Public forum on education to be held Thursday
A public forum to discuss higher education in West Hawaii will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Kealakehe High School cafeteria.
Participants will have the opportunity to discuss and share their vision for Hawaii Community College, Palamanui, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2015.
University of Hawaii president David Lassner and vice president for Community Colleges John Morton will share details about the school’s current presence in West Hawaii, as well as plans for the future. Peter Hoffmann, member of the University of Hawaii’s board of regents, is convening the meeting.
West Hawaii County Band offers free Christmas concert
The West Hawaii County Band is offering a free Christmas Concert from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at Hale Halawai, which is on the corner of Hualalai Road and Alii Drive. Seating will be available.
Conductor Lisa Archuletta, who received her music degree from the University of Hawaii, and her master’s degree from Yale University of Music, will be conducting this concert.
For more information, call Marshall Tohara at 327-3565 or log on to hawaiicounty.gov/parks-and-recreation or email maestrolisa@yahoo.com.
This is drug-, tobacco-, alcohol- and litter-free event.
Imiloa revisits the skies above Bethlehem and the mystery of the Christmas star
Imiloa Astronomy Center will offer a special Christmas program at 7 p.m. Friday.
Planetarium staff will offer a look at the sky over Bethlehem when Jesus was born. After the live presentation attendees will enjoy the planetarium show, “Mystery of the Christmas Star” and discover a possible scientific explanation and time frame for the star the wise men followed to find the baby Jesus.
The program will be hosted by Cam Wipper, Imiloa planetarium staff. Cost is $8 for individual, dual, kupuna and family members; $6 for patron members; and is free for silver, gold and corporate members. The nonmember rate is $10. Purchase tickets at the Imiloa front desk or by phone at 969-9703.
Volunteers sought to do water sampling in Kahaluu Bay
Citizen Science is a volunteer program to monitor and track environmental conditions at Kahaluu Bay. Those with an interest in learning about water quality, sampling, data interpretation and a healthier environment may be a volunteer. Volunteers collect samples weekly at specific sites in Kahaluu Bay.
The next training session for volunteers will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at Kahaluu Beach Park next to the Education Center van.
To learn more or sign up for the training, contact Rachel Silverman at rsilverman@kohalacenter.org or call 887-6411.
Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii to light tree made of coconuts
Elves at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii have been busy collecting coconuts and have created a 14-foot Christmas tree made up of more than 900 coconuts. The public is invited to a holiday performance on Saturday at 5 p.m., which will be kicked off with sunset torchlighting by one of the resort’s Hui Holokai Beach Club Ambassadors. The event will feature a performance by the keiki of Halau Opuaikalai. Guests are also invited to view the resort’s holiday Chocolate Surfing Santa lobby display, made up of more than 270 pounds of chocolate.
Keauhou Bird Conservation Center holding open house
The Keauhou Bird Conservation Center will hold an open house on Saturday and Sunday. Tour times are 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. The center is located near Volcano Golf Course. This is an amazing opportunity to see some of Hawaii’s rarest birds, including the alala (Hawaiian crow), which is extinct in the wild; the palila, a finch-billed honeycreeper found only on the slopes of Mauna Kea; the Maui parrotbill, an insectivorous Hawaiian honeycreeper; and the puaiohi, or small Kauai thrush. The Keauhou Bird Conservation Center is one of two centers operated by the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research as part of its Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program. Using intensive captive propagation and release techniques, the program aims to reestablish self-sustaining populations of critically endangered birds in the wild. Reservations are required.
Help restore Kiholo Fishpond
Join The Nature Conservancy for a volunteer work day at Kiholo Fishpond in North Kona to help revitalize the fishponds of Kiholo by removing invasive vegetation from the pond edge and clearing debris. Efforts to cleanup the fishponds will make space for native plants to thrive, reduce sediment inputs into the fishpond, and improve water quality for fish to grow. A potluck lunch will be served from noon to 1 p.m. Drinks, water and rice will be provided.
Volunteers are encouraged to bring a hat, sunscreen, bathing suit, hiking boots, tabis (water shoes), gloves, protective clothing for hot/dry conditions, water bottle, hand tools, and beach chair.
Please RSVP to rmost@tnc.org by Thursday. Directions and details will be emailed the day before the event. The gate will be open from 8:30 to 9 a.m. and from 1:30 to 2 p.m.
Mauna Kea Quilters meets Saturday
Mauna Kea Quilters invites new attendees to its meeting from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday in the meeting room of the Thelma Parker Memorial Library in Waimea. The gathering includes a business meeting, show and tell, a potluck and a food bank collection.
The group donates quilts to raise money for nonprofits and to be used for other worthwhile causes.
For more information, call Becky Parkinson at 937-2159.