Working to keep freeway stall-free

Motorists who endure weekday traffic rush hours know that, even under the best conditions, it can be a test of patience on the H-1 freeway. Add a stalled vehicle into the mix and it’s downright maddening.

So when the Freeway Service Patrol started up in June 2009, it provided a welcome service in helping stalled vehicles off the road. By quickly swooping in, it allows traffic to keep moving; the stranded vehicle is helped off the freeway so the driver can call for further help.

The service has just expanded its H-1 coverage three miles east to Ainakoa Avenue in Waialae, with trucks equipped with new bumpers to push stalled cars off faster. Some 29 miles are covered 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. It costs about $3 million yearly — 90 percent paid by the federal government — but is free to motorists. Put this on the cell phone speed dial: 841-HELP (4357).

Longs, Walgreens pill-popping up

Drugstores, drugstores, everywhere a drugstore. It seems as if Hawaii is bursting at the seams with them, with the new Longs Drugs Stores outlet in Hauula making it 52 for Hawaii.

Of course, there’s also the competition with the relative market newcomer, Walgreens, popping up all over the place. It sort of makes you wonder what’s up with Hawaii being such fertile ground for new pharmacies.

But Hawaii is nowhere near the top of the list of places with the deepest drugstore density. According to the 2010 National Pharmacy Market Summary by the health-care marketing firm SK&A, California has the most pharmacy locations — 5,560 in all. Filling out the top five are other big states, Texas, New York, Florida and Pennsylvania.

Maybe we were way behind for years and are just playing serious catch-up.