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| Outgoing Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui noted his work on the Farm-to-School and Farm-to-Cafeteria Initiatives, and praised the Kohala Center for its help in linking farmers to feeding students and helping students to grow food. Photo from Kohala Center |
In his announcement, Tsutsui quoted Pres. Barack Obama's remarks commemorating the 75th Pearl Harbor anniversary: "We cannot choose the history that we inherit. But we can choose what lessons to draw from it, and use those lessons to chart our own futures."
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| Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui steps down at the end of January |
Said Tsusui, "Accordingly, it's my hope that we will continue to acknowledge the rich history of our State, and remain grateful for the contributions and sacrifices of generations past; that we will explore new ways to invest in our residents, businesses, and communities to make them more sustainable, competitive, and economically robust. And as I leave public service, I look forward to continuing to be a part of Hawai‘i's future and helping to forge a new path that honors our shared beliefs and my continued commitment to improving the lives of the people of Hawai‘i."
Tsutsui noted that he served first as a State Senator from Maui, then Senate President, before becoming Lt. Governor. He noted multiple accomplishments. One of them, called REACH - Resources for Enrichment, Athletics, Culture, and Health - supports after-school programs in Ka‘ū and elsewhere, for middle and intermediate public school students. At Ka‘ū High and its intermediate school, REACH helps to fund Boys and Girls Basketball, Volleyball, and Soccer. "As a father, I was especially concerned with ensuring that middle school students engage in positive activities and relationships during hours when many are left unsupervised because their parents are working," said Tsutsui. Since 2013, REACH has invested approximately $2.75M in more than 40 public middle and intermediate schools - including charter schools - statewide, reaching thousands of students. Funds have helped to provide robotics programs; ‘ukulele and other music lessons; hula and other dance lessons; basketball, soccer, wrestling, and other sports; cooking, fishing, art, and hydroponics; and many other clubs and programs. "Participating students have shown improved attendance, attitude, behavior and even grades," said the outgoing Lt. Governor.
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| Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui's REACH initiative helped build Ka‘ū High's soccer program. Photo by David Berry |
Tsutsui took the reigns of the Farm-to-School Initiative, which developed into the ‘Aina Pono: Hawai‘i's Farm-to-Cafeteria Initiative, to increase the purchase and consumption of local food in school cafeterias. "With an enthusiastic team of advisors and 'doers', along with support from the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, private partners such as The Kohala Center, and many other generous donors, a burgeoning pilot project was launched to infuse local foods and flavors into our school menus, while providing healthier options for our keiki. As the project continues to grow and expand throughout the State, the effects will have a lasting impact on our keiki, the agriculture industry, and the state's procurement processes," said Tsutsui.
The Lt. Governor praised "businesses and farms using innovative and entrepreneurial ideas to revitalize family businesses. You have all inspired me and helped to make me a better person and leader. I will cherish these experiences and lessons and carry them with me throughout my life. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the people of Hawai‘i for the opportunity to have served you all these years." He thanked Gov. David Ige for the privilege of serving in his Administration, and also the former Governor, Neil Abercrombie.
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| SPI's ground-mounted solar arrays, which the company plans to install on lots makai of Hwy 11 in Ocean View. See the company's website, spisolar.com. |
County Council Member Maile David, who represents all of Ka‘ū into Kona and Volcano, said she supports both the bills and intends to propose a Council Resolution on the matter.
If passed, SB 3076 and HB 2665 would protect many thousands of residents and property owners who live in about 20 non-conforming subdivisions on the Big Island. While most of the sprawling subdivisions are in Puna, the community of Ocean View in Ka‘ū is made up of seven subdivisions.
These neighborhoods are called non-conforming subdivisions because they do not meet current subdivision standards. Most were created in the 1960s and 70s, and many were created in the Agricultural land use district where residential subdivisions are prohibited on Ag land. The bill would help eliminate loopholes related to the differing standards.
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| Residents met last April and told Chinese solar company representative Rick White that the industrial solar installations would erode property values, and destroy the ranch-like ambiance of Ranchos and other affected neighborhoods. Photo by Ann Bosted |
"The proposed bill is not anti-solar," explained the County Council member. "It simply protects the health and safety of residential communities in rural area subdivisions from proposals to develop industrialized solar farms with a capacity of 15 kW or more, without first obtaining a special use permit. This provision would allow communities that may be impacted by such a facility an opportunity to provide input," she said. Most households need a solar system of less than five kilowatts.
"It is a very fair law", continued David. "If a resident wants to run a B&B in his or her home, that resident must get a special use permit. Why not require big solar corporations to do the same? This bill does not affect solar developers who want to build large installations on real farm land."
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| Ranchos residents said they oppose leveling of the landscape for industrial solar farms. Photo by Ann Bosted |
The council member assisted with the drafting and filing of a formal complaint with the Public Utilities Commission in 2016 regarding the proposed Ocean View Solar project. The complaint, which is yet to be decided, asserts that HELCO and HECO, the utilities that would by the electricity from the solar farm, erroneously applied provisions of the Feed In Tariff program to the Ocean View project. The Ocean View solar project is on hold while the PUC considers the complaint. "Ocean View has a population of about 7,000 people, and the population has doubled each decade according to the census. Present and future residents of Ocean View and the large subdivisions in Puna deserve protection from incompatible uses of their neighborhoods," added David.
The Feed In Tariff program provides for the speedy introduction of renewable energy to Hawai‘i, but in Ocean View the program would appear to have been used to circumvent the bidding process that is required for projects over five megawatts. According to the FIT permit application, the installations should have been built in 18 months. Although the stated completion date was September 2012, the project is still in the Interconnection Requirements Study phase, and no site work has been done.
Said David, "I hope that the PUC will rule in favor of the citizens of Ka‘ū, and I also trust that the legislature will support the twin bills introduced by Sen. Green and Rep. Creagan. Both measures will provide our citizens with a process that allows the people an opportunity to provide input and prevent this type of situation from happening again."
In addition to Rep. Cregan, who proposed it, HD 2665 is also sponsored by State Representatives Tom Brower, Romy Cachola, Cindy Evans, Angus McKelvey, Takashi Ohno, Cynthia Thielen, Ken Ito, Lei Learmont, Bob McDermott, Nadine Nakamura, Richard Onishi, Joy San Buenaventura, Calvin Say, and Gregg Takayama.
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.
‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU'S SENIOR CITIZEN SURVEYs are due this Thursday, Feb. 1. Senior citizens over the age of 62, who are interested in the Nā‘ālehu Senior Housing Project, are asked to fill out a quick five-question survey to help OKK gather general data essential to the planning of the project. To get a survey or for more information, contact Raylene Moses at 365-3788, or Nadine Ebert at 938-5124 or ebertn004@hawaii.rr.com.
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A FUNDRAISING PERFORMANCE OF NORA & DELIA EPHRON'S LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE is offered to support Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 7:30 p.m. It takes place at Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
The play is based on a best-selling book by Ilene Beckerman, and is comprised of monologues and ensemble pieces about women, clothes, and memory. Five brilliant women from O‘ahu comprise the cast of the show, their stories revolving around the main character Gingy, played by Victoria Gail-White, and supported by world-class ensemble Lisa Barnes, Lauren Murata, Bree Kale’a Peters, and Stacy Ray. They make sure to cover all the important subjects: from mothers to prom dresses, buying bras, hating purses, and why we only wear black. The monologues focus on relationships and how a woman's wardrobe can be used as a time capsule to tell the stories of her life.
"The cast has performed this production together at a variety of venues across the islands and says that they are thrilled to bring this funny, touching, and relatable production to the Volcano," says a press release issued by KDEN.
Tickets, $20 per person, are available at Kīlauea Military Store, Kea‘au Natural Foods, Basically Books, The Most Irresistible Shop, and at the door of the performance. For reservations or more information call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.
The play is based on a best-selling book by Ilene Beckerman, and is comprised of monologues and ensemble pieces about women, clothes, and memory. Five brilliant women from O‘ahu comprise the cast of the show, their stories revolving around the main character Gingy, played by Victoria Gail-White, and supported by world-class ensemble Lisa Barnes, Lauren Murata, Bree Kale’a Peters, and Stacy Ray. They make sure to cover all the important subjects: from mothers to prom dresses, buying bras, hating purses, and why we only wear black. The monologues focus on relationships and how a woman's wardrobe can be used as a time capsule to tell the stories of her life.
"The cast has performed this production together at a variety of venues across the islands and says that they are thrilled to bring this funny, touching, and relatable production to the Volcano," says a press release issued by KDEN.
Tickets, $20 per person, are available at Kīlauea Military Store, Kea‘au Natural Foods, Basically Books, The Most Irresistible Shop, and at the door of the performance. For reservations or more information call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE
Boys Basketball: Wednesday, Jan. 31, Kealakehe @ Ka‘ū.
Saturday, Feb. 3, @ Kamehameha.
Wrestling: Saturday, Feb. 3 @ Kealakehe.
KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY, INC., distributes Tuesday, Jan. 30, at St. Jude's Episcopal Church on Paradise Circle-Mauka, Ocean View, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All participants are asked to respect the grounds where this will be held. Volunteers are always needed and welcomed, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on the last Tuesday of each month.
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WITNESS THE LUNAR ECLIPSE WITH ASTRONOMER DEAN REGAS, co-host of PBS Star Gazers, as he guides event participants through the total lunar eclipse expected Tuesday, Jan. 30, atop Kīlauea Volcano. Meet Regas at 8:30 p.m. at Kīlauea Overlook (on Crater Rim Drive, before Jaggar Museum). Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's event description says "the park will provide an excellent vantage point to view the spectacle – weather permitting." Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.
HULA VOICES, WITH KUMU HULA STEPHANIE APOLO and Desiree Moana Cruz moderating, takes place Thursday, Feb. 1, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The free, educational event occurs the first Thursday of each month - excluding April and December for 2018. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.
OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETS Thursday, Feb. 1, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.
‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU'S SENIOR CITIZEN SURVEYs are due Thursday, Feb. 1. Senior citizens over the age of 62, who are interested in the Nā‘ālehu Senior Housing Project, are asked to fill out a quick five-question survey to help OKK gather general data essential to the planning of the project. To get a survey or for more information, contact Raylene Moses at 365-3788, or Nadine Ebert at 938-5124 or ebertn004@hawaii.rr.com.
‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU MEETS Thursday, Feb. 1, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Aspin Institute Building near Punalu‘u Black Sands Beach Park. For more, contact Secretary Nadine Ebert at okk-secretary@okaukaou.org.
A FUNDRAISING DINNER FOR KĪLAUEA DRAMA AND ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK is hosted at Almafatano's Italian Restaurant on Friday, Feb. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event, KDENte, offers a buffet dinner and music entertainment. Tickets are $20 at the door. Call KDEN for reservations, 928-7344.
FOOD FROM WOOD:GROWING EDIBLE & MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS ON LOGS, STUMPS, AND WOOD CHIPS Workshop takes place at Volcano Art Center on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 9 a.m. to noon. Zach Mermel teaches the basics of mushroom cultivation using locally sourced, undesirable exotic trees. The class fee, $50 per VAC member and $55 per non-member, includes one shiitake mushroom log kit and one King Stropharia mushroom kit. Pre-registration is required. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.
DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES, HI‘IAKA & PELE, and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk in Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.
LA‘AU LAPA‘AU, A BEGINNER LEVEL CLASS, meets three times in Pāhala at Ka‘ū District Gym in February. The class is held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday - Feb. 3, 17 and 24. Po‘okela Ikaika Dombrigues of Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi leads and shares traditional health at this free class. To register or for more details, call 969-9220 and ask for the Traditional Health team. Visit hmono.org to learn more about the organization.
A PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTATION FOR ARTISTS WORKSHOP is hosted at Volcano Art Center, from 9 a.m. to noon, on Saturday, Feb. 3. Class fee is $35 per VAC member and $40 per non-member. Artist Gwendolyn O'Connor shows how to professionally prepare art for galleries and competitions. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.
VOLUNTEER FOR THE STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT PROGRAM on Saturday, Feb. 3, and help native plants grow by removing non-native plant species from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO. This event will be offered again on Feb. 9, 17, and 19.
REGISTER KEIKI, GRADES K-8, BY FEB. 6, FOR A YEAR OF THE DOG WALL HANGING arts and crafts class that takes place Wednesday, Feb. 7, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Pāhala Community Center. Free. Call Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation, for more.
SOUTH POINT AMATEUR RADIO CLUB AND AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE sponsor a Ham Radio Potluck Picnic on Sunday, Feb. 4, from noon to 2 p.m., at Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. For more, call Rick Ward at 938-3058, or visit sites.google.com/site/southpointartc or
sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home.
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LEARN ABOUT NATIVE PLANTS THAT PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN HAWAIIAN CULTURE in a free, moderate, guided hike along the Palm Trail - approx. 2 miles - on Sunday, Feb. 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The hike, Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship, takes place in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 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. Free. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.
A SUPER BOWL EVENT, WITH QUARTERLY PRIZES, IS OFFERED AT Kīlauea Military Camp's Lava Lounge in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Sunday, Feb. 4. Doors open at 11 a.m. and kick-off is at 1:30 p.m. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Call 967-8365 after 4:00 p.m. for more details. Open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.
HEATHER METTLER'S GLASSWORK - handblown, chiseled, and etched - is showcased in a new Volcano Art Center Gallery Exhibit: Passage and Place. The display will continue to be shown until 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.
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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/januarycommunity.html. January 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. |
Boys Basketball: Wednesday, Jan. 31, Kealakehe @ Ka‘ū.
Saturday, Feb. 3, @ Kamehameha.
Wrestling: Saturday, Feb. 3 @ Kealakehe.
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, INC., distributes Tuesday, Jan. 30, at St. Jude's Episcopal Church on Paradise Circle-Mauka, Ocean View, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All participants are asked to respect the grounds where this will be held. Volunteers are always needed and welcomed, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on the last Tuesday of each month.
A LEARNING TOGETHER WORKSHOP AT OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER, sponsored by Nā‘ālehu School, is offered Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.
VOLCANIC GEOLOGY ALONG SADDLE ROAD is the topic of an After Dark in the Park presentation given by Rick Hazlett, affiliate geologist with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, on Tuesday, Jan. 30. The presentation begins at 7 p.m. in the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Hazlett describes the "outdoor classroom" along Saddle Road, in which visitors can learn more about how the Islands aloha ‘āina (precious land) came to be. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.
VOLCANIC GEOLOGY ALONG SADDLE ROAD is the topic of an After Dark in the Park presentation given by Rick Hazlett, affiliate geologist with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, on Tuesday, Jan. 30. The presentation begins at 7 p.m. in the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Hazlett describes the "outdoor classroom" along Saddle Road, in which visitors can learn more about how the Islands aloha ‘āina (precious land) came to be. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.
HULA VOICES, WITH KUMU HULA STEPHANIE APOLO and Desiree Moana Cruz moderating, takes place Thursday, Feb. 1, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The free, educational event occurs the first Thursday of each month - excluding April and December for 2018. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.
OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETS Thursday, Feb. 1, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.
‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU'S SENIOR CITIZEN SURVEYs are due Thursday, Feb. 1. Senior citizens over the age of 62, who are interested in the Nā‘ālehu Senior Housing Project, are asked to fill out a quick five-question survey to help OKK gather general data essential to the planning of the project. To get a survey or for more information, contact Raylene Moses at 365-3788, or Nadine Ebert at 938-5124 or ebertn004@hawaii.rr.com.
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| Ulili Navigation Cylinder by Heather Mettler. See this and more at the Passage and Place Exhibit. Event details below. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org |
A FUNDRAISING DINNER FOR KĪLAUEA DRAMA AND ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK is hosted at Almafatano's Italian Restaurant on Friday, Feb. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event, KDENte, offers a buffet dinner and music entertainment. Tickets are $20 at the door. Call KDEN for reservations, 928-7344.
FOOD FROM WOOD:GROWING EDIBLE & MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS ON LOGS, STUMPS, AND WOOD CHIPS Workshop takes place at Volcano Art Center on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 9 a.m. to noon. Zach Mermel teaches the basics of mushroom cultivation using locally sourced, undesirable exotic trees. The class fee, $50 per VAC member and $55 per non-member, includes one shiitake mushroom log kit and one King Stropharia mushroom kit. Pre-registration is required. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.
DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES, HI‘IAKA & PELE, and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk in Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.
LA‘AU LAPA‘AU, A BEGINNER LEVEL CLASS, meets three times in Pāhala at Ka‘ū District Gym in February. The class is held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday - Feb. 3, 17 and 24. Po‘okela Ikaika Dombrigues of Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi leads and shares traditional health at this free class. To register or for more details, call 969-9220 and ask for the Traditional Health team. Visit hmono.org to learn more about the organization.
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| Help remove invasive plant species in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Event details below. Photo from nps.gov/HAVO |
VOLUNTEER FOR THE STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT PROGRAM on Saturday, Feb. 3, and help native plants grow by removing non-native plant species from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO. This event will be offered again on Feb. 9, 17, and 19.
REGISTER KEIKI, GRADES K-8, BY FEB. 6, FOR A YEAR OF THE DOG WALL HANGING arts and crafts class that takes place Wednesday, Feb. 7, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Pāhala Community Center. Free. Call Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation, for more.
SOUTH POINT AMATEUR RADIO CLUB AND AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE sponsor a Ham Radio Potluck Picnic on Sunday, Feb. 4, from noon to 2 p.m., at Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. For more, call Rick Ward at 938-3058, or visit sites.google.com/site/southpointartc or
sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home.
A SUPER BOWL EVENT, WITH QUARTERLY PRIZES, IS OFFERED AT Kīlauea Military Camp's Lava Lounge in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Sunday, Feb. 4. Doors open at 11 a.m. and kick-off is at 1:30 p.m. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Call 967-8365 after 4:00 p.m. for more details. Open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.
HEATHER METTLER'S GLASSWORK - handblown, chiseled, and etched - is showcased in a new Volcano Art Center Gallery Exhibit: Passage and Place. The display will continue to be shown until 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 MARDI GRAS FUNDRAISER AT ST. JUDE'S will be held on Friday, Feb. 16. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. , and dinner will be served starting at 6 p.m. The menu will include jambalaya, shrimp (served on the side), red beans and rice, cornbread, a drink, and dessert. Prices are: $8 per person, $15 per couple, or $20 per family.
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.
