Pahoa residents well-served by civil defense

Kudos to civil defense crews and others in Pahoa, who are doing about as good a job as is possible against an absolutely dominant force of nature. The residents of the Hawaii island town now being bisected by the advancing lava flow are being kept well informed and prepared, authorities even going door to door to get the word out.

Sometimes battening down the hatches will save us from the forces of nature. But a crackling mat of molten rock is completely unwilling to negotiate, and the folks of the Puna district certainly get that.

Bethany Hamilton is one amazing racer

Kauai’s own Bethany Hamilton is the picture of resilience and grace on "The Amazing Race," the CBS reality show known for testing competitors’ physical, intellectual and emotional limits as they span the globe completing challenges in a bid for a $1 million prize.

Hamilton, 24, a professional surfer who lost an arm in a shark attack 11 years ago, obviously amazes her fellow competitors and even the local residents in the race’s far-flung locales. She is teamed with her husband, Adam Dirks. Their relaxed, can-do attitudes make them winners, no matter how the race turns out, and reflect well on their home state.