Hawaii sends its 4 electoral votes to Biden; Blangiardi, Roth win county mayoral races, Kahele takes Tulsi Gabbard's congressional seat, voter turnout slows results, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii ballot sorting ©2020 All Hawaii News

Full Hawaii election results as of 1:13 a.m. HST  Wednesday. Hawaii Office of Elections.

Hawaii picks Biden in race for the White House. As expected, Hawaii voted overwhelmingly to support Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in Tuesday’s general election. In results released about 11 p.m., Biden had secured about 65% of the vote. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii’s general election voter turnout was the best its been since 1998.  High-profile races both locally and nationally were driving factors for a high voter turnout in this general election. By the second printout early Wednesday morning, election officials reported 557,189 ballots cast, for a 66.9% voter turnout. That’s based off a total of 832,466 registered voters across the state. Hawaii News Now.

Voters endure long lines to cast ballots. Long lines of Oahu voters at both Honolulu Hale and Kapolei Hale held up the entire state’s release of election results Tuesday to determine key races, including Hawaii’s preference for the next U.S. president. Star-Advertiser.

US House: Democrats Ed Case And Kai Kahele Headed For Landslide Wins. Neither candidate faced a serious challenger in their bids to represent Hawaii in the U.S. House, which is still controlled by Democrats. Civil Beat.

Kai Kahele to join fellow Democrat Ed Case in U.S. House. Kai Kahele, a Native Hawaiian who grew up in the fishing village of Milolii and serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Hawaii Air National Guard, will bring a duality of views to the U.S. House of Representatives as Hawaii’s newest member of Congress. Star-Advertiser.

Kai Kahele wins race for next U.S. Representative Dist. II, replacing Tulsi Gabbard. Kahele won 58.4% of votes at 165,031. KITV4.

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Hawaii Legislature: GOP Loses A House Seat, Stays Even In The Senate. A fresh crop of younger lawmakers — all of them Democrats — are on track to pick up seats. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s Republican Party lose ground in state House. Hawaii’s Republican Party lost one of its five seats in the state House — already the fewest number of seats it held since statehood in 1959. Star-Advertiser.

Incumbents cruise to easy state Senate victories. Seven incumbent state senators were cruising to victory Tuesday night, including Bennette Misalucha, who was appointed to fill the seat of the late state Sen. Breene Harimoto. Star-Advertiser.

Luana Alapa ousts Colette Machado in Office of Hawaiian Affairs race.  First-time candidate Luana Alapa has ousted Office of Hawaiian Affairs chairwoman Colette Machado from the Molokai seat on the Board of Trustees, according to second printout results releaseds shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Rick Blangiardi wins Honolulu mayor’s race. Long-time television executive Rick Blangiardi captured the Honolulu mayor’s office Tuesday night, easily outpointing fellow first-time candidate Keith Amemiya by about a 6-4 margin. Star-Advertiser.

Blangiardi wins race for Honolulu in tough contest between political newcomers.  Former TV executive Rick Blangiardi handily won the race for Honolulu mayor Tuesday night after a tough general election contest that pitted two political newcomers against one another ― and included no shortage of mudslinging. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Mayor: Rick Blangiardi Declares Victory, Keith Amemiya Concedes. With the majority of votes counted, the results show Oahu voters favored former Hawaii News Now general manager Rick Blangiardi.  Civil Beat.

Former TV executive Rick Blangiardi won the race for Honolulu mayor over Keith Amemiya, the one-time head of the high school athletics organization. Hawaii Public Radio.

Rick Blangiardi wins race for Honolulu Mayor in 2020 General Election. Rick Blangiardi wins the race for Honolulu Mayor over Keith Amemiya after the first printout results. KHON2.

Rick Blangiardi wins the race for Honolulu Mayor. Following the second printout that was released just before 2 a.m., Blangiardi had 58.2% of votes at 216,558 votes. KITV4.

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In race for Honolulu prosecutor, retired judge Steve Alm wins election on pledge of reform. Running on a platform of reform, retired Judge Steve Alm defeated defense attorney Megan Kau in the 2020 general election race to become Honolulu’s next prosecuting attorney. Hawaii News Now.

Steve Alm wins race for Honolulu's next prosecutor. Following the second printout from the Hawai'i State Office of Elections, Alm had 52.0% of the votes at 193,772. KITV4.

Steve Alm Is Well Ahead Of Megan Kau In Honolulu Prosecutor Race. This will be the first time since 1988 that the beleaguered office was not held by either Peter Carlisle or Keith Kaneshiro. Civil Beat.

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Augusto ‘Augie T’ Tulba and Radiant Cordero to join Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council: Kiaaina, Cordero And Tulba Pull Ahead. Honolulu will have five new City Council members on Jan. 2. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Voters Favor Term Limits For Prosecutor. It is one of four charter amendment questions on the general election ballot. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Roth clinches Hawaii Island mayoral seat. Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth beat political newcomer Ikaika Marzo late Tuesday in the race to be the next mayor of Hawaii County. West Hawaii Today.

Roth Elected Hawaiʻi County Mayor. Mitch Roth leads Ikaika Marzo in the race for the Hawaiʻi County Mayor. Big Island Video News.

Big Island Casts Familiar Face in New Role as Mayor. Former Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth will assume the mantle of Hawai‘i County Mayor following his victory over fellow challenger and community organizer Ikaika Marzo. Big Island Now.

Veteran prosecutor Mitch Roth clinches victory in Big Island mayoral race. In the race for Hawaii County mayor, Mitch Roth secured a victory over community organizer Ikaika Marzo. By the second printout, Roth garnered 48,895 votes, or 57.4%. Marzo earned 40.1%, or 34,142 votes. Hawaii News Now.

Mitch Roth wins Big Island mayoral race. Mitch Roth, 56, handily defeated political novice Ikaika Marzo in the mayor’s race in what the candidates described an amicable race between “friends.” Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii County Races: Mitch Roth Out Ahead In Mayor’s Race. Voters also chose County Council members and decided the fate of numerous charter amendments. Civil Beat.

Mitch Roth wins Hawai'i Island mayoral race. Mitch Roth has won the race for Hawai'i County Mayor following the second printout results on Wednesday. KITV4.

Mitch Roth wins race for Hawaii County Mayor. KHON2.

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Kimball beats Yagong in Hamakua council race; Kanealii-Kleinfelder edges Rodenhurst in Puna. Tribune-Herald.

Final Printout Shows Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder Winner of District 5 Seat. Big Island Now.

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Majority of proposed Charter amendments pass. West Hawaii Today.

Long lines at polling places delay results. Some voters waited in line for nearly three hours Tuesday afternoon as COVID-19 precautions slowed the voting process in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

‘Huge turnout:’ West Hawaii voters flock to make choices in person. Despite a statewide shift to vote by mail, Big Island voters flocked to the voter service center in West Hawaii to cast ballots in person on Tuesday culminating with a big Election Day surge. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Council incumbents carrying the day; Johnson leads in vacant Lanai residency seat. Maui News.

Initial results favor county charter amendments except Managing Director. Six of the seven Maui County Charter Amendments are on track to being voted in – with the exception of the Office of the Managing Director, according to the second summary report by the State Office of Elections. Maui News.

Turnout hits highest levels in over 20 years. In a politically charged climate of pandemic and protests, Maui County voter turnout already has reached its highest level in 20 years, according to county and state election data. Maui News.

Lines Long But Manageable on Election Day at Maui’s Voting Service Center. Maui Now.

Voting officials surprised by large Wailuku precinct turnout. County officials and volunteers were surprised with the large turnout of in-person voters on Election Day at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center in Wailuku. Maui News.

Kauai

DeCosta, Carvalho Jr. in line to join council. Preliminary results as of Tuesday night show incumbents outweighing newcomers in the upcoming iteration of the Kaua‘i County Council with a 72.1% turnout. Garden Island.

Former Mayor Bernhard Carvalho On His Way To Kauai Council. The former Kauai Mayor is likely to join at least three council incumbents. Civil Beat.

Hawaii residents leaving state, Carnival cancels Hawaii cruises for the rest of 2020, BLM infiltrates Kauai Trump rally, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii farmers market, with flowers ©2020 All Hawaii News

 Economists anticipate Hawaii’s shrinking population will decline further due to coronavirus. UH economists recently projected in a report that the state will see a net population loss of 19,000 over the next two years, which means an even bigger number of resident departures since that figure also takes into account the many people expected to move to Hawaii from other states and countries. Star-Advertiser.

With no job prospects on the horizon, some are moving to the mainland. A lack of job opportunities and no communication from the state’s unemployment office is driving some Hawaii residents to pack up their bags and move to the mainland. Hawaii News Now.

Is Hawaii Learning To Live With The Coronavirus? Message fatigue has become a real concern as Hawaii officials gear up public service announcements reminding people they need to wear masks, wash their hands and stay away from each other. Civil Beat.

Carnival cancels most 2020 US cruises, including those to Hawaii. Carnival’s rival Norwegian Cruise Line said it’s holding out hope it’ll be able to restart operations in November — and isn’t shutting down all operations just yet. Hawaii News Now.

Public service campaign inspires the catchy ‘Our Kuleana’. The Our Kuleana campaign — which features well-known island figures donning face masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19 on TV and in print ads, as well as everyday folks taking up the challenge and posting photos of themselves masked up with the hashtag #ourkuleana — inspired Hilo musician Brandon Nakano. Tribune-Herald.

After Hawaii tourism reopens, will there be a flood or trickle of visitors? After seven months of tourism lockdowns, the state is finally ready to reopen the gates. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s arrival testing debate continues, decision expected this week. Several leaders and health officials are now sounding the alarm. They’re saying that more needs to be done or the state will see a surge in cases, and possibly another shut down by the end of the year. KHON2.

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Monday's The Deadline To Register Online To Vote And What Else To Know. There's a lot about 2020 that makes it a year to leave behind. But at least one important task remains: choosing the next president and filling a host of local offices, all with the power to impact our lives. Hawaii Public Radio.

Concerns remain about new Hawaii hemp law. Hawaii will adopt a federal industrial hemp production program at the end of this month, signalling the end of the state’s two-year-long Industrial Hemp Pilot Program. Tribune-Herald.

Navatek CEO Warned Workers Of ‘Draconian Consequences’ If They Slacked Off During Pandemic. Now, Martin Kao faces federal charges of bank fraud and money laundering for allegedly bilking the coronavirus relief program of $12.8 million. Civil Beat.

VIRUS TRACKER — Oct. 4: 70 New COVID-19 Cases In Hawaii. Of the cases diagnosed on Sunday, two were in Maui County, 15 were on Hawaii island and 53 were on Oahu. Civil Beat.

State reports 3 additional COVID-19 fatalities, 70 new cases. The state is reporting three additional COVID-19 fatalities on Sunday, pushing the death toll from the virus in the islands to 156. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

2 candidates for Honolulu mayor have spent more than $3M on race so far. Despite the pandemic-depressed economy, the Honolulu mayor’s race is turning out to be a big spending contest. Combined, the two remaining candidates have spent more than $3 million through Sept. 30. Hawaii News Now.

Here’s How Honolulu’s Mayoral Candidates Differ — Or Not — On Police Reform. Both candidates are largely content with the department and the practices that are already in place. Neither would cut police funding. Civil Beat.

Tourism restart may delay Tier 2. Oahu’s reopening metrics are so restrictive that even the return of only a few thousand tourists, might be enough to upset the fragile balance and keep the county from further economic reopening. Star-Advertiser.

The beaches at Ko Olina are opened again. Why aren’t the public parking lots? Public access advocates say the Ko Olina Resort is using the pandemic as an excuse to restrict beach access. Hawaii News Now.

Affordable rentals for Hawaiians to rise in Moiliili. A 23-story apartment tower is slated to rise on the former Stadium Bowl-O-Drome site in Moiliili, providing affordable rentals for 277 Native Hawaiian households. Star-Advertiser.

UH-Manoa plans apartment towers with below-market rents. A few years from now, University of Hawaii students and faculty should have a very different option for living on the school’s flagship Manoa campus. Star-Advertiser.

State nears ownership of Doris Duke’s former boat basin. The state has tentatively agreed to accept the Doris Duke Foundation of Islamic Art’s offer of up to $1 million to underwrite the cost of dismantling a breakwater that protects a popular swimming cove at the late heiress’ former Black Point estate, but it’s unclear whether the controversial project will happen. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Finalists for mayor head down the home stretch. There’s a lot of agreement, but also major differences, between the two candidates running for Hawaii County’s top office. West Hawaii Today.

Fiber optic ring will improve internet speed, stability. Just when COVID-19 has turned many meetings virtual and a faster, more stable communications network is needed most, a project a decade in the making is about to reach completion. West Hawaii Today.

Papaikou Mill Beach Eminent Domain Back On Council Agenda. On Tuesday, a Hawaiʻi County Council committee will discuss a new resolution to authorize proceedings in eminent domain to provide public access to the beach at Pāpaʻikou. Big Island Video News.

‘Very concerning for everybody’: Hawaii Island posts largest single-day jump in new COVID-19 cases. The state Department of Health reported 43 of the new 133 statewide positive cases were on the Big Island in its Saturday noon report. West Hawaii Today.

26 infected in emerging COVID-19 outbreak at the University of the Nations Kona. The University of the Nations in Kailua-Kona is now up to 26 cases of COVID-19 after 16 cases were reported by the Department of Health on Oct. 3. KHON2.

Singing the blues: Musical gigs almost nonexistent for island musicians. Since COVID-19 changed life as we know it in March, entertainment has generally meant sitting in front of the TV at home or watching videos on a computer or mobile device. Tribune-Herald.

Parker Ranch Plans To Build “Cowboy Housing”. Parker Ranch decided to construct 10 to 12 new homes "based on compelling results generated by ranching operations over the last several years." Big Island Video News.

Parker Ranch to build new homes for working cowboys in 2021-22. Parker Ranch will build new housing for working cowboys in its Livestock Division over the next two years. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Community Budget Meetings for Fiscal Year 2022 Begin This Week. The first in a series of six community budget meetings for Fiscal Year 2022, hosted by Mayor Michael Victorino and his administration, will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6. Maui Now.

Hotels see slight uptick in demand. Government and industry leaders are seeing a slight uptick in hotel demand for Maui ahead of the state’s pre-travel testing program, an effort to revive the state’s visitor-reliant economy. Maui News.

Most schools still distance learning. When public school resumes after fall break, only three Maui County campuses are planning to immediately make changes to involve more face-to-face learning. Maui News.

Kauai

Mason Chock. While serving in the Kaua‘i Fire Department for 12 years as a firefighter, incumbent Kaua‘i County Councilmember Mason Chock, 49, was tested by a pivotal moment. Garden Island.

Pro-Trump rally infiltrated. Black Lives Matter counter-protesters — one dressed in Ku Klux Klan garb and another as a Boogaloo Boi wearing an aloha shirt and mask of President Donald Trump — infiltrated a pro-Trump rally in Kapa‘a Friday afternoon and briefly baffled several hundred people who drove by on Kuhio Highway. Garden Island.

More trees on Kauai afflicted with rapid ohia death disease. State officials have found nine more trees on Kauai afflicted with rapid ohia death, the fungal blight that has decimated hundreds of thousands of native ohia trees in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Molokai

Molokai council candidates back for a Round 3. Stacy Crivello challenges Keani Rawlins-Fernandez for her old seat. Maui News.

Hawaii-based ships join saber-rattling in the South China Sea; Waikiki, Maui beaches reopen; state pension fund takes hit; food stamp, Medicaid applications jump, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

The Independence-variant littoral combat ships USS Montgomery (LCS 8), bottom, and USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) operate in the South China Sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Roys/Released)

Navy sends subs to sea as message to China. The Pacific Fleet Submarine Force took the unusual step this month of announcing that all of its forward-deployed subs were simultaneously conducting “contingency response operations” at sea in the Western Pacific — downplaying the notion that Navy forces have been hampered by COVID-19. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Setting Aside Virus Relief Funds For Unemployment. Hawaii lawmakers plan to set aside more than half of the money the state received in federal coronavirus relief money to bolster the state’s unemployment insurance fund. Associated Press.

Hawaii pension fund suffers worst quarterly loss since 2002. The state Employees’ Retirement System investments tumbled 9.5% and the fund’s assets, which include contributions and distributions, shrank by nearly $1.8 billion, to $16.2 billion, according to a report presented virtually to ERS trustees Tuesday by investment adviser Meketa Investment Group. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Medicaid Applications Soar Amid Widespread Job Losses. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the fragility of Hawaii’s acclaimed health insurance system that relies on employer-sponsored plans. Civil Beat.

Number of people on food stamps in Hawaii swells by 18,000 in a single month. While Hawaii’s economy is slowly reopening, tens of thousands of people remain out of work — and many are facing tough decisions about how to make ends meet. Hawaii News Now.

Consumers turn toward local produce. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased interest in buying locally sourced produce. Star-Advertiser.

Sunbathers grace the shores once again on Oahu, Maui. Oahu and Maui County residents flocked to the beaches Saturday, after the month-long ban on sunbathing and relaxing on the beach was lifted. Hawaii News Now.

COVID-19 restrictions imperil Hawaii vacation rentals. Government regulations combined with softening travel demand ultimately might cause Hawaii’s vacation rental industry to shrink. Many owners don’t have the deep pockets of hotel corporations or access to as many government bailouts. Star-Advertiser.

Where in the World Do We Send Our Recycling? California received the largest amount of recyclables from Hawaii in 2019, according to public records. Civil Beat.

 Nearly 300 out-of-state visitors came to Hawaii by air Saturday. Nearly 1,000 passengers came to Hawaii on Saturday, including 307 returning residents and 285 visitors. Star-Advertiser.

1 New Case in Hawai‘i Brings Total to 640 Cases, Nearly 92% Recovered. As of noon on Sunday, May 17, 2020, there are 640 cases of COVID-19 identified in Hawaiʻi with one new case in the state–on Hawaiʻi Island. Maui Now.

Oahu

A California man has been charged with violating the state’s mandatory quarantine for arriving passengers after citizens reported he posted images of himself at various locations across Oahu, state officials said today. Star-Advertiser.

Calif. man vlogs while breaking quarantine rules, gets arrested. Documenting the violation of a state law on social media isn’t the brightest idea, but those posts are coming in handy to law enforcement as they continue to arrest incoming travelers who break the mandatory 14-day quarantine. Hawaii News Now.

Visitor arrested for brazen quarantine violation. The California visitor was taken into custody at the airport - after blogging about his Oahu adventures on social media for more than two weeks. KITV4.

New York Tourist Arrested After Posting Hawaii Beach Photos. A tourist from New York was arrested for allegedly violating Hawaii's traveler quarantine after he posted on Instagram photos of himself sunbathing and carrying a surfboard, state officials said. Associated Press.

Social distancing remains even with beaches, tennis courts back open. Day two of beaches being open on Oahu and lots of folks headed out to Ala Moana on May 17th. KHON2.

City says come June 5, restaurants can open for dine-in service. Mayor Caldwell announced Friday night that Gov. Ige has approved the opening of restaurants to dine-in services with certain restrictions on June 5. Hawaii News Now.

Salvation Army, Goodwill provide more than clothes to Hawaii residents. Some Oahu retailers re-opened their stores on Friday, but there are some retailers who provide more for the community than just clothes. KHON2.

Churches prepare strategy to open as state starts to re-open. As the state starts to re-open, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has allowed drive-in church services to take place which started last Friday. KHON2.

Honolulu Spared From Paying A Hefty Price For Lack Of Trash. Its garbage-for-power deals address extreme events beyond the city’s control. Civil Beat.

Kailua shops depend on local support to stay afloat. Kailua town is a little more quiet these days, without so many tourists, due to travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Blurring the lines: Marzo campaign doesn’t report lava mask giveaway. Mayoral candidate Ikaika Marzo has been posting videos of himself on his “Marzo for Mayor” Facebook campaign page traveling the island giving away masks that were originally donated for the 2018 Puna lava flow crisis. West Hawaii Today.

Blurring the lines: Roth’s charity work raises questions. Mayoral candidate Mitch Roth removed a post from his Facebook campaign page after questions were raised about the portrayal of volunteers wearing his campaign T-shirts while helping at a nonprofit feeding station at a county facility. West Hawaii Today.

Fewer patients, less revenue: COVID-19 crisis suppresses visits to Big Isle hospitals, clinics. Fewer patients are visiting Big Island emergency rooms and urgent care clinics due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and that is having a negative impact on their revenue. Tribune-Herald.

South Kohala development progressing; Waikoloa Plaza on target to open in summer 2021. A $370 million South Kohala development is making progress with the long-awaited Waikoloa Plaza on schedule to open next summer. West Hawaii Today.

Progress on Pohoiki boat ramp. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources will soon hire a consultant to conduct a feasibility study about potential locations for the Pohoiki boat ramp. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Council OKs flat property tax rates. Despite many lower or flat property tax rates approved Friday by the Maui County Council, higher property valuations certified before the pandemic hit will bring $18 million more in county revenues for the next fiscal year that begins July 1. Maui News.

First Reading For Maui County’s FY2021 Budget Moved to May 26. Council Chair Alice L. Lee, who made the announcement, said it is to allow for inclusion of additional funding from the state and federal government. Maui Now.

Hawaii’s First Case Of Rat Lungworm This Year Found On Maui. The Department of Health said there were nine reported cases in 2019. Associated Press.

Maui resident hospitalized with Hawaii’s first rat lungworm infection of 2020. Health officials said Friday that Hawaii’s first confirmed case of rat lungworm disease in 2020 has been detected on Maui. Star-Advertiser.

Thousands see Maui police post on quarantine violation; Colo. visitor arrested. Maui police said a 23-year-old Colorado visitor was arrested today in Kula for violating the 14-day mandatory travel quarantine after a police social media post asking for public help to find her reached hundreds of thousands of people and generated thousands of comments. Maui News.

Kauai

Hanalei reopens. Ching Young Village Shopping Center and Hanalei Center shopping center are now open, giving the town a more cheery and uplifting feel to it. Garden Island.

USDA Grant Throws A Lifeline To Kauai Farmers Hit By Pandemic. With farmer’s markets and restaurants closed by the coronavirus, two nonprofits set up programs to distribute the farmers’ harvest directly to consumers and feeding programs. Civil Beat.