From The Garden Island:

Kaua‘i residents have seen a spike in the amount of debris — including pieces of refrigerators — on Kaua‘i’s beaches, and experts say it’s part of the Japanese tsunami debris making the unpleasant new waves.

“Since February (started), it’s really piling up,” said Carl Berg, chairman of the Surfrider Foundation of Kaua‘i. “It’s sort of like we’ve finally gotten the wave.”

Surfrider, working with community volunteer Daniel Nelson and Jessica Austin, a Kaua‘i Community College Marine Options Program student, spent the last year monitoring marine debris on North Shore beaches, Berg said in an e-mail.  Daily collections and weekly cataloguing have provided the ability to see changes in the amount and size of the debris, originating from the Japanese tsunami of March 2011. Read the full story.

And here’s the latest in other neighbor isle gov’t and politics:

Garden Isle Racing Association to repair Mana track

Grenade scare at Foodland in Waimea

Koloa Camp is a ghost of former self

Ex-chef accused of stealing $20K from Huggo’s

Bill would extend forfeiture actions to petty misdemeanors

Despite community efforts, Kauai drownings still occur

Community to initiate effort to rebuild play area in Haiku

Saving Pelekane Bay

Royal Coconut Coast Association launches to promote Eastside

Just call me “Taxedtodeath”

Native moth outbreak causing defoliation of koa forests

County’s leaders set to speak at Kula event

Federal benefit disbursements going electronic

Photo courtesy Mr.Thomas.

—Chad Blair