Slow but steady. That’s been the state Department of Transportation’s approach on the long-awaited red-light camera pilot project — and maybe the agency is hoping that pace will rub off on impatient, aggressive drivers.

Initially eyed for rollout in early summer, then late summer and now for year’s end, the two-year project aims to ticket motorists entering an intersection after the light has turned red. Much still needs to be done, including analyses for final selection of 10 red-light-cam sites, from 14 preliminary ones; and a mandatory 60-day public educational/awareness campaign. So, expect rollout details to start by late October — unless the schedule gets pushed back, again.

Keeping an eye on another variant

Health officials are rightly casting a watchful eye on the mu variant of the coronavirus — and luckily so far, mu remains a variant of interest, not a variant of concern. It’s less virulent than the predominant delta variant, which quickly became responsible for 95% of COVID-19 cases here since rearing its ugly head in early July.

The mu strain, also known as B.1.621, was detected in Hawaii in June, but seems to have since subsided. Let’s hope so — even as we remain vigilant against all strains by vaccinating, masking, hand-washing and social distancing.