Good program loses good coach

The Positive Coaching Alliance is no namby-pamby organization where every player gets a trophy and the scoreboard doesn’t count at all. On the contrary, the slogan of the national nonprofit, "Better Athletes, Better People," sums up the idea that young athletes should be taught to develop the skills, attitudes and work ethics that lead to success on and off the field.

So it’s a shame that Kalaheo High School’s talented basketball coach has walked away from the program rather than adhere to PCA standards, according to the principal. PCA programs are winning programs, in more ways than one.

Sea cucumbers get a reprieve

Bravo to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources for acting swiftly to halt the depletion of sea cucumbers from Hawaiian waters. A shoutout for fast-tracking the 120-day emergency ban also goes to the public, who helped document mass commercial harvesting from nearshore waters off Oahu and Maui — galvanizing support for the quick action.

Healthy marine ecosystems depend on sea cucumbers to scour the sea floor and remove sediments that can harm coral reefs. Some species also are considered a dining delicacy; beche-de-mer can fetch more than a $100 pound retail internationally, a financial incentive that can override sustainable practices.

DLNR staff will use the next four months to determine the overall effect of large-scale commercial harvesting, an inquiry that should lead to permanent rules limiting the taking of sea cucumbers.