NEWS BRIEFS

• POLICE CONTINUE SEARCH FOR JEFFREY MEEK – Hawaii County Police are renewing their request for information about 44-year-old Jeffrey Everett Meek of Keaʻau, who is reported missing and was last seen in the Pepeʻekeo area November 8.

  From the police departmemt:

Ground and aerial searches in the area were unsuccessful in locating him.

Meek is described as Caucasian, 5-foot-8, 185 pounds with blue eyes and balding brown hair. He usually wears a white cowboy hat and blue jeans. He was last seen operating a 1986 faded blue Ford pickup truck, which police have since recovered.

Police ask anyone who may have seen Meek and his truck on November 8 or who may have information or know his whereabouts to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Wendall Carter at 961-2378 or wcarter@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.Hawaii County Police Dept. on Dec. 9, 2014

• VIDEO: FODDER SYSTEM STUDY GETS COUNCIL OK – A new project on the Hamakua coast is hoping to increase the sustainability of livestock feed. The Hawaii County Council recently appropriated $7,000 to the Laupahoehoe based Hilo-Hamakua Community Development Corportion for the Kaunamano Farm Fodder System Study. Hamakua Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter introduced the resolution. (video below)

VIDEO: Nov. 19, 2014

• TRAFFIC ALERTS: Here are the planned lane closures on Hawaii Belt Road for December 6 through December 12, courtesy the Hawaii Department of Transportation:

VICINITY OF LAUPAHOEHOE GULCH
Alternating single lane closures on Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) in both directions between Milepost Markers 26.0 and 27.0 in the vicinity of Laupahoehoe Gulch on Monday, December 8, through Thursday, December 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., for roadway improvements.

VICINITY OF UMAUMA BRIDGE
Alternating lane closures on Umauma Bridge in the vicinity of Hakalau (Route 19, Milepost 16) in both directions over a twenty-four hour period, seven days a week for bridge rehabilitation. Travel speed on Umauma Bridge is reduced to 20-mph, and vehicles that exceed statutory size-weight limits will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis upon application of their respective oversize-overweight vehicle permits. Maximum width for any vehicle with permit passing over the bridge is 12 feet.

VICINITY OF KAAWALII GULCH
Alternating single lane closures on Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) in both directions between Milepost Markers 27.9 and 29.0 in the vicinity of Kaawalii Gulch on Monday, December 8, through Thursday, December 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., for roadway improvements.Hawaii Department of Transportation