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| Ben Gaddis, a volunteer at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, works on historical documentation of volcanic products from the 1924 explosive eruption of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater within Kīlauea’s summit caldera. He recently received the U.S. Department of Interior's Citizen’s Award for Exceptional Service for years of volunteer service at HVO. USGS photo. See story below |
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U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD is inviting constituents in Ka`u to People’s Climate Change Marches this Saturday, April 29. One will be in Hilo, starting at noon at Mo`oheau Bandstand and the other in Kona at Hale Halewai Park on Ali`i Drive, beginning at 2 p.m.
Said Gabbard on Sunday, “For all of us in Hawai'i, climate change is a reality we're already experiencing, as our fragile island ecosystem is impacted by rising temperatures and sea levels. Maybe Jeff Sessions would be OK if Hawai'i disappeared into the ocean, but we are not. Change is coming, and it's up to us whether that change will be transformative or catastrophic. We don't have time to fight amongst each other. We don't have time to engage in partisan rhetoric and bickering. We must be the change we want to see in the world. The future of the human race depends on it.
Stated the Congresswoman, “There are powerful people who refuse to acknowledge the reality of climate change - and one of them is sitting in the White House. Climate change is not a hoax as President Trump has said in the past, and we must not ignore the rising tide.
“In addition to climate change, we are dealing with threats to clean water -- whether on O`ahu, at Red Hill and Kalihi, or in Flint, Michigan, or at Standing Rock, we must always remember that water is life. We must fight to protect the right of all people to clean water.”
Gabbard said that "the scope of the problem and of the opposition can feel overwhelming, but in every crisis, there is also immense opportunity. We must meet ignorance with truth, fear with love and greed with a fullness of heart. We can create transformative change by coming together in solidarity, getting inspired and inspiring others to live in a new way - a way of love, peace, respect and harmony.”
She offered her own signup list for the event at Will you join the People’s Climate March on April 29?
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| Miss Ka`u Coffee Rochelle Koi in Saturday's Merrie Monarch Royal Parade in Hilo. Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant is Saturday, May 13 at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Photo by David Corrigan/Big Island Video News |
MISS KA`U COFFEE, COFFEE. PRINCESSES and contenders for the 2017 titles rolled through the Merrie Monarch Parade in Hilo on Saturday. Miss Ka`u Coffee Rochelle Koi was joined by Miss Peaberry Cazlyn Pua-Queja and other members of the 2016 and 2017 court.
The pageant, directed by Ka`u Coffee farmer Trini Marques, will be held on Saturday, May 13 at Ka`u Coffee Mill.
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Miss Ka`u Peaberry Cazlynn Pua-Queja in the Merrie Monarch Parade Saturday in Hilo. Photo by David Corrigan/Big Island Video News |
THE WORK OF BEN GADDIS is featured in Volcano Watch, the weekly column by Hawai`i Volcano Observatory scientists:
“Ben, do we have a photo of ... ?” This seemingly simple question is asked every week of Ben Gaddis, retired judge and Photo Archive volunteer at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Ever since he learned about the volcano Parícutin’s eruption in a cornfield in Michoacán, Mexico, as a youngster, Gaddis has been fascinated by volcanoes. In 1970, his interest drove him to move with his wife, Mary, from Texas to Hawai‘i. A course in volcanology at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo led to associations with HVO and, subsequently, to helping with field work on weekends during the eruptions of both Mauna Ulu and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō until 1986, when his duties as a judge left him no time for volcano monitoring.
After retiring in 2008, Gaddis decided to devote more time to helping HVO. His volunteer work in the Photo Archive began when Frank Trusdell, HVO’s Mauna Loa scientist, engaged his services to scan 35 mm slides for public presentations and publications.
HVO’s collection of more than 300,000 images dates back to the mid-1800s, when the first photograph of Kīlauea Volcano (that we know of) was taken. Like many other institutions and individuals with collections of pre-digital photographs, negatives, and prints, HVO’s long-term goal is to scan and archive its images to preserve them for posterity.
Since 2009, Gaddis has organized, labeled, scanned, and entered metadata for thousands of color slides and black and white photos. In order to make the digitized images more accessible to researchers and to the public, he created an image catalog searchable by name of photographer, ID, date, event, location, and keywords.
He often goes the extra mile to research and correct erroneous information, thereby increasing the scientific value of the images. Among the treasures he discovered while rummaging through old materials were unpublished administrative records on the early days of HVO and the explosive eruption of Kīlauea in 1924. His work resulted in public presentations by Gaddis and HVO scientists Don Swanson and Jim Kauahikaua on historical eruptions, illuminated by the newly discovered images.
With the opportunity and vision to go beyond the limits of HVO's collection, Gaddis took snapshots of museum collections (with permission), increasing staff access to those resources and, at the same time, promoting awareness of the museums' holdings through collaborative outreach.
He used the expanded collections to assist scientists—through the evidence of images—in illustrating and refining their ideas and observations about geological processes and eruption dynamics on the Island of Hawai‘i. These insights have facilitated HVO’s work in hazards mitigation, increased awareness during eruptions and seismic crises, and enhanced publications, public lectures, outreach activities, and educational forums.
In addition to HVO, Gaddis has served the National Park Service, Hawai‘i County Civil Defense, publishers, writers, artists, engineers, exhibit coordinators of museums all over the world, and scientists, teachers, and students of all ages. He considers his volunteer work a labor of love, and we are profoundly grateful for his singular, peerless contributions to the USGS-HVO’s work and to the Department of Interior’s mission. For all of this and more, Gaddis was recently honored by the U.S. Geological Survey for his many years of service as HVO’s volunteer photo archivist. The HVO staff congratulated him for accepting the U.S. Department of Interior's Citizen’s Award for Exceptional Service.
As a historical note, volunteers have been a crucial part of HVO since the early days of scientific study at Kīlauea. In 1911, volunteers helped scientist Frank Perret erect A-frame supports for a cable across Halemaʻumaʻu Crater to measure temperatures in “Old Faithful.” Also, when operational funds were scarce, as they were during the 1924 explosive eruption, volunteers from the community pitched in to help HVO record details of the eruption. Volunteers were also key to HVO operations during the Great Depression.
“Ben, do we have a photo of ... ?” This seemingly simple question is asked every week of Ben Gaddis, retired judge and Photo Archive volunteer at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Ever since he learned about the volcano Parícutin’s eruption in a cornfield in Michoacán, Mexico, as a youngster, Gaddis has been fascinated by volcanoes. In 1970, his interest drove him to move with his wife, Mary, from Texas to Hawai‘i. A course in volcanology at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo led to associations with HVO and, subsequently, to helping with field work on weekends during the eruptions of both Mauna Ulu and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō until 1986, when his duties as a judge left him no time for volcano monitoring.
After retiring in 2008, Gaddis decided to devote more time to helping HVO. His volunteer work in the Photo Archive began when Frank Trusdell, HVO’s Mauna Loa scientist, engaged his services to scan 35 mm slides for public presentations and publications.
HVO’s collection of more than 300,000 images dates back to the mid-1800s, when the first photograph of Kīlauea Volcano (that we know of) was taken. Like many other institutions and individuals with collections of pre-digital photographs, negatives, and prints, HVO’s long-term goal is to scan and archive its images to preserve them for posterity.
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| Ben Gaddis, left, and photographer Andrew Hara hold a photo of HVO founder Thomas Jaggar in his gas lab in 1919. Photo from HVO |
He often goes the extra mile to research and correct erroneous information, thereby increasing the scientific value of the images. Among the treasures he discovered while rummaging through old materials were unpublished administrative records on the early days of HVO and the explosive eruption of Kīlauea in 1924. His work resulted in public presentations by Gaddis and HVO scientists Don Swanson and Jim Kauahikaua on historical eruptions, illuminated by the newly discovered images.
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A photo of the 1924 eruption of Kilaeua Volcano, in the archives that Ben Gaddis has cared for. Photo from HVO |
He used the expanded collections to assist scientists—through the evidence of images—in illustrating and refining their ideas and observations about geological processes and eruption dynamics on the Island of Hawai‘i. These insights have facilitated HVO’s work in hazards mitigation, increased awareness during eruptions and seismic crises, and enhanced publications, public lectures, outreach activities, and educational forums.
In addition to HVO, Gaddis has served the National Park Service, Hawai‘i County Civil Defense, publishers, writers, artists, engineers, exhibit coordinators of museums all over the world, and scientists, teachers, and students of all ages. He considers his volunteer work a labor of love, and we are profoundly grateful for his singular, peerless contributions to the USGS-HVO’s work and to the Department of Interior’s mission.
As a historical note, volunteers have been a crucial part of HVO since the early days of scientific study at Kīlauea. In 1911, volunteers helped scientist Frank Perret erect A-frame supports for a cable across Halemaʻumaʻu Crater to measure temperatures in “Old Faithful.” Also, when operational funds were scarce, as they were during the 1924 explosive eruption, volunteers from the community pitched in to help HVO record details of the eruption. Volunteers were also key to HVO operations during the Great Depression.
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Kīlauea’s Summit Eruption: Nine Years and Counting, Tue, April 25, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Matt Patrick presents an update and overview, including stunning imagery. Free; park entrance fees apply.
Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tue, April 25, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View.
THE KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN goes to a public Steering Committee meeting this coming Tuesday, April 25, at Na`alehu Community Center, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The Windward Planning commission will hold a Ka`u CDP public hearing on Wednesday, May 10 at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center and Thursday, June 1 at 9 a.m. at the County of Hawai`i Aupuni Center Conference Room in Hilo. Following the Windward Planning Commission making recommendations, the County Council will hold Ka`u CDP public hearings and take action. With approval, Mayor Harry Kim will sign the Ka`u CDP into law and an Action Committee will be appointed to guide the Ka`u CDP implementation. The Draft Ka`u CDP and the Planning Director's "non-substantive revisions" are available at the site: www.kaucdep.info.
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