Puna Sustainability Expo THIS Weekend

Just a reminder that the Puna Sustainability Expo is being held this weekend.

I drove by the other day and it looks like they have cleared even more land and it looks ready to go.

I previously blogged on whether it was sustainable or not here.

I guess we will find out this weekend.

Target to Open in Hilo on Hawaiian Homelands

I recently blogged about the Target Protocol that could be going up in Kona.  Well it looks like Hilo is going to be getting their own:

Target has chosen the spot in Hilo for its new store, and it is on Hawaiian Homelands.
Today, the Department of Hawaiian Homelands announced Safeway, Inc. And Target Brands Inc. Will lease a 15.5 acre piece of property in Hilo…

More Here

Target Protocol

Pahoa Community Center for Halloween… Meet My Lion

Just got back from the Pahoa Community Center for the Halloween shindig they had.  Nice crowd of in and out people and games for the kids and of course too much candy for all.

Here is my son’s costume courtesy of Auntie D –

Mahalo Auntie D –

Halloween 2008

Funny Rail Commercials

I can’t help but laugh at a few of these rail commercials.

Now that I don’t live on Oahu, where I was living directly in the planned path of the rail, I don’t have as much animosity against it as I did when I was living there.

Hawaii Tuition and Fee Increases Lead Nation

I just noticed the following:

…Alabama college costs have increased dramatically this year and a new survey shows the state is second only to Hawaii in tuition and fee hikes…

I’m glad I’m out of college, however, I am thinking of going back possibly.

Tuition at UH is still a bargain.  Recent talks have been made about increasing the tuition for Non-Resident students.

That has both it’s good and bad sides of things.  Many of the current Non-Residents come here ONLY because the non-resident tuition is attractive.  If raised, then less would come.

Whatever they do, they need to increase security at UH Manoa.

As more and more students are “Applying to UH Manoa”, they need to know about events like these if they are going to be paying a much higher tuition

The DisappearedNews has Disappeared

I hope Larry Geller at the DisappearedNews Blog is just having technical difficulties.  I’ve noticed that for two days now it’s been offline.  It is one of my favorite blogs, so I hope it hasn’t disappeared.

Today’s KO (I Actually Caught This One)

About two years ago, a group of us were meeting at Dukes Restaraunt for a little talk story and grinds.

This drunk tourist bumped into my chair and I could tell by the look on his face that something was going to happen.

I grabbed my cybershot camera and took the following (Audio a must):

Honolulu Community College Receives $327 Million Dollar Grant

This may be one of the larger grants that a Hawaii College has ever received:

…Siemens PLM Software gave a grant of $327 million to HCC for its Pacific Center for Advanced Technology, or P-CAT.

The gift includes software, student and instructor training and helps to enrich the engineering curriculum…

More Here

130 Duty Free Store Employees Laidoff

More layoffs hitting Hawaii’s tourism industry.

Duty Free Stores (DFS) is laying off 130 Employees:

DFS Group, a global retailer with approximately 40 stores in Hawaii, has cut 130 local jobs as a result of poor sales in an unstable economy…

More Here

Good Plant News at Hamakua Farms

A few days ago I mentioned Richard Ha was having some difficulties on his farm with some of his plants.

It turns out the problem is not as bad as first thought and I’m very glad to hear this.

Mayor Kim Vetoes GMO Ban, Council Looking to Override

Mayor Kim vetoed Bill 361 the GMO ban on Taro and Coffee despite the council voting 9-0 in favor of it.

The council does have the power to override the Mayor and I hope that’s what happens in this case.

Happy Halloween