Noxious weed seeds found in grass shipment

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists issued an emergency action notification after discovering noxious weed seeds and a plant pathogen in a shipment of thatched grass for roofing material at the port in Honolulu.

Agriculture specialists, while inspecting a shipment in early February, detected a large number of Imperata cylindrica, a species of a federal noxious weed.

They also found black spots on the stems of the grass, identified as a plant pathogen, Massariothea botulispora (Teng).

The agriculture specialists issued an emergency notification requiring the items be immediately exported from the United States.

“;Some products can be a vehicle for harmful invasive species that can have a devastating impact on our nation's agriculture industry, natural resources, as well as the economy,”; Bruce Murley, area port director for Honolulu.

City to spend $10M for 24 new buses

Honolulu has agreed to buy 24 buses worth $10 million from Nova Bus that will be built in New York and delivered to Oahu later this year.

The buses will replace 40-foot buses and will not increase fleet size, said Honolulu Transportation Services Director Wayne Yoshioka.

Tsunami response cost Maui County $113,895

Maui County's response to the Feb. 27 tsunami warning cost $113,895, mostly in overtime costs on a Saturday, Mayor Charmaine Tavares said.

“;When we're faced with the imminent threat of a natural disaster, we take immediate steps to protect the public's safety,”; Tavares said in a new release. “;In situations like these, one life lost is one life too many, and despite the costs we incurred, I'm grateful that we escaped unharmed.”;

Tavares might propose to the County Council that a reimbursement from the county's emergency fund be provided to the operating budgets of the departments that were involved in the response efforts. The fund, created by the council, consists of money set aside to help provide for emergencies.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Lingle releases state funds for Maui Arts center

Gov. Linda Lingle has released $250,000 to help finance construction of an event pavilion and new roof at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

The grant also will be used to buy lights, sound and technical equipment.

The center is in the midst of a multiphase improvement and expansion plan that will cost an estimated $4.4 million.

The state has awarded the nonprofit center three other $250,000 grants in the past five years to improve portions of the facility. The center has raised other funds from private and nonprofit sources.

Construction is slated for completion in June.

Grant aims to promote exercise

A nearly $150,000 grant will fund a new school-community-government partnership to fight obesity on Hawaii island.

The funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is creating a program called HO'ALA. Its goal is to improve access to active modes of transportation to and from school.

HO'ALA will focus on tracking changes to existing transportation policies, as well as bicycle and pedestrian planning efforts.

One of the HO'ALA coordinators, Laura Dierenfield of Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawaii, said Wednesday that the program wants to make it easy, fun and safe to get daily exercise by walking or bicycling to school.

A dozen schools will be selected to take part in HO'ALA.