We need more iiwi, fewer mosquitoes

Before the mid-1820s, mosquitoes were unknown to the islands — and the finch-like red honeycreeper, or iiwi, with its flashy scarlet-hued body, black-tipped wings and curved bill, was a common sight.

Sadly, the avian-malaria carriers have pushed the bird — once found from sea level to 6,000-foot elevations — to reside primarily on slopes too cold for mosquitoes. However, it still swoops to infested areas for a fav food: plant nectar. Unless the pest population is significantly sized-down, iiwi could become extinct within about 80 years.

Scientist are now looking at a naturally occurring bacteria that can serve as a sort of mosquito birth control. Godspeed. Success could mean survival for the iiwi — and a bit of itching relief for the rest of us.

With help, schools can promote career training

State Department of Education officials often talk about individual schools as laboratories with successes being replicated elsewhere through the system. It’s good to see that potential in the new Connect to Careers program.

This initiative asks business leaders to identify skills needed in the workforce, aligning those with what’s taught in the classroom. Specific schools’ experience with on-the-job training opportunities provides guidance on how a broader program could work.

It’s time to capitalize on one of the advantages of a statewide system: sharing what works.