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The state Department of Health reports 53 new COVID-19 cases today, although technical difficulties in the state’s case reporting system mean that number is an undercount. The Department of Health intends to update the count with the full numbers later today. With the partial numbers, the total number of cases statewide is 2815. None of…

Two more Hawaii residents have died of COVID-19, bringing the statewide death count to 29. Both casualties were elderly Oahu residents, one male and one female, both with underlying health issues, and both were hospitalized when they died. “The passing of this man really demonstrates how rapidly and invisibly COVID-19 is spreading through our communities,…

The county said today a firefighter stationed at the Waikoloa Fire Station has tested positive for COVID-19. A total of five personnel are currently self-quarantined as a precaution. All are asymptomatic. The firefighter, a battalion chief assigned to the station’s 2nd Battalion, also remains asymptomatic. He remains in isolation, monitored by the Department of Health.…

The state Department of Health reports 173 new COVID-19 cases today, all on Oahu. That brings the count in the City and County of Honolulu to 2,394 cases. Maui County remains at 177 cases, Hawaii Island at 122 cases and Kauai County at 47 cases. Hawaii residents diagnosed outside Hawaii number 23. According to DOH,…

A man in his 50s was swept away in rough seas and drowned Tuesday while picking opihi off the Puna coastline, according to Hawaii Fire Department officials. According to a written statement, seven units, including a county helicopter and a rescue boat responded to a 3:24 p.m. alarm to search for the missing man along…

A case of COVID-19 associated with Liberty Dialysis in Hilo has been confirmed, although officials today would not say whether the case was in a patient or staff member. A clinic administrator declined to comment when reached this morning, however, a company spokesman later provided a comment to the Tribune-Herald. “We have been actively screening…

The state Department of Health has reported 144 new COVID-19 cases, including five on the Big Island. The remaining 139 cases are on Oahu. A majority of new COVID-19 cases continue to be associated with community spread, the DOH said. Clusters currently under investigation include six cases linked to a hot yoga class, 71 linked…

The state Judiciary said a South Kohala District Court employee has tested positive for COVID-19. This worker at the Waimea courthouse is the only confirmed case of any Judiciary employee statewide, the Judiciary said in a statement. The individual was asymptomatic, but took a COVID-19 test on Saturday as a precautionary measure, unrelated to the…

UPDATED 11:25 a.m. There were 207 new cases of COVID-19 reported by the state Department of Health today. That’s the highest single-day total of new positive cases in Hawaii since the start of the pandemic. Of the 207 new cases, 198 are on Oahu, seven on Maui and two on Hawaii Island. The DOH said…

The old carpenters’ adage, “measure twice, cut once” is taken to a new level at HPM Building Supply’s Keaau factory, where computers do the measuring and lasers show where to make the cuts and attach the hardware. HPM, short for Hawaii Planing Mill, is a 99-year-old employee-owned company long known for its prefabricated wall panels…

A Kona Circuit Court judge last Wednesday severed the case of two Puna women accused of murder in the 2018 death of a 6-year-old boy at a Kealakehe apartment complex. Supervised release was also granted to one of the defendants. Kuuipo Nihipali and Ashley Nihipali were to stand trial together on Sept. 22, however, Chief…

In a replay of a 2014 West Hawaii council race, a powerful Honolulu pro-construction political action committee has targeted a sitting councilwoman by standing up a well-financed challenger in an attempt to unseat her. In the latest case it’s the Kona District 7 council seat now held by freshman Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas. The super PAC…

Mayor Harry Kim’s reelection campaign is getting by with a little help from his friends. And his employees. Kim, who limits his campaign contributions to $10 per person, reported just $6,746 in total contributions since Jan. 1 on his most recent report with the state Campaign Spending Commission. Most of that came from donations and…

Contrary to rumors it is closing, Hula Hulas restaurant continues to offer takeout and dine-in meals at its spot in the Grand Naniloa Hotel in Hilo. “It hasn’t been easy to stay open, don’t get me wrong,” owner Chad Yang said. “We have reduced our hours, but we have no plans of closing right now.”…

Accessibility improvements for Laaloa Beach Park, also known as Magic Sands Beach Park, are one step closer to reality. Hawaii County concluded in its final environmental assessment (EA) published July 23 that the work will have no significant impact, despite concerns raised by the public about removal of several trees and the continued positioning of…

A 38-year-old Kailua-Kona man Thursday pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and other charges filed connection with a June 21 crash in Ka‘u that killed a 31-year-old woman. Bernard Kahalehili Antoque is charged with manslaughter, negligent homicide, driving with a suspended/revoked license, drug paraphernalia, unsafe vehicle on roadway, third-degree promotion of a harmful drug, false certificates…

A bill that would codify a list of best practices to mitigate infestations of little fire ants is awaiting Gov. David Ige’s signature. The bill, House Bill 1854, would require the state Department of Agriculture to work with the Hawaii Ant Lab to identify a list of best practices for little fire ant treatment, which…

The state Department of Health reported 123 new COVID-19 cases in the state today, bringing the total number of cases since the pandemic began to more than 2,000. This is Hawaii’s third day in a row of more than 100 new cases. None of the new cases were reported in Hawaii County. However, a county-by-county…

The Puapuaa properties located makai of Alii Drive will now officially belong to the people of Hawaii County following the purchase of more than 12 acres in North Kona. The purchase, announced Thursday by the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resource Preservation Commission, ensures the preservation of numerous cultural sites and structures on the…

The former financial officer of Kua O Ka La Public Charter School who admitted she embezzled $628,835 from the school throughout a seven-year period was sentenced to five years in prison. Kelaukila “Ua” Estabilio, 40, of Hilo pleaded guilty in February in U.S. District Court in Honolulu to a single count of wire fraud. Estabilio,…

A new vendor for animal control services for Hawaii County has been selected. Beginning Saturday, Hawaii Rainbow Rangers will administer these services on behalf of the county, according to the Hawaii Police Department. HRR is a branch of Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary, a nonprofit founded in 1999 dedicated to the well-being of abandoned, abused and…

For the second day in a row, Hawaii has tallied more than 100 new COVID-19 cases. The state Department of Health today reported 124 new cases, the highest daily case count since the pandemic began. A county-by-county break down of the new cases was not immediately available. On Wednesday, 109 cases, mostly on Oahu, were…