Hawaii officials cleared a key hurdle for a memorial at Kalaupapa, a win for descendants of the 8,000 people who were forced into isolation there.

• The state land board approved a permit that lets the planned patient memorial move ahead.
• Starting in 1866, people with Hansen's disease were taken from their families and sent to the Molokai settlement.
• Most of those buried there — about 6,500 — have no marked grave, so families have nowhere to visit.
• The memorial will name the patients and cover almost six acres, replacing a small pile of rocks families now use as a stand-in.
• Families want it finished while the last four surviving patients are still alive.

Outlook: With the permit granted, construction planning can begin, though the timeline remains the families' biggest worry.