Question: Where is the survey to say whether we want raised crosswalks in our neighborhood?
Answer: You may be referring to the Community Traffic Safety Survey being conducted by the state Department of Transportation, which asks, among many other things, whether respondents would like more raised crosswalks in their communities.
Find a link to the survey at 808ne.ws/3TCWTyt, where you’ll also find an online form to request a raised crosswalk on a state road or to report a problem on a state road or highway, such as potholes, faded striping, overgrowth or other concerns.
Q: Is the Health Department aware of any cases in Hawaii of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the drug- resistant bacterial outbreak associated with the use of certain brands of artificial tears (eye drops)?
A: No. “There are no confirmed cases in the state of Hawaii to date,” department spokesperson Shawn Hamamoto said in an email Thursday.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that it has identified 68 patients in 16 other states, 37 of whom were linked to clusters of eye infections in four health care facilities. “Three people have died and there have been eight reports of vision loss and four reports of enucleation (surgical removal of eyeball),” the CDC said. Specimen collection to confirm the infections occurred from May to last month.
Most of the patients had used artificial tears, most commonly EzriCare Artificial Tears, which were recalled last month. The CDC and FDA also recommend that clinicians and patients stop using Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears products.
“Patients who have used EzriCare or Delsam Pharma’s artificial tears and who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection should seek medical care immediately.
At this time, there is no recommendation for testing of patients who have used this product and who are not experiencing any signs or symptoms of infection,” the CDC said.
Symptoms may include yellow, green, or clear discharge from the eye; eye pain or discomfort; redness of the eye or eyelid; feeling of something in the eye (foreign body sensation); increased sensitivity to light and blurry vision, it said.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria commonly found in the environment, particularly in freshwater, can cause a variety of infections that resist antibiotic treatment, including eye infections, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Q: Who gets the money from those red-light cameras?
A: Fines from tickets generated by the automated camera systems that catch vehicles running red lights are deposited into a special fund used to run the program, according to the state Department of Transportation. The system’s vendor isn’t paid based on the number of tickets. The DOT website says a total of 1,659 tickets have been issued at five Honolulu intersections through March 20.
Q: Did the firing range reopen?
A: No. The pistol and rifle ranges at the Koko Head Shooting Complex are expected reopen next month, according to the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation. The archery range at the complex reopened Friday.
Auwe
Auwe to drivers who leave a car length or more when in line for gas or to make a turn, which forces the last car in line to stick out in the roadway. Please show more aloha and pull forward to prevent this from happening. — P.D.
Mahalo
On Tuesday, my daughter arrived from Seattle with a luggage cart stacked high with four huge suitcases and one very heavy box. After I pulled up to the curb, we opened the trunk and back door. A very kind gentleman, standing there with his wife and their suitcases, stepped up and helped us load the trunk. This was much appreciated as each must have weighed the 50-pound limit. Thank you. — Grateful daughter and senior mother
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
