Question: When will the Pali Lookout reopen?

Answer: The scenic overlook, officially known as the Nu‘uanu Pali State Wayside, will remain closed until at least November, said A.J. McWhorter, a spokesman for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

That’s because the road to the lookout serves as a staging area for state Department of Transportation equipment being used in ongoing Pali Highway repairs and improvements, he said.

The lookout has been closed since February, when landslides damaged the highway below, limiting access to the vital trans-Koolau route.

Access to the highway itself has expanded as repairs progress. Since Sept. 1, Pali Highway has been open in both directions Sundays through Fridays from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closed Saturdays and overnight).

Q: All the time the news talks about the “opioid crisis,” but I never hear the names of the medicine. I have family members who have been on painkillers for a long time, but they don’t see a problem. I am not sure whether what they take counts as “opioid.” Please list.

A: “Opioid or narcotic prescription pain medications include (but are not limited to): Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Norco, Buprenorphine, Fentanyl, Morphine, and Codeine,” according to the Hawaii Opioid Initiative, a collaboration of public health, public safety and health care professionals and community partners working to stem opioid abuse, which is a problem nationwide, including in Hawaii.

Perhaps you could point your family members to HOI’s survey, which predicts an individual’s risk of opioid dependence by their answers to 16 yes-or-no questions, such as whether they’ve been taking prescription pain medication for more than a week, have had people comment on their use or have tried but failed to reduce their use.

Answering “yes” to six or more questions indicates that it is “very likely” the person is dependent on opioids or narcotic pain medication. Find the survey at 808ne.ws/opipdf.

Q: How do we report an illegal vacation rental? Our “neighbor” (whom we’ve never met and believe is a California LLC) must have moved their ads from Airbnb to Facebook or something. … There are still tourists cycling in and out every few days. We know the area isn’t zoned for it and there’s no NUC.

A: You can call the Department of Planning and Permitting’s complaint hotline at 768-8127 or send a complaint letter to Department of Planning and Permitting, Memo: STR, 650 S. King St., 7th Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813.

An NUC, for other readers who may be wondering, is a nonconforming use permit. To legally operate as a short-term rental on Oahu, a property must be zoned for such usage or hold a previously issued NUC.

You can find more information about the city’s laws and policies on short-term rentals at 808ne.ws/dppstr.

Mahalo

On Labor Day our two dogs escaped our fenced yard near Aloha Stadium. I went searching and came home to find a message from the Humane Society about the tan female. Some good Samaritan had brought her to them, and her microchip identified us owners. By the time we got to the Humane Society, another good Samaritan had brought in the weiner-dog male. He was footsore and exhausted but OK. Sadly, Lizzie (the tan female) had been hit by a car and was no longer alive. I need to express my deepest, sincerest gratitude to the two very kind folks who took time to rescue our much-loved escape artists. Without their assistance, we still might not know what happened to them. Mahalo plenty. — Janet Dalbec

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.