Should you, while motoring along the H-1 or H-2, spot a state Freeway Serv­ice Patrol truck parked next to zipping freeway traffic, show our flat-tire first responders some respect. How? Move over at least one lane. If that’s not possible, slow down. That’s the safest response for all involved, and it’s state law.

Since the patrol first rolled in June 2009, it has changed well over 17,400 flats and assisted at the scene of countless fender-benders and other accidents. Everything done to assist drivers with disabled vehicles is free, including providing up to two gallons of gas. We’re fortunate to have a patrol at the ready, 5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays.

After big eruption, little fire ants

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is contending with big challenges taking shape in a range of sizes. For the past few months, the park has been in recovery mode in the aftermath of hazardous volcanic and seismic activity at the Kilauea summit. But as damaged roads and facilities are repaired, a new threat has surfaced: Little fire ants.

First detected in Hawaii in 1999, the fire ant (native to South and Central America) packs a sting nasty enough to cause blindness in animals and can wreak havoc on native ecosystems and ag crops. The good news is that with eradication efforts and an effective peanut-butter bait, it’s possible for the park to be free of the tiny pests.