Hawaii House panel named to study COVID-19 economic effects, Nadamoto seeks Honolulu prosecutor job, $82M FEMA agreement for lava-stricken Puna, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii cruise ship scene ©2020 All Hawaii News

‘Floating germ factories’: Anxiety within cruise ship industry puts spotlight on Hawaii’s ports. As the coronavirus spreads, more government officials want to stop vessels from entering Hawaii's ports. Hawaii News Now.

Grand Princess docks in Oakland with 4 isle residents to be quarantined. Four Hawaii residents were among the 3,500 people aboard the Grand Princess that docked Monday at the Port of Oakland, Calif., but state health officials did not have details on them or where they will be quarantined. Star-Advertiser.

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House Speaker Scott Saiki appoints members of Hawaii coronavirus committee. House Speaker Scott Saiki has appointed 26 members of the Select House Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness, which is scheduled to hold its first meeting this week. Star-Advertiser.

House Speaker Names Business Leaders To Coronavirus Committee. The 26-member committee will have its first public meeting Thursday. Civil Beat.

Hawaii House Speaker names panel on virus’ economic effects. Hawaii House Speaker Scott Saiki on Monday said he has appointed 25 people plus himself to serve on a committee that will advise House members on the potential financial and economic fallout of the new coronavirus. Associated Press.

Hawaii House Speaker names panel on virus’ economic effects. Hawaii House Speaker Scott Saiki on Monday said he has appointed 25 people plus himself to serve on a committee that will advise House members on the potential financial and economic fallout of the new coronavirus. Hawaii News Now.

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The state is scrambling to get in touch with people who had close contact with an elderly Oahu man who caught the coronavirus on a trip to Washington state. State scrambles to get in touch with those who had contact with patient. Hawaii News Now.

State tourism hit hard as virus reaches Hawaii. COVID-19 has infected Hawaii’s visitor industry, which is starting to see symptoms ranging from travel cancellations and anemic bookings to declining air seats to plummeting hotel occupancies — some as low as 10%. Star-Advertiser.

COVID-19 testing in Hawaii comes under fire. The state confirmed its first case Friday and a second on Sunday, though doctors have been frustrated at the lack of widespread testing in the community and say the Health Department has denied testing for some patients who physicians suspect might have the disease. Star-Advertiser.

5 Kaiser employees linked to coronavirus care under ‘self-monitoring’ at home. Kaiser Permanente says five of its employees are now self-monitoring at home because they were involved in the care of two people with coronavirus. Hawaii News Now.

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Minimum Wage Hikes Have Had Little Long-Lasting Effect On Business. Minimum wage hikes might be tough for some local businesses, but a recent state study of the impacts of the 2014 minimum wage increase shows few effects on the labor market. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers Want To Subsidize Big Rate Increases By Hawaii’s Only Interisland Shipper. But the state Department of Transportation opposes House Bill 2475, saying it unfairly benefits just one company. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Acting prosecutor Nadamoto formally announces run for the position. Honolulu’s acting city prosecutor, Dwight Nadamoto, on Monday formally kicked off his campaign for election to the job. Star-Advertiser.

Acting Prosecutor Dwight Nadamoto Announces Run For The Job. He filed his paperwork back in December but withheld his announcement until now. Civil Beat.

Honolulu’s acting city prosecutor wants the job permanently. Acting city Prosecutor Dwight Nadamoto announced Monday he wants the job permanently. Hawaii News Now.

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In trial for control of her fortune, heiress Abigail Kawananakoa takes the stand. Hawaiian royalty descendant Abigail Kawananakoa took the witness stand for the first time in the two-a-half year legal battle over her fortune. Hawaii News Now.

Kawananakoa takes witness stand in her defense. Abigail Kawananakoa denied she had a stroke, accused her former attorney of lying and disputed the need for independent oversight of her financial affairs during more than an hour of court testimony that was open to the public Monday afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

Coronavirus concerns prompt downtown Honolulu bar to cancel popular St. Patrick’s Day block party. Murphy’s Bar & Grill announced today it is canceling its 32nd annual St. Patrick’s Day block party over concerns of spreading the novel coronavirus. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu home sales strong in first two months of 2020. Oahu single-family home sales for the first two months of the year were 13% higher than the same period a year ago, while the median price declined slightly, and condominium sales in January and February rose 7% as the median price increased by nearly 4%, according to statistics from the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

County reaches agreement with FEMA on lava-covered roads. The agreement under FEMA’s Public Assistance program identifies about $82 million worth of damage to county-owned roads, excluding Highway 132. Tribune-Herald.

Pohoiki Road Restoration Part Of $82 Million FEMA Agreement. The County will cover a quarter of the cost of recovering various county roads covered by lava during the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea. Big Island Video News.

FEMA to Provide Tens of Millions in Volcano Recovery Aid. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sending more than $60 million to Hawai‘i County to help repair public roads devastated by lava during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. Big Island Now.

FEMA, Hawaii County reach agreement to replace roads destroyed by Kilauea eruption. FEMA and Hawaii County have reached an agreement on the cost of replacing public roads inundated by lava during 2018’s Kilauea eruption — $82 million. KHON2.

Bill would establish guidelines for distribution of disaster funds. A County Council committee will hear a bill today that will determine how to disburse millions of dollars of Kilauea eruption recovery funds. Tribune-Herald.

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20 nominations considered by PONC: Commission kicks off land-buying program for 2020. Three stretches of Alii Drive oceanfront property are on a list of properties the county will consider purchasing this year under its open space land-buying program. West Hawaii Today.

Kona’s Simmy and Lokelani McMichael made the trip to Hilo on Monday to testify before the Hawaiʻi County Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission on behalf of some treasured coastal lands along Aliʻi Drive. Big Island Video News.

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Hospitals button up: HMC, others implement new visitor restrictions, screenings. New visitor restrictions and screenings are now in place at Hilo Medical Center, Hale Ho‘ola Hamakua, Ka‘u Hospital, Extended Care Facility and HMC’s outpatient clinics in response to ongoing developments with COVID-19. Tribune-Herald.

EPA assesses fines, requires closure of 12 large-capacity cesspools. The owners of a dozen large-capacity cesspools in North and South Kona have agreed to pay fines and replace them with compliant systems. West Hawaii Today.

Marzo running for mayor. Ikaika Marzo, a Puna tour operator who became a social media phenomenon during the monthslong 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption of Kilauea volcano, is running for mayor. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Sen. English Announces $204 Million for Projects in 7th Senatorial District. Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English of Maui announced that over $204 million in Capital Improvement Project funds were released by Governor David Ige for the senator’s District 7, which covers Hāna, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i and Kaho‘olawe. Maui Now.

Maui Departments Increase Sanitization, Urge Precautions Against COVID-19. While there are no confirmed cases in Maui County, all county departments and personnel have increased sanitization efforts and are taking additional precautions amid statewide concerns relating to COVID-19. Maui Now.

Home sales on Maui rise on mixed prices in February. Home sales on Maui rose in February, compared to a year ago, but the median price for single-family homes declined by 5% even as the median price for condominiums rose by about the same amount, according to statistics from the Realtors Association of Maui. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Some Brun charges dismissed. Felony charges of assault on a police officer and resisting arrest against County Councilmember Arthur Brun—originally filed by Kauai County authorities—have been dismissed, apparently because they were superseded by Brun’s federal indictment for running an island-wide methamphetamine ring. Garden Island.

How rulebreaking is impacting professional photographers. Many places on Kauai are completely off-limits for professional photography and videography — places like the bottom of Wailua Falls and Waimea Canyon and Koke‘e. Garden Island.

Kauai median condo price soars as sales grow by double digits. Home sales grew by double digits on Kauai last month along with prices, compared to a year ago, with the median price of a condominium rising 89%, according to statistics from Hawaii Information Service on behalf of the Kauai Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Abercrombie calls for Tulsi Gabbard's resignation, more doctors leave the state, Case wants changes to Jones Act, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Matson container ship off Oahu ©2019 All Hawaii News

Case Calls For Changes To Jones Act But There's Already Opposition. Hawaii Congressman Ed Case wants amendments to the Jones Act, the maritime shipping law that requires only American-owned and built ships transport cargo between the U.S mainland and Hawaii as well as other American territories and states. Hawaii Public Radio.

Rep. Case Wants To Reform The Jones Act. The purpose, he says, is to bring down the costs of shipped goods in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

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Neil Abercrombie calls on Tulsi Gabbard to resign from Congress. Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie is calling on Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to resign from her seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, telling reporters Monday that her missed votes and absence from her district amid her bid for the presidency were unacceptable. Star-Advertiser.

Former Hawaii Governor Calls On Tulsi Gabbard To Resign. Neil Abercrombie says the congresswoman’s presidential campaign is distracting her from representing the islands. Civil Beat.

Former Hawaii governor calls on Tulsi Gabbard to resign now, says actions "unacceptable" for constituents. Abercrombie is co-chair of Kai Kahele's campaign for Gabbard's seat, but he claims his announcement was not made for his candidate, but in a personal capacity. KITV.

Former Gov. Abercrombie Calls for Tulsi Gabbard's Resignation. He said he believes her presidential campaign has kept her from properly representing Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District. Hawaii Public Radio.

Abercrombie: Gabbard should step down now rather than finish term. Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie is calling on Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to resign from her seat in Congress. Hawaii News Now.

Ex-Hawaii governor calls for Gabbard to resign from Congress. A former Hawaii governor on Monday called for long-shot presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard to resign from Congress after she voted “present” on two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. Associated Press.

Trump has ‘respect’ for Gabbard after her ‘present’ vote on articles of impeachment. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is getting some attention from President Donald Trump after she voted “present” on the two articles of impeachment approved last week in the House. Hawaii News Now.

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More than 150 doctors left Hawaii this year. The exodus of doctors from practice in Hawaii this year was much worse than was indicated in preliminary figures released just a few months ago. Garden Island.

A new bill in the Senate will provide $20 million per year to some of the most endangered species in the United States, including Hawaiian plants, butterflies, freshwater mussels and desert fish in the Southwest. Maui Now.

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Hawaiian Electric companies to operate under single name. The electrical utilities on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii island will operate under a single name, Hawaiian Electric, starting in January. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light to be renamed Hawaiian Electric. Customers won’t see any big differences besides the name change. KHON2.

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Parent Company of Hawaiian Telcom Purchased for $2.6 Billion. Brookfield Infrastructure has acquired Cincinnati Bell Inc., the parent company of Hawaiian Telcom. Big Island Now.

USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma to sail again. Navy ships named USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma will return to active duty with the announcement Monday by Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly that two new Virginia-class attack submarines will be named after “heroes of the greatest generation” who died on the famed Pearl Harbor battleships. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Nadamoto forms campaign committee. Acting Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Nadamoto informed the state Campaign Spending Commission on Friday that he organized a campaign committee, a strong indication that he might dive into the 2020 election for the four-year job. Star-Advertiser.

Nadamoto Files Paperwork To Join City Prosecutor’s Race. He’s currently running the department in an acting capacity while Keith Kaneshiro is on leave. Civil Beat.

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Turning Around An Oahu Rural Hospital. Wahiawa General Hospital has relied for years on state funds and cutting services to keep afloat. New management is trying to forge a different path to survive. Civil Beat.

In bid to cut food waste, schools tracking how much food is thrown away. Kapaa Middle School is in the midst of a comprehensive two-week audit that measures and weighs food waste. Hawaii News Now.

UH invasive species expert finds Coqui frog on his Manoa property. The noisy Coqui frog was found on the property of an invasive species expert, University of Hawaii at Manoa professor Daniel Rubinoff. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Maunakea VIS to reopen. Although the Maunakea Access Road has reopened, some tour companies have decided to wait and see what happens this week before resuming summit tours. Tribune-Herald.

Poindexter mulls mainland move. Hamakua Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter said Monday she plans to move to Roanoke, Virginia, with her family, but she will finish her council term first. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County Hotels Leads State in RevPAR and ADR. Maui County hotels led the state in revenue per available room and average daily rate in November 2019. Maui Now.

Kelly King’s resignation as chair came as a shock. But political observers don’t expect council’s dynamic to change. Maui News.

Maui Land & Pineapple to sell Kapalua water assets. Maui Land & Pineapple Co. has reached an agreement with Hawaii Water Service to sell MLP’s Kapalua Water Co. and Kapalua Waste Treatment Co. regulated utility assets in the Kapalua Resort. Star-Advertiser.

Baba Ram Dass, Spiritual Guru And LSD Pioneer, Dies On Maui. Baba Ram Dass, the 1960s counterculture spiritual leader who experimented with LSD and traveled to India to find enlightenment, returning to share it with Americans, died at his home on Maui. He was 88. Associated Press.

Kauai

The Golden Rule crew prepares for voyage. Zoe Byrd has been protesting the U.S. government’s nuclear testing programs since the 1970s, but next month, the movement will take her to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where she will spend weeks at sea on a 33-foot, 60-year-old wooden boat in cramped quarters alongside three other people she knows virtually nothing about. Garden Island.