August 31, 2006
Papaya production plummets
Hawaii fresh papaya utilization, down 6 percent from June to July, is running 34 percent below year-ago levels.
Pacific Business News

August 31, 2006
Faith in Hawai'i's economy dimming
Fewer Hawai'i business leaders believe the local economy will grow next year.
Honolulu Advertiser

August 24, 2006
Hawai'i's economic growth slowing
Hawai'i's economy is expected to grow at a slower rate than previously thought this year as a rising inflation rate continues to eat into consumers' purchasing power, according to a state report issued yesterday.
Honolulu Advertiser

August 23, 2006
Papaya industry getting reprieve
The refurbishing of a shuttered fruit fly disinfestation plant on Kaua'i could give a major boost to the island's ailing papaya industry, allowing growers to resume exports after a six-year hiatus.
Honolulu Advertiser

August 19, 2006
A safer coastline
O'ahu ocean safety officials, mindful of record visitor arrivals and an unflagging public fascination with huge winter waves on the North Shore, will expand lifeguard service to two beaches where they have made "thousands of rescues" in recent years.
Honolulu Advertiser

August 19, 2006
BYU in Hawaii rated as ‘best value’
Brigham Young University Hawaii was the only Hawaii institution to make the top tier of rankings in the annual U.S. News & World Report list of America's Best Colleges, which was released yesterday.
Honolulu Star Bulletin

August 15, 2006
Ginger root harvest 4M lbs.
The smallest ginger root crop since 1982 ended with a harvest of 4.3 million pounds, Hawaii farmers reported.The harvest for the 2005-2006 season was down 16 percent from the previous season, the National Agricultural Statistics Service Hawaii Field Office said Monday. Prices fell 13 percent to 80 cents per pound, and total farm value was $3 million, down 26 percent.
Pacific Business News

August 15, 2006
Bananas, papaya developing well
Commercial fruit orchards across Hawaii are mostly in good condition this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Monday. Light but adequate rain has kept soil moisture good for banana orchards on the Hilo side of the Big Island. Bunchy top virus remained isolated to Keaau. Sunny days and moderate to heavy irrigation helped banana orchards on Oahu.
Pacific Business News

August 15, 2006
Ruling a slight setback for 'biopharm' growers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture violated federal environmental laws when it approved permits allowing companies to grow hundreds of acres of "biopharmaceutical" crops in Hawai'i - food crops with genetic modifications that cause them to produce drugs or other compounds, a federal judge ruled last week.
Honolulu Advertiser

August 14, 2006
Tropical fruit output reaches record
Hawaii growers of tropical specialty fruit now are producing a record 1.5 million pounds of fresh fruit a year, according to new figures from agriculture officials. That figure, issued Friday by the National Agricultural Statistics Service Hawaii Field Office, covers 2005 and is up 41 percent from 2004.
Pacific Business News

August 14, 2006
Plans for ranch's water system in limbo
A Mainland real-estate investment firm has acquired Dillingham Ranch on O'ahu's North Shore and is trying to resolve an old issue over supplying nearby residents with water.
Honolulu Advertiser

August 12, 2006
Audit critical of community boards
With no measurable goals, poor oversight and a "disjointed structure," O'ahu's neighborhood board system is failing to serve as an advocate and first stop for community concerns, according to an audit released yesterday.
Honolulu Advertiser

August 1, 2006
Chamber likes new DLIR job site
The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii has praised the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for launching a free job posting service for business. "It's not uncommon daily to run into business owners and executives who express the difficulty of finding employees," said Jim Tollefson, chamber president, in his Monday Report newsletter to members. "The lack of available and quality workers is a statewide challenge."
Pacific Business News

August 1, 2006
'Landmark' ruling on coastal waters praised
In a move hailed by environmentalists as a landmark decision, the Hawai'i Supreme Court has ruled that city and county governments have a duty to protect coastal waters.
Honolulu Advertiser