Ohia killer threatens trees on Kauai

Since scientists discovered the “rapid ohia death” scourge less than five years ago, it has killed millions of trees, spanning more than 135,000 acres on Hawaii island. That acreage is the equivalent of about 210 square miles — or about one-third of Oahu’s size. Rapid, indeed.

Scientists are now reporting cases on Kauai — the first time the disease has been spotted outside of the Big Isle. One sliver of silver lining: The pathogen being tracked is the slower-moving of two types wiping out trees. While the aggressive fungus kills in a matter of months, the species spotted in the Moloaa Forest Reserve, Ceratocystis huliohia, might take years. There is no cure or treatment for rapid ohea death as of yet.

States get green light for sports betting

Hawaii residents are famous for their gambling habits, which take them in large numbers to Las Vegas, the “Ninth Island.”

So it’s of great interest that U.S. Supreme Court on Monday invalidated a federal law that barred states from allowing and taxing commercial sports betting, clearing the way for states to authorize such gambling.

Will we take the bait? If all those NCAA March Madness office pools are any indication, there’s a market for it. Sounds unlikely, though: Hawaii, one of only two states that bans virtually all forms of gambling, seems to have made up its mind on the issue. But we can hear the engines of the lobbyists warming up.