Ige has good case for Suzanne Case

This time, Gov. David Ige did better.

His nomination of Suzanne Case to lead the state Department of Land and Natural Resources answers the complaints about the previous nominee, Carleton Ching, who lacked management experience and a background in conservation.

That’s not the case with Case.

As the Hawaii executive director of The Nature Conservancy since 2001, she oversees 16 preserves totaling 53,000 acres in Hawaii; she handled major projects, including the transfer of 117,000-acre Kahuku Ranch on the Big Island to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; and she leads a staff of 76 people and manages an annual budget of $11 million, according to the Conservancy’s website.

DLNR is a much larger and more complex operation, of course. But Case’s background suggests she won’t be going in unarmed.

He ran out of second chances

Deputy Prosecutor Jon Riki Karamatsu found himself on the wrong side of the law again, allegedly committing a second drunken-driving offense that put himself and others on the road at risk. He did the right thing by resigning his job.

He was arrested Saturday in Waikiki on suspicion of driving under the influence and refused to submit to breath, blood or urine tests.

Karamatsu was a state lawmaker when he was charged the first time, in 2007. He pleaded no contest then, saying, "I’ve learned from my mistake, I’m deeply sorry and I’m very fortunate that no one got hurt."

Learning from mistakes means not repeating them.