Cruise ship from Hawaii tested for coronavirus, Hawaii senator asks airlines to pitch in for airport screening, cellphone towers nixed, tour helicopter crash-lands on Big Island, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hula kupuna at Hawaii festival ©2020 All Hawaii News

State: Kupuna should prepare for self-isolation if coronavirus outbreak hits Hawaii. Seniors are particularly at risk when it comes to the coronavirus. That’s why Lt. Gov. Josh Green says he has already reached out to state agencies that deal with the elderly to determine safety measures. Hawaii News Now.

Stuck at sea, cruise ship passengers off San Francisco after Hawaii visit await coronavirus test results. A military helicopter crew lowered test kits Friday onto the 951-foot Grand Princess by rope and later retrieved them for analysis at a lab as the vessel lay at sea off San Francisco, under orders to keep its distance from shore. Princess Cruises said 45 people were selected for testing. Associated Press.

Coronavirus: Cruise Ship In Limbo Off California After A Former Passenger Died. Eleven passengers and 10 crew members were showing symptoms of COVID-19 on the ship en route from Hawaii. Hawaii Public Radio.

Cruise ship en route from Hawaii to San Francisco is held off California coast for coronavirus testing. Scrambling to keep the coronavirus at bay, officials ordered a cruise ship with about 3,500 people aboard to stay back from the California coast today until passengers and crew can be tested, after a traveler from its previous voyage died of the disease and at least two others became infected. Associated Press.

Cruise ship visiting Maui linked to virus. Two on previous voyage test positive; 50 continue to Hawaii. More than 50 passengers aboard a cruise ship that anchored off Lahaina on Friday were possibly exposed to the novel coronavirus on a previous voyage. Maui News.

The Westerdam, which was caught up in coronavirus outbreak, is headed for Honolulu. Another cruise ship that was caught up in the global coronavirus response is headed for Honolulu. Holland America’s Westerdam was denied entry to several ports in Southeast Asia last month after one passenger tested positive for the virus. Hawaii News Now.

Depth Of Hawaii’s Economic Pain Hinges On Length Of Virus Outbreak. How long it takes to get the coronavirus to run its course will make the difference between a short-term hiccup and serious economic woes, says a University of Hawaii economist. Hawaii Public Radio.

Senator wants airlines to offset COVID-19 screening costs. A Hawaii state senator wants to improve airport screening for the new coronavirus and pay for it with increased airport landing fees if necessary. Star-Advertiser.

EPA Releases List of Disinfectants to Use Against COVID-19. Today, the US Environmental Protection Agency released a list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Maui Now.

View the list of EPA-registered disinfectant products here.

County mayors ask public to reconsider how they greet one another. Hawaii Mayor Harry Kim and Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami said they’re taking extra steps to keep public areas clean amid COVID-19 concerns. KHON2.

Some stores limiting items, state recommends buying only what you need. In light of the rush to buy supplies last week, which left behind many empty shelves, some stores like Costco now have a purchasing limit on certain items. KHON2.

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Senate Passes Ban On Side Gigs For Mayors And Governor. House Bill 361 would affect all county mayors and the governor after 2022. Civil Beat.

Potty Parity: Should Women Have More Public Toilets Than Men? The Legislature is considering a bill that would ensure women have double the number of toilets than men do at public venues across Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Researchers say runoff impacts reefs. While the Trump Administration is eyeing new protections for Hawai‘i’s cauliflower coral, researchers with the University of Hawai‘i have uncovered clues as to how land use affects the sea creatures. Garden Island.

Cultural practitioners scramble to save limu as it faces new threats in a warmer world. Limu, a staple on Hawaii tables, is starting to disappear. Conservationists say climate change and improper harvesting are impacting limu supplies. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Vehicle owners will be cited for illegal dumping. A new city ordinance signed into law Thursday will allow the city to cite owners of vehicles if their cars or trucks are involved in illegal dumping. Star-Advertiser.

New illegal dumping law starts July 1. Some new rules are coming to Oahu in an effort to crack down on illegal dumping. Starting July 1, the city will no longer need an employee to see someone dumping to go after them. KHON2.

Coronavirus Is Causing A New Set Of Problems For Honolulu Rail. The outbreak has created trouble for Hitachi’s supply chain. Civil Beat.

State faces more challenges clearing mass dumping ground in Wahiawa. A week ago dozens of law enforcement officers from multiple agencies conducted a sweep of the area off of Kamehameha Highway between Kamanui Road and Whitmore Avenue. KHON2.

Lead-removal project in Kalihi is completed. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it has finished its removal of lead-contaminated soil from beneath a part of Factory Street in the Kalihi-Palama neighborhood. Star-Advertiser.

Lucky kupuna win lottery for affordable apartments in Kapolei. With a computer keystroke from a Kapolei office building, Brandon Hegland made many Hawaii senior citizens happy Thursday as winners in an affordable- housing lottery. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Cell tower permits denied for AT&T projects in Kurtistown, HPP. Tempers and temperatures ran high at a Windward Planning Commission meeting that ended with two proposed cellphone towers in Puna being denied use permits. Tribune-Herald.

25th annual Kona Brewers Festival to go on despite virus fears. Despite a spate of canceled events throughout the state as COVID-19 fears escalate, festivities on the Big Island are forging ahead. West Hawaii Today.

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Pilot and passengers survive Big Island helicopter crash. A pilot and his five passengers walked away from the crash of a tour helicopter at about 11:30 a.m. Thursday in a remote area of the Big Island on the edge of a Puna lava field near Leilani Estates. Star-Advertiser.

Tour helicopter makes ‘precautionary landing’ near Leilani Estates. A Blue Hawaiian Helicopters tour aircraft with six aboard made an emergency landing in a lava field in the Leilani Estates area shortly before noon Thursday. Tribune-Herald.

Tour Helicopter Goes Down In Puna, Minor Injuries. County officials say a Blue Hawaiian tour helicopter "crashed in a wooded area of Puna" on Thursday, resulting in minor injuries to all aboard. Big Island Video News.

Tour Chopper Found in Tall Grass After Hard Landing in Pahoa. Big Island Now.

Tour chopper makes hard landing on Big Island, sending 6 to hospital. Authorities are investigating after a tour helicopter made a hard landing in Puna on Thursday and rolled over. Hawaii News Now.

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Alii Drive sinkhole repair work to take another month. Crews are making progress in repairing damage to Alii Drive caused by a sinkhole that opened late last year fronting Coconut Grove Marketplace. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Matsuri Cancels Festival for 2020. Maui Matsuri organizers today announced the cancellation of their annual celebration which was set for May 2020. Maui Now.

Maalaea coastal erosion considered above average. Official: Mitigation may take 55 months and a quarter-million dollars. Maalaea Bay’s high shoreline erosion rate is forcing area residents to act soon, but mitigation efforts are often riddled with time, permitting and funding issues, government officials said recently. Maui News.

Three New Businesses Come to Maui’s Azeka Shopping Center. Three new businesses have opened at Azeka Shopping Center in Kīhei, Maui, including: Ekolu Kitchen1279, Studio 151 and O’Reilly’s Auto Parts. Maui Now.

Kauai

Lihu‘e sewer inspections start this Sunday. The county Department of Public Works Wastewater Management Division’s contractor will be performing closed-circuit television inspections on the Lihu‘e sewer system along Kuhio Highway from Ehiku Street to Hardy Street, daily from the evening of Sunday, March 8, through the morning of Friday, March 13. Garden Island.