Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, April 30, 2015

Halau Hula Kalehuaki`eki`eika`iu, under the direction of Ab Valencia, is scheduled to perform at 9:15 a.m. during Saturday's Ka`u Coffee Festival Ho`olaule`a at Pahala Community Center. Photo by Julia Neal

HALEMA`UMA`U CRATER’S LAVA LAKE level began to drop after Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists record the start of deflationary tilt around 4 a.m. today. The lava lake level had been at or near the rim of the Overlook crater over the past day, with several brief episodes of lava overflowing a short distance onto the floor of the crater. Spattering had been common along the south margin of the lake over the past day. Yesterday at noon, the lava level was measured at two yards above the floor of Halema`uma`u. This morning, the lava level dropped slightly and is now several yards below yesterday’s measurement.

Following overflows of lava onto the floor of Halema`uma`u, lava has begun
to drop into the Overlook crater. Photo from USGS/HVO

HVO explained the current activity as “an increase in magma supply to the Kilauea Volcano magma reservoir or storage system, something that has occurred many times during the ongoing East Rift Zone eruption. Increased supply and shallow storage can explain the higher magma column in the Overlook crater, as well as the continuing inflation and elevated earthquake activity in the summit region. Higher volumes of magma moving throughout the summit and upper East Rift Zone pressurizes the reservoir and magma transport system and causes small earthquakes and inflationary tilt.”
Regarding what the future holds, HVO said, “As long as magma supply is elevated, we expect continued high lava lake levels accompanied by additional overflows. Lava from these overflows could cover more of the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater floor, form a perched lake, or result in some combination of these two processes. Spattering or lava fountaining sources can migrate across the surface of the lava lake, as recently observed. We expect continued rockfalls, intermittent explosions and ash fall and continued high levels of gas release.
“The evolution of unrest in the upper East Rift Zone is less certain. It is possible that a surge of lava will reach Pu`u `O`o and lava flow output will increase, both on the flanks and within the crater of Pu`u `O`o. It is also possible that lava will form a new vent at the surface. If this happens, it will most likely occur along a portion of the East Rift Zone between Pauahi Crater and Pu`u `O`o. Other outbreaks in the summit area or along either rift zone on Kilauea cannot be ruled out. If a new outbreak or surge in lava to Pu`u `O`o occurs, we will expect a drop in the summit lava lake.”
During HVO’s close monitoring of Kilauea Volcano, scientists are especially watching for any sign of unrest that may precede a new outbreak of lava or a change in output at either Pu`u `O`o or the summit Overlook crater vent.

See daily updates at hvo.wr.usgs.gov.

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Kakika Kastein

KA`U LEARNING ACADEMY STILL HAS openings for students to begin classes July 29. The charter school’s enrollment is currently above 80 percent, and the final lottery takes place June 30.
Academy staff includes two recently hired teachers.
Kalika Kastein joined the Peace Corps in 2011 as a computer literacy educator and immediately fell in love with teaching, later becoming an arts electives teacher as well. When she wasn’t teaching primary or secondary school, she worked on computer lab, library and microscope acquisition projects for local schools. After her service, Kastein worked for a community relations department at a Girl Scout World Centre in India before becoming a part of educational nonprofit WorldTeach in early 2014. With WorldTeach, she worked as an Admissions Coordinator and later as a Field Director in Chuuk, Micronesia where she not only trained and managed a team of 27 volunteer teachers, but also acted as an administrative assistant, substitute teacher and occasional bus driver for a local public school. She is a current Teach for America corps member working on her master’s in education from Johns Hopkins. She will teach English Language Arts at KLA.

Kalena Roark

Kalena Roark is a recent graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, where she majored in elementary education and learning behavioral disabilities. Throughout her time at Eastern, Roark was extremely involved within her campus and her community. She served as vice president of several collegiate honor societies, and in her senior year was elected president of Kappa Delta Pi Teacher’s Honor Society, where she devoted her time to volunteering and improving the educational experience of others. Roark was recognized for her outstanding achievements, being awarded the Outstanding Four-Year Member Award from Student Alumni Ambassadors, also receiving awards for being the most involved and most dedicated ambassador. Her devotion to education is apparent through four consecutive years of placement on the Dean’s and President’s list, as well as honors she received upon graduating. At KLA, the current Teach for America corps member will teach Social Studies.

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HAWAI`I STATE LEGISLATURE HAS PASSED a bill prohibiting powdered alcohol. SB 550 outlaws consumption, purchase, possession, selling, offering for sale, or otherwise distributing the substance that can be added to water to make alcoholic beverages.
Any person who violates the law is guilty of a misdemeanor.
The bill defines powdered alcohol as “a powdered or crystalline substance that contains any amount of alcohol for either direct use or reconstitution.”
Ka`u’s Sens. Josh Green and Russell Ruderman, who were managers during Senate Conference on the bill, voted in favor of the ban.
The bill now awaits Gov. David Ige’s signature.
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Ka`u High boys volleyball team begins BIIF play tomorrow.
Photo from Taylor's Sport Photography

FINISHING THEIR REGULAR SEASON with nine wins and four losses, Ka`u High boys volleyball team begins Big Island Interscholastic Federation play tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at Hilo Civic Auditorium.

The teams traveled to Hawai`i Prep Saturday, April 25. Junior varsity won in two straight sets, 25-12 and 25-19. Varsity lost in three straight sets, 17-25, 16-25 and 10-25.
Both teams won their only home matches in April against Wai`akea Tuesday, April 21. Junior varsity scores were 25-20 and 25-22. Varsity went to a fifth-set tie-breaker, 25-8, 22-25, 25-20, 20-25 and 15-12.
Cameron Enriques made 29 kills, with nine in the fifth set, and Brian Gascon made 12 kills, three of them in the fifth set.
At Ehunui Wednesday, April 15, Ka`u won in three straight sets with scores of 25-9, 25-17 and 25-16.
Kamehameha School Hawai`i Warriors took Ka`u teammates prisoners on Monday, April 13. JV scores were 17-25 and 9-25. Varsity’s were 13-25, 19-25 and 25-27.
On Tuesday, April 7, Ka`u took the fourth set 25-22 for a 3-1 win over Pahoa’s Daggers. Final scores: 25-19, 23-25, 25-9 and 25-22.
The Trojans overpowered Christian Liberty Academy in three straight sets Tuesday, March 31, with scores of 25-14, 25-9 and 25-12.

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May Day is Lei Day at Volcano Art Center

MAY DAY IS LEI DAY, and Volcano Art Center celebrates tomorrow. With hundreds of fragrant blossoms and plant materials provided by the Volcano Art Center Gallery, Aunty Puna Suganuma and her `ohana share tips on sewing the perfect lei, the proper protocol of giving and receiving a lei and more.
Volcano-area musician Wes Awana teaches local favorites and popular hapa-haole tunes on the `ukulele.

KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL EVENT details are at www.kaucoffeefest.com. They continue through Sunday:

COFFEE & CATTLE DAY is tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Aikane Plantation. Participants find out how descendants of Ka`u’s first coffee farmer integrate coffee with other agriculture. $25 includes all-you-can-eat buffet. aikaneplantation.com or 808-927-2252. See kaucoffeefest.com.

DURING KA`U STAR GAZING tomorrow from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., participants travel to the summit of Makanau to observe the heavens. $35 includes refreshments and shuttle transportation. kaucoffeemill.com or 928-0550. See kaucoffeefest.com.

KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL HO`OLAULE`A Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center features a free, full day of music, hula, Ka`u Coffee Experience, educational displays and demonstrations, farm tours, vendors and meet the farmers. See kaucoffeefest.com.

KA`U COFFEE COLLEGE on Sunday at 9 a.m. at Pahala Community Center is a free educational series featuring coffee researchers and industry professionals. Call Chris Manfredi at 929-9550. See kaucoffeefest.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.