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Train manufacturer back on track financially
Honolulu has reasons to exhale with the news that Hitachi Ltd. has bought the unprofitable AnsaldoBreda SpA and 40 percent of Ansaldo STS SpA — makers of the planned rail system here — from their parent company, the Italian defense firm Finmeccanica.
Hitachi seems to be in growth mode, ramping up the expansion of its train unit. And that’s a more encouraging sight for future rail riders than watching the troubled Ansaldo companies continue to circle the drain.
Coffee berry borers aren’t boring to coffee growers
The threat of the coffee berry borer is growing. Limited quarantine restrictions on Oahu have been expanded to cover the whole island, mimicking the rules in place since 2010 on Hawaii island. That’s where the destructive beetle was first spotted in the state. Coffee growers there manage the pest by applying organic pesticide and maintaining their fields in a manner that discourages infestations.
So far, the pest has not been detected on Maui, Kauai, Molokai and Lanai. But Oahu is a hub for the industry statewide, so farmers and affiliated businesses must do all they can to ensure that coffee beans flowing in and out of Oahu are not spreading this invasive species.