It’s a great relief that it wasn’t a bullet hole, after all, that damaged the door of the Subaru Observatory on Mauna Kea, as was feared over the weekend. Turns out the hole was caused months ago by storm winds that slammed the door into a protruding intake manifold cover on the opposite wall.

The wrongful suspicion highlighted just how tense things have gotten in the controversy over the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea, which some Native Hawaiian protesters claim is sacred. Still, realizing how quickly the situation could have deteriorated but didn’t, it was reassuring that reactions were not careless or accusatory. And, it was good to hear the dismay espoused by Mauna Kea Hui as it referred to a code of conduct adopted by TMT protesters, that "all firearms are prohibited on Mauna Kea under our own protocol and especially under the Kapu Aloha."

Drop in abortions a welcome trend

This is good news, in many ways: Hawaii’s abortion rate is showing a precipitous drop.

It’s a national trend, according to The Associated Press, but the biggest percentage decrease was here. In 2010, the abortion count stood at 3,064; four years later it had fallen to 2,147.

Without a doubt, Hawaii has a history of liberal abortion-rights laws. But experts credit Hawaii’s sex education curriculum with conveying awareness of contraceptive options. And, too, the Affordable Care Act underwrites birth control co-pay.

Even with abortion safeguarded legally, avoiding pregnancy is by far the better choice.