Homeless veterans get a helping hand

The Hawaii Chapter of U.S. VETS, which provides long-term affordable housing for nearly 1,000 veterans at a Barbers Point facility at Kalaeloa, is the grateful recipient of a $1 million donation that’s tagged to help veterans in need of permanent housing and other support services.

Through the donation, local real estate and development firm MacNaughton Group also honors the memory of a business adviser who served in the Vietnam War. Here’s hoping the fitting salute helps get more homeless vets off the streets. A census of homelessness on Oahu, conducted earlier this year, reported 4,940 people in an islandwide count, including 449 homeless vets — up from last year’s tally of 413.

Hawaii checks out the latest in chickpeas

It might not be as eye-catching as a pineapple, but the humble chickpea (aka garbanzo) could be the next popular thing in Hawaii fields.

The University of Hawaii has been testing some 20 varieties of the crop, which grow in dry conditions, don’t need extensive irrigation and replenish soil nutrients. Chickpeas are good for you, too — that may be why they’ve been included in traditional diets for more than 7,000 years.

Tests will continue to see which varieties of chickpeas will thrive in Hawaii’s microclimates. In the meantime, brush up on those hummus recipes.