How sweet is Honolulu? A recent WalletHub survey ranks it among the top 10 of 100 large cities sized up as the go-to places for a romantic yet affordable Valentine’s Day. It’s near the front of the pack for per-capita florists, jewelry stores, greeting card and gift shops.

But how about sweets? The survey notes that just about all Americans want to receive candy or chocolate today; and more than half of celebrators will spend a whopping total of $1.8 billion on holiday confectionery. In the survey metric of chocolate shops per capita, Honolulu nails the No. 1 spot — in a three-way tie with San Francisco and New York. Sweet, indeed.

Parents can step in their keiki’s shoes

It’s called Keiki Steps, but parental involvement in early education can lead to a giant leap forward for some children handicapped by poverty.

The parent participation preschool program is one of the beneficiaries of federal education dollars for Native Hawaiians. Keiki Steps is free to parents as a result of grants, and based on the testimonials at a state Capitol rally on Monday, there is no shortage of cheerleaders for it. Parents and kids learning together strengthens family bonds as well as brains. Let’s hope federal budget cuts don’t force the program to step backwards.