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| A vegetable farm tractor from Pahala pulled a float for state House of Representative candidate Raina Whiting last Saturday in the Na`alehu Independence Day parade. See more on the candidates for the primary election Aug. 11 in upcoming Ka`u News Briefs and The Ka`u Calendar for August. Deadline to register to vote is July 12. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie |
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Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, portrayed by actor Dick Hershberger of Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network, was the of After Dark Near the Park Tuesday night at the Volcano Art Center's Niaulani Campus. NPS Photo/Janice Wei |
Other programs from the park are also avaikable at Niaulani Campus and other locales from Kahuku to Hilo. A statement from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park notes that many of the park rangers are embedded in the community while two-thirds of the park remains closed: "While Kīlauea continues to shake the ground and blast ash from its ever-changing summit crater – causing the partial closure of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on May 11 – park rangers continue to enlighten and engage visitors from other locations. Rangers are now offering new and familiar programs for visitors at the park's Kahuku Unit, Volcano Art Center's Niaulani Campus, and the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in Hilo – free of charge.
At the Kahuku Unit near Ocean View, open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., new 20-minute Kahuku Orientation Talks introduce natural, cultural and historic attributes of Kahuku to the first-time or been-awhile visitor, and rangers also share the latest Kīlauea eruption updates. Orientation talks are at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
‘Ōhi‘a Lehua is an easy one mile loop this sunday, July 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Learn about the vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the ‘ōhi‘a tree, and the threat of a new fungal disease, Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death. Identify the many differences of the most prominent native tree in Kahuku. Two hikes at Kahuku are offered this weekend: Palm Trail, Palm Trail, Saturday, July 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is a moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traversing scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku offers. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, remnant native forest and volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures.
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The ‘ōhi‘a lehua tree is featured during a guided hike in Kahuku on Saturday. NPS Photo/Janice Wei |
Kahuku events are posted to the park website, https://www.nps.gov/havo/
planyourvisit/kahuku-hikes.htm.
Mokupāpapa Discovery Center welcomes park rangers in downtown Hilo, Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rangers provide daily eruption updates, and at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., give a talk about all five of Hawai'i Island's volcanoes –including Kīlauea. it is located at 76 Kamehameha Ave. Mokupāpapa Discovery Center will be closed on Wednesday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day.
The Annual Fourth of July Parade in Volcano Village will see park rangers marching in the annual Fourth of July Parade outside the park in wonderful Volcano Village. The parade starts at the Volcano Post Office at 9 a.m. and features food vendors, family fun, crafts, keiki games and more on Wednesday, July 4 at 9 a.m.
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KĪLAUEA DRAMA & ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK’S PRODUCTION OLIVER!, by Lionel Bart, has found a temporary venue outside Hawai‘i Volcanos National Park where its home base is Kīlauea Theatre. With the volcano unit of the park temporarily closed during volcanic activity, KDEN will head to University of Hawai‘i-Hilo's Performing Arts Center for shows on Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., July 13-29.
“Due to the constant rumbling in Volcano,” says director Suzi Bond of KDEN, the KMC "beloved performing space is not available. For the last month, KDEN has been an orphaned theater company doing a show about an orphan. At last, Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network has found a home for our summer musical.
Oliver! is the musical version of Charles Dickens' classic tale Oliver Twist. Book, music and lyrics are all by Lionel Bart. This classic musical first premiered in London's West End in 1960. The show features such memorable songs a Where is Love?, As Long As He Needs Me, Food, Glorious Food and Who Will Buy? The talented cast of 19 is led by Bond, with musical direction by Walter Greenwood, and choreography by Carmen Richardson. Set design is by Jonathan Sudler, with Kala Daily as Stage Manager.
Starring as the waif Oliver is newcomer Quin Scheetz. Veteran actors Hayden Konanui-Tucker as the Artful Dodger and Joel Kelley as Fagin. Joy Sever takes on the role of Nancy, and Ray Ryan is Bill Sikes. The versatile ensemble members are Stephen Bond, Kaulmia Boyer, Debbie Campbell, Kalleigh Chapman, Lichen Forster, Karl & Susie Halemano, Joyce Hanley, Ariana Kelley, Michael Meyer, Dawn Pelletier, Steve Peyton, Stanislaw Stack, Travis Woods, and Elizabeth Young.
Tickets are now available at Kīlauea General Store, Kea‘au Natural Foods, Basically Books, and The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo. Tickets are also available at the door. Each ticket is $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors 60+ and students, and $12 for children 12 years and under. For more information and reservations, call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com. See kden.org.
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PUNA EVACUATION AND HELP CENTERS welcomed Sen. Mazie Hirono on Tuesday. She met with affected residents, volunteers, and business owners in visits to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Recovery Center, World Central Kitchen, Pahoa Community Center, and Sacred Heart Church/Hope Services, and attended meeting with floriculture growers.
“Hawai‘i Island residents and business owners continue to demonstrate incredible resilience in the face of a major ongoing disaster,” said Hirono. “The approval of Individual Assistance has unlocked new federal resources, but the response to and recovery from this disaster requires a long-term, sustained commitment from every level of government. I will continue to advocate for these
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| Sen. Mazie Hirono met with FEMA and other officials yesterday who are assisting with the recovery and ongoing emergency in Puna. Photo from office of Sen. Mazie Hirono |
During her visit to the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center, Hirono met with representatives from several federal, state, and local
agencies who are in Puna to assist affected residents. She also met with members of AmeriCorps’ FEMA Corps who are helping connect residents with resources available to them.
Hirono visited volunteers at World Central Kitchen’s facility in Pahoa, where volunteers are cooking and serving thousands of meals to residents affected by the ongoing Kilauea eruption.
Hirono also visited the newly-constructed 20-home community at Sacred Heart Church that will provide shelter to seniors and families with young children. During her visit, she met with Brandee Menino – the CEO of Hope Services – and Gilbert Aguinaldo – a local business owner – who were instrumental in the success of the project. Hirono also visited with evacuees at the temporary shelter at the Pahoa Community Center.
In a meeting with local floriculture growers, Hirono discussed the ongoing challenges the eruption poses to regional agriculture, and discussed the potential impact of her recent amendment to the Farm Bill– which would provide additional assistance to agricultural producers affected by the eruption.
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| See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment. Print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano, and free on |
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4
4th of July Parade, Festival, Craft Fair, Wed, July 4, 9-1:30pm , Volcano Village Old Volcano Rd , ends at Cooper Center Cooper Center Volcanoes National Park 8-5pm ) or email idoaloha@gmail.com. thecoopercenter.org
THURSDAY, JULY 5
Hula Voices w/Kumu Manaiakalani Kalua, Thu, July 5, 5-6pm , Volcano Art Center Volcano Village
FRIDAY, JULY 6
Spaghetti Dinner, Fri, July 6, 5:30pm , St. Jude’s Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Single plate, $8, 2 for $15, family for $20. Tickets available at door. 939-7555, stjudeshawaii.org
Free Community Dance, Fri, July 6 and 13, 7-10pm , Cooper Center Volcano Village
SATURDAY, JULY 7
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Pā‘ula Cleanup Event w/Ala Kahakai Trails Association and friends, Sat, July 7. Contact in advance for meet up time at Wai‘ōhinu Park
Palm Trail, Sat and Sun, July 7 and 29, 9:30-12:30pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, 2.6-mile loop traverses scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. nps.gov/HAVO
Two Day Oil Painting Workshop w/Vicki Penney-Rohner, Sat-Sun, July 7-8, 10-4pm , Volcano Art Center Volcano Village
‘Ōhi‘a Lehua, Sun, July 8, 9:30-11am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, and many forms of ‘ōhi‘a tree and its flower, on this free, easy, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO
MONDAY, JULY 9
Air and Space Camp, Science Camps of America, July 9-18, based at Pāhala Plantation Cottages with field trips all around island. For local teens ages 13-17, entering grades 9-12. Topics: Solar system, moon, planets, space exploration, structure of atmosphere, weather, carbon cycle, climate, Hawaiian history and culture, Polynesian voyaging, hiking and camping skills. $2,395 per student, includes ground transportation, meals, etc. Financial Aid available. scicamp.org
TUESDAY, JULY 10
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Tue/Wed, July 10(Committees)/11 (Council), Hilo , Tue/Wed, July 24 (Committees)/25 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building
C.E.R.T. Discovery Harbour/Nā‘ālehu, Tue, July 10, 4-6pm , Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Public invited to see what Community Emergency Response Team is about, and participate in training scenarios. Dina Shisler, dinashisler24@yahoo.com, 410-935-8087
The Wonderful World of Wine and Watercolor, Tue, July 10, 4-7pm , Volcano Art Center Volcano Village
Paid Intern sought by The Nature Conservancy, to work from October 2018 through August 2019 with their Hawai‘i Island Terrestrial Program, which has native forest preserves located in Ka‘ū and South Kona.
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Disaster Recovery Center, jointly operated by Hawaiʻi County, the State of Hawaiʻi , and FEMA, is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Keaʻau High School Gym. Buses run from 7:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. to and from Keaʻau Armory every 20 minutes and Pāhoa Community Center Shelter every hour. See the full bus schedule on the Civil Defense Website at HawaiiCounty.gov/Active-Alerts. For a list of the information applicants need to bring to the DRC, or to register online, go to DisasterAssistance.gov.
Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program: Hawai‘i State Public Library System, through Saturday, July 14, statewide and online. Register and log reading at librarieshawaii.beanstack.org or at a local library. Free. Reading rewards, activities, and programs for children, teens, and adults. 2018 participants have a chance to win a Roundtrip for four to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies.
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In addition to regularly scheduled Guided Hikes and the monthly Coffee Talk, Kahuku Unit has added daily Ranger Talks, and cultural demonstrations and activities on weekends.Volcano Art Center ![]()
The return of After Dark …near the park enters its second week at the Volcano Art Center Jaggar Museum 7 p.m. Mokupāpapa Discovery Center
Benefits offered include: a $1,600 monthly living allowance (before taxes); a $5,920 education award towards higher education; health care and childcare benefits (if eligible); and receive an entry-level conservation career experience.
Applicants must be at least 17 years old by the program start date, October 2018, and possess or be working towards a high school diploma or equivalent. Applications must also have their own housing and transportation, a drivers license, and be able to pass a criminal history check.
The internship is offered through Kupu Hawai‘i. Those interested are asked to fill out an online application at kupuhawaii.org under Conservation Leaders Program as soon as possible, as spaces are limited; http://www.kupuhawaii.org/conservation/. For more, call The Nature Conservancy at 443-5401 or call Kupu Hawai‘i at 808-735-1221.
Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program: Hawai‘i State Public Library System, through Saturday, July 14, statewide and online. Register and log reading at librarieshawaii.beanstack.org or at a local library. Free. Reading rewards, activities, and programs for children, teens, and adults. 2018 participants have a chance to win a Roundtrip for four to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies.
Find Your Park, invites Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Kamaʻaina and tourist alike are encouraged to experience authentic Hawaiian cultural programs, guided hikes, After Dark events, and more from Ka‘ū to Volcano to Hilo. “While Kīlauea continues to shake the ground and blast ash from its ever-changing summit crater – causing the partial closure of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
Rangers offer new and familiar programs – free of charge, with no entry fees – for visitors at the park’s Kahuku Unit, Volcano Art Center’s Ni‘aulani Campus, the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in Hilo, and at the Grand Naniloa Hotel in downtown Hilo.
Kahuku Unit
In addition to regularly scheduled Guided Hikes and the monthly Coffee Talk, Kahuku Unit has added daily Ranger Talks, and cultural demonstrations and activities on weekends.Visitor Contact Station hosts Ike Hana Noe ʻAu, Cultural Demonstrations and Activities, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, made possible by Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association. Sat, July 7: Lau Hala Weaving. One of the most beautiful Hawaiian fiber crafts, the leaves of the hau tree (pandanus) are woven into useful and decorative purposes. Sun, July 8: ‘Ohe Kāpala. Make your mark, and learn to create bamboo stamps with traditional and modern Hawaiian designs.
Visitor Contact Station hosts Ranger Talks on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. ; Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Guided Hikes begin at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday in June and July. Meet the ranger at the welcome tent. 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 offers. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, remnant native forest and volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures. A guided hike of Palm Trail is offered Saturday, July 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Ōhi‘a Lehua. Learn about the vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the ‘ōhi‘a tree, and the threat of a new fungal disease, Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death. Visitors will be able to identify the many differences of the most prominent native tree in Kahuku on this program, which is an easy, one-mile (or less) walk. The ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua program is offered Sunday, July 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Coffee Talk, in the Visitor Contact Station - a monthly, casual get together - is held the last Friday of the month, 9:30-11 a.m.
Kahuku events are posted to the park website, nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/kahuku-hikes.htm.
You can also find your park rangers in Volcano at the Volcano Art Center 19-4074 Old Volcano Rd. , in Volcano Village 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to provide talks and answer questions about the current eruption.
The return of After Dark …near the park enters its second week at the Annual Fourth of July Parade in Volcano Village Volcano Village
Find you park rangers at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in downtown Hilo, Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rangers provide daily eruption updates, and at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., give a talk about all five of Hawai‘i Island’s volcanoes –including Kīlauea. Get your NPS Passport Book stamped. Located at 76 Kamehameha Ave. , Hilo Mokupāpapa Discovery Center
Grand Naniloa Hotel
Two Park Rangers are stationed at the Grand Naniloa Hotel in downtown Hilo , from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. , every Sunday and Monday, in the Willie K Crown Room - as long as nothing else is scheduled in the space. The rangers will be doing daily talks at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. about the eruption. They will show the park film that is normally available to visitors to see at the Kilauea Visitor’s Center at the Summit , Born of Fire, Born in the Sea, every half-hour beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Tūtū and Me Offers Home Visits to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 464-9634.
St. Jude's Episcopal Church Calls For More Volunteers for the Saturday community outreach. Especially needed are cooks for the soup served to those in need, and organizers for the hot showers. "Volunteering for St. Jude's Saturday Shower and Soup ministry is an opportunity to serve God in a powerful way," states St. Jude's April newsletter. Volunteer by contacting Dave Breskin at 319-8333.
5th annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run registration open. Race day Sat, Sept 22,
Volcano Forest Runs Registration Open through Friday, August 17, at 6 p.m. Half marathon $85, 10K $45, 5K $30. Registration increases August 1: half marathon to $95, 10K to $55, and 5K to $35. Race is run from Cooper Center on Wright Road in Volcano Village on Saturday, August 18.
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