Posted on: Wednesday, June 23, 2004

O'ahu briefs

Advertiser Staff

NORTH SHORE

State evicts illegal campers

Six people were evicted from state land in Mokule'ia and one man was arrested yesterday when officers removed people camping illegally on the North Shore.

Deborah Ward, spokeswoman for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, said about two dozen notices to leave were handed out to campers on the state land and clipped to tents June 11, giving them five days to leave or face fines and arrest.

Ward said most people left the area, but people at two campsites remained and were ordered to leave yesterday.

Ward said the move is in response to complaints by North Shore residents and elected officials.

She said homeless service providers were warned of the evictions to provide support.

Workers removed about four Dumpsters of garbage from the area, she said.

HONOLULU

Warning issued on heart pills

Kaiser Permanente is asking members who received certain heart medications since June 7 to stop using them and return to the pharmacy for replacement pills.

A Kaiser spokeswoman said a "small number of prescription drug bottles contained inaccurate pills" and affected members are being contacted. The pills are spironolactone and digoxin, which are used to treat heart conditions.

Both are commonly prescribed together and pose a "limited health risk," the spokeswoman said.

She said it is likely that only one person received a bottle with both heart medications, but a wider pool of Kaiser members were contacted "to erase any doubt about a bottle's contents."

Patients with questions should call their primary care physician, she said.

Water board joins coalition

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply, which is designing a plant to convert sea water to drinking water, has joined the U.S. Desalination Coalition.

The coalition urges more federal involvement in the development of desalination facilities.

The Honolulu water board is designing a plant that in the first phase would produce 5 million gallons of fresh water daily, and which at full operation would generate 35 million gallons.

WINDWARD

Neighborhood reps elected

The Kailua Neighborhood Board has re-elected Kathy Bryant-Hunter as its chairwoman.

The other officers are Larry Bartley, vice chair, and James Wood, secretary/treasurer.