THE WATCH IS ON AT PUNALU'U BLACK SAND BEACH FOR THE HATCHING OF HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLES. Turtle Project representatives, county lifeguards and Malama Pono Punalu'u organization led by Guy Enriques are guarding three nests of the endangered hawksbills. The last time that hawksbills nested at Punalu'u was five years ago. The nests are once again near the lifeguard stand.
Hawksbill turtles live out at sea and come in to shore to make nests and lay eggs that they cover with sand. The hatchlings climb out of the sand and scurry out to the sea where many are eaten by fish and a few make it to adulthood. On land in the sand, the eggs, unless guarded, are often eaten by the mongoose, stray cats and other animals.
Kaʻū High & Pahala Elementary middle school students assisted by teacher Jennifer Johansen, build signs for the protection of Punalu'u and its natural resources, They were installed in July and one of them says, "Let the Honu Rest."
Punalu'u is the subject of a Request for Proposals from the Hawai'i Tourism Authority that noted Punalu'u needs protection of the place and education for visitors. HTA proposes to fund a stewardship program. See more in last Wednesday's Ka'u News Briefs or see and download the application and Request for Proposals at visit hvcb.org. Proposals are due by 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 18 to IHVB Destination Manager Rachel Kaiama at rkaiama@hvcb.org. For more info, call (808) 294-1737 or email rkaiama@hvcb.org.
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ORGANIZERS OF THE FOURTH ANNUAL VOLCANO'S 'OHIA LEHUA RUNS on Saturday reported
Monday that the 5K and Half-Marathon drew 300 people who lined up to race through Volcano Village with temperatures in the 60s and not a cloud in the sky. It was the opening act for the Experience Volcano Festival.
Billy Barnett won the men's Half-Marathon and Summer Corke won the Women's. Lyman Perry took first in the Men's 5K and Tessa Miller took first in the Women's. See the list of all top winners and times in last Saturday's Kaʻū News Briefs at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023_07_29_archive.html.
See all the times for the Half-Marathon and 5K at https://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-72105?lc=en.
Billy Barnett won the Half-Marathon in Volcano's Ohia Lehua Runs last Saturday. Photos Courtesy of Hawai'i Sports Photography/MickeyBrown |
Billy Barnett won the men's Half-Marathon and Summer Corke won the Women's. Lyman Perry took first in the Men's 5K and Tessa Miller took first in the Women's. See the list of all top winners and times in last Saturday's Kaʻū News Briefs at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023_07_29_archive.html.
See all the times for the Half-Marathon and 5K at https://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-72105?lc=en.
David Collier (3rd place), Patrick Stover (2nd place), Bethany Ann Pratt (2nd place), Summer Corke (1st place), Jaime Meaden (3rd place). |
Race Director Keely McGhee said," We can't say enough wonderful things about all of the runners who came out again this year. There was such a phenomenal vibe, people just being so happy to experience all that Volcano running is. And being a part of the Experience Volcano Festival is just the icing on the cake. Thank you to everyone that made the day possible, especially The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences who has been our host venue for the past four years."
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Five thousand in the mail, 2,500 on the street.
See the July edition of The Kaʻū Calendar Newspaper
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