Medicare deadline Dec. 31

People enrolled in Medicare have until Dec. 31 to add, drop or change prescription and health care plans for 2011. The open enrollment period will also allow Hawaii’s 200,000 beneficiaries to return to traditional Medicare coverage if desired. For more information: Executive Office on Aging Sage PLUS at 586-7299, 888-875-9229 or www.hawaiiship.org; AARP Hawaii, 545-6006 or www.aarp.org/medicare.

1 of 2 rape convictions upheld

The state appeals court upheld yesterday the conviction of John Veikoso, 23, of raping a prostitute in 2009 but set aside his conviction of raping a second prostitute 20 days later.

The Intermediate Court of Appeals ruled that a doctor should not have been permitted to testify that the second prostitute told him she was threatened by Veikoso.

The court sent that case back to the Circuit Court for a new trial.

Veikoso was sentenced to maximum 30-year term for the rape of the first prostitute and a gun charge. His 20-year maximum sentence in the second case was set aside.

Circuit Judge Steven Alm, who described Veikoso as a "serial rapist," had ordered the two sentences to run consecutively for a maximum 50-year term.

The two women testified that Veikoso picked them up in downtown Honolulu on Jan. 18 and Feb. 7 last year, respectively, took them to Maunawili Elementary School and raped them.