Yes, we all can get along in isles

The Royal Order of Kamehameha paid a huge tribute to the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu by making Bishop Larry Silva a member.

That would be true in any case: The order has been a primary guardian for royal traditions since the fall of the monarchy, and is among the isles’ most elite organizations.

An interesting historical note: In the very old days, the Kamehameha line and the Catholics were far from buddies. The religion was banned, in fact, until the French government pushed back hard and exacted an "Edict of Toleration" from the crown. Compensation for the incarcerated priests, as well as a land grant for the church, sealed the peace.

Since then, of course, it was the Catholic saints — Father Damien and Mother Marianne Cope — whose work brought comfort to Hansen’s disease patients, most of them Native Hawaiian. And that fact was anything but lost on the royal order this week.

New anti-cruelty laws are cat’s meow

"Puppy millers beware," warns Inga Gibson, Hawaii director of the Humane Society of the United States.

Indeed, Gov. Neil Abercrombie has signed into law six bills aimed at protecting animals, one of which upgrades misdemeanor animal cruelty offenses involving 10 or more animals to a class C felony.

Another prohibits anyone convicted of first-degree animal cruelty from possessing or owning pets for at least five years.

The changes follow the Waimanalo puppy mill incident in which 40 Pomeranians were rescued from filthy conditions in 2011. That brought attention to the fact that Hawaii is the only state without a single federally licensed breeder because pet stores are not required to disclose where they got the animals they sell.