Dozens of parents and educators appealed to state senators yesterday to take action — any action — to find the estimated $60 million to $85 million it would take to cancel teacher furlough days. At a public meeting before a special Senate committee at the state Capitol, many parents and educators asked lawmakers to return in special session and suggested several options, including the use of the hurricane relief fund, the rainy day fund or a general-excise tax increase.

Federal Judge David Ezra has been appointed a "special master" to oversee settlement talks aimed at reopening Hawaii public schools for five days a week through the rest of the school year. Ezra had been the judge assigned to two legal challenges to the "furlough Friday" program that closes public schools for 17 days through this school year.

WAIMEA, Kauai — The main streets of Waimea and Hanapepe were filled yesterday with a cacophony of truck horns, shouts and waves for a half-hour in each town as Gay & Robinson cane haul trucks rumbled through for the last time.