Here’s a shout out for lady golf pros

Four years ago, Hawaii lost all three of its LPGA Tour events and none was slated to return.

Now, the tour has announced that the $1.7 million LPGA Lotte Championship will tee off April 18-21 at an Oahu course that is expected to be Ko Olina.

Lotte, Korea’s fifth-largest conglomerate, has announced a three-year agreement to sponsor LPGA tournaments in Hawaii, as Michelle Wie prepares to graduate from Stanford and hit the links full time, and Stephanie Kono and Ayaka Kaneko launch their rookie seasons.

Other sponsors would be welcome in the islands. Florida-based ADT Security Services, Japan’s Fields Corp., and South Korea’s Seoul Broadcasting System bowed out of their sponsorships of professional women golfers’ events at Hawaiian courses in 2008.

Rare monk seals getting a raw deal

The killing of four Hawaiian monk seals, a critically endangered species, on Molokai and Kauai has generated justifiable concern by state officials and wildlife conservationists.

It could get worse.

The seal population is growing in the main Hawaiian islands, and more encounters with humans are inevitable.

Whatever the reason for the killings — some signs point to fishermen — there are two proper responses: Vigorous law enforcement and education.

As Hawaiian activist and Molokai resident Walter Ritte noted: "Young people think it’s an invasive species because the older people are saying they’ve never seen them before."

That mindset needs to change.