Spring breakers could bring COVID surge, lobbyists but not public allowed in state Capitol, 1.4k vaccine doses discarded on Maui, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Spring breakers in Hawaii defy mask, distancing rules PC:
Hawaii Kapu Quarantine Breakers

Adjutant General warns of possible spring break COVID surge. COVID-19 case counts are still too high for the state to end the interisland travel quarantine in mid-April. That's what Adjutant General Kenneth Hara of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency said Tuesday at an AARP Hawaii webinar. KITV4.

Rapid growth in Hawaii arrivals stresses Safe Travels coronavirus screening. Travel to and between the Hawaiian islands has skyrocketed in recent weeks, nearing 30,000 on Saturday, March 20, which is almost pre-pandemic level, and all of them needed to squeeze through a post-arrival pinch-point: the Safe Travels screening that makes sure only COVID-negative people are checked off for quarantine exemptions. KHON2.

=====

The Hawaii Capitol Is Closed To The Public, But Some Lobbyists Still Have Entree. While most members of the public can’t visit the State Capitol during the 2021 legislative session, the ability of some lobbyists to gain access raises questions of fairness. Civil Beat.

Relief money plugs hole in proposed Hawaii budget to be voted on today. Coronavirus relief package will allow Hawaii to cover unemployment insurance claims and avoid slashing spending on key social programs like sexual assault treatment and HIV prevention, lawmakers say. Associated Press.

Hawaii lawmakers advance bill to fund corrections oversight commission. Hawaii lawmakers are looking to fund a corrections oversight commission that was granted broad powers in 2019 but has been unable to hire staff due to a lack of funding. Star-Advertiser.

In Hawaii and across the U.S., advocates for police accountability are scrutinizing the union contracts that keep troublesome officers on the job. Over the next few months, Hawaii’s statewide police union will negotiate a new contract expected to result in pay raises for nearly 3,000 officers spread across four counties, most of them on Oahu. Civil Beat.

Legislation proposing amendments to aid-in-dying law stalls. Legislation that aimed to amend Hawaii’s aid-in-dying law passed through the state Senate earlier this month but failed to gain traction in the House. Tribune-Herald.

=====

6 Reaper drones will be based on Oahu. The Marine Corps in Hawaii will be getting six big MQ-9A Reaper drones that can be armed with missiles as the Corps as a whole pursues “a deliberate but aggressive” path toward unmanned systems to gain advantage over China. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s mayors discuss COVID restrictions and what’s next. Hawaii’s mayors have taken a key role in the COVID pandemic, putting in place restrictions or lifting them as they sought to balance public health with the economy. Hawaii News Now.

Pandemic depresses college-going rates, especially for Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders. The class of 2020 at Hawaii’s public high schools managed to graduate at a record rate after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic last spring, but far fewer of those graduates enrolled in college, new data shows. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Hawaii Board of Agriculture expands coffee plant quarantine to slow spread of coffee leaf rust. The Hawaii Board of Agriculture voted today to expand the coffee quarantine areas in Hawaii in an attempt to keep coffee leaf rust, a fungus that can threaten the state’s coffee industry, from spreading. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.

March 23, 2021 COVID-19 Update: The state Department of Health reports that there were 41 additional COVID-19 cases reported in Hawai‘i on Tuesday, including 28 on O‘ahu, eight on Maui, one on Hawai‘i Island, one on Lāna‘i, and three in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed outside of the state. Maui Now.

Oahu

Former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha allowed to delay prison term to get COVID vaccine. Retired Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha, who was convicted of conspiracy in a tangled corruption case, doesn’t have to report to prison until June so that he can get vaccinated against COVID-19. Associated Press. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

City audits HPD’s overtime costs after department spends $38M on overtime. The city council announced its plans to audit Honolulu Police Department’s overtime costs after a report shows that costs were up by nearly 40% -- even before the pandemic. Hawaii News Now.

Despite Lawsuit, HPD Still Lacks Conflict Of Interest Policy. A police commissioner said he plans to ask the chief about the policy at an upcoming meeting. Civil Beat.

Concert in Waianae draws hundreds of people sparking health and safety concerns. In a quonset hut on Waianae Valley Road Saturday night an estimated 500 people jammed to the music of Grammy-nominated rapper Swae Lee. Hawaii News Now.

NTSB: ‘Aggressive Takeoff Maneuver’ Likely Caused Fatal Skydiving Crash. The 2019 skydiving plane crash in Mokuleia — one of the nation’s worst civil aviation accidents of the past decade — probably occurred due to an “aggressive takeoff maneuver” by the pilot, according to new findings released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board. Civil Beat.

Vaccination Appointment Call Center Opens for Kūpuna. While COVID-19 vaccinations are available to anyone 65 years of age or older, some O‘ahu kūpuna have not felt comfortable registering online. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now.

Hugs are welcome again at nursing home. Kalakaua Gardens is “opening its doors so that its residents and their family members can visit each other again — up close and in person,” welcoming “hugs from family members” indoors and allowing nonessential visits outdoors starting this week. Star-Advertiser.

Low inventory, high demand driving Oahu home prices through the roof. In February 2021, the median price of a single-family home on Oahu was $917,500, according to the Honolulu Board of Realtors. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Fire chief selection questioned: Secret voting raises concerns. A politically connected battalion chief with a degree in fire science rocketed past his more experienced colleagues to take the top position in the Fire Department, but questions have come up about how the vote was taken, so it may have to be redone. West Hawaii Today.

DOH not expanding vaccine eligibility yet, despite Civil Defense message. The state Department of Health will not expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to those 50 and older today, despite a message early Tuesday from Hawaii County Civil Defense that said the department would do so. Tribune-Herald.

Kona Community Hospital preregistering Phase 2 individuals for vaccine. Kona Community Hospital has begun preregistering Phase 2 individuals age 50 and older to receive the Pfizer vaccine at their Thursday mega clinics held at Kekuaokalani Gymnasium in Kailua-Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
 
1,386 Vaccine Doses Compromised on Maui. An estimated 1,386 doses of Pfizer vaccine were compromised and ultimately discarded on Maui after it was discovered that a refrigerator door did not seal properly. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Wailuku water system, not lands, focus of potential county buy. While the government’s anticipated purchase of Wailuku Water Co.’s system and lands continues to drag on, the county Department of Water Supply is moving forward on key reports that will help put price tags on the water business and infrastructure. Maui News.

Upgrade would deliver potable water to West Maui projects. A proposed water system improvement project will help deliver potable water to Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and other state projects in West Maui. Maui News.

Researchers study false killer whale found on Maui. Octopus remains were found in the belly of a rare false killer whale on Maui, a dietary discovery that researchers say could help the endangered species. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Residents Age 60 And Up Now Eligible For COVID Vaccine. The County of Kauai has expanded COVID vaccine eligibility and said most residents are now eligible and there are appointments available. Hawaii Public Radio. Garden Island.

County refinancing $28.5 million in General Obligation Bonds. The County of Kaua‘i is moving forward with the issuance of approximately $28.5 million of general obligation bonds with the intent to refund certain outstanding general obligation bonds for economic savings. Garden Island.

Comments sought on PMRF radar proposal. A federal project to secure a location for a radar capable of detecting and classifying missile threats is seeking a spot close to home. Garden Island.

Hawaii lawmakers set to get 13% pay hike, spring break boom crowds Waikiki beaches, mask enforcement increases, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state Capitol ©2021 All Hawaii News

Two Pay Raises For Lawmakers Over The Next Year Are Raising Eyebrows. The salary commission approved the wage hikes two years ago but critics now question the optics of government officials getting pay raises during an economic crisis. Civil Beat.

Did Unions’ Lack of Support Spell Trouble for School Superintendent? Some education insiders said while union opposition was damaging, it was not as simple as unions throwing their weight around. Civil Beat.

Economic recovery rosy with billions in federal aid set to roll into Hawaii. Hawaii’s economic recovery is looking up, with billions in additional federal aid set to pour into Hawaii this year and the pace of vaccinations picking up, Carl Bonham, executive director of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, told lawmakers Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii tourism gains momentum. Despite doldrums in January and February, Hawaii’s visitor industry has rounded the corner and taken off. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s seeing a boom of spring break vacationers. Are they following mask rules? The state says more than 28,000 people arrived in the islands this past Saturday, nearly matching the pre-pandemic average for March. Hawaii News Now.

Targeted messaging necessary to overcome COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, UH study finds. According to the surveys, 55% of adults 18 and older said they will “definitely” or “probably” get shots, while 12% indicated they will “definitely not” or “probably not” get vaccinated, compared with 17% in the U.S. Star-Advertiser.

Ige, department heads acknowledge challenges of pandemic response over the last year. Gov. David Ige acknowledged Monday there were missteps along the way from his administration in responding to the coronavirus pandemic. But he also pointed to positive signs, saying Hawaii has the lowest-in-the-nation per capita COVID infection and death rates, saying that’s proof he put the community first. Hawaii News Now.

Legislators defer measure relating to Safe Travels program. A bill that would allow Gov. David Ige to impose a statewide COVID-19 travel restriction plan stalled Monday and is likely dead. Tribune-Herald.

Immigration Reform Efforts In Congress Offer Hope To Hawaii ‘Dreamers’. But the bill the House passed last week that would create a pathway to citizenship for 2.5 million undocumented immigrants faces an uphill battle in the Senate. Civil Beat.

State quietly makes changes to vaccine registration process for most employers. There’s a new registration process for many workers who would like to get COVID vaccine. It’s a change the state Department of Health made quietly earlier this month ― never making an official announcement to broadly inform the public. Hawaii News Now.

March 22, 2021 COVID-19 Update: The state Department of Health reports that there were 79 additional COVID-19 cases reported in Hawai‘i on Monday, including 48 on O‘ahu, 19 on Maui, nine on Hawai‘i Island, two on Moloka‘i, and one on Kaua‘i. Maui Now.

Oahu

40 officers rattle peaceful protest at Kapiolani Park. Honolulu Police Department Chief Susan Ballard said she thought thousands of protesters were at Kapiolani Park on Saturday afternoon — dispatching dozens of officers to a peaceful Aloha Freedom Coalition event where 400-500 gathered at a rally in protest of COVID-19 health restrictions. Star-Advertiser.

HPD’s embattled chief denies reports of low morale, promises better communication. Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard is now promising more transparency and openness after a months-long pause in public statements. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Plea Agreement Details How Miske Allegedly Ordered A Chemical Attack On Rival Nightclub. Ashlin Akau said she was recruited by a Miske associate to take part in the attack on the Ginza Night Club. Civil Beat.

Hopes dwindle for more clarity in HART board votes. Confusion about voting rules for members of the board that oversees the city’s troubled rail project remains unresolved after bills that attempted to provide clarity appear to be dead this legislative session. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Students at Aikahi Elementary are returning to campuses under new CDC guidelines. Precisely a year after Hawaii public schools switched to distance learning due to the coronavirus, nearly the entire student body at Aikahi Elementary School flocked back to campus Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Tourism boom provides boon for Hawaii farmers. For many local farmers, the fruits of their labor are finally paying off after months of uncertainty. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

HMC expands eligibility for COVID vaccine; Hospital opens early registration for people who are 50-65 years old. Assistant Hospital Administrator Kris Wilson said the hospital will this week begin processing the sign-ups to allow those individuals to register and schedule appointments at upcoming mass vaccination clinics planned for April 3 and 24 at Edith Kanakaole Multi-Purpose Stadium in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

KTA Super Stores will offer its own large-scale COVID-19 vaccination clinic from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday at Edith Kanakaole Multi-Purpose Stadium in Hilo. The grocery chain aims to administer 1,000 first doses of the Moderna vaccine. Tribune-Herald.

COVID-19 Vaccine Pre-Registration Now Open at KCH. The Kona Community Hospital on Monday, March 22 began accepting pre-registration applications for individuals aged 50 years and older who would like to sign up to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Big Island Now.

Banyan Drive Proposals To Be Selected Next Month. An announcement is expected in April on the selection for proposals - which includes the former Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel and Country Club Condominium Hotel. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Teachers, parents and students call for Ke Kula O Ehunuikaimalino principal’s ouster. Makua, haumana and kumu took to the streets Monday making public their call for the removal or resignation of Ke Kula O Ehunuikaimalino Po‘okumu Makala Pa‘akaula. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

189 Citations Over Two Weeks During Maui Mask Enforcement. The Maui Police Department issued 189 citations over a two week period for violation of public health rules and orders as part of an ongoing face mask enforcement effort. Maui Now.

Two students and two employees at Maui County public schools have tested positive for COVID-19, the state Department of Education reported Friday. All were in the Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui Complex, which has seen 54 cases since June 26. Maui News.

COVID-19 Outbreak at Maui Jail Compounded by Staffing Shortages, Contagious Variant. The Maui Community Correctional Center is seeing a significant drop in COVID-19 cases after nearly two months of trying to contain the virus. Hawaii Public Radio.

Micro Grants Awarded to 105 Small Farms in Maui County. Maui County’s $2.5 million Agricultural Micro Grants Program, administered by Maui Economic Opportunity, purchased tractors, chippers and other supplies; put up fencing and sheds; and established an online presence for 105 small farms in the county. Maui Now.

Kauai

King Kamehameha celebrations barred due to COVID. The King Kamehameha Celebration Commission on Friday announced the cancellation of the King Kamehameha Celebration parade events statewide due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Garden Island.

County seeks to adopt microchipping program for pets. A one-time $20 microchipping cost may soon replace biennial licensing fees for cats and dogs on Kaua‘i. Garden Island.

New Kauai program encourages visitors to participate in beach cleanups. On Kauai, guests who vacation at The Cliffs at Princeville are now encouraged to do beach cleanups while they enjoy the sun and surf. Hawaii News Now.

Spring breakers hit Hawaii beaches, Blangiardi highlights housing, 65k vaccines for 400k people in Phase 1C, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Visitors crowd Waikiki over the weekend PC:Hawaii News Now

Hawaii logs its highest three days of tourist arrivals in a year. Some 21,433 trans-Pacific travelers and 4,968 interisland travelers were screened by Safe Travels Hawaii on Saturday, Hawaii’s highest single day since coronavirus-related fears and government restrictions caused travel to plummet. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Hawaii’s Rush To Vaccinate Has Led To A Patchwork System With Little Policing. The state acknowledges that the hospitals and clinics that vaccinate people have sometimes bent the rules to the breaking point, by inoculating someone outside the current phase, for instance, but say they have little recourse. Civil Beat.

Hawaii health officials prioritizing certain people over others in Phase 1C for COVID-19 vaccine. Hawaii health officials decided over the weekend to prioritize hotel, restaurant and bar workers for COVID-19 vaccines, in addition to those with specific high-risk medical conditions and residents 65 and older. Star-Advertiser. KHON2. KITV4.

Looking for a COVID vaccine appointment? Persistence (and patience) recommended. The state expanded vaccine eligibility to roughly 400,000 more residents on Monday, but getting an appointment for a jab make take persistence ― and patience. Hawaii News Now.

State House resolution opposes $1.9B Hawaii radar. A resolution introduced in the state Legislature calls for the Missile Defense Agency to “resist” siting a $1.9 billion defensive radar in Hawaii because it is a “prime example of wasteful Pentagon spending” during a time of unprecedented need for public services in health, education and welfare.  Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Adopts Most Extreme Open Records Limits Amid Pandemic. Hawaii has the lowest COVID-19 infection rate of any state in the nation. It's also a pandemic standout for a more dubious reason: instituting the most extreme restrictions on the public's access to official records. Associated Press.

Education and union leaders agree to bring more kids back to Hawaii public schools. Education, health and union leaders announced today they have signed off on guidelines to bring more students back to campus at Hawaii’s public schools, especially at the elementary level. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Tribune-Herald. Garden Island. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

The economic hardships of the pandemic in Hawaii haven’t been equally distributed. While Hawaii’s economic recovery seems to be beginning, a financial comeback will take much longer for the state’s lower wage and service workers, experts say. Hawaii News Now.

Unemployment call center understaffed, overwhelmed. The state’s understaffed unemployment insurance call center that’s designed to handle 2,000 calls a day at the Hawai‘i Convention Center was getting more than 200,000 calls every day just two weeks ago but is still overwhelmed by 40,000 calls each day. Star-Advertiser.

Federal stimulus act bolsters Hawaii unemployment benefits. Anne Perreira-Eustaquio, director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, said Monday that the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 signed Thursday by President Joe Biden will extend the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programs for an additional 25 weeks, until Sept. 4 and Sept. 6, respectively. Tribune-Herald. Maui Now.

Bill would expand DA BUX food program. A state Senate bill that would eliminate a daily cap on a dollar-for-dollar match for supplemental nutrition assistance program beneficiaries under DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks program has cleared its first House hurdle. Tribune-Herald.

Isle jobless rate 10.2%, nation’s worst, in January. Hawaii’s unemployment rate climbed back into double digits in January to retain the dubious honor of having the highest figure in the country. Star-Advertiser.

Flags will fly at half-staff across Hawaii on Tuesday to honor the life of the late politician and community servant William Bains-Jordan. Through his career in politics, he served as the first state representative of ʻAiea. Hawaii News Now.

March 15, 2021 COVID-19 Update: The state Department of Health reports that there were 46 additional COVID-19 cases reported in Hawai‘i on Monday, including 22 on O‘ahu, 15 on Maui, seven on Hawai‘i Island, and two in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed out of state. Maui Now.

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi highlights affordable housing, homelessness crisis in State of the City address. The city’s Office of Housing has been changed to reflect that focus, and is now the Office of Housing and Homelessness. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Budget Realities Undermine Blangiardi’s Vision For Honolulu. The mayor presented his agenda in his State of the City address Monday. City Council members have raised concerns about a lack of funding for essential services. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Restaurant Association among other organizations to submit application to City for 2 year extension to plastic ban. The City and County of Honolulu will begin enforcing the ban in two weeks. KHON2.

Kakaako Makai tower opponents to rally again. In 2006 the state Legislature prohibited all housing development there, and in 2012 the state gave 30 acres to the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs in exchange for $200 million in ceded-land back revenue the state owed Native Hawaiians. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Big Island Press Club announces annual Torch of Light, Lava Tube awards for 2020. The Big Island Press Club awards its annual meritorious Torch of Light Award for 2020 to James Hustace and the Waimea Community Association and the Lava Tube dishonor award to Hawaii Gov. David Ige. Tribune-Herald.

$500K Releases For Kohala Hospital Improvements. Governor David Ige on Monday released State Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds totaling $500,000 to finance the construction of centralized administrative offices at Kohala Hospital on the Big Island. Big Island Now.

University of the Nations Kona looking to expand: Updated master plan proposes 62-acre addition. The University of the Nations Kona may soon be more than doubling in size. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Inventory hits new low for Maui homes. Meanwhile, median sales prices for single-family homes remained high at $895,000 — a 19.8 percent spike year over year.  Maui News.

Pacific Whale Foundation Retrieves Ghost Nets in Maui Waters. Ghost nets — fishing nets or gear that have been abandoned, lost or discarded by fishing vessels — are an increasingly serious threat to whales and dolphins around the globe. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kawakami gives State of the County address. Mayor Derek Kawakami, reflecting on over a year of the pandemic, highlighted the county’s efforts to embrace adversity, Monday, in his third State of the County address. Garden Island. Hawaii News Now.

‘My Words Have Caused People Pain’: Kauai Police Chief Apologizes For Anti-Asian Remarks. Chief Todd Raybuck has done a good job by most accounts and some local leaders say losing him would be a setback for the island. But others including the police union see it differently. Civil Beat. Garden Island. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.