Solicitors are imposters
Residents of Hawaii Island should be aware of imposters who are canvassing neighborhoods for donations for suicide prevention. These imposters do not represent either the West or East Hawaii Suicide Prevention Task Forces or the Hawaii Island Suicide Prevention Foundation, which do not engage in door-to-door soliciting. Those approached by these imposters are advised to call the police.
Soil nutrients and vog are topics of upcoming Kona Science Cafe
A team of 11 undergraduates from MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering will present results from two studies performed while visiting the island as part of a winter-term field class, “Traveling Research Environmental eXperiences.” The students are focused on two major projects. One was examining and linking soil nutrient status with plant health, aided by the use of remote sensing data gathered with an unmanned aerial vehicle. The other project focused on the measurements of gaseous sulfur dioxide, a major component of vog, using a network of home-built low-cost portable sensors.
The students will present their measurements and analysis of crop nutrients, remote sensing data, and sulfur dioxide, and discuss their environmental implications. This year’s trip is led by Ben Kocar, a soil and water biogeochemist, and also instructed by atmospheric chemists Jesse Kroll and Colette Heald. All are in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT.
This event is from 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority Gateway Energy Center, 73-4485 Kahilihili St. It includes time before and after the presentation for questions, answers, and networking opportunities.
Attendees are invited to bring pupu and nonalcoholic beverages for the potluck. Resuable plates and cups are encouraged.
Info: Rod Hinman, rod@auroraresearch.com or 989-0977.
VFW events planned
VFW Post 12122 behind Kona Locksmith off Kaiwi Street will serve tacos and dessert on Friday for $5. The public is welcome.
Also, the post will be open Feb. 5 to display the Super Bowl on their big screen TV.
Info: Don Zero, (509) 879-1040.
Lutheran Church plans yard sale
The Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity will hold its annual yard sale from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at 77-165 Lako St.
Available items include clothing, furniture, kitchenware, linens and gadgets. There will also be a bake sale and coffee bar.
Those who have items to donate may deliver them to the church by 10 a.m. Friday.
Proceeds will go to charities in the community, and to a project at the church.
Traditional hale building workshop planned
Keoua Honaunau Canoe Club invites all interested community members to a traditional Hawaiian hale building workshop at Honaunau Bay from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Keoua Honaunau Canoe Club is in the process of restoring the Hale o Hooponopono, a hale halawai (meeting house) that served as the site of Hawaii’s first immersion school project, in the 1970s.
The Hale o Hooponopono rebuilding process is led by master hale builder Walter Wong and his team of hale builder haumana (interns). Participants will perform traditional protocols and experience the importance of laulima (working together) while restoring a traditional style hale halawai and learning skills such as pohaku (rock) dry setting, placement of pou (posts) and basic lashing techniques.
All ages are welcome, but children must be under the supervision of their parents at all times. Participants should wear sturdy shoes and bring work gloves.
There is no charge for the workshop, and lunch is provided.
Info: contact@keouacanoeclub.com.
Public tour of Mormon church planned
The public is invited to a free 45-minute tour of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel and temple grounds Saturday. The tours begin at 10 a.m. followed by a lunch in the large outdoor dining pavilion.
In addition to the main chapel, the tour will include the church’s local family history and genealogical library, which is regularly available to the public by appointment, the baptismal font, the church library, youth and children’s meeting rooms, bishop’s office and the gymnasium/cultural hall. Following this, visitors will tour the temple grounds where local leaders will explain the temple’s purposes today and how they are similar to temples of the Old Testament.
The church and temple are at the top of Kalani Street mauka of McDonald’s.
Info: Leroy Alip, 895-6088.