New transitional housing project is true bright spot

There are so many cracks in the homeless services system that many people are overlooked by the public and nonprofit agencies struggling to help.

Thankfully, some people at Catholic Charities Housing Development are paying attention to them. Work to renovate a 12-unit Makiki apartment building to house people not traditionally served, such as the developmentally disabled and grandparents raising children, is expected to take until July.

Bottom line: Oahu’s homelessness crisis is so severe it will take a constellation of approaches to manage it. Kudos go to Catholic Charities and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation for this bright star.

For Hawaii, splendor on seas involves more Spam

The stranded Carnival Splendor cruise passengers are home and presumably happier after a weekend’s rest — those who aren’t going to sue, anyway.

But all of Hawaii can’t let this story sink altogether into misty memory without a shout-out in defense of Spam. The Navy last week reported delivering the canned lunchmeat to the hobbled ship but, in an indignant tweet, cruise officials insisted the Spam never was served — media reports to the contrary.

Whatever. Many of us here in the Spam capital of the world think Carnival shouldn’t be so red-faced. Bring us some of that mystery meat, Uncle Sam. We’ve got the frying pans, rice and nori at the ready.