Police arrest 36 for suspected DUI
Hawaii Island police arrested 36 drivers for suspected drunken driving between Dec. 16 and Sunday; five were involved in traffic accidents and two were younger than 21.
Police have made 1,314 suspected DUI arrests this year compared with 1,456 during the same period in 2012, according to the Hawaii County Police Department.
Kona officers arrested 18 motorists while South Hilo officers arrested 11 drivers, according to police. South Kohala and Puna officers arrested three motorists in each district while Hamakua officers arrested one.
There have been 1,290 major accidents this year compared with 1,426 during the same period in 2012. To date, there have been 25 traffic fatalities on Big Island public roadways compared with 38 at this time in 2012. To date, five of the fatalities have been related to drugs; two to alcohol and six to a combination of alcohol and drugs, according to police.
South Kohala residents remain under water restriction
Because of ongoing dry weather conditions, consumers in South Kohala are still under water restriction, according to the county Department of Water Supply.
Consumers, living in Waimea, Kawaihae and Puukapu-Honokaia-Nienie areas, are required to reduce water consumption by 25 percent.
Here are some ways to conserve water to reach the goal:
• Wash full loads of laundry or dishes at a time.
• Check faucets and pipes for leaks.
• Serve drinking water only when requested.
• Keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator.
• Do not let the faucet run unnecessarily.
• When bathing, use water only to wet and rinse off.
• Do not fill up the bathtub.
• Use a glass to rinse when brushing your teeth.
• Do not flush toilets unnecessarily.
• Stop lawn sprinkling.
• Stop car and boat washing.
• Stop dust control watering.
• Use drinking water wisely.
All agricultural users should keep water usage to a minimum. Irrigate only from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. This measure will reduce water loss caused by evaporation and minimize water system drain during peak demand.For more information, call Daryl Ikeda at 961-8790.
Health insurance enrollment deadline extended
The Hawaii Health Connector is extending its enrollment deadline to today, which is in line with a recent federal announcement and accommodates the high demand in last-minute enrollments.
The original deadline was Monday.
Individuals and families who select a health plan through the connector and complete the enrollment process by the new deadline will receive coverage that begins Jan. 1. The deadline for payment of the first month’s premium remains Jan. 10. The connector will work to allow any individual or family who was unable to select a plan because of system delays to enroll in a plan for coverage effective Jan. 1.
For more information, visit hawaiihealthconnector.com.