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| A celebration of Christianity in Hawaiʻi, the life of Henry ʻOpukahaʻia, and the 200th anniversary of Kauahaʻao Congregational Church, was held last Sunday at Hokuloa Church above Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach. See more photos and learn more, below. Photo from Kahu Debbie Wong Yuen |
ANOTHER CALL TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY CAME FROM KAʻŪ HOSPITAL this weekend to support a bill that would appropriate $700,000 to the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corp. to expand Kaʻū Rural Health Clinic in Pāhala. It would improve access to urgent care and outpatient behavioral health services. The state Senate Ways & Means Committee will hold a hearing on the matter this Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 12:40. p.m. in Honolulu. Send testimony online at Senate Bill 2617(SSCR2745) and check the bill's status and other testimony submitted. Testimony is due on Monday at 12:40 p.m.
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SUBMIT TESTIMONY ON THE FOOD HUB PILOT PROGRAM to the 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature by Monday, Feb. 24 at12:40 p.m. House Bill 1892, introduced by Kaʻū Representatives Richard Creagan and Richard Onishi, passed all the hearings in the House. Its companion, Senate Bill 2722 SD1, introduced by east Kaʻū Sen. Russell Ruderman, will go to its last public hearing in the Ways and Means committee on Tuesday.
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.
SUBMIT TESTIMONY ON THE FOOD HUB PILOT PROGRAM to the 2020 Hawaiʻi Legislature by Monday, Feb. 24 at
SB 2722 SD1 passed the Ways and Means Committee hearing. All testimonies for the Food Hub pilot program have been positive from diverse stakeholders including the Hawai`i Farm Bureau, Hawai`i Farmers Union United, state Department of Agriculture, the Ulupono Initiative, and many family farmers and their food hubs.
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| Kahu Debbie Wong Yuen opening the service. Photo from Debbie Wong Yuen |
HENRY ʻOPUKAHAʻIA AND 200 YEARS OF CHRISTIANITY IN HAWAIʻI were celebrated last Sunday at Henry ‘Opukahaʻia Memorial Chapel, Hokuloa Church
Kahu, pastor at Kauahaʻao Congregational Church, Debbie Wong Yuen opened the service.
Deborah Lee, a descendent of ʻOpukahaʻia responsible for bringing his bones back to Hawaiʻi, blessed Marques Maran of Oʻahu, who read from the Scripture in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and English.
Meli Akimseu-Oshiro from Hilo performed a special Christian hula/sign language dance to Who Am I. Pastor Kaeʻo DeCoite, of Maui, related the story of ‘Opukahaʻia, the first Christian from Hawaiʻi.
Born in 1792 near Ninole, ‘Opukahaʻia died on Feb. 17, 1818 in Cornwall, Connecticut, before he had the chance to return to his homeland to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was ‘Opukahaʻia who inspired the American Protestant mission to come to Hawaiʻi to share the Gospel. On April 4, 1820, the first Mission arrived on the sailing ship Thaddeus and anchored in Kona.
The ninth American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions group arrived on May 21, 1841, sailing on the Gloucester. On board was Rev. John Davis Paris, who founded Kauahaʻao Congregational Church in Waiʻōhinu in November of 1841.
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Meli Akimseu-Oshiro, left, performed a Christian hula/ sign language dance. Photo from Debbie Wong Yuen |
The ninth American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions group arrived on May 21, 1841, sailing on the Gloucester. On board was Rev. John Davis Paris, who founded Kauahaʻao Congregational Church in Waiʻōhinu in November of 1841.
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HAWAIʻI FOCUSES ON ENCOURAGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES to prevent pollution of some of the cleanest air in the nation. However, in California, where vehicles are required to go through an emissions check to make sure they are less polluting, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced today that the state will sue Pres. Donald Trump for revoking California's "authority to regulate auto emissions. If the president thinks he can stop the states from taking action on climate change, he is dead wrong."
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Pastor Kaeʻo DeCoite shared an inspiring message of the life of Henry ʻOpukahaʻia. Photo from Debbie Wong Yuen |
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.
ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN for Ola Ka ʻĀina Momona: Managing for Abundance, the Hawaiʻi Conservation Alliance and Society for Conservation Biology-Oceania joint conference. The conference will be held Monday, Aug. 31 through Thursday, Sept. 3 at Hawaiʻi Convention Center in Honolulu .
Abstracts are due Friday, Feb. 28. Submit at hawaiiconservation.org/conference/2020-call-for-proposals/.
Online abstract reviewers are also being sought; apply by Thursday, March 5th.
Students are "strongly encourage" to submit an abstract. "This is a great opportunity to participate in a professional conference in Honolulu ." Students will be eligible for awards with cash prizes. Scholarships are also available for students to greatly reduce registration fees and provide travel stipends for neighbor island residents.
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Deborah Lee blessing guest Scripture Reader, Marques Maran. Photo from Debbie Wong Yuen |
Abstracts for symposia, forums, workshops, trainings, and individual oral or poster presentations are wanted in six tracks: Cultural Values and Practice in Conservation, Capacity in Conservation; Global Change & Challenges; Putting Research into Practice; New Technologies and Research in Conservation; and Place-based Conservation.
"Integrated, multi-disciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches to research and management are increasingly relying on community involvement, founded on multiple knowledge systems, and emphasizing biocultural knowledge. Proposals that demonstrate these innovative approaches are highly encouraged," states the announcement. See the Call for Proposals for full descriptions and to submit.USING CHEMICAL ANALYSES TO DISCOVER THE ORIGIN OF VOLCANIC ASH on Hawaiʻi Island is the focus of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
Chemical analyses shed light on possible origins of island ash deposits.
The origin(s) of volcanic ash deposits on the Island of Hawai Kīlauea and Mauna Loa . We know that ash is from explosive eruptions, but the question has been "from which volcano?"
Previous workers concluded that the most probable source of the ash was Mokuʻāweoweo, the summit caldera ofMauna Loa . Others suggested that the ash came from the vicinity of Pu‘u Iki north of Hilea, mauka (upslope) of Punalu‘u Bay in Ka‘ū. More recent work has shown that some of these deposits are from Kīlauea .
The age and origin of ash deposits onMauna Loa 's southeast flank still need to be determined. Based on recent geologic mapping of Mauna Loa (https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sim2932A, Sheet 2), explosive eruptions that pvroduced the ash date back to at least 49,000 years.
Previous workers concluded that the most probable source of the ash was Mokuʻāweoweo, the summit caldera of
The age and origin of ash deposits on
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USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists examine an outcrop of reddish-brown Hilo ash during a recent study to investigate the origins of volcanic ash deposits on the Island of Hawai‘i. Age dates of lava flows above and below the Hilo ash deposit indicate that the ash was erupted between 3,000 and 14,000 years ago. USGS photo by Z. Tamashiro |
The ash deposits range in age from 3,000 to 49,000 years. The Hilo ash is bounded by lava flows that are around 3,000 and 14,000 years old. Ashes near Pāhala are beneath a flow dated at 9,000 years. Kalae ash deposits are 13-, 26-, 28- and more than 49-thousand years old.
The ash deposits also vary in thickness from 0.10 m to 5.5 m (0.1 ft to 18 ft). Their consistencies range from friable (crumbly) to indurated (solid). Hilo ash is soft and mud-like, while Pāhala outcrops consist of dry layers of ash with varying degrees of consolidation. In the Kalae region, ash layers are so thin, it was difficult to avoid cross-contamination between them when collecting samples.
Ash samples were collected in the field for geochemical analyses to determine the volcanic source of the deposits. Pressed pellets of ash were carefully prepared and then analyzed using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) instrument at theUniversity of Hawaiʻi Hilo . For quality control, a USGS basalt standard BHVO-2 was analyzed.
Ash samples were collected in the field for geochemical analyses to determine the volcanic source of the deposits. Pressed pellets of ash were carefully prepared and then analyzed using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) instrument at the
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| Ash from explosions during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption traveled far away from Halemaʻumaʻu. Photo by Vijaysai Patnaik |
The ED-XRF analyses yielded chemical abundances of oxides, metals, and rare earth elements. Hilo and Kalae ash samples vary in composition, while the chemical composition of Pāhala samples is consistent. Hilo ash samples have the least sodium, potassium, calcium, nickel, and strontium. Kalae ash samples are enriched in sodium, magnesium, nickel, and chromium.
Weathering of ash outcrops also varies. The degree of alteration was determined by sodium content in the ash samples because that element is easily weathered from the deposits. In areas with higher rainfall amounts, ash is subject to more intense weathering. So, Hilo samples had less sodium compared to ash from the drier Pāhala and Kalae areas. However, some Kalae samples have excess sodium, most likely from seawater spray.
Where Hawaiian volcanoes are located relative to the hotspot beneath the Island of Hawaiʻi Mauna Loa , and Lōʻihi are on what is referred to as the "LOA trend," whereas Kohala, Mauna Kea , and Kīlauea are on the "KEA trend." Volcanoes on the same trend have similar magma chemistry that differs from the chemistry of the other trend.
Using the ED-XRF geochemical data, Tamashiro and his HVO mentor determined the chemical trend from which the ash deposits were erupted. Although their study is far from comprehensive, they discovered that the chemistry of ash samples from Pāhala is comparable to Kīlauea or Mauna Kea (KEA trend). Kalae ash has a more complex history, with some samples suggesting an origin from Kīlauea or Mauna Kea , but others suggesting they were probably erupted from Mauna Loa or Hualālai (both KEA and LOA chemical affinities). Hilo ash deposits are too altered to reliably indicate magmatic origin.
HVO is just beginning to scratch the surface on the origin of Hawaiʻi Island's ash deposits, with much work still to be done. Analyzing chemical compositions of the ash was useful to the ongoing research, and we greatly appreciate Tamashiro's contributions to the study while interning at HVO. With continued investigations, we hope to shed additional light on the origin of ash deposits on the flanks ofMauna Loa .
Volcano Activity Updates
HVO is just beginning to scratch the surface on the origin of Hawaiʻi Island's ash deposits, with much work still to be done. Analyzing chemical compositions of the ash was useful to the ongoing research, and we greatly appreciate Tamashiro's contributions to the study while interning at HVO. With continued investigations, we hope to shed additional light on the origin of ash deposits on the flanks of
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| A closeup of ash from the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. HVO images |
Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL (https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html). Updates for Kīlauea are now issued monthly.
This past week, 44 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa ; the strongest was a M2.2 on Feb. 16. Deformation indicates continued slow summit inflation. Fumarole temperature and gas concentrations on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable.
No earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands this past week.
HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa for any signs of increased activity.
Visit https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvofor past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
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WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26
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SATURDAY, FEB. 29
Tūtū & Me Home Visiting Program is a free service to Pāhala families with keiki, birth to five years old. This caregiver support program offers those taking care of young keiki "a compassionate listening ear, helpful parenting tips and strategies, fun and exciting activities, and wonderful educational resources" from Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool. Home visits are one hour in length, two to four times per month, for 12 to 15 visits. Snacks are provided. See pidfoundation.org or call 808-938-1088.
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| Youth Training is strong trong with Hokulele Basketball at Kaʻū District Gym, open to the public on Sunday with 18 teams from around the island competing. Photo by Julia Neal |
KAʻŪ DISTRICT GYM IS FILLED with 18 youth basketball teams from around the island for the Hokulele Tournament Saturday and Sunday. See the results in an upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs. Admission for Sunday's games is free, to see the action on three full size basketball courts hosting the competition. Hokulele trains youth from five years of age through high school.
The club and its tournaments are solely sponsored by families of the players. To join the club, register for a tournament, volunteer, and sponsor, contact Hokulele Basketball Club President Ravel Kaupu by text or phone at 808-319-0687.
See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano
Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more
at kaucalendar.com.
The club and its tournaments are solely sponsored by families of the players. To join the club, register for a tournament, volunteer, and sponsor, contact Hokulele Basketball Club President Ravel Kaupu by text or phone at 808-319-0687.
See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano
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See Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 mailboxes throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com |
at kaucalendar.com.
Kaʻū Spring Sports Schedule
Girls Softball
Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. , @Waiakea
Wednesday, March 11, 3 p.m. , @Konawaena
Boys Baseball
Wednesday, March 4, 3 p.m. , host HPA
Saturday, March 7, 1 p.m. . @Waiakea
Boys Volleyball
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m. , host Christian Liberty
Wednesday, March, 6 p.m., @Hilo
Judo
Saturday, Feb. 29, 10:30 a.m. , @Kealakehe
Saturday, March 7, 10:30 a.m. . @Kealakehe
Track
Saturday, March 14, 9 a.m. , @Waiakea
Saturday, March 21, 2 p.m. , @Konawaena
UPCOMING
SUNDAY, FEB. 23
Kaʻū Portuguese Exhibit, Sunday, Feb. 23, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Carvalho Park Hilo
Hū (Kukui Nut Top) Demonstration, Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center
Visit nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm for additional planning details. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo
Ash Wednesday Service at St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEB. 28
Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association Annual Health Conference, Friday, Feb. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Pāhala Community Center
Hawaiian Humpback Whale Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count, Saturday, Feb. 29 and March 28, 7:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. , orientation included. Register at oceancount.org. Locations in Kaʻū are: Kaʻena Point in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Miloli‘i Lookout, Ka Lae Park, and Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park
Mixed Media Photo Encaustic with Mary Milelzcik, Saturday, Feb. 29, 10 a.m. The class is slated for beginner to intermediate students. volcanoartcenter.org
ONGOING
ONGOING
PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.
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Hawaiʻi International Music Festival, Sunday March 8, 6:30 p.m. , Pāhala Plantation House. The concert will feature music that will celebrate native plants of the Kaʻū Dryland Forest and will raise funds for Hoʻomalu Kaʻū.
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Register for Ocean View Classic Car & Bike Show, Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Owners of classic cars and bikes are encouraged to register early, as space is limited. This second annual event, a fundraiser for Ocean View Community Association, will also feature food and live music, and prizes for the most impressive cars and bikes. Contact organizers Dennis Custard at 831-234-7143 or Ron Gall at 808-217-7982 to register or for more info.
Sign Up to Vend at the New ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Nāʻālehu Farmers Market, Wednesdays,8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the site of the old Fruit Stand, mauka of Hwy 11 in Nāʻālehu. Vending focuses on Kaʻū products, including mushrooms from the new farm in Nāʻālehu, fresh breads, vegetables, fruits, and other products. The market may offer music in the future, and there are plans to acquire picnic tables for market goers. Call Manager Sue Barnett at 345-9374 to sign up.
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Half Marathon registration is $70 through May 24, $80 May 25 through July 22, and $90 for late registration. Registration for the 10K is $50 through May 24, $55 May 25 through Jul 22, and $60 for late registration. Registration for the 5K is $35 through May 24, $40 May 25 through July 22, and $45 for late registration. Keiki Dash registration is $10. All registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
Cultural Understanding Through Art & the Environment, features classes on block printing, lauhala weaving, ti leaf lei making, and more. A free guided Cultural Forest Tour, and a Mele and Hula ‘Auana performance are also slated. Visit the website events calendar for the full lineup. volcanoartcenter.org
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T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 pm, ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511
Performers are Maya Hoover , Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano at Professor at University of Hawaiʻi
Tickets are $30, available at kauconcert.bpt.me. See himusicfestival.com for more.
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Sign Up Keiki for the Second Annual Kaʻū Children's Business Fair, to be held Saturday, March 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center
Kaʻū Children's Business Fair guidelines are designed to give children the experience of selling a product or service. Parents of younger children (under eight years old) may sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for set up, customer interaction, and sales. Parents may aid a child, but the child runs the business.
Learn more about participating at childrensbusinessfair.org/pahala. Visit Kaʻū Children's Business Fair's Facebook event page facebook.com/KAUCBF/. RSVP to the event at facebook.com/events/925342784527676/. Text KAUKIDSFAIR to 31996 for updates and information (message and data fees may apply).
Sign Up to Vend at the New ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Nāʻālehu Farmers Market, Wednesdays,
Register for Volcano's ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and Keiki Dash by Wednesday, July 22. The second annual event will be held on Saturday, July 25. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to University of Hawaiʻi
Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
Packet pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 in Hilo ; Friday, July 26 in Volcano; and Saturday, July 27, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. at the race start.
Half Marathon will start at 7 a.m. Other distances follow shortly after. Keiki Dash will begin at 10 a.m. on VSAS grounds. Race cut-off time for the Half Marathon is four hours. The races will begin and end in Volcano Village
Cultural Understanding Through Art & the Environment, features classes on block printing, lauhala weaving, ti leaf lei making, and more. A free guided Cultural Forest Tour, and a Mele and Hula ‘Auana performance are also slated. Visit the website events calendar for the full lineup. volcanoartcenter.org
Tūtū & Me Home Visiting Program is a free service to Pāhala families with keiki, birth to five years old. This caregiver support program offers those taking care of young keiki "a compassionate listening ear, helpful parenting tips and strategies, fun and exciting activities, and wonderful educational resources" from Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool. Home visits are one hour in length, two to four times per month, for 12 to 15 visits. Snacks are provided. See pidfoundation.org or call 808-938-1088.
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.
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