More caution needed for Kauai trail

Kudos must go out — again — to the Kauai Fire Department and other rescue personnel. The latest mass stranding at the lovely but notorious Hana­ka­piai Stream occurred Wednesday, and thanks to rescuers, all 32 stranded hikers made it out safely.

Incidents involving the Na Pali Coast’s swollen stream are becoming a too-familiar news story. In April, 121 hikers were rescued over two days; in December, more than 60 had to be airlifted from the stream’s Kalalau Valley; and in February 2013, firefighters and lifeguards rescued more than 50 hikers, but one woman died after trying to cross Hana­ka­piai Stream before help arrived.

Hikers would be wise to heed officials’ advice: Monitor weather conditions, which can change suddenly and cause flash flooding, and know that there is no cellphone reception there. And, if stuck on the trail, stay on high ground and do not attempt to cross the rapidly rising stream.

Telescope protests need to remain civil

Construction has begun at the Mauna Kea site of the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope project. But the roar of the trucks and excavators can’t drown out the protests or the pending legal challenges that have dogged the project from the beginning.

Most recently, several dozen protesters gathered along Mauna Kea Access Road, decrying what they described as the continuing wanton destruction of a sacred cultural site. Their fears are heartfelt. And with time running out, expect protests to get larger and more impassioned. It behooves all parties — especially the University of Hawaii, which is administering the project — to advance their goals in a way that is peaceful, conscientious and respectful.