THUMBS UP

Hawaii still backs Obama

Among states measured in a Gallup poll for their approval ratings of President Barack Obama, Hawaii is highest, with 75 percent of residents of his home state approving the way he is doing his job. Seven other states gave him an approval rating of at least 70 percent. In the District of Columbia, his hometown at the moment, a whopping 92 percent give him thumbs up. Among the red states, only Dick Cheney's Wyoming and Sarah Palin's Alaska give him approval ratings of less than 50 percent.

COME ONE, COME ALL

Lots of fire power in top-cop candidates

It's always good to have good choices. And it's even better to have many good choices.

So it would seem with the healthy pool of candidates for the Honolulu police chief job, which will open up when Boisse Correa's contract expires. Thirty-six applicants, including 14 HPD veterans, are vying for the job. Some are familiar names to the public, some have earned their way up the ranks from district stations largely out of the limelight. Captains, majors, assistant chiefs, men, women. It promises to be an enthusiastic competition as the police commission begins the selection process.

TRAIL BLAZERS

Clearing the way for hikers

Hawaii hikers who enjoy easy access to well-kept trails can thank the Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps and Na Ala Hele, whose interns spent the summer clearing trees, rocks and other debris blocking the way. Na Ala Hele, a program within the Department of Land and Natural Resources, maintains all the public hiking trails in the state, and relies heavily on young people in the corps to do the heavy lifting. In exchange, corps members get paid to experience nature up close, and the work has even inspired some to make long-term careers out of preserving Hawaii's natural resources. Perhaps the best news of all: The conservation corps is hiring, seeking young adults for year-round positions.