Adm. Harris draws a tough assignment

Adm. Harry Harris’ original assignment to be ambassador to Australia was going to involve a lot of re-establishment work, given the U.S. hasn’t had an ambassador there for nearly two years. But now, the head of the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii will be off to South Korea. This is only weeks ahead of an anticipated summit between President Donald Trump and his rhetorical foe, North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

Talk about the deep end of the pool. Good thing Harris can swim: He’s already grounded in Asia security issues, his supporters said. Still, things will be tense before they ease up. The Aussie gig would have been relaxed by comparison, so let’s all wish Harris success in his new role.

For an affordable staycation, try a (legal) B&B

With Hawaii’s hotel prices ranked as the nation’s highest during the first quarter of the year — almost $293 on average, according to a report released Tuesday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority — and the occupancy rate reaching the highest level since 2000, staycation bargains might be scarce for kamaaina this summer.

Another option that’s typically less wallet-draining, if you must have some away time from your residence, is another residence. Oahu’s legal inventory of short-term vacation rentals includes about 800 transient vacation units (TVUs), which are typically unhosted, and 44 hosted bed-and-breakfast operations.