It was the best of years, it was the worst of years, but 2017 had some memorable moments. Here are the 10 biggest stories of the year.
1. Baby birds born.
On a day in December a yellow saffron finch gave birth to triplets outside the window of our house. They were three healthy baby birds chirping away, heralding in hope and prosperity.
2. Perfect blue sky.
For the first time in years, on Christmas Eve morning the sky was completely free of clouds, all light blue, not one wisp of white from horizon to horizon. This signifies that all things will become clear in the new year.
3. Heaviest avocado in the world.
Pamela Wang, a woman in Kealakekua, may have found the world’s heaviest avocado, weighing about 5 and a half pounds. It was about to be weighed by the Guinness Book of Records giving her worldwide fame. Unfortunately, before it could be weighed, her husband came home and found it and made a huge batch of guacamole. Just kidding, it is being weighed and recorded.
4. President Trump was respectable.
For one full day in September Donald Trump did not push one head of state out of the way, or make one wisecrack about women, Democrats or immigrants. It is reported that he actually said something that was true. He also refrained from tweeting.
After measuring the big avocado, the Guinness Book of Records will record this amazing fact about Donald Trump.
5. Hawaii Department of Water Supply fixed one pump.
After five water pumps serving Kona suddenly stopped working and stayed down for about a year, the workers at DWS finally found the phone number of someone who sells water pumps. They called the number and four months later one pump was working, sort of.
6. TMT approved on Maunakea.
Scientists can now look up at space and print obscure articles in science magazines, and all of Hawaii can look at Maunakea and see a big, ugly dome.
7. Hawaii in range of nuclear missiles.
The state is preparing for a nuclear attack, yeah right. Civil Defense has a safety procedure where you bend over and kiss your okole goodbye.
8. Gov. David Ige vetoes the ban on taking aquarium fish.
Now aquarium fisherman can steal and sell all the colorful fish in Hawaii.
9. Queen Kaahumanu Highway extension postponed.
In the dark ages of the 1990s during the first Dynasty of King Kim, construction of the Queen Kaahumanu extension began. For over 20 years, two governors and three mayors oversaw construction of the 5-mile stretch of road. It is still unfinished and is postponed once more. It is hoped that our children’s children will be able to drive on it, that is, if they still have cars then.
10. Jackie Rey’s restaurant gives free dinners again.
Jackie Rey’s restaurant in Kona gave out free Thanksgiving dinners, feeding multitudes in what’s becoming one of Kona’s best traditions.
Happy New Year!