Gung hee fat choy!

Monday’s start of the Year of the Dragon was robustly celebrated in this Asia-Pacific part of the world, where more than a billion people welcomed the new year with high hopes. Based on the lunar calendar and the 12-year Chinese zodiac, the dragon year connotes much auspiciousness, fortune and power.

Throughout Asia — and in many Hawaii households — families loaded up on the gooey gau and the vegetarian jai as part of the festivities. But, unlike in Hawaii, there was a bevy of fireworks for the symbolic warding off of evil spirits, from China to Vietnam to Singapore. Good luck imposing fireworks bans in those locations.

Keeping the plantation era alive

There’s reason to feel hopeful that some solution may be found for the remaining tenants of the Koloa, Kauai, plantation camp with developer Peter Savio stepping forward to propose a way to stave off eviction.

The tenants live on the site where Grove Farm Co. wants to build Waihohonu, a 50-unit residential subdivision. It remains to be seen whether a middle ground can be found that can accommodate the needs of both parties. A community meeting is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Koloa Neighborhood Center, so stay tuned.

It would be an excellent outcome if some kinder way could be found to write the final chapter of the plantation era, other than eviction.