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| Kaʻū's Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley in the field last Fall. See below, to give input into the future of school sports and education. Photo by Tim Wright, Kaʻū '77 |
THE UNITED STATES REACHED ANOTHER COVID-19 MILESTONE IN THE LAST DAY. TWO MILLION CASES have been confirmed since the beginning of the pandemic. The death toll is over 113,000. Worldwide, more than seven million have contracted COVID-19. The death toll is over 405,000.
Hawaiʻi Island has no new cases today, and none in almost two weeks. All 81 COVID-19 victims on Hawaiʻi Island recovered. No one died here. There was only one overnight hospitalization. Only one new case is reported in the state today. It's on Oʻahu. However, 21 cases were confirmed statewide in the last three days.
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| Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. White is zero cases. Yellow is one to five cases. Light orange (not pictured) is six to ten cases. Dark orange (not pictured) is 11 to 20 cases. Red (not pictured) is 21 to 50 cases. Hawaiʻi Department of Health map |
Oʻahu has reported 442 cases, Kauaʻi 21 cases, and Maui County 120 cases. Twelve cases are residents who were diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 676 people have been confirmed positive for the virus since the pandemic began. Seventeen people died.
The daily message from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno says, "In moving forward, know that the Coronavirus threat is still out there and we must continue to not only follow the preventive policies to protect our community, but to get better. Please continue doing your part to stop this virus. Thank you for listening and have a safe day. This is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency."KAʻŪ HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES are ready to go but awaiting schedules and rules for practice and play from the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, said Athletic Director Kalei Namohala. Regular Fall sports are football, girls volleyball, and cross-country. They usually include practices and tournaments, but all that is on pause during the pandemic.
Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald writer Kevin Jakahi reports Lyle Crozier, BIIF's executive director, saying the league needs Department of Education approval to set a practice and game schedules. Crozier also predicted streamlining of the season. "We're forecasting a 50 percent budget cut. We may go with an East-West schedule to save on transportation costs." Crozier told the Tribune-Herald.
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| Kaʻū High Athletic Director Kalei Namohala. Photo from Kaʻū High |
The league is looking at a 10-week schedule for competition with a Sept. 1 start date. A football training camp could begin Aug. 17, reports Jakahi. "Football is a tricky situation. It's a contact sport, but the BIIF is thinking about practicing in pods of five players and crossing its fingers when it's game time. If one player tested positive for the coronavirus, then the four others would have to be quarantined," writes Jakahi.
Crozier told Jakahi that beyond sports, the structure and timing of in-person classes at the high schools are yet to be determined. Discussion between parents and athletic directors "would be pivotal… If a child is sick or has a cold," he or she has to stay home. "The parents are really crucial in this. They would help out a lot not sending their child to practice or school." A "tolerance number," which would determine if "everything gets shut down," is also needed. Advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National High School Federation, and state Department of Health will offer guidance.
Crozier told Jakahi that he questions, "How many people will we allow in one area? We haven't talked about playing without fans. We might televise. Some schools have the capability to live stream. Maybe some schools will invest in that."
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| Last year's Kaʻū High Trojans Girls Volleyball team, playing hard. Photo by Julia Neal |
KAʻŪ HIGH & PĀHALA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL sent out a letter today, asking families of students to give their input in order to help make plans for the Summer and coming school year. The survey asks how the Department of Education can "enhance" their support and identify "gap areas." The survey was sent out to all state DOE educators and eligible secondary students.
An additional family survey will be sent by the DOE and should be received soon, says the message from DOE, seen at khpes.org/news.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
HAWAIʻI RANKS NUMBER ONE IN COVID-19 IMPACTS IN SEVERAL METRICS. According to a WalletHub analysis released today, Hawaiʻi ties with Nevada as most affected by job losses from the pandemic. Hawaiʻi ranks first in losses to its Gross Domestic Product from accommodations and food service, and in overall rentals, leasing, and real estate sales. In losses to overall GDP, Hawaiʻi ranks third, after Florida and Vermont, and just ahead of Maine and Nevada. States with the least affected GDP are Delaware, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and Kansas. Hawaiʻi ranks 15th in losses from Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; 18th in Retail Trade; 19th in Other Services (except Government and Government Enterprise); and 23rd in Educational Services.WalletHub also reports Hawaiʻi with the lowest percentage of workers with access to paid sick leave, tying with
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
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To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar 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.
Cooper Center 19-4030 Wright Road on Wednesday, June 24.![]()
Pāhala's Kaʻū District Gym at 96-1149 Kamani Street on Tuesday, June 30.
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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A MESSAGE OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING for Hawaiʻi's people and wildlife, in response to recent protests about racial inequity, comes from Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi. Signing it are Rachel Sprague, PhD., Board President; Moana Bjur, Executive Director; and Jonee Peters; Operations and Events Director. It says, "CCH has been the voice for Hawaiʻi's wildlife for the past 70 years. We believe in the concept of 'ola ka ʻāina, ola ke kanaka,' that the health and well-being of our environment is inseparable from the health and well-being of people and communities locally and globally. We add our voice in support of equity and justice. CCH stands with communities here in Hawaiʻi and across the country, and calls for an end to police brutality and systemic racism in all its forms."
GROWERS ARE URGED TO ADVOCATE FOR HAWAIʻI CROPS TO BE LISTED IN THE CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Andrea Kawabata, a University of Hawaiʻi 9 a.m.
The Coronavirus Food Assistance Webinar for Specialty Crop Producers can bring growers and industry organizations together to urge inclusion of their Hawaiʻi-grown crops.
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Kawabata urges individual farmers to make comments. "One well-supported comment is often more influential than a thousand form letters," says Kawabata. See Tips for Submitting Effective Comments.
Submit comments by June 22. The CFAP helps agricultural producers impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Submit comments by June 22. The CFAP helps agricultural producers impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Comments can be submitted online, or by mail by, June 22. Go to regulations.gov/document?D=FSA-2020-0004-0003 or mail to: Director, SND, FSA , U.S. 1400 Independence Avenue SW , Stop 0522, Washington , DC 20250-0522
Questions? Contact William L. Beam, (202) 720-3175 or email Bill.Beam@usda.gov. Persons with disabilities or who require alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA Target Center
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Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout. 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. |
Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.
ONGOING
Free COVID-19 Screenings are at Bay Clinic during business hours, with appointment. Call 333-3600.
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A wide selection of fresh vegetables and fruits, prepared take away foods, assorted added value foods, breads and baked goods, honey, cheese, grass-fed beef, fish, vegetable plants, masks, handmade soaps, coffee, and more are offered on various days. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374, for more and to apply to vend.
Volcano Farmers Market at Cooper Center on Wright Road, off of Old Volcano Highway, is open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.
The Food Basket's ʻOhana Food Drop is available once a month at four Kaʻū and Volcano locations. People can receive a multi-day supply of shelf-stable and fresh food, depending on supply. Call The Food Basket at 933-6030 for Pāhala and Volcano or at 322-1418 for Nāʻālehu or Ocean View. Food can be picked up from 10 a.m. until pau – supplies run out – at: The next drive-thru screening at Nāʻālehu Community Center will be held Wednesday, June 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Screening will be carried out by Aliʻi Health, with support from County of Hawai‘i COVID-19 Task Force, Premier Medical Group and Pathways Telehealth.
A testing team from Aloha Critical Care in Kona will provide testing at St. Jude's every other Wednesday. The next date is June 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wearing masks is required for everyone. Those visiting screening clinics will be asked to show photo ID, and any health insurance cards – though health insurance is not required to be tested. They are also asked to bring their own pen to fill in forms.
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To bypass the screening queue at community test sites, patients can call ahead to Pathways Telehealth, option 5 at 808-747-8321. The free clinic will also offer on-site screening to meet testing criteria. Physicians qualify those for testing, under the guidance of Center for Disease Control & Prevention and Hawaiʻi's COVID-19 Response Task Force.
For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.
ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market in Nāʻālehu is open three days per week – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – from 8 a.m. to noon. The goal is no more than 50 customers on the grounds at a time. Vendor booths per day are limited to 25, with 30 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing are required to attend the market. Social distancing will be enforced.A testing team from Aloha Critical Care in Kona will provide testing at St. Jude's every other Wednesday. The next date is June 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wearing masks is required for everyone. Those visiting screening clinics will be asked to show photo ID, and any health insurance cards – though health insurance is not required to be tested. They are also asked to bring their own pen to fill in forms.
To bypass the screening queue at community test sites, patients can call ahead to Pathways Telehealth, option 5 at 808-747-8321. The free clinic will also offer on-site screening to meet testing criteria. Physicians qualify those for testing, under the guidance of Center for Disease Control & Prevention and Hawaiʻi's COVID-19 Response Task Force.For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.
Ocean View Swap Meet is open at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks are required for all vendors and patrons.
A wide selection of fresh vegetables and fruits, prepared take away foods, assorted added value foods, breads and baked goods, honey, cheese, grass-fed beef, fish, vegetable plants, masks, handmade soaps, coffee, and more are offered on various days. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374, for more and to apply to vend.Volcano Farmers Market at Cooper Center on Wright Road, off of Old Volcano Highway, is open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.
Free Breakfast and Lunch for Anyone Eighteen and Under is available at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary and at Nāʻālehu Elementary on weekdays (no holidays) through Friday, July 17. 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 from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Food is being delivered on Wednesdays to students in Green Sands, Discovery Harbour, and 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.
Nāʻālehu's Sacred Heart Church 95-558 Mamālahoa Hwy was June 1; the July date will be announced later.
Ocean View's Kahuku Park
Volcano's 
Pāhala's Kaʻū District Gym at On-Call Emergency Box Food Pantry is open at Cooper Center Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon. Call 967-7800 to confirm.
Enroll in Kua O Ka Lā's Hīpuʻu Virtual Academy for school year 2020-2021, grades four through eight. The Hawaiian Focused Charter School teaches with an emphasis on Hawaiian language and culture. The blended curriculum is offered through online instruction and community-based projects, with opportunities for face-to-face gatherings (with precautions), in an "Education with Aloha" environment.
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pono – right." The school aims to provide students with "the knowledge and skills, through Hawaiian values and place-based educational opportunities, that prepare receptive, responsive, and self-sustaining individuals that live 'ke ala pono.'"
See kuaokala.org to apply and to learn more about the school. Call 808-981-5866 or 808-825-8811, or email info@kuaokala.org for more.
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Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Public Libraries are Open for Pick-Up Services Only. Nāʻālehu is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala is open Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Library patrons schedule Library Take Out appointment times to pick up their hold item(s) at their favorite libraries by going to HSPLS Library Catalog and placing a hold on any item(s) they want to borrow, or they may call their favorite library branch to place a hold with the library staff. After receiving a notice that item(s) are ready for pick up, patrons schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. For patrons who placed holds during the closure, their item(s) are ready for pickup after the patron schedules a Library Take Out appointment. For more information, visit librarieshawaii.org.
Free Book Exchanges at the laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu are provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Everyone is invited to take books they want to read. They may keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them to the Book Exchange to make them available to others in the community. The selection of books is replenished weekly at both sites.
Make Reservations for Father's Day at Crater Rim Café in Kīlauea Military Camp for Sunday, June 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Seating limited due to social distancing. Dinner also available to go. The main course is Prime Rib and Vegetable Alfredo Pasta Bake, with side dishes and dessert, for $27.95 per person. Call 967-8356 for dine-in reservations, to-go orders, and current event information. KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.
Enroll in Kua O Ka Lā's Hīpuʻu Virtual Academy for school year 2020-2021, grades four through eight. The Hawaiian Focused Charter School teaches with an emphasis on Hawaiian language and culture. The blended curriculum is offered through online instruction and community-based projects, with opportunities for face-to-face gatherings (with precautions), in an "Education with Aloha" environment.
Kua O Ka Lā offers a specialized program that provides students with core curriculum, content area, and electives in-keeping with State of Hawaiʻi requirements. Combined with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and a place-based approach to education, from the early morning wehena – ceremonial school opening – Kua O Ka Lā students are encouraged to walk Ke Ala Pono – the right and balanced path.
The school's website says Kua O Ka Lā has adopted Ke Ala Pono "to describe our goal of nurturing and developing our youth. We believe that every individual has a unique potential and that it is our responsibility to help our students learn to work together within the local community to create a future that is
See kuaokala.org to apply and to learn more about the school. Call 808-981-5866 or 808-825-8811, or email info@kuaokala.org for more.
Free Book Exchanges at the laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu are provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Everyone is invited to take books they want to read. They may keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them to the Book Exchange to make them available to others in the community. The selection of books is replenished weekly at both sites.
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.
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.
