Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, May 2, 2021

    Hawai‘i Tribune Herald ran a story in April entitled "Thrilled to be back, Ka‘ū, Kea‘au work out the volleyball kinks." The feature by Matt Gerhart points out that players not only wear masks, they experience the sound and the substance of the net - encased in plastic. Another new protocol features washing the volleyballs regularly during the tournament. 

    An additional difference is that members of the Ka‘ū boys volleyball team are used to having a huge fan base at home, but these cheerleaders are unable to pile into the gym to wish them well during this time of COVID-19.
    Inspiration comes from the coach and players. Ortega told the Tribune Herald, “When I coach, I actually play, I challenge them fully. Friday, I scrimmaged them, with just one other person, and of course they smashed us. They love that, talking and taunting. It gets their ego up, so they can last through such things.”
    The event playing other teams was called the KKP Complex Boys Volleyball Scrimmage. During the first game the scores were Ka`u 25-Pahoa 23, followed by 25-18, 22-25 and 25- 17. During the second game the scores were Kaʻū 26-Kea‘au 24, followed by Kaʻū 14-25, 25-22, 20-25 and 15-13.



HELICOPTER FLIGHTS TO KAHUKU and other parts of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park will be carried out in May by working crews, with tasks ranging from moving fencing to cleaning up the backcountry and surveying vegetation and monitoring wildlife.
    May 3, 4, 7, 17, and 21, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., flights will lift personnel and fence material sling loads from the Kapapala Forest Reserve boundary at 4,300-ft. elevation to the Kahuku boundary around 7,200-ft. elevation.
    May 7, between 10 a.m. and noon flights will carry out removal of lua waste, beach trash and gear from ʻĀpua Point, Keauhou and Halapē coastal backcountry campsites, between sea level and 1,000-ft. elevation.

Fencing protects petrels that nest in burrows on the ground  and other endangered wildlife on Mauna Loa. NPS photo

    May 12, between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., flights will accommodate vegetation surveys in ʻŌlaʻa Tract and Kīlauea volcano’s East Rift Zone, between 2,500- and 4,500-ft. elevation.
    May 18 and 19, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., flights will assist with Hawaiian petrel monitoring on Mauna Loa between 6,000- and 9000-ft. elevation.
    May 19, between 8 a.m. and noon, an areal survey and control team will search for invasive banana poka on Mauna Loa between 5,000- and 6,400-ft. elevation.
In addition, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation.
     "The park regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather." A statement from the Park says, "Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities."