The shutdown has shut off the tap where funding for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park pours out, so the National Park Service may turn to Federal Land and Recreation Enhancement funds to underwrite the park maintenance.

These are funds that are replenished through park fees, but officials said entrance and camping fees won’t be collected for now. Basic park services are still being offered, but extras such as ranger talks and programs are on hiatus.

The shutdown poses less of a potential threat to the volcanoes park than did last year’s eruption — but only if it doesn’t last too much longer.

Loss of dairy a loss for local milk

The community is glad, as it should be, that the ocean pollution from Big Island Dairy has been arrested with the agreement to close the farm. Anything causing the fouling of water where residents fish and play has got to go.

But along with it goes the ambitious plans for significantly reducing the need to import milk. Evidently, the operation expanded beyond the capacity to handle the waste. But let’s hope some successor finds a way to replicate that kind of ambition, along with better management tools.

Local food production is a good thing, too.