Editorial: Maui mayor keeps water case alive

Maui Mayor Michael Victorino has announced his intention to forge ahead with the county’s injection- well appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court despite the County Council’s vote to discontinue the case. Victorino said he hopes the high court will bring clarity to the case, which debates the reach of the federal Clean Water Act.

What’s already clear: Daily disposal of some 3 million gallons of treated sewage by way of injection wells is contributing to coral demise and algae blooms. The Council has so far approved some $4 million in legal fees fighting the case. That money would have been better spent shoring up environmental protections.

Clinton puts Gabbard in spotlight

Low-polling presidential candidates such as Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard would turn backflips to get attention these days, given all the distractions in D.C. including the impeachment probe. And last week, the 2016 Democratic Party nominee, Hillary Clinton, gave it to her — though nobody expected it to be an assertion that Gabbard is a “Russian asset,” willing to run as a third-party candidate. Gabbard’s retort was pretty biting.

We’ll see how long the Tulsi bump lasts. Watch Google trends.