Hawaii

From little fire ants to snakes, it’s an ‘all hands’ battle against invasive species in Hawaii

Published

11 months ago

August 4, 2023

From little fire ants to snakes, it’s an ‘all hands’ battle against invasive species in Hawaii

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Multiple agencies are battling infestations of little fire ants discovered most recently at a nursery in Waimanalo.

The work comes amid an ongoing battle with invasive species statewide:

There are treatments to attack coqui frogs in Waimanalo and Palolo where there’s significant activity.
The coconut rhinoceros beetle has been found on Kauai.
And just this past weekend, a boa constrictor was discovered on a cargo ship heading toward Honolulu Harbor.

“It’s crazy how often they find these crazy animals,” said state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole.

Kimeona Kane, chair of the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board, said he’s heard about little fire ants at a Waimanalo nursery for years so he recently bought plants there himself.

He called the statewide pest hotline, 643-PEST.

And scientists confirmed the small pests were indeed little fire ants, which have a painful sting.

“I was simply able to purchase plants without any oversight from a nursery here in our community which I later learned knew they had a problem with little fire ants,” he said.

“I was deeply concerned about how many people have had this happen. It was really disappointing. It was unfortunate,” he added.

Keohokalole, who represents Kaneohe and Kailua, said little fire ants are a growing menace.

“Kids are getting bitten in their beds. They can’t play outside. Kupuna cannot pick flowers and make lei anymore because they are being stung. Pets are being blinded,” he said.

Keohokalole is demanding transparency from the state Department of Agriculture.

“Are we taking appropriate action when we have businesses that are potentially selling products that they know are infested?” he said.

Sharon Hurd, chair of the Department of Agriculture, said no one is hiding.

Hurd says battling invasive pests is an all hands on deck situation.

“We are doing our best and our staff is really good. We’ve done helicopter drops, we’ve done spraying,” she said.

Hurd added the department could conduct more community outreach and more staffing — but more money is needed. For example, $250,000 would be needed to continue to keep brown tree snakes out of Hawaii.

“What we need is all of the organizations that show responsibility to collaborate and to clearly communicate,” said Joe Wat, community development coordinator of the Key Project.

Community advocates say they’re all in to keep pests out.

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Related Topics:ants beetle coqui Featured pests

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Hawaii

Golf tourney to benefit Hawaii Island Humane Society – West Hawaii Today

Published

5 hours ago

July 3, 2024

Press Room

The Hawaii Island Humane Society is hosting a charity golf tournament fundraiser on Saturday for its facility and programs.

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Hawaii

Group of Hawaii wildland firefighters in Washington state to help battle large wildfire

Published

12 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

Group of Hawaii wildland firefighters in Washington state to help battle large wildfire

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A group of wildland firefighters from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is in Washington State to help battle a large wildfire burning in the remote wilderness.

Nearly 5,000 acres in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest have burned in the Pioneer Fire. At last check, the fire was 7% contained.

With Tuesday marking National Wildland Firefighter Day, the National Park Service is putting out a call to hire more wildland firefighters.

Park officials said it’s a career that will take firefighters to national parks across the country.

Those who are interested can click here for more details.

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Hawaii

Christian clubs win legal victory in Hawaii – The Lion

Published

19 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

Christian clubs win legal victory in Hawaii – The Lion

After-school Christian clubs won a legal victory in Hawaii after alleging suing over discrimination by public school officials.

A Hawaii district court granted Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) of Hawaii a preliminary injunction on Thursday.

CEF filed its initial lawsuit in January, claiming the state education department and local public school leaders were discriminating against CEF’s Good News Clubs.

The clubs are part of an interdenominational program for 5- to 12-year-olds and boast nearly 85,000 clubs worldwide, including 6,200 in the U.S.

According to CEF’s complaint, Good News Clubs were denied access to public school facilities because of their religious nature and, in some instances, made to pay rental fees not required of nonreligious groups.

“Defendants’ policies of unequal access, pretextual denials, and hostility to CEF’s religious message violate the Constitution and have denied some Hawaii elementary school students access to free, positive, and character-building Good News Clubs that enrich countless students’ lives in other Hawaii schools and throughout the country,” the lawsuit read.

The Hawaii court granted an injunction in favor of the Christian clubs, directing the state to provide CEF “equal access” to school facilities that are “made available to other similarly situated nonprofit organizations” such as Boy Scouts or Girls on the Run.

“This is a great victory for Child Evangelism Fellowship, parents, and the students in Hawaii public schools,” said Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, which is representing the plaintiffs. “The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that public schools cannot discriminate against Christian viewpoints regarding use of school facilities.

“Child Evangelism Fellowship gives children a safe space that offers moral and character development from a Christian viewpoint. Good News Clubs should be in every public elementary school.”

Staver also noted in January that CEF has never lost a lawsuit for equal access.

Even so, the group continues to face discrimination from public schools.

Last year, CEF sued a Rhode Island district for equal access to school property and won. Other clubs – such as the Fellowship for Christian Athletes – have also had to fight for their rights to meet on campus.

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