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| Angry waters in Wood Valley yesterday may get livid as more heavy rains are expected to fall on the island through Saturday afternoon. Photo by Julia Neal |
According to the National Weather Service, "Slow-moving and persistent heavy showers and thunderstorms will bring the threat of flash flooding" due to an upper-level disturbance, which is set to "further destabilize the air mass, while abundant low-level moisture remains in place."
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| A swollen stream in Wood Valley, yesterday. Heavy rain through Saturday may increase flash flood danger. Photo by Julia Neal |
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IDENTITY THEFT AND FRAUD is lowest in Hawaiʻi out of all the
Hawaiʻi ranks 43rd lowest in Identity-Theft Complaints per Capita, 41st lowest in Average Loss Amount Due to Online Identity Theft, and 42nd lowest in Fraud & Other Complaints per Capita. The state ranks 49th lowest in Persons Arrested for Fraud per Capita.
To determine where Americans are most susceptible to such crimes,WalletHub compared the 50 states and theDistrict of Columbia across ten key metrics. The data set ranges from identity-theft complaints per capita to average loss amount due to fraud.
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WalletHub announced that it was prompted to take on the story when businesses such as Adidas, Best Buy, Delta, Kmart, Macy's, and Sears experienced data breaches this year. According to Identity Theft Resource Center Jan. 1, 2005 , and Aug. 31, 2018 , there were 9,395 breaches. That accounts for over 1.1 billion records compromised.
To determine where Americans are most susceptible to such crimes,WalletHub compared the 50 states and the
WalletHub announced that it was prompted to take on the story when businesses such as Adidas, Best Buy, Delta, Kmart, Macy's, and Sears experienced data breaches this year. According to "The federal government and various businesses in recent years have taken more aggressive measures to build up our defenses. The Trump administration recently released a new cybersecurity plan, including taking more offensive measures toward foreign cyberattacks. Despite this, criminal strategies continue to evolve and grow in sophistication, keeping consumers vulnerable to identity theft and fraud.
WalletHub recommends these tips to protect from identity theft and fraud:
Sign Up for Credit Monitoring: Credit monitoring is the best way to keep tabs on your credit report. It provides peace of mind in the form of alerts about important changes to your file, including potential signs of identity theft. WalletHub offers free monitoring of your TransUnion credit report.
Leverage Account Alerts and Update Contact Info: Setting up online management for all of your financial accounts (e.g., credit cards, loans, Social Security), and keeping your phone number, email address and street address up to date will make them harder for identity thieves to hijack. Establishing alerts for changes to your contact info and other suspicious account activity will serve as a safeguard.
Use Common Sense Online: Don't open emails you don't recognize. Don't download files from untrustworthy sources. Don't send account numbers and passwords via email or messenger applications. And don't enter financial or personal information into websites that lack the "https" prefix in their URLs.
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SALTS ON VOLCANIC ASH FROM KĪLAUEA are being assessed by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. This week's Volcano Watch author is USGS California Volcano Observatory research chemist David Damby:
Kīlauea hazard assessments include analyses of salts on volcanic ash.
Kīlauea is not erupting. Summit and East Rift Zone activity is greatly reduced, with low rates of seismicity, deformation, and gas emissions recorded this past week.
The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL . Since late September, two recurring groups of microearthquakes have been recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa Volcano: (1) a shallow cluster between Moku‘āweoweo caldera and the uppermost Southwest Rift Zone, and (2) a slightly deeper cluster centered beneath the upper west flank, roughly 5 to 10 km (3–6 mi) from the summit caldera. The largest of these earthquakes – magnitudes 3.4 on Sept. 30 and 3.6 on Oct. 8 – have been in the western cluster. Because there have been no changes in deformation or gas emissions that would indicate shallowing of magma, these microearthquakes do not warrant increased concern about potential eruption. HVO continues to closely watch this seismicity and monitor the volcano for any other changes.
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.SALTS ON VOLCANIC ASH FROM KĪLAUEA are being assessed by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. This week's Volcano Watch author is USGS California Volcano Observatory research chemist David Damby:
Sulfur dioxide-rich emissions have long been a feature of Kīlauea Volcano's summit activity. However, vigorous volcanic ash production during the 2018 eruption raised new concerns about potential impacts for downwind communities.
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This close-up image (5000x magnification) of a collected on May 23 was captured by a scanning electron microscope. Visible on the ash surface are tiny salt crystals that can be leached from the ash. Most of the salts in this image are aluminum sodium sulfate and calcium sulfate. This image is about 50 microns across, which is half of the width of a human hair. USGS photo by D. Damby |
During an eruption, chemical reactions that occur between volcanic ash and the SO2-rich plume form salt coatings on the surfaces of ash particles. These coatings contain a wide range of components that are soluble (easily dissolved).
Upon contact with water, either through ash falling into water catchments or by rain falling on ash, the soluble components are washed from the ash. This can impact human and agricultural activities, both positively – if ash supplies nutrient elements, such as sulfur, to soil – and negatively – if ash can release potentially toxic species, such as fluoride.
The composition of the ash coating can be measured in the laboratory through ash leaching experiments. This is performed by mixing samples of freshly erupted volcanic ash with ultrapure water and measuring the change in the water chemistry.
These "leachate" results from the laboratory can then be scaled with the amount of ashfall to evaluate the potential impact on water resources, agriculture, and human health. If the ash coating poses a hazard, then appropriate protective actions can be communicated.
Determining the composition of ash surface coatings through ash leaching is a valuable part of the volcanic hazard assessment carried out by USGS. With the help of citizen scientists, the USGS collected and analyzed almost 30 ash samples produced by collapse events at the summit of Kīlauea in 2018. All data are available online from the USGS at doi.org/10.5066/P98A07DC.
Contamination of drinking water by fluoride is of primary concern for human health. Some good news is that recent ashfall at Kīlauea did not contribute sufficient fluoride to water catchment systems to cause adverse health effects. In fact, it was determined to be at least ten times lower than the maximum contaminant level goal set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This is the level at which no known adverse human health effects occur.
The concentration of fluoride on ash from the recent activity of Kīlauea is below 100 milligrams of fluoride per kilogram of ash. This is lower than the average for other eruptions worldwide (129 mg F per kg ash).
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Ash from an explosive event at Halema‘uma‘u on May 15 was blown by trade winds to the southwest, where it fell from the plume and blanketed the Kaʻū Desert landscape. Samples of this ash were collected for ash leachate analyses as part of the assessment of hazards from Kīlauea Volcano's eruption. USGS photo by S. Brantley |
Leachates from Kīlauea ash contain a tremendous amount of sulfur, exceeding anything measured at previous eruptions from volcanoes around the world. This may not be surprising given the massive output of SO2 throughout Kīlauea 's eruption.
Some of the Kīlauea ash samples had nearly 25,000 milligrams of sulfur per kilogram of ash, which is over 2 teaspoons of native sulfur for every pound of ash. The impact of this sulfur on drinking water in Hawaiʻi is largely aesthetic, affecting taste only. Concentrations were still below the EPA MCL despite the remarkable amount of sulfur on the ash surfaces.
Only manganese, aluminum, and iron were measured on the ash at concentrations that may reach defined EPA thresholds for causing undesirable taste and color of water. However, the concentrations are not a threat to health.
Although the hazard to humans is low, grazing animals can experience nutritional deficiencies from ingesting high amounts of sulfur, and fluoride exposures can result in the erosion of teeth, loss of bone, and other growth abnormalities. Accordingly, recommendations for protecting livestock were issued by the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture
Advice on maintaining water catchments systems and guidance on living with ashfall, in general, are available on the Hawaiʻi Interagency Vog Information Dashboard, at vog.ivhhn.org.
Previous Volcano Watch articles have addressed protecting yourself from Kīlauea ash: June 7, 2018, volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=1368, and the many forms of sulfur found on Kīlauea: July 13, 2018, volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=1373.
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| 1) Close up of ash on ʻōhiʻa leaf. 2) Close up of ash deposit on pua kenikeni leaf, zoomed in. 3) Close up of ash deposit on pua kenikeni leaf. Dissecting microscope 4X objective, 10X ocular. 4) Close up of ash deposit on pua kenikeni leaf. Note crystal on lower right. See more images at kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2018/05/kau-news-briefs-tuesday-may-22-2018.html. Photos by Edward H. Rau |
Volcano Activity Updates
Small earthquakes (generally less than magnitude-2.5) continue at Kīlauea 's summit. As expected, small aftershocks of the May 4th magnitude-6.9 earthquake continue on the volcano's south flank.
A slight inflationary trend near and east of Puʻu ʻŌʻō suggests that magma may be refilling the middle East Rift Zone. Low seismicity and reduced gas emissions do not indicate that the magma is shallow, but HVO continues to closely monitor this area and will report any significant changes.
Sulfur dioxide emissions acrossKīlauea remain drastically reduced, with a combined rate of less than 300 tonnes per day. Small amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas are also being released in cooler, wetter volcanic environments, and from decaying vegetation and other organic matter. The human nose is extremely sensitive to the "rotten egg" smell of H2S; some people can detect this gas at less than 0.001 parts per million. Residents have reported smelling H2S downwind of Kīlauea , but these concentrations are well below hazardous levels. More info at ivhhn.org/information#gas.
A slight inflationary trend near and east of Puʻu ʻŌʻō suggests that magma may be refilling the middle East Rift Zone. Low seismicity and reduced gas emissions do not indicate that the magma is shallow, but HVO continues to closely monitor this area and will report any significant changes.
Sulfur dioxide emissions across
Hazardous conditions still exist at both the LERZ and summit. Residents in the lower Puna District and Kīlauea summit areas on the Island of Hawaiʻi should stay informed and heed Hawai‘i County Civil Defense closures, warnings, and messages at hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts.
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| Mauna Loa looms over Kīlauea Caldera in the moonlight. The largest subaerial volcano on Earth is quiet, but experienced two clusters of microearthquakes since late September. Photo from NPS/Janice Wei |
Two earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-3.1 quake 16 km (10 mi) southeast of Volcano at 6 km (4 mi) depth on Oct. 17 at 1:59 p.m. , and a magnitude-3.3 quake 9 km (6 mi) northwest of Volcano at 10 km (6 mi) depth on Oct. 12 at 12:51 a.m.
Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvofor past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call 808-967-8862 for weekly Kīlauea updates. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
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See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com |
KAʻŪ TROJANS FALL SPORTS SCHEDULE
Football:
Sat, Oct 20, 1pm, BIIF Semi-Finals at Keaʻau, Kohala vs. Pāhoa
Sat, Oct 27, 1pm, BIIF Finals at Pāhala Ball Park - Higher vs. Kaʻū
Sat, Oct 27, 1pm, BIIF Finals at Pāhala Ball Park - Higher vs. Kaʻū
NEW and UPCOMING
RECREATION ROOM AT KA‘Ū DISTRICT GYM IS OPEN TO TEENS AND ADULTS Mondays through Thursdays, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m., through Dec. 22. Participants are asked to register before playing. For more, call 928-3102.
REGISTRATION IS ONGOING FOR FOUR-WAY FITNESS STATION, open to those 15 years and older, at Ka‘ū District Gym, Mondays through Thursdays, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays, from noon to 6 p.m., through Dec. 22. For more, call 928-3102.
Kaʻū Plantation Days, sponsored by Kaʻū Multicultural Society, will be held this Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Kaʻū Gym Multipurpose Room from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. See displays of plantation, ranch and dairy life. Learn about the history of immigration to Kaʻū and the multicultural community that developed over more than a century. Shop at vendor and food stations. Call organizers Darlyne Vierra at 808-640-8740 and Liz Kuluwaimaka at 339-0229.
Palm Sheath Baskets Workshop with Jelena Clay, Sat. Oct. 20, 9-2:30pm, Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus, Volcano Village. All supplies provided to make two baskets - includes embellishments. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $30 supply fee. Pre-registration required. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222
Birth of Kahuku, Sat., Oct. 20, 9:30-11:30am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Explore rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Free. nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes
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Zen Pen - Writing as Spiritual Practice Workshop with Tom Peek, Sat., Oct. 20, 9:30-4pm. $65/VAC member, $75/non-member. No writing experience necessary. Bring personal object, handheld mirror, and lunch. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222
Art in the Everyday Community Quilt Project - Assembly Workshop, Sat., Oct. 20, 10-4pm, Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus, Volcano Village. After party to follow, 4-6pm. Visiting Artist Laura Phelps Rogers leads the ongoing project. A sculptural, social engagement and public work, in which Rogers hopes to construct monumental sculptural quilt built of 5" round, wood pieces - each blank and designed by community participants. Pick up blank piece and packet at Volcano Art Center Administration Office or at Wailoa Art Center. $10 donation. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org
Ocean View C.E.R.T. Meeting, Sat., Oct. 20, 10-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting/training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
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Hula Kahiko - Chrissy Kama Henriques & Leilani Taka-Keana‘aina with Hula Hālau E Hulali Mai Ka La, Sat., Oct. 20, 10:30-11:30am, hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org
Bunco & Potluck, Sat., Oct. 20, 6pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Popular game played with nine dice. Bring dish to share. Margie Hack, 541-954-8297
Palm Sheath Baskets Workshop with Jelena Clay, Sat. Oct. 20, 9-2:30pm, Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus, Volcano Village. All supplies provided to make two baskets - includes embellishments. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $30 supply fee. Pre-registration required. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222
Birth of Kahuku, Sat., Oct. 20, 9:30-11:30am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Explore rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Free. nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes
Art in the Everyday Community Quilt Project - Assembly Workshop, Sat., Oct. 20, 10-4pm, Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus, Volcano Village. After party to follow, 4-6pm. Visiting Artist Laura Phelps Rogers leads the ongoing project. A sculptural, social engagement and public work, in which Rogers hopes to construct monumental sculptural quilt built of 5" round, wood pieces - each blank and designed by community participants. Pick up blank piece and packet at Volcano Art Center Administration Office or at Wailoa Art Center. $10 donation. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org
Ocean View C.E.R.T. Meeting, Sat., Oct. 20, 10-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting/training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
Hula Kahiko - Chrissy Kama Henriques & Leilani Taka-Keana‘aina with Hula Hālau E Hulali Mai Ka La, Sat., Oct. 20, 10:30-11:30am, hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.orgBunco & Potluck, Sat., Oct. 20, 6pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Popular game played with nine dice. Bring dish to share. Margie Hack, 541-954-8297
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Ka‘ū Coastal Clean-Up with Ke Ala Kai Foundation, Sun., Oct. 21, call for meet up time at Wai‘ōhinu Park. BYO-4WD vehicle. Canoe paddlers from any Hawai‘i Island canoe club welcome. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, mattie.hwf@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org
People & Land of Kahuku, Sun., Oct. 21, 9:30-12:30pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain focuses on the area's human history. Free. nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23
VOTE: Early Walk-In Voting Open, Tue., Oct. 23, through Sat., Nov. 3. elections.hawaii.gov
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25
Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Thu., Oct. 25, 9-noon, Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com
Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thu., Oct. 25, 12-1:30pm, Punalu‘u Bake Shop. Monthly meeting provides local forum for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us
Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thu., Oct. 25, 4-6pm, Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Additional packaged goods to take home for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org
Craft Class, Thu., Oct. 25, 9:30-10:30am, PARENTS, Inc., Nā‘ālehu. For keiki 2-12 years old and caregivers. Free. 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.orgFRIDAY, OCTOBER 26
Coffee Talk, Ka Wa‘a Kaulua: The Double-Hulled Canoe, Fri., Oct. 26, 9:30-11am, Kahuku Park, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Canoe sailor and builder Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa shares his knowledge and experience of the double-hulled canoe, which are still crafted and used today. Ka‘ū coffee, tea, and pastries available for purchase. Free. nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes
Fall Costume Party, Fri., Oct. 26, 1:30-3:30pm, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. Snacks, activities and prizes. Free to all ages. 939-2442
Halloween Party, Fri, Oct. 26, 8pm-midnight, Kīlauea Military Camp's Lava Lounge, inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. $5 cover charge w/costume, $7 without. For patrons 21+. Call 967-8365 after 4pm for more. Park entrance fees may apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com
ONGOING
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Kūpuna and keiki, sharing in the pounding of poi at the cultural booth at Ho‘okupu Hula No Ka‘ū Cultural Festival in Pāhala last year. Photo by Julia Neal |
The festival features hula performed by hālau from
Sponsors include County Council member Maile David and community contributions through fundraising. See hookupukau.com.
Public Access Room comes to Ocean View on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The non-partisan division of Hawaiʻi state legislature's legislative Reference Bureau will offer workshops. Free and open to the public, they focus on training for creating, following, and testifying on legislation. Two workshops will be offered. The first is geared towards newcomers, provides an introduction to the state legislative process to prepare new participants for the session. The second workshop is for those with an understanding of lawmaking. It will offer advanced advocacy tips on effective lobbying and often overlooked online resources. How-To guides, informational handouts, and other resources will be available.
PAR's staff will be at 
For more, call toll free to 808-974-4000, ext. 7-0478, email Keanu Young at k.young@capitol.hawaii.gov, see lrbhawaii.org.Tūtū and Me tuition-free traveling preschool, for keiki birth to five years old and their caregivers, is temporarily moving their Pāhala site program for Oct. 23, 25, and 30, and Nov. 1, to the River of Life Assembly of God church. The group still meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. They will be back at Pāhala Community Center on Nov. 6. The Nāʻālehu location remains at Kauahaʻao Church in Waiʻōhinu, Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8:45 to 10:45 a.m.
Tūtū and Me also offers home visits to aid caregivers with parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate, listening ear. Visits last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, total of 12 visits. Snacks are provided.
To enroll in either free program, fill out enrollment forms found at pidf.org/programs/tutu_and
_me/enrollment_forms, or call Linda Bong at 929-8571, or Betty Clark at 464-9634 or eclark@pidfountation.org.
Volunteers Needed by St. Jude's Episcopal Church for community outreach, especially soup cooks and shower organizers, towel laundry, alter guild, and for the computer lab. Volunteers do not have to be members of the church. "Volunteering for St. Jude's Saturday Shower and Soup ministry is an opportunity to serve God in a powerful way," states St. Jude's. Contact Dave Breskin, 319-8333.The job description reads: Serve as a liaison between the member and the Credit Union. Provide a variety of financial services to members including savings, share drafts, and loan transactions, as well as sales of merchandise items: money orders, traveler's checks, postage stamps, etc., in accordance with Credit Union procedures and policies. CU Hawaiʻi offers medical, drug, dental, vision and retirement benefits.
Mail, hand-deliver, or fax application to: CU Hawaii Federal Credit Union, Attn: Human Resources, 476 Hinano Street, Hilo, HI 96720, Fax (808) 935-7793. Applications can be downloaded online at cuhawaii.com/about-cu/career-opportunities.html
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