Ige mulls new COVID restrictions as hospitals erect triage tents, quarantine spaces dwindle, anti-VAX rallies rage across the state, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Anti-VAX rally on Maui PC:Annette Ammasi public Facebook post

Gov. David Ige looking at new COVID-19 restrictions for Hawaii. Gov. David Ige is looking at reimposing restrictions, including limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings, to try to dampen the surge in COVID-19 cases that’s threatening to overwhelm the state’s health care system. He’s expected to make an announcement by the end of the week. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Doesn’t Have Enough Quarantine Rooms For COVID Patients. COVID-19 patients need more isolation facilities and state help than ever, but far fewer hotel rooms are available. Civil Beat. KHON2.

Several Hawaii hospitals put up triage tents to deal with COVID hospital rise. Hospitals statewide are full and running above normal capacity, and the situation is getting worse by the day. KHON2.

Ige Urges People To Limit Interactions Amid COVID Surge. COVID-19 hospitalizations are exponentially climbing as the delta variant drives state coronavirus positivity rate past 7%. Civil Beat.

Ige stands behind decision to begin in-person learning. Gov. David Ige on Monday stood firm in the decision of state leaders to return students to in-person learning amid the ongoing surge of COVID-19. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian Airlines issues vaccine mandate for all employees in U.S. Hawaiian Airlines, the state’s largest air carrier, will require all of its United States-based employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Nov. 1. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.  

New Secretary of Army, Christine Wormuth, supports renewal of training ground leases. The top civilian within the Department of Defense was visiting Oahu on Monday as part of a three-state tour where she also will visit installations in Washington state and Alaska. She landed here Sunday and is scheduled to leave today. Star-Advertiser.

Officials seek funds to manage land, curb wildfires. Michael Walker, state protection forester of the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife, plans to request at least $1 million from the state Legislature next year to establish a wildfire fuel reduction program.  Star-Advertiser.

DOH: 1 death, 437 new COVID-19 cases reported statewide Monday. 67 new cases were reported in Hawaii County, 16 in Kauai County, 52 on Maui, 4 on Molokai,  293 on Oahu, and 5 cases out of state. KITV4.

Oahu

State lawmakers seek answers on contractor’s death at UH athletic field. State lawmakers are digging in to find out who is responsible for a deadly construction accident at the University of Hawaii’s new home for football. Work is being done at the school’s Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex on lower campus. Hawaii News Now.

Future of Waikīkī Beaches May Rely on $12M Shoreline Stabilization Project. Waikīkī’s iconic beaches may be getting a $12 million facelift as part of the state’s effort to increase the shoreline’s resilience to climate change, coastal erosion, and sea level rise. Hawaii Public Radio.

Waikīkī Restaurants Still Face Challenges Despite Crowds of Visitors and Locals. Even in good times, successful restaurants in Hawaiʻi operate on very lean profit margins. This is due to the usual challenges that eateries face — rent, food costs, utilities, and labor. But for months, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down dining rooms across the state. Hawaii Public Radio.

Staffing shortages leave critical posts unmanned at Hawaii’s largest prison. Adult Corrections Officers at Halawa Correctional Facility are being forced to work 24, even 36 hour shifts to cover. Hawaii News Now.

Vaccine-or-test COVID-19 mandates in Hawaii spur protest rally. About 200 people Monday peacefully descended on Honolulu Hale and the state Capitol to rail against public and private employers in Hawaii forcing workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or take weekly infection tests. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Hawaii Island

Hilo, Honokaa reach ‘herd immunity’. Hilo and Honokaa are leading the Big Island in the percentage of the population vaccinated for COVID-19. West Hawaii Today.

90-unit affordable house project proposed for Hilo. A draft environmental assessment for a proposed 90-unit affordable housing project for seniors and families in Hilo has an anticipated finding of no significant impact. Tribune-Herald.

Upgrades coming to Hawi wind farm. Improvements, but not an increase in wind turbines, are coming to the Hawi Energy wind farm at Upolu Point as the company proposes a 20-year extension to its power purchase agreement with Hawaiian Electric Co. West Hawaii Today.

Kona Trolley Relaunched As Hele-On Route 201. The Kona Trolley is the new Route 201, operating 7 days a week as part of a new Hele-On transit services to be incorporated in Kailua-Kona. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

BLNR to mull fine for conservation easement damage. A Kona coffee grower has agreed to fund the planting of hundreds of Native Hawaiian trees as part of a settlement meted with the state for damaging a conservation easement in 2019. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Hawaiʻi Community Foundation Granted $7 Million to 194 Nonprofits, 27 in Maui County. Hawai‘i Community Foundation today announced $7 million in awards from its CHANGE Grants program to 194 nonprofits statewide, including 27 in Maui County, that are working to address some of the state’s most difficult challenges. Maui Now.

Maui Rally Draws 500, Seeking Freedom of Choice Amid Vaccination & Mask Mandates. Organizers say an estimated 500 people attended today’s rally fronting the State Office and County buildings in Wailuku, Maui, calling for freedom of choice amid further vaccination mandates announced in recent days. Maui Now. Maui News.

Kauai

KIUC cancels WKEP Talk Story today. Due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases and increased evidence of community spread of the virus, Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative is postponing the launch of the West Kaua‘i Energy Project “Talk Story Tuesday” community outreach program. Garden Island.

COVID testing urged for customers of Kauai’s Tahiti Nui restaurant in Hanalei. The Department of Health said on Monday they identified a cluster tied to the Hanalei restaurant. At least seven known cases have been confirmed so far in both workers and customers. Hawaii News Now.

Residents, county and state workers and parents protest vaccinations Monday. About 75 people were gathered around 11 a.m., at the intersection of Hardy and Eiwa streets in Lihu‘e, many protesting vaccinations, testing for COVID-19 in workplace settings, mask mandates and vaccine requirements. Garden Island.