is ideal for mothers in their first and second trimesters, and open to mothers in their third trimester as well. Both first-time and experienced mothers are encouraged to join and meet other pregnant moms. Participants are welcome to bring a partner, friend, or family member to class.
To sign up or learn more, expectant mothers can call Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi at (808) 969-9220. For more information, visit hmono.org.

VOLCANO ART CENTER OFFERS BEGINNING HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES - two 8-week courses - starting Thursday, Jan. 11, at their Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Both courses focus on simple vocabulary, conversation, grammar, and sentence structure. No experience necessary. Part One is scheduled for 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays and requires no prior experience in Hawaiian Language. Part Four follows from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays - some experience with Hawaiian Language is preferred. The course fee for either class is $80 for Volcano Art Center members and $90 for non-members. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

See event details above.

A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.

VOLUNTEER WITH HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, with the Stewardship of Kīpukapuaulu program, at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy. 11 near Volcano Village. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants like morning glory from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." The event will take place again on Jan. 18 and 25. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

TRAVERSE THE VAST 1868 LAVA FLOW with different volcano features and formations in a free, easy-to-moderate, guided hike entitled Birth of Kahuku on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku and learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

Navigational Cylinder by Heather Mettler.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

A NEW VOLCANO ART CENTER GALLERY EXHIBIT, PASSAGE AND PLACE, SHOWCASES Heather Mettler's handblown, chiseled and etched glasswork. The display will be open to the public from Saturday, Jan. 13, to Sunday, Feb. 11, during normal gallery hours - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. Mettler's unique collection of glass explores the themes of migration, navigation and immigration - how plants, animals and people find their way to Hawai‘i. Free, park entrance fees apply.

BITINI BAILEY, LARRY SEYER, AND JEAN PEIRRE THOMA AND THE JAZZTONES will perform twice on Saturday, Jan. 13, with a matinee from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and an evening performance from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center. “Almost Like Being in Love” is the theme with love songs from around the world. Tickets are $18 for Volcano Art Center members and $20 for non-members. Purchase tickets online at volcanoartcenter.org. Wine, beer and pupu (appetizers) will be available for purchase at the event.

A PANCAKE BREAKFAST will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

PATTI PEASE JOHNSON teaches a Silk Painting with Wax Resist workshop on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. The class combines batik methods with the art of Serti silk painting to create a representational piece of art, i.e. wall hanging. The workshop fee is $45 per Volcano Art Center member and $50 per non-member, plus a $10 supply fee per person. Beginner and intermediate artists are welcome. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

HAWAI‘I WILDLIFE FUND NEEDS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP LOAD NETS previously collected from the coast into a container at Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station on Sunday, Jan. 14, starting at 9 a.m. Bring personal drinking water. To sign-up, email kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

‘ŌHI‘A LEHUA is the title of an easy, one-mile, ranger led walk scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about the vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the ‘ōhi‘a tree and its flower. The walk is free to attend. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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

Berta Miranda waits anxiously to find out if her prize winning Ka‘ū Coffee farm was destroyed, during the 2012
wildfires that burned around Pāhala, threatening the entire village and damaging macadamia orchards, eucalyptus
farms and coffee trees. Miranda's farm was spared. See story on the upcoming Wildfire Summit below.
Photo by William Neal

HAWAI‘I IS THE MOST INTEGRATED STATE, with the most racial progress for its diverse population, according to WalletHub, which released the study in advance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, Jan. 15. Categories ranked for integration include: Employment and Wealth; Education; Social and Civic Engagement; and Health. Hawai‘i ranks first in Employment and Wealth, followed by Delaware. Hawai‘i ranks first in Social and Civic Engagement, followed by New Mexico. Hawai‘i ranks seventh in integration for Education. Wyoming ranks first, New Mexico second, West Virginia third, Idaho fourth, Arizona fifth, and Kentucky sixth.

Hawai‘i is ranked number one in the country for racial progress,
according to the WalletHub report ahead of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Image from WalletHub

For Health, despite Hawai‘i having long overall longevity, it ranks 29th. The number one health care integration state is South Dakota, followed by Kentucky, California and Nevada.
Other Hawai‘i rankings include first in Lowest Poverty Rate Gap, Lowest Business Ownership Rate Gap, Lowest Median Annual Income Gap, and second in Lowest Labor-Force Participation Rate Gap. Find out the good and the bad of Hawai‘i rankings and the way they were calculated at wallethub.com.

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THE FIRST EVER HAWAI‘I WILDFIRE SUMMIT is open for attendance by Ka‘ū and Volcano volunteer firefighters, ranchers, farmers, resource managers and homeowners concerned about fire risk. The event will draw concerned persons from around the island from May 2 - 4 to Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows. On hand will be fire professionals, resource managers, community members, and more for wildfire-focused workshops and trainings.

Who should attend the Hawai‘i Wildfire Summit? "Anyone who lives or works in a wildfire-prone environment," says the invitation from Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization. Presentations, workshops, and trainings will follow tracts related to wildfire hazard reduction in and around communities, as well toward natural and cultural resource protection from summit to sea. The Hawai‘i Wildfire Summit is designed to bring together a diverse audience to become apprised of best practices and innovations in wildfire protection, discuss lessons learned, and to provide a space that invites collaboration and coordination toward the next steps in Hawai‘i and the Pacific.

Pastures scorched next to Ann Fontes' farm outside Pāhala
in 2012. Firefighters saved the homes of Fontes and Jimmy
and Lisa Dacalio, as well as their farms and
roadside coffee establishment.

According to the statement, "Over the years, Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization has come to understand that wildfire-related challenges are faced by a wide array of professionals and citizens, including more than just those focused on emergency response. While the summit program is informative and highly valuable for fire professionals, the offerings are also targeted toward other
efforts and people that deal with wildfire, such as riparian and marine conservation, cultural resource protection, the visitor industry, planning professionals, and community groups."
An additional event will be held Monday, Apr. 30, and Tuesday, May 1. Called the N.F.P.A. Assessing Structure Ignition Potential From Wildfire Training, the course is limited to 40 participants. Registration is first come, first serve.

Register for all the classes at Hawai‘i Wildfire Summit. Some scholarships are available. Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization is looking for volunteers to assist with the event in exchange for partial or full registration.

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

A WINTER READING CHALLENGE, sponsored by the Hawai‘i State Public Library System, continues through Jan. 31.

Mark Cuban, of Shark Tank, Beanstack and professional sports teams ownership, challenged 100 communities to collectively read one million minutes during the inaugural Winter Reading Challenge. If the challenge is met, Cuban will donate $25,000 to First Book (a non-profit dedicated to building literacy skills among children). Cuban also promises $10,000 to the top performing libraries to use for their community programs or donate to non-profits in the area.
In addition to helping Hawai‘i State Public Library System meet Cuban’s challenge, those who register qualify for a prize drawing in one of three categories: Child - between birth and 5th grade; Teen - between 6th and 12th grade; or Adult - 18 years and older. The three Lucky Prize Drawing statewide winners will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Card (one Child and one Teen reader) or a $300 Hawaiian Airlines Gift Card (one Adult reader).

Each reader will receive a virtual online badge for registering and for every 100 minutes of reading logged online - up to 1,000 minutes read. For every badge earned, readers will receive an automatic entry in the Lucky Prize Drawing - winners will be notified by email and/or phone number provided at registration by Friday, Feb. 16.

The competition is open to all ages. Register online at librarieshawaii.beanstack.org or visit Pāhala Public Library or Nā’ālehu Public Library. Follow the international challenge at #WinterRead2018.

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

FREE DINNERS AT OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER will resume this Thursday, Jan. 10. The weekly free dinner is hosted from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more details, call 939-7033.

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

A MAUNA LOA VOLCANO AWARENESS PRESENTATION takes place Wednesday, Jan. 17, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Ocean View Community Center (92-8924 Leilani Circle, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates). View informative displays about Mauna Loa Volcano. Talk story with scientists, public safety officials and park rangers.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s event flyer says “Bring your questions! Displays will address frequently asked questions about Mauna Loa - its current status, hazards, how to prepare for a future eruption - but all questions are welcome.”

The event, entitled Mauna Loa: Let’s Talk Story - 2018 Volcano Awareness Month, is free and open to the public. The program is a collaboration of the U.S.G.S. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai’i County Civil Defense, U.H.-Hilo Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes, and Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. For more, contact Ocean View Community Association at 939-7033 or ovcahi.org, or contact HVO at 967-8844 or email askHVO@usgs.gov.

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

KA‘Ū RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION has announced an upcoming free informational and educational presentation, Crystal Meth Addiction in Communities, as part of the organizations Call to Action Prevention Campaign. Certified Prevention Specialist Gary Shimabukuro will give the presentation on Friday, Jan. 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Ka‘ū District Gym's multi-purpose room in Pāhala. Pre-registration is required. For more information, call Ka‘ū Resource & Distance Learning Center at 928-0101.

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

THE KONA VA MEDICAL TEAM is now serving veterans at the Ocean View Community Center on the first and third Thursdays of the month, from 8:30 a.m. to noon (except Jan. 18). For more details, call 939-7033.

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

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at

kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Boys Basketball: Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.
Wednesday, Jan. 17, @ Kohala.
Saturday, Jan. 20, Kohala @ Ka‘ū.
Tuesday, Jan. 23, @ Wai‘ākea.
Saturday, Jan. 27, HPA @ Ka‘ū.

Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.
Friday, Jan. 19, @ Kealakehe.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.
Saturday, Jan. 20, @ HPA.
Friday, Jan. 26, @ Kamehameha (BIIF Championships, prelims).
Saturday, Jan. 27, @ Kamehameha (BIIF Championships, finals).

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.
Saturday, Jan. 20, @ Hilo.
Saturday, Jan. 27 @ HPA.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 20, @ Honoka‘a.
Thursday, Jan. 25, @ Pāhoa.

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

TELL STORIES ON A VARIETY OF MODERN MATERIALS WITH BAMBOO STAMPS, ‘OHE KĀPALA, in a demonstration that takes place Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. ‘Ohe kāpala were originally used to decorate clothing with deep symbolic meaning. The event is free to attend; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A PANCAKE BREAKFAST will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy. 11 in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants like morning glory from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." The event will take place again on Jan. 18 and 25. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE is the theme of two Jazz in the Forest performances with Binti Bailey, Larry Seyer and Jean Pierre Thoma and the Jazztones are scheduled to take place Saturday, Jan. 13, with a matinee from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and an evening performance from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center. On the agenda are love songs from around the world. Tickets are $18 for Volcano Art Center members and $20 for non-members. Purchase tickets online at volcanoartcenter.org.

HEATHER METTLER'S GLASSWORK - handblown, chiseled and etched - is showcased in a new Volcano Art Center Gallery Exhibit: Passage and Place. The display will be open to the public from Saturday, Jan. 13, to Sunday, Feb. 11, during normal gallery hours - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. Mettler's unique collection of glass explores the themes of migration, navigation and immigration - how plants, animals and people find their way to Hawai‘i. Free, park entrance fees apply.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU, a free, easy-to-moderate, guided hike traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku and learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A SILK PAINTING WITH WAX RESIST WORKSHOP is led by Patti Pease Johnson on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. The class combines batik methods with the art of Serti silk painting to create a representational piece of art, i.e. wall hanging. The workshop fee is $45 per Volcano Art Center member and $50 per non-member, plus a $10 supply fee per person. Beginner and intermediate artists are welcome. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.

‘ŌHI‘A LEHUA is the title of an easy, one-mile, ranger led walk scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about the vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the ‘ōhi‘a tree and its flower. The walk is free to attend. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

HAWAI‘I WILDLIFE FUND NEEDS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP LOAD NETS previously collected from the coast into a container at Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station on Sunday, Jan. 14, starting at 9 a.m. Bring personal drinking water. To sign-up, email kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

An unusual salmon colored lehua blossom found in the Kahuku Unit of
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. See event above.
Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

A FEE-FREE DAY IS OFFERED AT HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - no entrance fees will be collected at all fee-charging National Parks on Monday, Jan. 15. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETS on Monday, Jan. 15, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more, call 929-9576 or visit discoveryharbour.net.

PAINTING WITH PEGGY, an acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton is set for Monday, Jan. 15, from noon to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. It is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels headed by Stanton. The class is $15 for VAC members and $20 for non-members per session. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

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

Ka‘ū News Briefs Thursday, December 21, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Friday, December 22, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Saturday, December 23, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Sunday, December 24, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Monday, December 25, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Thursday, December 28, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Friday, December 29, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Saturday, December 30, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Sunday, December 31, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Monday, January 1, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Thursday, January 4, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Friday, January 5, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Saturday, January 6, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Sunday, January 7, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Monday, January 8, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Tuesday, January 9, 2018