Kudos to Friends of Hanauma Bay for nudging Hawaii toward the now-in-effect ban on sale of over-the-counter sunscreens containing aquatic and reef-toxic oxybenzone and octinoxate.

Before Gov. David Ige signed off on the legislation in 2018, the nonprofit had served as a partner in a landmark study that found Hanauma had the highest measured levels of oxybenzone pollution from sunscreen in the state; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed that the saturation posed a high ecological risk to corals and other marine life.

Let’s keep the waters at Hanauma and all popular snorkeling and swimming areas free of sunscreen haze.

U.S. Rep. Kahele stays true to his roots

Newly seated U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele is the second Native Hawaiian to serve in Congress since statehood, preceded by the two who served during the territorial days, Robert Wilcox and Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. The difference: Territorial representatives can vote in committees but not on the floor of the House.

Kahele is establishing his home office not on Oahu but in his hometown, Hilo. By the time of the Nov. 30 deadline for office-job applications, 423 hopefuls had sent in resumes for D.C. or Hilo spots.