About Town: 5-5-16

Kupuna Singles meet for dinner

Kupuna Singles meet for dinner

Kona Kupuna Singles will meet for dinner at 6 p.m. May 11 at Orchid Thai.

Reservations: Charles, 339-7397.

Meeting provides update on affordable housing projects

The Villages of Laiopua, Laiopua 2020, County of Hawaii, Forest City Hawaii-Kona, State Hawaii Housing Finance Development Corporation and Michaels Development Co. will host an informational meeting from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at West Hawaii Civic Center Building G.

Michaels Development Co. will give a presentation on the new affordable family and senior rental development at Kamakana Villages near Kealakehe High School.

Laiopua 2020 and DHHL will announce its affordable rent to own development on Village IV. Request for bid proposals were issued and received. Bids were closed April 20.

Refreshments will be served.

Info: Laiopua 2020, 327-1221.

Walmart stops selling two invasive plant species

As a result of collaboration between the Big Island Invasive Species Committee and Walmart, the retailer will phase out the sale of two plants from garden centers in Hawaii stores. Walmart joins a growing list of nurseries that are working to be “Plant Pono” and discontinue the sale of invasive plants.

The two plants in question, night-blooming jasmine and medinilla, have been identified as being in the early stages of invasion into natural areas on the Hawaii Island and around the state.

Federal regulations prevent foreign imports of a number of plant species into the U.S., but those regulations are not Hawaii specific. For plants coming from the mainland, Hawaii state law restricts the movement of just a handful of plant types, and only members of the palm family are outright banned. Many retailers and consumers are unaware of the relatively relaxed regulations for importing plants in Hawaii, and assume that if a plant is for sale, it must be safe.

A list of Plant Pono endorsed nurseries on the Big Island can be found at www.biisc.org.