Hotel occupancy stays low, Maui plastic takeout ban to commence, Big Island council bans glyphosate at county parks, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Quiet hotel lobby in Hawaii ©2021 All Hawaii News

November hotel occupancy in Hawaii stays below 60%. Occupancy at Hawaii hotels in November was still significantly below the 2019 pre-pandemic level. Star-Advertiser.

Inconsistencies In Data From U.S. Military May Hold Up Hawaii Redistricting. Hawaii’s redistricting process will move forward while a commission that redraws political boundaries awaits accurate data. Civil Beat.

Residents reject redrawn Hawaii district maps, call out lack of transparency. The effort to redraw state district maps for House of Representatives and Senate seats is drawing criticism from concerned residents and neighborhood boards and raising questions about transparency. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Commentary: A Memoir By A Former Hawaii AG Fills In Some Holes In Recent State History. David Louie has a lot to say about politics and government in the islands.  Civil Beat.

Commissioners With Hawaii Ties Named To Biden’s AANHPI Panel. The Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders will help the president with policy recommendations. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i public schools consider test-to-stay COVID-19 policy. The feasibility of a test-to-stay model for Hawai‘i public schools is on the mind of administrators and officials. Test-to-stay programs allow students and staff members who have had a school associated close COVID-19 contact to continue to attend school in person if they test negative. Garden Island.

Omicron Is About To Become The Main Covid-19 Variant In Hawaii, Health Officials Say. Health officials say omicron is likely on the neighbor islands, not just Oahu, and every adult who is eligible for a booster should get one. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Local hospitals prepare for expected Omicron-fueled COVID case surge. With local medical facilities preparing for an influx of COVID patients, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii says it's in good shape in terms of oxygen supply, personal protective equipment and other supplies. But the association does expect to need additional health care workers. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii records 2 new coronavirus-related deaths, 961 additional infections. The new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 866 new cases on Oahu, 21 on Hawaii Island, 58 on Maui, seven on Kauai, one on Molokai, two on Lanai and six Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Plan that reimagines industrial area near airport’s rail station approved in unanimous vote.  The Honolulu Planning Commission Wednesday approved the airport transit-oriented development plan. The plan, approved by a 9-0 vote, could result in more residential development near rail project’s Lagoon Drive station but not at the expense of current industrial tenants. Hawaii News Now.

High-ranking Navy official downplays tainted water issue, saying it’s ‘not a crisis’. Dual investigations are ongoing into the Navy’s tainted water crisis. As the Pentagon’s Inspector General probes the safety of the Navy’s Red Hill fuel tanks, new details over past spilled have emerged from an internal Navy review. Hawaii News Now.

Climate Change Will Make It Harder To Protect The Environment Around Oahu’s Next Landfill. The effects of a warming planet are also expected to make it more expensive to safeguard land and water. Civil Beat.

City Attorney Kicked Off HPD Shooting Lawsuit For Creating A Conflict Of Interest. Corporation Counsel attorney Kyle Chang was disqualified after providing conflicting arguments in the case. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Council passes glyphosate ban at county parks. The County Council on Wednesday passed a bill banning the use of Round-Up or other glyphosate-based herbicides at county parks, sending it to Mayor Mitch Roth, who is expected to sign it. West Hawaii Today.

Hospitals prep for surge: ‘Don’t let your guard down over the holidays’. Big Island hospitals are preparing for a rough winter as all signs point to an omicron-fueled COVID-19 surge within the next month. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui plastic disposal foodware ban takes effect on New Year’s Day. Banned items include plastic disposable food service containers and utensils such forks, spoons and knives, and plates, trays, bowls, cups, hinged (plate lunch) containers and straws. Maui Now. KHON2.

More out-of-state residents buying Maui homes this year. The number of Maui County homes purchased by out-of-state buyers this year nearly doubled compared with last year, according to state data. Maui Now.

Average Rate for Maui County Hotels at $531 for Nov. 2021; Occupancy at 65%. Maui County hotels led the state in November 2021 with average daily rate of $531, revenue per available room at $347 and occupancy at 65%, according to the latest Hawaiʻi Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i begins to see new COVID-19 cases spike. The Hawai‘i State Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office announced 41 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. Garden Island.