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Brawls last week involving teens and young adults from Kapolei and Waianae need to be addressed, and quickly. Parents, guardians and others in those communities must step in to ease the tensions that led to Thursday afternoon’s fights near a Kapolei recreation center that involved 400 to 500 young people, drawing some 60 police officers to break them apart. That came on the heels of an incident a few days earlier. There were no reports of serious injuries, fortunately.
It’s not widely known what’s causing the bad blood. Clearly, though, the animosities can’t be allowed to fester, and cooler heads and hands need to keep things from escalating.
Keep those snakes out of Hawaii
The large boa constrictor discovered lolling about a Nuuanu driveway Thursday raises a question: Why do people persist in bringing these dangerous pests illegally into Hawaii? Such large snakes can wreak havoc on native birds, bats and other fauna. Boa constrictors are especially well-suited to thrive in Hawaii’s tropical climate. They’ve been found all over the island: in people’s homes, in Chinatown and on the Pali Highway (flattened by a car). Possessing such a snake can lead to a fine of up to $200,000 and a three-year prison term. But the state would rather have the snake than the fine — its amnesty program allows people to avoid a penalty by surrendering the contraband rather than release it into the wild.