NEWS BRIEFS

• JOY ALLISON LAWSUIT DISMISSED – U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi dismissed an $8 million dollar lawsuit filed by Waikoloa resident and former candidate for U.S. Senate Joy Allison (video below) against Hawaii News Now. Allison took the collective television stations to court for alleged discrimintion after she was disallowed to appear in a televised debate. Allsion ran as a Non-Partisan.

RELATED VIDEO: Allison campaigns on July 16, 2014 in Hilo

• MAUNA KEA GOLF COURSE CELEBRATING 50th ANNIVERSARY – A traditional Hawaiian blessing marked the official beginning of a yearlong celebration of Mauna Kea Golf Course’s 50th anniversary, having debuted on December 8, 1964. From the resort’s PR team:

(Photo courtesy Mauna Kea Beach Hotel) Danny “Kaniela” Akaka, Jr. kicks off the 41st annual Mauna Kea Pro-Am with a blowing of the conch shell.

This morning at 8:00am, nearly 50 years to the day that Rev. Abraham Akaka of Kawaiahao Church blessed the Mauna Kea Golf Course, his nephew Danny “Kaniela” Akaka, Jr. carried on the tradition. Akaka, Jr. performed a traditional Hawaiian blessing honoring the course’s 50th anniversary and the 41st annual Pro-Am, happening now through Sunday, December 7.

Mauna Kea Golf Course, recently named to Golfweek magazine’s list of “Best Resort Courses 2015,” was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., who pioneered a technique of creating a soil base from lava rock that became a staple of Hawaii Island golf courses. The course was christened in a legendary match 50 years ago, in December 1964, by golf’s “Big Three”—Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus.Mauna Kea Beach Hotel media release Dec. 5, 2014

(Photo by Mauna Kea Beach Hotel) The winners of the Pro-Am, who also dominated Thursday’s Horserace Shootout, pose with special guests. From left to right: Rees Jones (son of Mauna Kea Golf Course designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr.), NBC/Golf Channel Analyst Mark Rolfing, Shawn McCauley, Chris Tarr, Jin Hong, Danny Shin, Mauna Kea Director of Golf Josh Silliman