Hula now covered by health insurance provider, state hits new record in fentanyl overdoses, HPR dumps Twitter in protest, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Native Hawaiian Healing Practices Are Now Covered By This Insurance Provider. Everything from hula to lomilomi massage is free for AlohaCare's 83,000 members. The services are provided free of charge to AlohaCare’s approximately 83,000 members. The program, called Ke Aloha Mau, began last fall and is currently being rolled out across the Hawaiian Islands. Civil Beat.

Gun Rules, Fate Of HTA Among Bills Headed To Closed-Door Committees. More than 250 bills remain under consideration as the Hawaii Legislature enters the home stretch of this year's session. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi House lawmakers approve 77 Senate bills before second crossover deadline. The state House of Representatives today passed an additional 77 Senate Bills ahead of Thursdayʻs second crossover deadline. These bills now head back to the Senate for their consideration. Maui Now.

Bill creating a luxury home sales tax to fund homeless services misses key deadline. A bill that would have raised the taxes to help fund a homeless program in the state has died in this year's Legislative session. Senate Bill 362 would have raised the conveyance tax by a percentage point for condos, houses and other properties selling for $2 million or more.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Drunken driving threshold bill is pulled over for a check. A legislative effort to lower Hawaii’s blood-­alcohol threshold for drunken driving was held up recently to better examine concerns over the proposed change. Star-Advertiser.

Understanding how words are stricken from the Legislature's record. After each session, the state Legislature releases an official record of events. But while lawmakers meet on the floors of their chambers, members can have their words stricken from that record. Hawaii Public Radio.

Alarming figures show Hawaii set new record last year for fentanyl drug overdoses. Synthetic opioids killed a record number of people in Hawaii last year, according to newly-released state Health Department figures. Statewide, fentanyl is likely linked to at least 60 deaths. Hawaii News Now.

Hawai‘i Public Radio will no longer be sharing content on Twitter. Twitter has erroneously labeled NPR as “state-affiliated media,” a term Twitter uses for government propaganda outlets in countries without a free press—which is a guaranteed right in the U.S. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Who’s Behind The Fake Honolulu Parking Meter Sticker Scam? A phantom organization incorporated in Alaska just weeks ago appears to have orchestrated the hundreds of fraudulent parking stickers that turned up recently on Honolulu’s meters, and two people registered as its officials claim someone else is using their names. Civil Beat.

Permit revoked for Kalihi ‘monster home’. A planned two-story, single-family home with nine bathrooms, no side yards and insufficient parking that the city originally granted a building permit to in 2022 but now calls a gross violation of the city’s “monster homes” ordinance had its building permit revoked Tuesday. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Program that helps chronic homeless seeks financial relief. The city in November 2021 forced Hawaii’s original and oldest substance abuse treatment center to move, and the Sand Island Treatment Center now hopes to get financial relief from $36,000 in monthly lease and utility costs to continue to help chronically homeless clients who often suffer from mental health and substance abuse issues. Star-Advertiser.

Amid crime concerns, college students join forces with residents to patrol Chinatown. Criminal justice students are joining forces with residents to bring attention to crime concerns in Chinatown. Every second Tuesday, residents of Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown come together to take a stand against crime. Hawaii News Now.

Blangiardi appoints commissioners to protect Oʻahu's historic landmarks. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi has announced his candidates for the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission. Hawaii Public Radio.

$180.5M expansion for Sand Island wastewater plant. According to the City and County of Honolulu, the project will expand the plant’s biosolids production capacity. KHON2.

Rapid ohia death jumps to Waianae range on Oahu. During surveys, the Oahu Invasive Species Committee detected a roughly 40-foot ohia tree that had fallen, with symptoms of the fungal disease that kills Hawaii’s native ohia trees. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

’Uncontrollable cost increases’ bump up Mayor Roth’s proposed $794.3 million budget.  The County Council will continue to discuss the proposed budget and capital improvement plan today and Thursday during a special meeting of the Finance Committee. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Funds Released For Hawaiʻi Island Hospitals. Governor Josh Green has released Capital Improvement Project funding for both Hilo Medical Center and Kona Community Hospital. Big Island Video News.

Maui

94-acre coastal land parcel in Hāna donated to the community. Puʻu Kaʻuiki, the iconic hill overlooking Hāna Bay in East Maui, is now under community management. Hawaii Public Radio. Maui News.

Kīhei Charter School hopes to become first “zero waste” public school in Hawaiʻi. Students at Kīhei Charter School are hoping to become the first “zero waste” public school in the state, and in doing so, potentially become a model for other schools and the community at large.  Maui Now.

Kauai

Motion to intervene filed against KIUC rate hike. Local activist group Friends of Maha‘ulepu has filed a motion to intervene in the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative’s request to increase electric rates by an average 9.42 percent. Garden Island.

Starship rocket could splash down near Kauai. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted Monday that his company’s massive Starship rocket will conduct its first orbital launch “near the end of third week of April,” assuming it receives final regulatory approval.  Star-Advertiser.

Half of jail guard recruits test positive for coronavirus, Ige's emergency powers questioned, Honolulu resists releasing police body cam footage, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Corrections officer at Hawaii jail ©2021 All Hawaii News

Half of Hawaii’s jail and prison guard recruits test positive for COVID. Half of the state’s new recruits to serve as correctional officers at Hawaii’s jails and prisons have tested positive for the coronavirus after the vast majority of the class declined to get vaccinated. Star-Advertiser.

Questions raised on how much longer Hawaii Gov. Ige can invoke emergency powers. State lawmakers tried to limit the governor’s powers during the session but could not agree. They could also do it with a special session, but they say coming to an agreement is just too difficult. KHON2.

With more people getting vaccinated, demand from domestic and inter-island travel soar. The pent-up demand Hawaii economists have been predicting is coming to fruition with long lines at TSA and Safe Travels screening upon arrival. Hawaii News Now.

Legislature Directs Federal Funds To Patch Up Hawaii’s Shaky Broadband System. Federal pandemic relief funding is slated to help pay for badly needed connectivity improvements, especially in rural areas of the state. Civil Beat.

State Gets Another $20 Million In Lawsuit Over Software Failure. Insurers for a Colorado company that years ago botched a software project for the state Department of Transportation have agreed to pay more than $20.7 million to settle a lawsuit over the failed system. Civil Beat. Maui Now.

FBI probes ex-Hawaii CEO’s campaign donations to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican. The FBI is investigating whether Martin Kao, former chief executive officer for Hawaii-based defense contractor Martin Defense Group, illegally donated money to the senator’s campaign, according to a search warrant application filed in federal court in April. Bloomberg. Civil Beat.

Probable cases will raise Hawaii’s COVID case count by 1,600. Hawaii will see a one-time jump in its total count of coronavirus cases today after the state Department of Health adds in about 1,600 probable cases that it’s kept track of since the start of the pandemic. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.

Vaccine can come with side effects, but those fully vaccinated have no regrets. With more than 1.4 million COVID-19 doses administered in the state so far, there are now plenty of Hawaii residents who have experiences to share about their side effects. Star-Advertiser.

May 18, 2021 COVID-19 Update: 56 Cases (49 O‘ahu, 3 Kaua‘i, 1 Maui, 1 Moloka‘i, 2 Out-of-State). Maui Now.

Oahu

Prosecutor: Body cam footage in fatal police shootings to be withheld for at least 30 days. After taxpayers spent millions to provide the Honolulu Police Department with body cameras, city Prosecutor Steven Alm now says video in two fatal police shootings will be withheld from the public for 30 to 60 days. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu City Council looking to support COVID-impacted workers in effort to diversify economy. A measure to create a Job Corps program between the city and the University of Hawaii to address unemployment created through the COVID-19 pandemic advanced Tuesday through a City Council committee. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Blangiardi Wants Aggressive, Smart Reopening Amid Increasing Vaccination Rates. Oahu has been in Tier 3 of its reopening plan since February, but with the current seven-day average case count at 62, the city should be in the more restrictive Tier 2. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu Mayor asks Governor to lift restrictions on youth water sports this week. Mayor Rick Blangiardi said the Governor signed off on allowing spectators for youth sports yesterday, but held off on lifting restrictions on water sports like surfing and canoeing. KITV4.

Honolulu Councilwoman Wants More Race Data Collected. The Legislature passed a resolution last month that specifically called for detailed race data from county police departments and certain state agencies. Civil Beat.

Proposal would split Honolulu Ocean Safety, Emergency Medical Services. A proposal at the Honolulu City Council wants to make the Ocean Safety Division, which includes lifeguards, separate from Emergency Medical Services. KHON2.

For second summer, COVID concerns force cancellation of Junior Lifeguards Program. Barring more setbacks, it will be back next summer and better than ever. Hawaii News Now.

Architectural renderings allow Hawaii football team to visualize its new home for the next few years. On Tuesday, UH officials released architectural renderings of the retrofitted Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex that will be used for the Rainbow Warriors’ six home games this season. Star-Advertiser.

Kahuku family receives $1 million in eviction case. A nonprofit association managing former sugar plantation camp housing on city land in Kahuku has agreed to pay $1 million to a family it evicted two years ago. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii County to end COVID-19 district testing. Hawaii County will end its COVID-19 district testing program this week after about 14 months of screening Big Islanders for the novel coronavirus. West Hawaii Today. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Native Hawaiian consent needed for TMT, Canadian group says. The organization that represents the astronomy community in Canada — one of the Thirty Meter Telescope’s international partners — has declared it cannot support the TMT unless it has the consent of Native Hawaiians. Star-Advertiser.

BLNR denies petition for contested case hearing challenging acquisition of land by Ala Kahakai Trail Association. The association intends to purchase a 1,841-acre parcel south of Naalehu called Kiolaka‘a using a $1.5 million grant awarded by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources in April, despite opposition by some Ka‘u residents. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Pineapple workers to receive $4.8M for abuse, horrible living conditions on Maui farm. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission collected the money with the help of federal departments to settle a national origin and race discrim­ination lawsuit against Maui Pineapple, which closed in 2009. Hawaii News Now. Associated Press.

Winds Delay Start of Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia Training Voyage to Doldrums. Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia did not depart Lahaina, Maui on Tuesday because the winds in the Alenuihaha Channel have continued to create dangerous conditions for the voyaging canoes and the crew. Maui Now.

Mortgage Help Available for Residents Impacted by COVID-19. Mortgage help is available for Maui County residents impacted by COVID-19 through the Community Development Block Grant Mortgage Assistance Program, administered by Maui Economic Opportunity. Maui Now.

Kauai

SpaceX flight proposes landing off Kaua‘i. Originating from Starbase, Texas, the SpaceX Starship Orbital is targeting a landing about 62 miles off the northwestern coast of Kaua‘i. Garden Island.

Loop Road reopens in Wailua. Closed no more, the reopening of Loop Road was a welcome sight Tuesday afternoon after three years since its initial closure and damage. Garden Island.