Last chance to vote absentee

It’s last call if you want to vote early via walk-in absentee balloting: Saturday is the last day, and that can be done at City Hall and other sites (on Oahu, see http://www. honoluluelections.org/locations).

For more election info — remember, many districts and polling places have changed — call the state Office of Elections at (808) 453-VOTE (8683); from neighbor isles, (800) 442-VOTE; or go online to http://hawaii.gov/elections.

Another source is the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Hawaii, with its helpline at 531-7448 between 10 a.m. and noon weekdays. Or go online to www.lwv-hawaii.com and click the "Elections 2012" box to access a wealth of info on candidates and ballot issues, including "pros and cons" on the various proposed amendments. Also helpful is the box on voter ID information.

It just takes 1 to jam up thousands

The horrible traffic jam that occurred Halloween afternoon was enough to stymie even the most resourceful kamaaina driver. Every end-run on the bottleneck of westward-bound drivers failed, because all the back roads were clogged with other, similarly smartypants navigators.

The mishap occurred at about 1:30 p.m. when a garbage truck pulverized the concrete medial barrier on the H-1 near the Kaonohi Street overpass. That’s not very far from the Aiea spot where a pedestrian overpass section was lopped off by a passing truck trailer a few weeks ago.

Officials warned drivers to avoid the ramps in and out of Aiea last night when repairs were to be made. But the place has been so unlucky recently, it seems wise to steer clear, in any event.