Monsanto to plead guilty to illegal pesticide use in Hawaii
HONOLULU — The Monsanto agrochemical company said Thursday in court documents that it has agreed to plead guilty to illegally using and storing pesticides in Hawaii and will pay $12 million in fines.
Obituaries for December 10
George Mitsuo Kaitoku, 71, of Hilo died Nov. 15 at Hilo Medical Center. Born in Kohala, he was a retired county Department of Public Works Engineering Division supervising project construction inspector, retired Hawaii Army National Guard sergeant 1st class, surveyor for Hilo Engineering, HIPAL Youth Baseball coach/business manager, deacon, trustee and member of Haili Church and member of Big Island National Guard Retirees Association. Private services held. Survived by wife, Joyce Hinokawa Kaitoku of Hilo; sons, Duane (Raquel) Kaitoku of Kawaihae and Dwight Kaitoku of Hilo; daughter, Leasha (Les) Kaitoku-Oguma of Hilo; sisters, Elsie Higa and June Ono of Hilo; mother-in-law, Lucy Hinokawa of Kohala; sister-in-law, Diana (Kenneth) Kolish of Mililani, Oahu; brothers-in-law, Eric (Mercy) Hinokawa of Honolulu and Roderick (Christine) Hinokawa of Kohala; seven grandchildren and a great-grandchild; nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Navy halts Hawaii fuel tank operations during investigation
HONOLULU (AP) — The Navy will stop operations at fuel storage tanks above a Hawaii aquifer until the completion of its own investigation into how petroleum got into tap water.
US expands Pfizer COVID boosters, opens extra dose to age 16
U.S. health authorities again expanded the nation’s booster campaign Thursday, opening extra doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to several million 16- and 17-year-olds.
Reality TV’s Josh Duggar convicted of child porn possession
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Former reality TV star Josh Duggar was immediately taken into custody Thursday after a federal jury convicted him of downloading and possessing child pornography.
Jussie Smollett’s attorney says will appeal guilty verdict
CHICAGO — Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett was convicted Thursday on charges he staged an anti-gay, racist attack on himself nearly three years ago and then lied to Chicago police about it.
Col. Ed Shames was an example for all Americans to follow
What does it mean to serve your country? Army Col. Edward Shames, the last remaining member of World War II’s “Band of Brothers,” certainly answered that question. He died last week at age 99.
Bob Dole put ideals ahead of ideology
Bob Dole was among the best of a generation of Americans who believed this country had both the ability and obligation to do great things at home and abroad.
In Buddhism, women blaze a path but strive for gender equity
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, born in England, has devoted her life to attaining enlightenment in a female form — at one stage spending years isolated in a cave in the Himalayas to follow the rigorous path of the most devoted yogis. She later founded a nunnery in India focused on giving women in Tibetan Buddhism some of the same opportunities reserved for monks.
How is the US economy doing?
Last week’s employment report was puzzling. The Bureau of Labor Statistics carries out two separate surveys, one of employers and another of households; we normally expect the two to paint a similar picture. This time, not so much.
BIIF bowling champ Gaylord of Kamehameha ready to roll on Kauai
Kamehameha junior Briana Gaylord had been the second-best bowler for much of the season, until she followed her mom’s advice at the BIIF championships.
Oxford should welcome all probes
There may never be satisfactory answers to what led to the senseless tragedy last week at Oxford High School that cost four teens their lives and injured seven others. But every effort should be taken to figure out why it happened and how to prevent future violence.
Texas gerrymanding about keeping grip on white power
Whenever I find myself thinking, “I can’t believe Texas would do that,” I remember that former Gov. Rick Perry used to invite lawmakers to his family’s hunting camp. A place fondly known by some locals as “N—head.” According to The Washington Post, the name was painted “in block letters across a large, flat rock standing upright at its gated entrance.”
Ex-Maui officer who admitted sex solicitation arrested again
HONOLULU — A former Maui police officer who was scheduled to report to federal prison next month for soliciting sex from a woman he pulled over has been arrested for offering money to have sex with a 13-year-old girl.
Navy halts Hawaii fuel tank operations during investigation
The Navy will stop operations at fuel storage tanks above a Hawaii aquifer until the completion of its own investigation into how petroleum got into tap water.
CDC chief says omicron mostly mild so far
NEW YORK — More than 40 people in the U.S. have been found to be infected with the omicron variant so far, and more than three-quarters of them had been vaccinated, the chief of the CDC said Wednesday. But she said nearly all of them were only mildly ill.
Cases spike even as US hits 200M vaccine milestone
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The number of Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19 reached 200 million Wednesday amid a dispiriting holiday-season spike in cases and hospitalizations that has hit even New England, one of the most highly inoculated corners of the country.
Your Views for December 9
Loss of freedom
Obituaries for December 10
Kahoalii-o-Kalani Kaili Calles, aka “Tweetie,” 92, of Keaukaha died Nov. 17 at Hale Anuenue Restorative Care Center. Born in Hilo, he was a retired customer service representative for the former Aloha Airlines and a member and former bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Keaukaha Ward. Visitation 4-6 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 15) at Dodo Mortuary Chapel. Visitation again 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday (Dec. 16) at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Hilo Stake Center, 1373 Kilauea Ave. Funeral service at 11:30 a.m. Online streaming for Thursday’s service via Zoom. Zoom ID: 831 6868 8003. Password: 617009. Burial to follow at Homelani Memorial Park. Face masks and social distancing required. Survived by sons, Zachary (Josephine) Calles of Virginia Beach, Va., Elgin (Patricia) Calles of Honolulu and Les (Lisa) Calles of Orem, Utah; daughters, Gwen (Tim) Tirrell of Keaukaha, Greycelyn Maluo of Hilo, Faith (Peter) Paulo of Keaukaha and Tweetie (Ngatai) Smith of Hamilton, N.Z.; brother, David Kalani Calles Sr. of Hilo; brother-in-law, Tom (Kawaihona) Poy of Laupahoehoe; sister-in-law, E. Leilani Calles of Iowa; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Navy commissions USS Daniel Inouye at Pearl Harbor
PEARL HARBOR, Oahu — The U.S. Navy on Wednesday commissioned the USS Daniel Inouye, named after the long-serving U.S. senator from Hawaii and decorated World War II veteran.
Alleged sex assault victim, 80, finishes testimony
Jury trial continued Wednesday for a 21-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting an elderly woman in 2019 at a South Kohala campground.
Parks herbicide ban moves forward
The County Council on Wednesday advanced on first reading a bill banning the use of glyphosate-based herbicides in county parks.
Council votes to accept funds to fix ‘major thoroughfare’ in Hilo
The Hawaii County Council voted Wednesday to accept $12 million in state funds to improve a small but vital one-lane bridge in Hilo.
Ige appoints Shikada new attorney general
Gov. David Ige has appointed Holly T.M. Shikada to be the new state attorney general.
Council passes 3% TAT: New hotel tax makes up for state cuts
Visitors to Hawaii Island hotels and vacation rentals will be digging a little deeper come Jan. 1, with the County Council on Thursday unanimously passing a 3% local option lodging tax.
