Plenty of guns, but few places to practice

Regardless of how one feels about firearms, the fact is they are legal and even popular in Hawaii, as shown by the 70 percent increase in firearm permit applications processed here last year, compared with the previous year. The permits were issued both to first-time buyers and people who already own firearms, and both need places where they can use them, whether for safety training or recreation.

In that regard, the city has not been making it easy. Other than a couple of private firing ranges, there is only one public shooting range on all of Oahu: the Koko Head Shooting Complex. In recent years, the city has cut back on the complex’s days and hours of operation, resulting in long lines and some people showing up hours before it opens. Similarly, long lines taking hours to advance have been a problem at the Honolulu Police Department’s Firearms Registration Section.

In fairness to these law-abiding citizens, the city in both cases should step up and do what it takes to accommodate the demand.

You’ve been warned: Look out for falling rocks

After so many tragic (and near-tragic) encounters with boulders falling on residential neighborhoods, it’s good to see a proactive move by the city to take stock of its own liability problem.

A city-sponsored survey of rockfall hazards on municipal property came out last week, and mitigation projects at the sites are under way. The screening alongside the rocky face on Sierra Drive is one sign of that.

Along the way, the investigation identified some 1,000 private properties at risk, whose owners were notified.

Word to the wise: Just because you didn’t get a warning letter from the city doesn’t mean the all-clear has been sounded. The outreach to the private owners wasn’t meant to be exhaustive. Oahu is a pretty all-around crumbly place, so taking precautions is always a good plan.