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Honolulu’s new law prohibiting pedestrians from texting or using other mobile electronic devices while crossing a street or highway goes into full effect today. Read more

Honolulu’s new law prohibiting pedestrians from texting or using other mobile electronic devices while crossing a street or highway goes into full effect today.

The Honolulu Police Department will begin issuing citations to violators of the “Cross and Text Law” after a roughly three-month education and warning period.

Pedestrians may still speak on a mobile phone while crossing a city street or highway but not engage in activities that require looking at a device, including laptop computers, tablets, video gaming devices, pagers and digital cameras.

Fines for the first violation are $15 to $35; $35 to $75 for a second offense within the same year; and $75 to $99 for a third offense within 12 months.

Discussions to focus on rat lungworm

The state Department of Health, along with the Department of Agriculture and University of Hawaii, is hosting a series of community meetings on Oahu on rat lungworm disease.

Special presentations by health and agricultural officials on how the public can prevent the spread of the disease, especially around the home and garden, are scheduled for the following times and locations:

>> 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Ala Wai Elementary School cafeteria

>> 6-8 p.m. Nov. 8 at Ewa Elementary School cafeteria

>> 6-8 p.m. Nov. 9 at Kaneohe Elementary School cafeteria

Rat lungworm disease can have debilitating effects on an infected person’s brain and spinal cord, according to the Health Department. It is caused by a parasitic roundworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, endemic to Hawaii and is spread when snails and slugs eat the feces of infected rodents that contain larvae of the roundworm.

Storm cuts power on Maui, floods roads on Big Island

A storm that pummeled Oahu with heavy rain, thunder and lightning Monday night knocked out power on Maui on Tuesday morning and closed roads on Hawaii island as a cold front made its way down the island chain.

Maui Electric Co. spokeswoman Shayna Decker said that at about 2:50 a.m. roughly 66,500 customers on Maui experienced a power outage after lightning hit the electrical system across the island, causing damage to electrical equipment, including downed power lines in various areas. By 4:50 p.m. all but 1,100 customers were back online.

The Maui Police Department reported an islandwide power outage as early as 3:22 a.m. Tuesday but said police dispatch was still able to receive calls.

Haleakala Highway at the intersection of Hana Highway was also closed early Tuesday morning due to flooding, according to police.

On Hawaii island the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning that expired just before 2 p.m., but roads were flooded long before then.

Hawaii County police reported at 8:50 a.m. Tuesday that Wood Valley Road near Pahala in the Kau District was closed due to flooding, as was the intersection of Kamehameha Avenue and Pauahi Street later in the morning. Gauges along the Kona slopes recorded rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour.

The state Department of Health issued multiple brown-water advisories Tuesday for the islands of Maui and Hawaii as well as the east coast of Kauai due to the heavy rain. The public is advised to stay out of floodwaters and stormwater runoff due to possible overflowing cesspools, sewers, pesticides, animal fecal matter and pathogens.

In addition, the department’s Clean Water Branch was notified by Maui County of a wastewater discharge near the Wailuku pump station due to the power outage. The public was advised to remain out of the water north of Kahului Harbor from Kanaloa Avenue to Linekona Street until signs have been removed.

A high-surf advisory for the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai and Maui is also in effect until 6 p.m. today, with surf expected to reach 10 to 15 feet in Maui County, 12 to 16 feet on Oahu and 15 to 20 feet on Kauai and Niihau. A small-craft advisory also remains in effect until 6 p.m.