Those who support building the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea have got to be elated: The Hawaii Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a demand for a separate contested case hearing over the project’s sublease. There has been so little encouragement on this front lately.

The court ruled that the plaintiff, cultural practitioner E. Kalani Flores, already was a petitioner in the construction-permit contested case. And that meant his right to defend his interest was protected.

But the permit case still rests with the court, on a different issue. Don’t exhale — yet.

‘Be Change Now’ speaks loudly

It’s fascinating to observe how the spending by Super PAC “Be Change Now” itself represented change: Hawaii has never seen such an investment of funds, particularly in the lieutenant governor’s race.

Leaders of the political action committee, funded by the carpenters’ union, asserted that its interest lies in making sure working men and women are heard.

But it’s plain that the union, as well as others in the construction industry who have made big donations, wanted to make sure their voices was heard, and loudly. The $1 million spent on ads for the super PAC’s favored candidate is a big megaphone.