Nov. 5. Joe went to seed, passing out hundreds of seed packets with his name, Joe Blackburn,  to support is  candidacy for County Council.  Mike Victorino, incumbent, was a johnny come lately but he got into the fray by giving out his own packets.  Victorino won, maybe because people like tomatoes and not asparagus.  NOW A NEW SEED WAR LOOMS, AND THIS IS A REAL ONE.

Maui voters cast 43,000 votes to ban GMO’s  and Monsanto’s research to make better seeds. The ban was adopted in a citizen initiated charter amendment by about a 1000 votes.  Monsanto spent more than $7 million to fight the ban and lost.  Thousands of facebook posts flooded email accounts.  Monsanto is expected to ask for an injunction and will probably file a lawsuit.                                                   Norm Bezane/VOICES OF MAUI TALK STORY, LLC PHOTOS