From the Hawaii Tribune-Herald:

If all goes as planned, Tom Benton will be shipping Sharwil avocados to the mainland come November.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture in September eased rules prohibiting the export of the avocados to the mainland, allowing farmers here to ship the Sharwils to 32 cold weather states each winter, from November through March. Officials last fall said they hoped to start the sale of the savory fruit last year, but the rule-making and implementation plan process took too long, said Benton, president of the Hawaii Avocado Association. Read more.

And here’s the latest in other neighbor isle gov’t, biz, culture and politics:

Judge rules against Paia short-term rentals

Battle over wastewater in Wailua

Merrie Monarch Festival gets under way

Installation of artificial turf at Maui stadium delayed again

Advocates for abused and neglected children needed on Maui

Counties seeking bigger TAT cut; bill goes to committee Monday

Maui Prep student leads charge to ban cigarettes from parks, beaches

State is genetically engineered crop flash point

Finding Neverland: Kualapuu students perform school’s last musical

Maui Search and Rescue Emerges

Photo: Avocado. (Will Merydith)

—Chad Blair