Whole Foods pistachios recalled

Rocky Mountain Foods is recalling tubs of Whole Foods Markets brand pistachios because of possible salmonella contamination.

No illnesses have been reported, the company said.

Whole Foods Markets pistachios distributed in Hawaii that have been recalled are:

» Roasted chili lemon pistachios in-shell, 13-ounce tub, with best-by dates of March 16 to Oct. 16.

» Raw pistachio kernels, 14-ounce tub, best-by dates of Sept. 15 to April 9, 2010.

Other companies that have distributed pistachio products nationwide and have recalled those products include Texas Pecan Co. with the Golden Harvest Label, Albanese Confectionery Group and GNS Foods Inc. sold under several different brands.

State getting $5M to boost economy

Hawaii will receive $5 million in federal stimulus funds to be distributed to organizations to help get the economy on track, said U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka.

The money is coming from the Department of Health and Human Services to provide services and activities addressing employment, education, housing, nutrition and emergency services.

Groups that received money in the past from the Community Services Block Grant program have provided job training and placement assistance, credit counseling, housing assistance and nutrition programs.

Park Service taking Kalaupapa ideas

The National Park Service will accept public comments about the future use and preservation of Kalaupapa National Historical Park at workshops on five islands.

The remote peninsula of Molokai, where leprosy patients were isolated from 1866 to 1969, was designated a historical park in 1980. Native Hawaiians lived on the site and in adjacent valleys for centuries before the kingdom of Hawaii made it a quarantine settlement. The 5-square-mile territory contains archaeological features and rare or endangered plants, animals and marine species, according to a park service release.

The federal agency administers the area with a goal to preserve cultural and natural resources. The state Department of Health shares administrative responsibility and provides a hospital and nursing care for the few former patients who still live there.

Oahu residents will have the opportunity to comment at workshops at 6 p.m. April 23 and 9 a.m. April 24 at Bishop Museum, Atherton Halau, 1525 Bernice St.

The schedule of workshops on other islands is available at the Web page parkplanning.nps.gov/kala. People may submit written comments to that Web site.

Coast Guard checks Hilo Harbor spill

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating an oil spill that stretched from Piers 1 and 2 in Hilo Harbor to more than 200 yards offshore at about 5 a.m. Thursday, according to a news release.

The Coast Guard hired a contractor, Pacific Environmental Corp., to clean up the spill, using absorbent pads and divers. Booms were placed around the spill to help prevent the oil's spread.

Investigators determined that about 250 gallons of red-dye marine diesel caused the sheen. Samples were collected and sent to the National Marine Safety Lab for analysis.

The thin fuel, a type of marine diesel, appears red on the surface of the water. Generally, marine diesel fuels dissipate, evaporate or burn away quickly.

The Coast Guard advises any boat owners who may have suffered damage to contact the National Pollution Funds Center at (800) 280-7118 or (202) 493-6830 or by e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or by visiting www.uscg.mil/npfc.