North Kohala talk story, tour scheduled
Educator and cultural historian Fred Cachola will lead a talk story event Saturday on North Kohala’s iconic places of cultural, historical and ecological significance.
Attendees should meet at 9 a.m. at the pavilion at Mahukona and expect the event to last until about 3:30 p.m., since the group will carpool to several areas. Drinks and a light lunch will be available.This is an opportunity for participants to see some of the conservation projects the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust is working on.
To reserve a space in the tour, email janet@hilt.org or call 769-4343.
Denny’s fundraiser benefits Kai Opua
A Project Compassion fundraiser will raise money for Kai Opua Canoe Club from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Denny’s Restaurant.
All tips given to guest servers and 20 percent of food purchases will be donated to Kai Opua. Project Compassion is a partnership between Denny’s Restaurant and Rotary Club of Kona.
Film on soil to be shown Sunday
Third Thursday Thrive and the One Island Sustainability Living Center will host a potluck and screening Sunday of the film “Symphony of the Soil.”
The film will be shown at 3 p.m. at North Hawaii Education and Research Center in Honokaa. The potluck will be held 5 p.m. in the pavilion.
Energy talks planned Monday
A monthly pau hana series for people interested in technology in West Hawaii is scheduled from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority Gateway Energy Center, 73-4460 Queen Kaahumanu Highway, Kailua-Kona. Two tech projects seeking community input will discussed: solar with battery backup advocacy and a community technology learning and fabrication center for keiki.
Solar photovoltaic generating systems are being installed at such a high rate that the aggregate installed capacity is greater than any single generator attached to Hawaii Electric Light Co.’s grid. These systems are largely invisible to and uncontrollable by HELCO system operators, and complicate the task of keeping electricity supply and demand in balance — that is, keeping the grid stable. Energy storage is one way to mitigate these issues, and distributed grid-connected solar with battery backup could be a cost-effective approach. Ulrich Bonne will look at the cost effectiveness of the system versus centralized storage and other options.
In the second presentation, Mike Hess will discuss early plans for a community learning and fabrication center, an environment to spark interests in curiosity and exploration, providing innovative learning approaches outside the formal school system. Hess is looking for interest and input in refining the plan toward an appropriate solution for the community.
The event includes time after the presentation for questions, answers and networking opportunities. A potluck is included with the event. Bring a pupu and nonalcoholic beverage to share; reusable plates and cups are encouraged. For more information, contact Rod Hinman at rod@auroraresearch.com or 989-0977.
Park roads closed for tree trimming
The Kaloko gravel road, also called Ala Nui Kaloko, off Highway 19 between mile markers 96 and 97 and access to the Kaloko Fishpond coastal picnic area will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday because of coconut tree trimming. This area of the park will be closed until the work is completed.
For more information, call the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park visitor center at 326-9057.
Observatory talk focuses on black hole
W. M. Keck Observatory will present a free astronomy talk “Zooming into the Center of our Galaxy with Keck Observatory” at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Kahilu Theatre in Waimea.
Leo Meyer, research scientist for the University of California, Los Angeles Galactic Center Group, will focus on a black hole discovered at the heart of our galaxy and the gas that it swallows.
The event is free to the public and doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call Steve Jefferson at Keck at 881-3827.
Book club meets Tuesday morning
The Kona Library Book Club meets at 11 a.m. Tuesday on the Kailua-Kona Public Library lanai. This month’s selection is “The Passion of Artemisia” by Susan Vreeland.
The book club will meet in June to discuss “The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris” by David McCullough.
Reversing diabetes cooking class offered
A cooking class designed for those with type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes or diabetes history in their family will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. June 3 at Hale Halawai.
Certified health coach and nutrition counselor Landry Fuller will teach about foods to avoid and those to use that have lower glycemic indexes. Recipes include spinach hummus, quinoa tabbouleh salad, lentil sweet potato soup, and berry mousse. Class fee is $15, which includes recipes and food tasting. Registration is required. Contact Parks &Recreation Culture &Education section at 961-8706 to reserve space.