News briefs for Aug. 5: ‘Rocky Horror’ auditions, broadband expansion and more

The Aloha Theatre announces auditions for ‘Rocky Horror Show’

The Aloha Theatre in Kāʻināliu is looking for a cast of Transylvanians ready to do The Time Warp again as it brings “The Rocky Horror Show” to life on its West Hawai‘i stage this fall. Auditions are open to everyone and scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 23 and 25 by online appointment only; reserve a time at the theatre website.

‘Rocky Horror’ invites audiences into a wildly imaginative world, celebrating individuality, self-expression and joy of embracing what makes each person unique. The Aloha Theatre production also honors the show’s spirit of inclusion, theatricality and camp while approaching its themes with thoughtfulness and respect. Audiences will be treated to a bold, entertaining experience that celebrates authenticity, community and freedom to be unapologetically themselves.

Callbacks, if needed, will be Aug. 26. All parts are for adults 18 years old and older. You MUST wear close-toed shoes to audition. Email to admin@alohatheatre.com for additional information or with any questions. Show dates are Oct. 23-24, 29-31 and Nov. 1.

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Hawaiʻi begins $150M broadband expansion for underserved communities

Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green’s office and University of Hawaiʻi announce deployment of $149.5 million in federal funds through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program to bring reliable high-speed internet to the state’s most rural and underserved communities.

The state finalized a contract with Hawaiian Telcom to deliver fiber-optic service to about 5,800 homes that now lack modern broadband access. The program targets about 7,000 unserved and underserved locations, with about 82% of them slated to be served through state-of-the-art fiber-optic infrastructure.

Visit the Connect Kākou website for additional information about ongoing efforts to connect all residents.

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Researchers improve decades-old method for estimating cooling demand

University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa atmospheric scientists found that the century-old yardstick used throughout many industries to estimate air-conditioning and refrigeration energy demand — called cooling degree days — is missing something fundamental.

The study published in Nature Communications reports a new, physics-based version of the metric — effective cooling degree days — that captures how temperature and humidity together impact the actual required work of a cooling system. They f ound cooling efficiency has declining by 2% to 4% per decade since 1971 throughout North America, and the old temperature-only metric misjudges how much cooling is required in different regions. This has led to overstating demand in some places and understating it in others.

Researchers combined climate science with refrigeration engineering to develop the new cooling demand metric that explicitly accounts for how cooling system efficiency changes with temperature and humidity. Their approach incorporates a simplified model of the refrigeration cycle — the same physics governing every air conditioner and refrigerator — to estimate how efficiently a cooling system can remove heat under different atmospheric conditions.

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Application period open for initial Green Fee funding opportunities

The application period for funding through Hawaiʻi’s initial Green Fee requests for proposals is now open. About $129 million is appropriated through the state budget to support projects that help care for Hawaiʻi’s lands, waters and communities.

Eligible organizations are encouraged to monitor upcoming solicitations posted on the Hawaiʻi Awards and Notices Data System, carefully review the requirements for each opportunity and submit competitive responses that align with the applicable program objectives. Hawaiʻi Green Growth also created a Green Fee RFP Tracker to provide a centralized resource for organizations interested in opportunities released by the state departments and offices responsible for administering Green Fee programs.

Care for ʻĀina Now Coalition and partners recently launched a statewide workshop series to support community-based organizations and nonprofits through the process. The Hawai‘i Island workshop is slated for 2 to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 7 at Hawai‘i County Aging and Disability Resource Center. Visit the Hawai‘i Green Growth website for additional information.

The Kaua‘i workshop is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 12 at Hanalei Initiative offices.