Warn folks about hidden dangers

When shoreline replenishment projects occur, the main focus is on land — people can see and appreciate the wider sandy beaches that result from pumping in tons of sand from offshore.

What’s happening under the water, however, is not so obvious.

Two Oahu men who are suing the state claim that the 2012 Waikiki Beach restoration raised the seafloor and left them permanently injured when once-familiar waters were shallower than expected for surfing or diving. Their claims will be resolved in court.

It’s clear, though, that future reclamation projects should strive to build more awareness about any changes people can’t see, as well as those they can.

Blank votes also affect elections

The expression that "every single vote counts" is trotted out every election cycle, and it’s true, after a fashion, but as the case of Tommy Waters shows, there are limits to that single vote.

Waters lost the race to represent District IV in the Honolulu City Council to Trevor Ozawa by 41 votes. Waters wants either a recount of the 4,455 blank votes — ballots that were cast, but without a vote in this race — or a new election.

He alleges the final summary of the race showed changes in vote tallies over what was reported on election night, and this suggests the possibility of more errors among the blank votes.

Every single vote does count for something, but apparently even the voters who waved off this race were doing something meaningful, without realizing it.

Do nothing, have an impact. It can happen.