Wild about ‘alala

Oahu artist Patrick Ching interacts with Connections Public Charter School students during a blessing and celebration for his ‘Alala Project mural Thursday on the Kalakaua Street side of the Kress Building in Downtown Hilo. Ching painted the mural with help from Connections fourth-graders. The ‘Alala Project is working toward the reintroduction of ‘alala (Hawaiian crow) to the wild. A group of captive-reared juveniles will be released in November in the Pu‘u Maka‘ala Natural Area Reserve.