Columbus Day — marking the Oct. 12, 1492 landing of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria in what is today the Bahamas — is a federal holiday. But at least eight states and 130 cities have now legally changed the holiday to “Indigenous Peoples Day,” to honor indigenous history and cultural contributions. In Hawaii, the 1988 Legislature specified that the second Monday in October would be observed as “Discoverers’ Day,” in recognition of Polynesian discoverers. However, it’s not a state government holiday.

Mucking out the Ala Wai

Any canoe club using the Ala Wai Canal will attest to stuff beneath the surface, within reach of the paddle, that nobody wants to touch — with a paddle or anything else.

Even if the sludge down there is the sweetest-smelling mud, it’s still wet muck that should come out. At last, the state’s about start a $21 million dredging project — a good move, albeit at least five years late, per best practices.

The canal may be a water feature superficially, but it’s really a storm drain. Time for cleaning.