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| Wayne Kawachi of ʻO Kaʻū Kākou gave out free fish for kūpuna and the less fortunate today near the bus stop in Pāhala. Photo by Julia Neal |
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| Wayne Kawachi and Harley Kaniho at this week's fresh fish giveaway in Nāʻālehu for kūpuna and the less fortunate. Photo by Jana Kaniho |
SEE EASTER TAKEOUT MEALS OFFERED BY RESTAURANTS in Ka`u and Volcano on the
Fresh Food on The Ka`u Calendar directory.
OVER $4 MILLION IN EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDS from U.S. Department of Education will go to University of Hawaiʻi Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College. Sen. Mazie Hirono announced that higher education institutions across Hawaiʻi will receive $31 million from DOE – including $15 million to provide direct emergency cash grants for students. The funds can be used to cover critical expenses related to cost of attendance like housing, food, health care, child care, and other education-related expenses. Last month, Congress approved this funding to provide institutions with flexible resources to support students.
UH-Hilo will receive $2,994,725. Hawaiʻi Community College will receive $1,147,226. Announcements about additional institution-level funding are expected from the Department of Education in the coming weeks.
Hirono said, "The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the lives of thousands of students in Hawaiʻi and millions more across the country. This funding will provide urgently-needed support to students and ease some of the financial burden they are experiencing. I will continue to advocate for additional relief for students in the weeks and months ahead."
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KAʻŪ SEED LIBRARY is free to join, and Kaʻū residents are welcome to request seeds. Operated by Ray and Sandra-Lee Sundstrom for the past two years out of the Nāʻālehu Public Library, the mission of their outreach is to provide free vegetable seeds to the families of Kaʻū. The Sundstroms toldThe Kaʻū Calendar that the Seed Library is "largely a labor of love." However, the Seed Library recently received a small grant from the University of Hawaiʻi Extension service, through the West Hawaiʻi Master Gardener program, of which the Sundstroms are members.
Since the library is closed, the Kaʻū Seed Library has moved online, to facebook.com/groups/222541412156096/?ref=share. The library offers a "health safe, drive through pickup" in Ocean View. In the past two weeks, said the Sundstroms, over 80 families have received nearly 400 packets of seeds. "We would like to offer the opportunity for families in Nāʻālehu and Pāhala to benefit from the Kaʻū Seed Library. Our seed distributions are weekly, on Saturday. If there is interest, a pickup event in Nāʻālehu and one in Pāhala could be organized."
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TWO MORE COVID-19 CASES ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND were reported on Saturday, April 11. Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense reported 31 people have tested positive for COVI-19 on Hawaiʻi Island since Feb. 28. Department of Health has cleared 25 of those cases as recovered. The remaining six are quarantined at home, "being carefully monitored by your Department of Health." On Hawaiʻi Island, no one who tested positive was hospitalized; no one was reported to have died from the virus; and no cases have been reported from Volcano or Kaʻū.
Worldwide, Johns Hopkins counts more than 1.76 million people as victims of COVID-19. The death toll is more than 108,000. The recovery total is more than 400,000. There are cases reported in over 200 countries.
PEOPLE LIVING IN HAWAIʻI RANK FIRST in the search for payday loans, and third in searching for loans overall, according to a recent analysis by WalletHub. However, Hawaiʻi ranks 42nd in searching for home equity loans, during these economically stressful times. The WalletHub report called States Where People Need Loans the Most Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, ranks South Carolina and District of Columbia first and second; Virginia, Alabama, and New York rank third, fourth, and fifth. Hawaiʻi ranks 18th among states and D.C.
WalletHub sums up its report: "The coronavirus pandemic has deeply disrupted the U.S. economy, which in turn has hurt the incomes of many Americans. Businesses have been forced to lay off workers as they struggle to survive during the crisis, which led to a record 10 million Americans applying for unemployment benefits during the month of March. Consequently, as the market struggles and unemployment climbs, there has also been a surge in the number of Americans interested in borrowing via various types of loans.
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"Americans who are having trouble with their finances during the COVID-19 pandemic are searching for all sorts of options to relieve the pressure, from personal loans to home equity loans to payday loans. However, people's interest in getting these types of loans varies from state to state. In order to determine the states where people are searching for loans the most during the pandemic, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across four key metrics. These metrics combine internal credit report data with data on Google search increases for three loan-related terms.
"Greater interest in getting a loan indicates that more people in the state are struggling to make ends meet. It also implies there may be more strain on the state's public assistance programs in the near future, and the state may experience a deeper recession than others will." See the complete report.
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Kelly said adequate supply of electricity isn't something customers should worry about for the duration of the emergency. "Especially with consumption down, we have plenty of generation resources available," he said.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption is certain. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.
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.
Boston for the Specialty Coffee Association of America's annual convention, Kaʻū was represented by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association President Chris Manfredi, Kaʻū Coffee Mill's Lou Daniele and Liko Keolanui, Rusty's 100% Kaʻū Coffee's Ralph Gaston, and Kaʻū Mountain Coffee Farm's Alla Kostenko. They joined other Hawaiʻi coffee growers at the Hawaiʻi Coffee Association booth.
Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com. However, all non-essential activities are canceled through the end of April.
MOST EVENTS ARE CANCELLED for the month of April, to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state is under a stay-at-home order, with l4 days of quarantine required for anyone coming into the state. Interisland travel is restricted. Those in Hawaiʻi should stay at home unless needing to obtain food or medical care.
Find a listing of local fresh food at kaunewsbriefs.blogspot
.com/2020/04/food-sources-on-kau-calendar.html.
St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.
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The Food Basket Food Pantries Distribution, where families can receive 14 days of food per family:Sacred Heart Church 95-558 Mamālahoa Hwy , under their Loaves and Fishes program, on Thursday, April 9 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Call 928-8208.
Cooper Center 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is operated by The Food Basket. Call 808-933-6030.
The Next Learning Packet and Student Resource Distribution for Nāʻālehu Elementary School Students will be Monday, April 13. The packets are designed for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be picked up every two weeks. One family member may pick up for several students in the same family. Students need not be present for the learning resources to be retrieved. Please note the grade of each child. Distribution times are organized by the first letter of the student's last name at the site closest to their home. Supplies will be given out simultaneously.![]()
The Discovery Harbour Community Center 9:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. for A-H, 9:50 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. for I-P, and 10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for Q-Z.Ocean View Community Center 5 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. for A-H, 5:20 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. for I-P, and 5:40 p.m. - 6 p.m. for Q-Z.
Kaʻū Art Gallery is looking for local artists. Call 808-937-1840.
Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. The Park is closed until further notice due to COVID-19 spread mitigation. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the Park and center reopen, and is available online for free download.
KAʻŪ SEED LIBRARY is free to join, and Kaʻū residents are welcome to request seeds. Operated by Ray and Sandra-Lee Sundstrom for the past two years out of the Nāʻālehu Public Library, the mission of their outreach is to provide free vegetable seeds to the families of Kaʻū. The Sundstroms toldThe Kaʻū Calendar that the Seed Library is "largely a labor of love." However, the Seed Library recently received a small grant from the University of Hawaiʻi Extension service, through the West Hawaiʻi Master Gardener program, of which the Sundstroms are members.
Since the library is closed, the Kaʻū Seed Library has moved online, to facebook.com/groups/222541412156096/?ref=share. The library offers a "health safe, drive through pickup" in Ocean View. In the past two weeks, said the Sundstroms, over 80 families have received nearly 400 packets of seeds. "We would like to offer the opportunity for families in Nāʻālehu and Pāhala to benefit from the Kaʻū Seed Library. Our seed distributions are weekly, on Saturday. If there is interest, a pickup event in Nāʻālehu and one in Pāhala could be organized."
Here's how ordering and getting seeds works: Every Monday, a new list of available seeds will be published on Facebook. It is a private group; one must join to see posts. The list of seeds shows up as an Announcement on the page. The format to fill out a request is in the Announcements section on the page. Required information is date, last name, first name, phone number, mailing address, and five first-pick and two alternate see selections. Kaʻū Seed Library offers five options per family per week. The information should then be mailed to kauseedlibrary@gmail.com by Wednesday for pickup on Saturday in Ocean View. Confirmations are sent out Thursday afternoon.
The Kaʻū Seed Library Facebook page is where seed pickup location and time are posted, on Friday. For those who can't or shouldn't go to the pickup location, seeds can be mailed, on the following Monday.
General instructions for pickup are: at the tent, stay in the vehicle – no walk-ups – and tell the Sundstrom's the pickup name. Bonus points for those who write their name in large letters on a piece of paper to show them.
STAY HEALTHY AND INFORMED, urges the state Department of Health. DOH sent out a message this week with advice on how to maintain mental and physical health:
Keeping informed with the most current and accurate data on COVID-19 is important, but with the 'coconut wireless' in full-swing, it's also important to verify the source of information. With new details surrounding the virus always emerging, the state's COVID-19 website is the best place to start. Hawaiʻi Department of Health staff post updated information daily, including community resources, guidance, safeguards and more. Here are fast facts from the site: Some people infected by COVID-19 never develop any symptoms and don't feel sick. One in five people who contract COVID-19 need hospital care, while four in five are able to recover without hospitalization. Of the COVID-19 cases identified in Hawaiʻi, over 80 percent were residents returning from other areas. Protect yourself and your loved ones by staying informed. Check out hawaiicovid19.com today.
More information and answers to questions about COVID-19 can be found from the Aloha United Way call center. Staff are available to take calls from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. , seven days a week. Call 2-1-1 from anywhere in the state; text 877-275-6569; chat at auw211.org; or email info211@auw.org.
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| A wide variety of DIY face mask instructions can be found online. This guide, from thecraftpatchblog.com, gives instruction for a range of skills and supplies. |
On mental and emotional health, DOH offers the expanded 24-hour Crisis Line of Hawaiʻi: "Is the pandemic making you feel depressed or anxious? Worried about what the stay-at-home order means for your job and your mounting bills? You are not alone. If you need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to reach out to someone you trust. If you need extra support, the Hawaii Department of Health has expanded its Crisis Line. Call 800-753-6879, or text the word ALOHA to 741741, any time of day. Staff are ready 24/7."
Recommendations on staying physically healthy now include everyone wearing (cloth) face masks in public. DOH offers instruction on how to properly clean cloth face masks:
As we all make, purchase and, most importantly, strap on face masks before heading outside to complete our essential tasks, a logical question is: "How do I properly wash and sanitize my masks, and how often?" Speaking at recent City and County of Honolulu Kuakini Medical Center
Civil Defense director Talmadge Magno thanks Premier Medical Group and Bay Clinic for performing free COVID-19 testing today in Hilo . "Know that early testing means early detection, early care, protection of loved ones, and our community. Keeping within the policies of Stay at Home, social distancing, and gathering, do maintain the best physical and emotional health that you can. Get your exercise, fresh air, lots of water, and keep connected to your kūpuna. Text, phone, send a birthday card even if it's not their special day, make it so. Thank you for listening and have a beautiful day. This is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense."
According to Johns Hopkins University U.S. has recorded more than 525,000 cases. The death toll is more than 20,000. More than 30,000 people have recovered.
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| Civil Defense director Talmadge Magno. Photo from Big Island Video News |
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.
PEOPLE LIVING IN HAWAIʻI RANK FIRST in the search for payday loans, and third in searching for loans overall, according to a recent analysis by WalletHub. However, Hawaiʻi ranks 42nd in searching for home equity loans, during these economically stressful times. The WalletHub report called States Where People Need Loans the Most Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, ranks South Carolina and District of Columbia first and second; Virginia, Alabama, and New York rank third, fourth, and fifth. Hawaiʻi ranks 18th among states and D.C.
WalletHub sums up its report: "The coronavirus pandemic has deeply disrupted the U.S. economy, which in turn has hurt the incomes of many Americans. Businesses have been forced to lay off workers as they struggle to survive during the crisis, which led to a record 10 million Americans applying for unemployment benefits during the month of March. Consequently, as the market struggles and unemployment climbs, there has also been a surge in the number of Americans interested in borrowing via various types of loans.
"Greater interest in getting a loan indicates that more people in the state are struggling to make ends meet. It also implies there may be more strain on the state's public assistance programs in the near future, and the state may experience a deeper recession than others will." See the complete report.
A "SIGNIFICANT DROP" IN ELECTRICITY USAGE was reported this week by Hawaiian Electric. The utility states the drop in demand is due to no tourism activities and the closure of non-essential businesses. For Hawaiʻi Island, the average system peak demand for the week of March 22 was seven percent less than in previous weeks.
Jim Kelly, vice president of corporate relations at Hawaiian Electric, said, "Such fast and pronounced changes in demand are something we haven't seen before and they're a measure of how quickly business activity and individual behavior were affected by the pandemic. Hawaiʻi reflects the trends that utilities everywhere are seeing as economies adjust to the impacts of COVID-19."
Kelly said adequate supply of electricity isn't something customers should worry about for the duration of the emergency. "Especially with consumption down, we have plenty of generation resources available," he said. Related to the reduction in electricity demand is a huge drop in particulate emissions worldwide. University of Chicago China . Details can be found at epic.uchicago.edu/area-of-focus/covid-19/.
Hawaiian Electric remains operational for generation, emergency repairs, and utility maintenance and construction. Other activities – including customer service information and payment processing, customer installations, and rooftop solar application processing—remain available online, by phone or mail.
Service disconnections have been suspended through May 17. Customers having difficulty paying their bills due to the coronavirus pandemic are encouraged to contact the company to make a payment arrangement. The quickest way to start the process is to fill out and submit a Payment Arrangement Request Form at hawaiianelectric.com/customerserviceoptions.
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The degassing lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of geologist Janet Babb, who later co-produced a video about the summit eruption. The lava lake drained away in 2018 as the summit crater collapsed, but the video, USGS General Information Product 182, can still be viewed online. Babb recently retired from HVO. USGS photo |
JANET BABB, Geologist and Media Liaison for U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, retired at the end of March. In a message to the media, Babb said, "I've enjoyed working with you through the years. We certainly weathered some challenging times together -- most recently the events of 2018. Thank you for your help disseminating HVO's updates and information on Hawaiian volcanoes and earthquakes to the public. Keep up the good work!
"I didn't plan to end my HVO career amid a global pandemic (not the exit I had in mind), but that's where we are. So, I wish you all the best, and hope that you're taking care and staying healthy."
This week's Volcano Watch, Aloha and Happy Retirement to Janet Babb, , written by USGS HVO scientists and affiliates, is dedicated to her work:
With heavy heart, the USGS HVO bids aloha to Janet Babb, outreach geologist and educator extraordinaire who retired from federal service in late March. Because of her dedication and guidance over the years, HVO is well-positioned to carry on a tradition of quality media and public engagement.
Janet's love for volcanoes and Hawaiʻi have been evident in everything she's done since first coming to the island in 1990. Her previous work as an elementary school teacher, University of Hawaiʻi Hilo geology lecturer, Hawaiʻi Volcano Geoventures owner and guide, and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park interpretive exhibits specialist set the stage for great accomplishments at HVO.
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This photo shows the southern portion of Kīlauea Caldera, and was taken from the water pond observation area on the west caldera rim. The photo gives a sense of the scale of the 2018 collapse. A portion of present on the lower block, which was originally level with the remainder of dropped approximately 80 meters (260 feet), but other parts of the caldera floor dropped more than 500 meters (1600 feet). The scarp formed during the 2018 collapse sequence. Most of the large Halema‘uma‘u parking lot disintegrated during the 2018 collapses, but a tiny portion remains at the base of the talus slope. USGS photo by M. Patrick |
Awards for Janet's professional work started long before her arrival at HVO. In 2001, she received the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau's Keep it HawaiʻiKahili Award for her contributions to public education about Hawaiian volcanoes through Project LAVA (Learning About Volcanic Activity), a week-long teacher workshop that she developed and coordinated from 1995 through 2002.
Janet volunteered at HVO for many years before being hired in 2008 to help the Observatory manage public information during Kīlauea 's first summit eruption since 1982. The appearance of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u made local, national, and international news, and HVO needed someone knowledgeable in Hawaiian volcanology and geologic history to handle the multitude of media requests. Then Deputy Scientist-in-Charge Steve Brantley suggested that Janet fill that role, a challenge she accepted, initially as a volunteer and later as a permanent USGS employee.
News coverage of Hawaiian volcanoes had been handled directly by HVO leaders and scientists since the observatory's founding in 1912. But with the advent of 21st century around-the-clock news cycles and internet-based radio, television, and social media, HVO needed help. Already hard-pressed in 2008 to keep up with media interest in the continuing Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption, the onset of Kīlauea 's summit lava lake only ramped up the pressure.
As the first person to formally occupy such a role explicitly at HVO, Janet defined the niche by creating and sharing protocols to guide HVO scientists during interviews and public presentations. With the greater good of Hawaiʻi communities and HVO always in mind, she sought better and more creative ways to share HVO messages about Hawaiian volcanoes and earthquakes.
One of her most successful endeavors began in 2010, when she convinced Hawaiʻi County to proclaim January as Volcano Awareness Month. From then through 2020, she organized a month-long series of public programs – talks, hikes, poster sessions, and other means of community interaction – each January, with HVO staff and affiliates providing the presentations. Over the years, Volcano Awareness Month has done much to prepare island residents for future volcanic eruptions and to share HVO scientists' passion for their work.
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No major changes were observed at pond continues its slow rise. The western portion of the pond had a greenish hue when this photo was taken, which is a slight change from the last observation on April 6, but still within the range of normal variations observed in recent months. USGS photo by M. Patrick |
Aware that many people could not get close to lava flows in hazardous closed areas, Janet worked with her counterparts at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense to organize special media events to help bring the inside story of Kīlauea eruptions to the world. She also kept HVO's award-winning Volcano Watch essay series alive, editing weekly submissions and encouraging staff to keep writing articles about volcanoes and earthquakes.
When Kīlauea 's summit lava lake became a mesmerizing center of attention in Hawaiʻi, Janet conceived of and co-produced a 24-minute video that incorporated stunning visuals and informative commentary by HVO scientists, as well as the geologic history and cultural context of Halema‘uma‘u. The award-winning video stands as a reminder of what once existed at the summit of Kīlauea .
Then came 2018. Janet handled the initial unprecedented media onslaught and then worked with communication professionals from other USGS offices throughout the summer to provide a steady stream of information about Kīlauea 's lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit collapses to media outlets near and far. In the aftermath, Janet recorded HVO staff recounting their experiences during the 2018 events, video footage that now awaits thoughtful weave into the eruption story of our generation – another example of the creative communicator that she is.
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This photo, taken on April 9 from the KWcam webcam site, shows the green color in the western portion of view to the April 6 photo, when the western end of the pond was more brown in color. The significance of color differences is not fully understood but variations in color have been commonly observed. USGS photo by M. Patrick |
HVO will deeply miss Janet as a colleague and friend. Her passion, talents, and dedication helped us all to be better communicators. HVO is proud to have had her represent us to our island communities and the world, and we wish her all the best in retirement.
Volcano Activity Updates
Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL (https://volcanoes.usgs.
gov/vhp/about_alerts.html).
Kīlauea updates are issued monthly.Kīlauea monitoring data over the past month showed no significant changes in seismicity, sulfur dioxide emission rates, or deformation. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continued to slowly expand and deepen.
gov/vhp/about_alerts.html).
Kīlauea updates are issued monthly.
Since August 2019, USGS HVO has recorded over 5,900 earthquakes beneath Kīlauea 's lower Southwest Rift Zone in a cluster about 6 mi (10 km) wide near the town of Pāhala . These earthquakes are occurring 15-25 mi (25-40 km) below the surface. Deep earthquakes of this type do not generally pose a hazard from ground-shaking. Most earthquakes in the sequence have been magnitude-2 or lower, and most have not been felt by residents.
Clustering of deep earthquakes in this region does not mean an eruption is imminent. HVO has recorded earthquakes in this area for many decades across several eruptive cycles at bothKīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. No correlation between seismic activity in this zone and volcanic activity at the surface has been established, although this is an important topic for future research.
Clustering of deep earthquakes in this region does not mean an eruption is imminent. HVO has recorded earthquakes in this area for many decades across several eruptive cycles at both
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This photo shows the fumarolic area on the south wall of Halema‘uma‘u, a crater within (yards) wide and individual gas vents can be seen as small black holes surrounded by the yellow sulfur deposits. No major changes have been observed in this area. USGS photo by M. Patrick |
This past week, about 37 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa ; the strongest was a magnitude-2.3 earthquake on the upper Southwest Rift Zone. Monitoring data showed that slow summit inflation continued and fumarole temperature and gas concentrations on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable.
Two earthquakes with 3 or more felt reports occurred in the Hawaiian Islands this past week: a magnitude-3.1 earthquake 6 km (4 mi) NE of Pāhala at 31 km (19 mi) depth on April 8 at 01:27 a.m. and a magnitude-3.0 earthquake 7 km (4 mi) S of Kapa‘au at 12 km (7 mi) depth on April 6 at 02:13 p.m.
HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa .
Visit HVO's website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
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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Kaʻū Coffee joined the Hawaiʻi Coffee Association at the Specialty Coffee Association of America Convention in Association President Chris Manfredi, and other volunteers. Photo by Liko Keolanui |
Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year
Last year, this time, Kaʻū Coffee was on a business trip with the Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Traveling to Kaʻū Coffee farmers, processors and brokers were scheduled to travel to the convention again this year in Portland, Oregon but the COVID-19 pandemic led them to stay at home.
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Madeline Longorio Garcia, with a longtime connection to Kaʻū Coffee, the Community Coordinator for SCAA. Photo by Alla Kostenko |
The annual SCAA event has helped with the development of the Kaʻū Coffee market for many years, in cities from Boston to Seattle, Portland, Anaheim, and Dallas.
Kaʻū Coffee farmers won many international awards and Kaʻū Coffee was used in winning barista competitions.
Last year, Madeleine Longorio Garcia, who formerly lived and worked in the coffee industry in Kaʻū, was elected as Community Coordinator for the national SCAA organization. A post from the Hawaiʻi Coffee Association said, "She will work on bringing more recognition to Hawaiʻi coffee professionals, giving a voice to our local industry on a national level."
Kaʻū Coffee farmers won many international awards and Kaʻū Coffee was used in winning barista competitions.
Last year, Madeleine Longorio Garcia, who formerly lived and worked in the coffee industry in Kaʻū, was elected as Community Coordinator for the national SCAA organization. A post from the Hawaiʻi Coffee Association said, "She will work on bringing more recognition to Hawaiʻi coffee professionals, giving a voice to our local industry on a national level."
Also put on hold this year is the annual Kaʻū Coffee Festival, with its farm tours, a hike along old plantation water systems, star gazing, Coffee & Cattle Day, and a coffee inspired dinner at Kaʻū Mountain Forest Farm, leading up to the Hoʻolauleʻa, Coffee College, and many other activities.
Kaʻū Life: The Way Were Last Year is a weekend online feature of The Kaʻū Calendar newspaper.
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Read online at kaucalendar.com. See Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.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.
Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com. However, all non-essential activities are canceled through the end of April.
MOST EVENTS ARE CANCELLED for the month of April, to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state is under a stay-at-home order, with l4 days of quarantine required for anyone coming into the state. Interisland travel is restricted. Those in Hawaiʻi should stay at home unless needing to obtain food or medical care.
Find a listing of local fresh food at kaunewsbriefs.blogspot
.com/2020/04/food-sources-on-kau-calendar.html.
ONGOING
Free Breakfast and Lunch for Anyone Eighteen and Under is available at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary and at Nāʻālehu Elementary weekdays through at least the end of April. Each youth must be present to receive a meal. Service is drive-up or walk-up, and social distancing rules (at least six feet away) are observed. Breakfast is served 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Food is being delivered to Ocean View.
St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.
The Food Basket Food Pantries Distribution, where families can receive 14 days of food per family: The Ocean View location for Tuesday, April 14 will be held at the lot across from St. Jude's Episcopal Church, 92-8606 Paradise Mauka Circle, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Nāʻālehu location is The Pāhala location is Kaʻū District Gym at 96-1149 Kamani Street , distributed by the ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Pantry, on Thursday, April 30 at 11:30 a.m. Call 933-6030.
The Volcano location is Cooper Center 19-4030 Wright Road Thursday, April 30 at 3:30 p.m. Call Kehau at 443-4130.
A Free Dinner for Those in Need is served at Volcano Cooper Center 19-4030 Wright Road every Thursday, by Friends Feeding Friends, between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The Next Learning Packet and Student Resource Distribution for Nāʻālehu Elementary School Students will be Monday, April 13. The packets are designed for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be picked up every two weeks. One family member may pick up for several students in the same family. Students need not be present for the learning resources to be retrieved. Please note the grade of each child. Distribution times are organized by the first letter of the student's last name at the site closest to their home. Supplies will be given out simultaneously.
Everyone is asked to observe social distancing rules, staying 6 feet away from others during pick-up. See the school website, naalehuel.hidoe.us, for more information and updates.
Distribution in the Nāʻālehu area is at Nāʻālehu Elementary, Waiʻōhinu, and Discovery Harbour Community Center Kahuku Park Ocean View Community Center
At Nāʻālehu Elementary, campus pick-up will be from 9 a.m - 9:20 a.m. for A-H; 9:20 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. for I-P, and 9:40 a.m. - 10 a.m. for Q-Z.
The Waiʻōhinu pick-up: 8 a.m. - 8:20 a.m. for A-H, 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.
The Morning distribution at Kahuku Park 8 a.m. - 8:20 a.m. for A-H, 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.
Evening distribution at Kahuku Park 5 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. for A-H, 5:20 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. for I-P, and 5:40 p.m. - 6 p.m. for Q-Z.
Times for distribution in front of Malama Market are: 9:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. for A-H, 9:50 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. for I-P, and 10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for Q-Z.
Kaʻū Art Gallery is looking for local artists. Call 808-937-1840.
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 for furthering research of Rapid ‘Ōhiʻa Death and The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences. See webscorer.com to register.
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.
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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, with the option of one or two laps – about 300 meters or 600 meters. Race cut-off time for the Half Marathon is four hours. The races will begin and end in Volcano Village
See ohialehuahalf.com.
See ohialehuahalf.com.
Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. The Park is closed until further notice due to COVID-19 spread mitigation. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the Park and center reopen, and is available online for free download.
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