 |
| Ka`u painters can refine their oil techniques at next weekend's workshop with Vicky Penny-Rohner. Photo from Volcano Art Center |
 |
| Blessing of the upgraded Volcano Transfer Station took place Tuesday. Photo from Hawai`i County |
The county’s Department of Environmental Management accepts household waste and recyclables at 22 recycling and transfer stations islandwide. Locations and hours are available at HawaiiZeroWaste.org.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANIES LAUNCHED a free online tool to make shopping for rooftop PV easier. WattPlan helps customers considering rooftop solar to estimate electric bill savings based on their electricity use, current rates and available rebates and tax credits. Customers may also compare outright purchase to financing side-by-side to understand the long-term impact on household budgets. Customers of Hawai`i Electric Light Company can find this tool at hawaiianelectric.com/WattPlan.
“We want to increase rooftop PV sustainably and provide customers options and tools to manage their electric bills. Solar power is good for customers and good for the state, so we want to help people make informed decisions,” said Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric Co. senior vice president of customer service.
WattPlan gives customers an individualized estimate for the address where they’d like to install rooftop PV. It can estimate how much of their own energy use a PV system would supply, bill savings and carbon footprint reduction.
In addition, WattPlan allows customers to compare estimated costs for paying for their PV system with cash, a loan or a lease agreement. WattPlan will analyze lifetime costs for a PV system and estimate when a customer will break even on their investment in solar power.
Hawai`i leads the nation in the integration of rooftop PV, with more than 20 times the national average. Nearly 70,000 rooftop PV applications have been approved across O`ahu, Maui County and Hawai`i Island.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
 |
| DLNR officer speaks with Thirty Meter Telescope opponents. Image from Na`au News Now |
HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF LAND & Natural Resources staff have filed three notices with a group of people on Mauna Kea who oppose the Thirty Meter Telescope. The notices reiterated emergency rules in effect following road blockades that prevented crews from reaching the summit to begin construction. The rules limit hours that the summit road is open and prohibit certain camping equipment.
Videos of the events are available on Na`au News Now’s Facebook page. In one, a member of the hui tells a DLNR officer that the tent erected on the site is under the jurisdiction of the Lawful Hawaiian Government and is, therefore, exempt from the emergency rules.
Enforcement of the rules has not occurred.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY scientists provide details on the status of the June 27th lava flow in the current issue of Volcano Watch. The flow threatened Pahoa earlier this year but stalled before crossing Hwy 130.
Enforcement of the rules has not occurred.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY scientists provide details on the status of the June 27th lava flow in the current issue of Volcano Watch. The flow threatened Pahoa earlier this year but stalled before crossing Hwy 130.
During the past four months, the June 27th lava flow, named for the date in 2014 that it began erupting from Pu`u `O`o on Kilauea Volcano's East Rift Zone, has consisted of small surface pahoehoe flows scattered across a broad area within eight kilometers (five miles) of Pu`u `O`o, the scientists report. These flows are fed by countless leaks or lava breakouts from the main lava tube. All of the leaks start within about six km (four mi) of Pu`u `O`o; the tube beyond this distance became completely inactive in March 2015.
Some surface flows are also being fed from a second, much shorter tube that began forming when the original tube ruptured near its source on Pu`u `O`o and sending a lobe of lava toward the northeast on February 21. This younger lobe advanced across older parts of the June 27th flow, and even over the main tube.
The location of the main tube is relatively well-known based on thermal (infrared) imagery acquired during many helicopter overflights during the past year, but the path of the second tube is complex and difficult to locate. The many overlapping breakouts immediately north of Pu`u `O`o have obscured its thermal “signature” in the images.
By spawning so many short-lived flows over a large area, the leaky nature of the tubes means that no single flow has been able to capture the volume of lava needed to develop into a sustained, rapidly advancing flow similar to the June 27th flow late last year.
At any one time since late March, the combined surface area of the active flows – leaks from the tubes – has varied between about 3.6 and 5.3 hectares (nine and 13 acres)! Total surface areas of the active flows are calculated using a thermal (infrared) camera and specialized software to stitch together the images and total the hottest areas. The “active” flows are assumed to have surface temperatures greater than about 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit). Earlier thermal studies of pahoehoe lava flows erupted from Pu`u `O`o indicate that this temperature threshold represents lava flows that were emplaced within about the previous five hours.
This pattern of activity continues to be good news for the Puna District of the Island of Hawai`i. There is no immediate (weeks) or short-term (months) threat of inundation of residential areas from the current series of flows. The breakouts, especially the one that began February 21, were the main reason the lower part of the June 27th flow became completely inactive in March.
Currently, active lava flows are far upslope from the tips of the June 27th flow that reached as far as 23 km (14.3 mi) from Pu`u `O`o and repeatedly threatened to inundate residential areas, businesses, electric and communication utilities and Highway 130. For now, the breakouts are mostly filling in low areas on the June 27th flow and only slowly widening and thickening the flow field.
How long might this pattern last?
Veteran volcano watchers accustomed to more than 32 years of changes at Pu`u `O`o know well that the current pattern of lava-flow activity will not last. When and how the activity will evolve is, of course, not known at this time, but a change in the erupting vent on Pu`u `O`o – its geometry or location – would likely result in a change in the flow activity or direction.
In the meantime, keep up to date with the activity at Pu`u `O`o and Kilauea’s summit on the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website, where updates are posted each morning at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php. This update is linked to maps and photographs that are posted following each overflight made by HVO scientists to assess the current activity.
See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
FINAL PERFORMANCES OF KDEN's production of The King and I take place today and tomorrow. Showtimes are today 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Advance sale tickets are available at Kilauea General Store, Kea`au Natural Foods and The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo.
Call 982-7344 for reservations or more information.
VICKI PENNY-ROHNER TEACHES Oil Painting on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Cost for the two-day workshop is $100 or $90 for VAC Members.
Students learn to mix colors, use different media to achieve various effects and learn to layer color to bring depth and luminous richness to their work. Throughout the two days, students learn to create form using values and light, and recognize, understand and apply the elements of design and composition to improve their work. The class will focus on a still life. Penny-Rohner’s emphasis is on light and color and individual attention to students to help them loosen up and get satisfying results.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Some surface flows are also being fed from a second, much shorter tube that began forming when the original tube ruptured near its source on Pu`u `O`o and sending a lobe of lava toward the northeast on February 21. This younger lobe advanced across older parts of the June 27th flow, and even over the main tube.
 |
| Leaks from June 27th lava tubes have nearly buried the Pu`u Kahauale`a cone, with only the very top visible in the bottom photo. Photos from USGS/HVO |
By spawning so many short-lived flows over a large area, the leaky nature of the tubes means that no single flow has been able to capture the volume of lava needed to develop into a sustained, rapidly advancing flow similar to the June 27th flow late last year.
At any one time since late March, the combined surface area of the active flows – leaks from the tubes – has varied between about 3.6 and 5.3 hectares (nine and 13 acres)! Total surface areas of the active flows are calculated using a thermal (infrared) camera and specialized software to stitch together the images and total the hottest areas. The “active” flows are assumed to have surface temperatures greater than about 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit). Earlier thermal studies of pahoehoe lava flows erupted from Pu`u `O`o indicate that this temperature threshold represents lava flows that were emplaced within about the previous five hours.
This pattern of activity continues to be good news for the Puna District of the Island of Hawai`i. There is no immediate (weeks) or short-term (months) threat of inundation of residential areas from the current series of flows. The breakouts, especially the one that began February 21, were the main reason the lower part of the June 27th flow became completely inactive in March.
Currently, active lava flows are far upslope from the tips of the June 27th flow that reached as far as 23 km (14.3 mi) from Pu`u `O`o and repeatedly threatened to inundate residential areas, businesses, electric and communication utilities and Highway 130. For now, the breakouts are mostly filling in low areas on the June 27th flow and only slowly widening and thickening the flow field.
How long might this pattern last?
Veteran volcano watchers accustomed to more than 32 years of changes at Pu`u `O`o know well that the current pattern of lava-flow activity will not last. When and how the activity will evolve is, of course, not known at this time, but a change in the erupting vent on Pu`u `O`o – its geometry or location – would likely result in a change in the flow activity or direction.
In the meantime, keep up to date with the activity at Pu`u `O`o and Kilauea’s summit on the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website, where updates are posted each morning at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php. This update is linked to maps and photographs that are posted following each overflight made by HVO scientists to assess the current activity.
See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
 |
| Final performances of The King and I are today and tomorrow. Photo from KDEN |
Advance sale tickets are available at Kilauea General Store, Kea`au Natural Foods and The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo.
Call 982-7344 for reservations or more information.
VICKI PENNY-ROHNER TEACHES Oil Painting on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Cost for the two-day workshop is $100 or $90 for VAC Members.
Students learn to mix colors, use different media to achieve various effects and learn to layer color to bring depth and luminous richness to their work. Throughout the two days, students learn to create form using values and light, and recognize, understand and apply the elements of design and composition to improve their work. The class will focus on a still life. Penny-Rohner’s emphasis is on light and color and individual attention to students to help them loosen up and get satisfying results.
Students will need a small canvas, paints and brushes. A supply list will be provided.
See volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.
See volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.
 |
| See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf. |
 |
| See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_July2015.pdf. |
