The closure of all county and state beach parks on the Big Island will be extended for two additional weeks, according to a statement from Mayor Harry Kim’s office. The parks will reopen 7 a.m. on Oct. 1. The intent of the closures is to prevent the further spread of the virus by limiting gatherings…
Ige said pre-travel test program for travelers to start Oct. 15
Gov. Ige said today the state will start its pre-travel COVID-19 testing program for travelers coming to Hawaii on Oct. 15. That will allow travelers who test negative for the coronavirus within a 72-hour time frame before departure to Hawaii to be exempted from the 14-day quarantine now imposed on arriving travelers to the state.…
DOH reports 102 new COVID-19 cases statewide
The state Department of Health reported 102 new COVID-19 cases today and three more deaths, bringing the statewide total number of cases to 10,946. Of the new cases, 98 were in the City and County of Honolulu, bringing its case total to 9,782. Hawaii County reported four new cases with its total number now at…
DOH reports 60 new COVID-19 cases, 6 on Big Island
The state Department of Health reported 66 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the statewide total number of cases to 10,844. Of the new cases, 60 were in the City and County of Honolulu, bringing its case total to 9,782. Hawaii County reported six new cases with its total number now at 599. One Big Island…
Dirt bike rider dies after fall from cliff
Police are investigating an incident in which a 20-year-old man died after he went over a coastline cliff in lower Puna on a dirt bike. Police responded at 2:42 p.m. to a report of two men needing medical assistance in an area known as Sand Hill. Duane Correa died after falling about 30 feet, according…
Civil Defense: 2 more COVID-19 deaths of veterans home residents; Big Island death toll now 15
Hawaii County Civil Defense this morning reported two more deaths of COVID-19 on the Big Island, both from the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo. That brings the Big Island’s coronavirus-related death toll to 15, with 14 from the veterans facility. Civil Defense reports six new active COVID-19 cases on the island, reported and…
Two additional COVID-19 deaths reported at veterans home, more testing scheduled for Tuesday
Two more COVID-19 deaths were reported today among residents of the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home by Hawaii County Civil Defense. That brings the number of coronavirus-related deaths reported by Hilo Medical Center to 13, Civil Defense said in its morning message today. Those deaths have not yet been added to the state total, which…
Ige: State ‘will probably not’ reopen Oct. 1 with loosened restrictions for out-of-state visitors
State restrictions on travel to Hawaii are unlikely to be loosened by Oct. 1, Gov. David Ige said today. Throughout the pandemic, Ige had discussed a pre-travel testing program whereby out-of-state travelers could submit a negative COVID-19 test to avoid the mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival in Hawaii. The implementation of that program has been…
Hawaii’s COVID counts hits 10,700
State health officials reported 114 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the statewide tally to 10,700. Oahu reported 96 new cases, bringing the state’s most populous island’s case count to 9,559, while Hawaii Island reported 16 new cases bringing its total to 587. Maui County saw two new cases, increasing the county’s total to…
Charter amendment price tags: Most of the 16 proposed amendments will have minimal financial impact, county says
Most of the 16 charter amendments on the Nov. 3 ballot, if passed, will have minimal impact on the county budget, a Sept. 4 report from the county Finance Department states. This is the first election the department is required to analyze charter amendments to tell voters how much each amendment will cost taxpayers. That’s…
Woman who reportedly witnessed slaying arrested following incident
A 30-year-old Mountain View woman who had been the subject of a police manhunt as a witness to a shotgun slaying was taken into custody Wednesday morning in Hilo by Special Enforcement Unit officers, but not without incident. According to police, officers following up on a lead tracked Krystal Keala Mekealoha Pumehana Kahalioumi to the…
Site blessed for homeless village; KukuiOla work to take about eight months
In a very small and low-key ceremony Thursday, Hawaii County blessed the site of the future KukuiOla, a homeless village to be located at the corner of Kealakehe Parkway and Ane Keohokalole Highway in Kailua-Kona. “It was a good feeling because this was the culmination of almost three and a half years of work to…
Pair sought in Honokaa theft investigation
Police are seeking the public’s assistance to find two individuals wanted for questioning about a theft reported in Honokaa in May. Matthew David Charbonneau, 34, is described as 6-feet tall, 200 pounds with green eyes and brown hair. Jolee Keahi Uilani Hall, 32, is described as 5-feet tall, 115 pounds with brown eyes and black…
Keaau woman arrested after refusing to wear mask
A 59-year-old Keaau woman was arrested for violating Mayor Harry Kim’s emergency rules after twice refusing to wear a face covering, police said. According to police, on Thursday an officer cited Sandra Smart for refusing to put on a mask when advised to outside Keaau Post Office. Then on Friday, an officer again saw Smart…
Coffee berry borer confirmed on Kauai
The coffee berry borer has been confirmed in a residential area in Kalaheo on Kauai, state agricultural officials announced Thursday. This is Kauai’s first detection of the coffee plant pest that has been established on Hawaii Island, Maui and Oahu for several years. On Sept. 3, a Kalaheo resident submitted suspected infested coffee berries to…
DOH reports 167 new COVID-19 cases statewide, 21 in Hawaii County
The state Department of Health reported 167 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the statewide total number of cases to 10,459. Also reported were two new coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the death toll statewide to 96. Of the new cases, 142 were in the City and County of Honolulu, bringing its case total to 9,446. Hawaii County…
Meetings to focus on $7.25M in housing grants for residents impacted by COVID-19
Hawaii County and six local nonprofits will host a series of meetings regarding plans to provide $7.25 million in rent and mortgage assistance grants to residents affected by COVID-19. Meetings will be hosted virtually by Hawaii Community Lending and the Mayor’s Office from 5-6 p.m. Sept. 14-16. The meetings will present current data from the…
Children 12 and older eligible for COVID-19 testing at new CVS site at Longs Drugs in Pahoa
As part of its comprehensive effort to increase access to COVID-19 testing, CVS Health on Thursday announced that children 12 and older are eligible for testing at the more than 2,000 select CVS Pharmacy drive-through testing locations starting today. Additionally, more than 120 new test sites will open today, including one at the Longs Drugs…
DOH reports 169 new COVID-19 cases, 3 additional deaths
The state Department of Health reported 169 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the statewide total number of cases to 10,292. Also reported were three new coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the death toll statewide to 94. Of the new cases, 158 were in the City and County of Honolulu, bringing its case total to 9,304. Hawaii County…
ONLINE FIRST: Forecast calls for Hawaii tax revenue to drop 11%
HONOLULU — Hawaii tax revenue — severely depleted because of the coronavirus pandemic — will likely decline 11% this fiscal year if tourists begin to return to the islands by mid-November, an advisory panel for the governor and lawmakers said Wednesday. The estimate from the Council on Revenues assumes a 14-day quarantine requirement for travelers…
DPS: HCCC inmate disturbance in response to contraband sweep
The Department of Public Safety said Wednesday that the preliminary results of its investigation into a Tuesday disturbance in a housing unit at Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo indicate inmates were rebelling against a shakedown search for contraband. In a statement, Fred Hyun, newly appointed by Gov. David Ige as a special master tasked…
DOH reports 100 new COVID-19 cases, 10 on Big Island; 3 more Oahu deaths
The state Department of Health reported 100 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the statewide total number of cases to 10,023. Two cases were removed from the count after further analysis. Also reported were three new coronavirus-related deaths on Oahu, bringing the death toll statewide to 91. Of the new cases, 90 were in the City…
