Xeriscape garden event is a hit
Hundreds of Oahu residents learned simple lawn and gardening techniques to save water on Saturday during the Halawa Xeriscape Garden Open House and Unthirsty Plant Sale.
The 25th annual open house, hosted by the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, also offered dozens of drought-tolerant plants for sale.
The event featured free workshops and classes for home gardeners on xeriscaping, aquaponics and container gardening, as well as keiki games, keiki garden planting and a mulch giveaway.
Proceeds from the plant sale will support educational programs and classes at Halawa Xeriscape Garden. The open house was co-sponsored by the Friends of Halawa Xeriscape Garden, a nonprofit community group that supports educational programs related to water conservation in the landscape.
Xeriscaping is planning, planting and maintaining a garden that takes advantage of natural climate conditions to make efficient use of irrigation.
Visit www.boardofwatersupply.com.
Aloha Ike program gets $5,000 grant
The Daniel K. Inouye Memorial Fund has awarded a $5,000 grant to the Kauai Economic Development Board to support its Aloha Ike educational program.
Established in 2005, Aloha Ike provides private grants to teacher-inspired projects in any Kauai public, private and charter school serving grades K-12. Since then, 127 school projects have been funded, affecting more than 4,000 students.
The Inouye Memorial Fund was created in December to continue to help organizations and causes that the senator supported over the years.
Development plan for Pahoa OK’d by panel
The Windward Planning Commission on Hawaii island has voted in support of a new commercial development for Pahoa.
The $20 million project on Pahoa Village Road would bring a supermarket and medical and dental facilities, as well as restaurants and other retail to the growing area, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports.
The 10-acre property now is used by Bryson’s Cinders, and is zoned agriculture.
In two 7-0 votes, the commission on Thursday gave positive recommendations for necessary zoning changes. The Hawaii County Council has the final say.
With approval, construction could started almost right away, with completion in early 2015, said Jon McElvaney, a consultant with Inoue Hawaii Realty Corp.
