University of Hawaii football team quarantined, contact tracing chief resigns, state 50th in work from home rankings, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii football, courtesy photo

Entire UH Football Team Heads to Quarantine Following Eight Positive Tests. The football team directed 81 players to quarantine in their homes "out of an abundance of caution after UH medical officials consulted with the Hawaiʻi Department of Health," the school said in a statement. Hawaii Public Radio. Big Island Now. Star-Advertiser. KHON2. KITV4.

CDC finds spread among youth sports, Hawaii pediatrician says play on. While the Rainbow Warriors are regularly tested for COVID-19, youth sports in Hawaii are generally not. This as the Centers for Disease Control says that they’re finding spread of the virus from youth sports. KHON2.

Official In Charge Of Hawaii’s COVID-19 Contact Tracing Resigns. Emily Roberson, an epidemiologist hired last year to revamp Hawaii’s COVID-19 contact tracing efforts, has resigned, she told Civil Beat Tuesday. Department of Health spokeswoman Janice Okubo said that Roberson left her position April 1.  Civil Beat.

Report: Hawaiʻi Ranks 50th in Work from Home Rankings. With 71 percent of people — whose jobs can be done remotely — working from home all or most of the time during the COVID-19 pandemic, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on the Best States for Working from Home. Hawai’i was ranked 50th, with only Alaska ranking lower. Maui Now.

Here’s How Hawaii’s New State Budget Is Shaping Up. With just a few weeks left in session, both the House and Senate plan to bail out Hawaii employers and pass some tax increases. Civil Beat.

Hawaii closer to declaring a ‘climate emergency’. A series of symbolic — but widely supported — climate resolutions, including one declaring a climate emergency, continued to move through the Legislature on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Dark Clouds Are Looming Over Hawaii Even As The Economy Appears To Be Improving. Economic experts say many people are worse off than they were before the pandemic and a lower unemployment rate is simply masking deeper problems. Civil Beat.

Transition to 10-Digit Dialing (Area Code + Number) to Begin on April 24. Beginning April 24, 2021, callers in Hawai‘i will be encouraged to dial the area code (808) plus the telephone number when making local calls, six months before this will be required for local calls to complete. Maui Now.

Hawaii Expects To Meet Biden’s New Goal Of Offering Vaccines To All Adults By April 19. Hawaii health officials say they can meet a new deadline set by President Biden Tuesday of offering COVID-19 shots to all adults by April 19, supplanting an earlier goal of May 1. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

April 6, 2021 COVID-19 Update: The state Department of Health reports that there were 61 additional COVID-19 cases reported in Hawai‘i on Tuesday, including 30 on O‘ahu, 21 on Maui, three on Hawai‘i Island, and seven in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed while out of state. Maui Now.

Oahu

Mayor Rick Blangiardi makes request to change Oahu’s tier criteria. Blangiardi on Tuesday said he sent a request to Gov. David Ige asking that the criteria for Tier 3 be increased to a seven-day average case count of 50 to 100, which is what it currently is for Tier 2. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.

Business owners say they are disappointed in the lack of clarity surrounding COVID guidelines. Business owners are seeking clarity on tier system as Oahu’s averaging 57 daily COVID cases clearly meeting the criteria to move back to Tier 2 Thursday at 12:01 a.m. Hawaii News Now.

Public reviews proposed rules for short-term rentals. A public hearing Tuesday on the city’s plan to give permits to about 1,700 Oahu homeowners to operate bed-and-breakfast units raised the question of whether the city’s Department of Planning and Permitting can be trusted to distribute the permits fairly. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Home prices on Oahu surge closer to $1 million median. Oahu’s housing market had another breakout month in March with a record $950,000 single-family home median sale price and an eye-popping number of condominium sales. Star-Advertiser.

City starts fixing Kakaako streets owned by state. Two oversize city pothole patching crews descended on perhaps the worst streets in Kakaako on Tuesday to smooth over a problem that has vexed area residents and business owners for several years. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

State crews clear out more than 30 homeless camps at Diamond Head. More than 30 homeless camps on both sides of Diamond Head are being cleared out this week by state Department of Land and Natural Resources crews. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

State again proposes removing seawall that forms Doris Duke swimming hole. A state Department of Land and Natural Resources proposal to remove the 83-year-old Diamond Head Breakwater, which parallels the seawall beneath Doris Duke’s Shangri La to form a popular ocean swimming hole, will be discussed Thursday at a public hearing. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

A reprieve for Van Pernis: Council Planning Committee postpones action on ouster of commissioner. Mark Van Pernis was called rude, crusty, insulting, confrontational and condescending, among other adjectives, during a grueling three-hour Tuesday evening session of a County Council panel that ended with a recommendation to not immediately remove him from the powerful Leeward Planning Commission. West Hawaii Today.

Plan calls for 6 low-income housing projects to begin this year. The county will spend nearly $6 million in federal funds on six low-income housing projects this year, according to an action plan presented to a County Council committee. Tribune-Herald.

USA Women’s Water Polo Team donates lane course, valued at $5,500, to county. A gift from the USA Women’s Water Polo Team could result in the County of Hawaii Department of Parks and Recreation implementing a youth water polo program on the Big Island. West Hawaii Today.

Resolution for lava zone insurance study gets lukewarm support. Hawaii County Council members were lukewarm Tuesday about a proposal to investigate ways to manage home insurance rates in Lava Zones 1 and 2. Tribune-Herald.

West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery slated for expansion. The West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery is slated to receive funds for expansion in the Hawaii State Legislature’s Capital Improvement Project proposed budget. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County population could decline with job losses. With Maui suffering some of the worst pandemic-induced job losses in the state, one of Hawaii’s top economists is predicting the Valley Isle will also be hardest hit in 2020 population decline as people move away for better work opportunities. Maui News.

Maui County Economic Development Office Hosts Virtual Grant Training Workshop April 21. Businesses and nonprofit organizations that administer viable projects that positively impact the economy of Maui County are urged to participate in a virtual grant training workshop Wednesday, April 21, at 1 pm. Maui Now.

Kauai

Cowden fined $500 for ethics violations. A 2019 county Board of Ethics complaint alleged that Councilwoman Felicia Cowden had used her role and position as a councilmember to secure the benefit of an expense-paid trip to attend a conference in Vologda, Russia, in 2019, and for having county staff use council letterhead to urge others to attend the conference, “which gave the impression attendance at the conference was being promoted by the Kaua‘i County Council,” according to the complaint. Garden Island.

Kauai coronavirus rental, utility assistance program applications open in May. The Kaua’i Government Employees Federal Credit Union (KGEFCU) will be administering the program. KHON2.

Koke‘e Nature Trail trampled Easter weekend. Easter celebrations in Koke‘e State Park over the weekend left native plants destroyed along a trail that runs behind the Koke‘e Museum. Garden Island.

Timbers embraces community throughout pandemic. Timbers Kaua‘i at Hokuala is one of the many resort properties on Kaua‘i now accepting trans-Pacific visitors through the Hawai‘i Safe Travels program. Garden Island.

New state contact tracer on leave after Health Department upheaval, downsized 75th WWII anniversary commemoration held, many jobless still wait for unemployment checks, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Dr. Emily Roberson Aug. 20, 2020

More Health Department Drama: New Contact Tracing Head Asks For Leave. Announced with fanfare by Gov. David Ige last month, Emily Roberson says she is frustrated with trying to do her job and says leadership needs to make clear the chain of command. Civil Beat.

Newly hired head of Hawaii’s contact tracing program asks for leave, cites chain-of-command issues at Department of Health. A leave request Wednesday from the head of Hawaii’s COVID- 19 contact tracing program citing chain-of-command issues is reinvigorating calls to clean house at the state Department of Health. Star-Advertiser.

Head of state's contact tracing program is on leave. Emily Roberson has been on the job for about two weeks. Lt. Governor Josh Green told KITV4 part of Roberson's problems include micromanaging from Dr. Sarah Park. KITV4.

‘We With Sarah!’ Co-Workers Defend Embattled Epidemiologist. Campaign buttons, poster bear catchy slogans supporting Dr. Sarah Park. Civil Beat.

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Critics raise concerns over possible release of COVID-19 vaccine this fall. Lieutenant Governor Josh Green says he's been following the vaccine trials and believes more research and testing is needed before it's ready to be used on humans. KITV4.

State’s confusing COVID-19 reports make it difficult to track spread of virus, experts say. Data that doesn’t match, moving averages that don’t make sense — the state’s reporting of COVID-19 is confusing even for scholars analyzing the information. Hawaii News Now.

Health Department Struggled To Warn Young People About COVID, New Efforts Aim To Fix It. The state Department of Health continues to record a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases among young people. One key reason may be that public messages to avoid the virus haven't yet effectively reached them. Hawaii Public Radio.

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State’s Acting Labor Director: We’re Ready To Handle A Surge In Jobless Claims. Those assurances come as DLIR still struggles to resolve thousands of complex claims that have proven difficult to resolve. Civil Beat.

State pledges to launch ’virtual call center’ to field questions about jobless benefits. The state says a “virtual call center” is in the works to deal with the endless delays on its unemployment hotline. Hawaii News Now.

The Cost Of Failure To Contain The Virus? Massive Layoffs. With no end in sight to the shutdown of tourism, dozens of companies have filed letters with labor officials outlining job cuts and extended furloughs. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s jobless benefit boost may be used up. The new $400 weekly bonus is retroactive to Aug. 1 and may already be exhausted because state officials aren’t sure if they can obtain such funds beyond four weeks. Star-Advertiser.

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Defense Secretary Mark Esper and several World War II veterans from Hawaii mark the 75th anniversary of war’s end. The commemoration Wednesday on the fantail of the battleship Missouri — the site of Japan’s unconditional surrender on Sept. 2, 1945, in Tokyo Bay — featured 12 local World War II veterans and comments by Defense Secretary Mark Esper, among others. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii remembers end of World War II in scaled-back ceremony aboard Battleship Missouri Memorial . Defense Secretary Mark Esper stopped off in Hawaii on Wednesday to speak at a scaled-back and socially distanced ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II aboard the Battleship Missouri Memorial at Pearl Harbor, on whose decks Japan surrendered in 1945 in Tokyo Bay. Pacific Business News.

In somber ceremony, veterans and dignitaries mark 75th anniversary of the end of WWII. The Greatest Generation and its WWII veterans provide a legacy of service and sacrifice that we should all look up to, said Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Wednesday at a ceremony aboard the USS Missouri to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. Hawaii News Now.

Wednesday marks the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII. Wednesday, September 2 marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II where more than 400,000 U.S. service men and women made the ultimate sacrifice. KITV4.

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5 staff, 2 inmates within Department of Public Safety test positive for COVID-19. Within the division, there are now 49 active cases among staff: 43 at OCCC; two at Halawa Correctional Facility; two at the Women’s Community Correctional Center; and the two new cases within the Sheriff Division. Star-Advertiser.

VIRUS TRACKER — Sept. 2: 339 New Cases, 1 Death In Hawaii. Some of the cases announced Wednesday were actually identified last month. Civil Beat.

Hawaii reports 1 coronavirus-related death on Oahu and 339 new cases. Hawaii Department of Health officials today recorded one new coronavirus-related death and 339 new cases, bringing the statewide totals since the beginning of the pandemic to 75 fatalities and 8,991 cases. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi COVID-19 Updates For Wednesday, Sept. 2nd: 339 New Cases, 1 Death. Big Island Video News.

339 New COVID-19 Cases, Includes 90 Cases From Delayed Reporting (302 O‘ahu, 2 Maui, 35 Hawai‘i Island). Maui Now.

Oahu

H-3 testing to proceed today despite federal objection. Drive-thru surge testing for COVID-19 is scheduled to continue on the H-3 Freeway today as the state defies the Federal Highway Administration for a second time and risks the loss of federal funding. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Caldwell says Oahu lockdown remains at two weeks, for now. Nearly a week into Oahu’s stay-at-home, work-from-home order, it’s not clear whether it might have to be extended. Mayor Kirk Caldwell says the current plan is still to keep it for two weeks. KHON2.

Free COVID-19 tests at Kalihi public housing met with high demand. The effort to mass test residents for COVID-19 in Hawaii’s public housing is expanding. Hawaii News Now.

Chamber of Commerce asks city to delay plastic ban that takes effect in 2021. On January 2021, restaurants on Oahu will no longer be able to give people plastic utensils, straws or plastic bags with handles for take-out food. This is part of a law that passed last year. KHON2.

Corruption sentencing hearings for Katherine and Louis Kealoha rescheduled again. A U.S. judge today set a Nov. 30 sentencing date for retired Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his now-estranged wife, Katherine Kealoha, who was a former high-ranking city prosecutor. Star-Advertiser.

New HPD commission meets, as citations handed out are on the rise.  The newly assembled police commission held their first regular meeting Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.


Hawaii Island

County, state beach parks to close Friday as virus cases surge on Big Island. With COVID-19 cases on Hawaii Island continuing to surge, Mayor Harry Kim announced Wednesday that all county and state beach parks will close for two weeks starting Friday. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Beach Park Closure: Amendments To Mayors Rule Detailed. Starting on September 4, beach parks can only be used to access to the ocean, exercising, fishing and gathering food, and using the bathrooms and shower facilities. Big Island Video News.

Gov Approves Mayor’s Request to Close Beaches for 2 Weeks. Gov. David Ige approves Mayor Harry Kim’s request to close Hawai‘i Island’s beaches for two weeks in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19. Big Island Now.

Delegation seeks closure of Milolii Fishing Village due to virus. The entirety of Hawaii Island’s delegation asked Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim on Wednesday to restrict access to and test all residents of the Milolii Fishing Village in South Kona as COVID-19 cases rack up. West Hawaii Today.

Call For Miloliʻi Fishing Village Closure After COVID-19 Outbreak Reported. Lawmakers are asking Mayor Kim to close the South Kona fishing village and take other actions after a cluster of COVID-19 was identified. Big Island Video News.

18 more residents at state veterans home in Hilo test positive for COVID-19. More than half of the residents at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home have been infected by COVID-19. Tribune-Herald.

Council seeks scrutiny of FCC permits: Nonbinding resolution supports safety regulations of wireless facilities. The Hawaii County Council unanimously approved a resolution Wednesday supporting the Natural Resources Defense Council and other elected officials who have petitioned in federal court for stricter environmental review before the Federal Communications Commission approves wireless communication facilities and other sources of radiofrequency emissions. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

New Maui Partnership Assists Local Ranches While Providing Food to Those in Need. Maui Mayor Michael Victorino announced today a new CARES Act funded partnership with local ranchers to provide ground beef to Feed My Sheep and people in need. Maui Now.

A Second Maui Judiciary Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19. The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary confirmed a second positive COVID-19 case involving an employee at Hoapili Hale on Maui. Maui Now.

700 Lanai resort workers are put on furlough. More than 700 workers for Four Seasons Resorts Lana’i, who were furloughed Aug. 11, continue to receive medical benefits and will be brought back when the two luxury resorts reopen, resort officials said Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai councilman’s meth ring trial postponed to next year. A U.S. judge today postponed trial for 12 people accused of drug trafficking in Hawaii, over the objections of a councilman accused of leading the ring. Associated Press.

Kaua‘i Veterans Center is still open for business. The Kaua‘i Veterans Council in Lihu’e was recently awarded a $62,660 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Grant from the county to help keep the Kaua‘i Veterans Center open to the public during this pandemic. Garden Island.

Unemployment fraud disrupting PUA. Steven Roy Carvalho submitted a full-page color print out of him holding up his driver’s license to his face. Surely, it’s him, but even that hasn’t been enough to prove his identity to the state. Garden Island.

Meet The New Cult In Town: Love Has Won, Now Quarantining On Kauai. Residents are concerned about the group giving the spiritual community there a bad name. Civil Beat.