Having concluded 22 days of hearings, the three members of the state Public Utilities Commission must consider a question with no obvious answer: Should they allow NextEra Energy Inc. to buy Hawaiian Electric Industries? Their decision, of enormous consequence, will be based on the tens of thousands of pages of testimony and evidence gathered since the deal was announced on Dec. 3, 2014. But for the commissioners, the issue also comes down to a gut check: Do they trust NextEra to manage the utility wisely and in the best interests of Hawaii and its ambitious renewable-energy goals? It’s a tough call.

Take me out to the ball game, in Cuba

The stars seem to be aligning around Cuba later this month, with Hawaii’s own “star of gladness,” the Hokule‘a, being a key player.

Foremost, the replica Polynesian sailing vessel is planning to dock there on March 17, just days before President Barack Obama is to visit on March 21 and 22. Obama is planning to attend the first major league baseball game in Cuba since 1999, featuring the Tampa Bay Rays versus the Cuban National Team. Perhaps Hawaii native Obama and the Hokule‘a crew could all hang out and take in the game together.