New legislator Chris Todd will have a steep learning curve — after all, he just got appointed to the state Legislature on Thursday, and the new session starts in just over a week. At age 28, Todd will be one of the youngest members of the state House; that should at least bring a fresh generational perspective to the body. He is the son of a Democratic Party stalwart, and holds an economics and political science degree.

Todd was appointed by the governor to fill the vacancy left by the late Rep. Clift Tsuji, who died Nov. 15. Todd was one of three finalists forwarded by the Hawaii County Democratic Party, in a process that raised questions about fairness. The local party might consider tightening rules later this month.

The coffee berry borer goes island-hopping

The tiny but tenacious scourge of Hawaii’s coffee crops, the coffee berry borer, appears to be on the march. Since the beetle was first detected in Kona in 2010, fears that it would spread are coming true.

The beetle turned up in two spots on Maui recently, making the island the third, along with Hawaii island and Oahu, to host the pest.

It seems the best that can be hoped for is containment. But if the beetle gets into wild coffee trees, it could spread unhindered and unreported. Public awareness can help. Visit http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/pi/ppc/cbbinfo/ to learn more.