Home sales at 25-year low as only 20% can afford a single-family house, $13 loaf of bread spurs Kauai councilman complaint, past medical marijuana use stymies gun permits, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Report: Home Affordability In Hawaii Is ‘As Bad As It’s Ever Been’. Only 1 in 5 households in Hawaii can afford to buy a single-family home — a dramatic drop from just three years ago, according to a grim housing report released by the University of Hawaii on Monday.  Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii faces shortage of 800 physicians, with neighbor islands hit hardest. The most recent data by John A. Burns School of Medicine, reports, Hawaii has a shortage of nearly 800 full-time physicians and the need is more pronounced on the neighbor islands. KITV4.

Hawaii hotels’ soft spring is carrying over to summer. Statewide hotel occupancy in April dipped to 72.3%, a 1.4-percentage- point loss from April 2023, according to a Hawaii Hotel Performance report released Monday by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. Star-Advertiser.

Starting Thursday, drivers in Hawai‘i can get ‘shaka plates’ benefitting nonprofit. Beginning this Thursday, residents throughout the state of Hawai‘i will be able to register for vehicle license plates depicting the iconic “shaka” hand gesture. Big Island Now.

Oahu

Water agency prepares for possible cyberattacks. The Environmental Protection Agency is warning water utilities nationwide to be wary of cyberattacks from hackers affiliated with Iran and China seeking to sabotage drinking and wastewater resources. Oahu’s water supply has not been attacked, according to the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

The Miske Trial: Key Cooperating Witness Says Working For Miske Made Him Feel Protected. A court heard that Jacob Smith was "on call" to beat targeted victims at Mike Miske's direction. Civil Beat.

State Installing New Cameras At Women’s Prison After $2 Million Settlement Over Sex Assaults. Outside observers said the lack of working cameras was a red flag because cameras provide a deterrent to misconduct. Civil Beat.

Invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle taking a toll on Oahu palm trees. The palms along much of Oahu’s North Shore are losing their fronds and dying, a harbinger of the fate of others on the rest of the island. Star-Advertiser.

New Ililani affordable condo project opens in Kakaako. Buying a one-bedroom condo for $300,000 and a two-bedroom for under $600,000 in Kakaako is almost unheard of. But those were the prices back in 2019 for about 200 units in the Ililani condo complex — a project designed to be 60% affordable housing and give young families, kupuna and working class folks a chance to achieve home ownership. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Medical marijuana permits caused the Big Island to reject more gun permits than other counties in 2023. According to the report, the number of gun permit rejections in 2023 hovered at 1% or lower in Maui, Kauaʻi and Honolulu counties. But in Hawaiʻi County, 6.9% were denied. Hawaii Public Radio.

Reusable foodware plan still in the works. The project, which received $2.1 million in grant funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last year, would develop a system for distributing reusable food containers to restaurants and other participating organizations, and could be launched by February of next year, said Jennifer Navarra, program director for Zero Waste Hawaii Island.  Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Mayor Bissen secures Kula community center land for public use. After decades of leasing Kula land from the Von Tempsky family for County of Maui facilities, such as the community center, the County of Maui has negotiated terms to acquire the land beneath the community center and adjacent facilities for public use in perpetuity. Maui Now.

Residents invited to meet about permanent King Kamehameha III Elementary School. There are three possible sites to rebuild the school, which will be announced at a meeting on Tuesday. Hawaii Public Radio.

Grounded former ferry being defueled. Work is expected to continue today to remove 2,500 gallons of fuel, oil and other hazardous items from a large dinner cruise vessel that grounded off Lahaina last week. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Owners of grounded luxury yacht Nakoa seeking contested case over $1.8 million fine. This coming Friday, the Land Board will take up a recommendation to deny the April 30 request of yacht owners Kevin and Kimberley Albert for a contested case proceeding. Maui Now.

Battling invasive species will be topic of county Sustainability Together series. The County of Maui Environmental Protection and Sustainability Division announced on Friday the third installment of its Sustainability Together: Community-led Regenerative Action speaker series from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30, at the Maui Ocean Center Sphere.  Maui News.

Kauai

‘I thought it was a joke!’: Rising grocery prices spur formal complaint from Hawaii lawmaker. Prices for everyday staples in Hawaii are known to be higher than usual, but a loaf of bread over $13 on Kauai caused Kauai County Council Chair Mel Rapozo to file a complaint about the bread with the State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Hawaii News Now.

Zuckerberg settles lawsuit following 2019 death of security guard. A lawsuit against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg surrounding the wrongful death of a security guard who suffered a heart attack while climbing a steep, slippery trail on his North Shore Kauaʻi property was dismissed earlier this month following a settlement. Kauai Now.

Kazuyoshi (Tommy) Inouye’s Purple Heart comes home. The U.S. Army awarded 29 medals to soldiers who were killed in a plane crash on Okinawa as World War II ended nearly 80 years ago, and the five medals presented at Pearl Harbor represent the first of the 29 medals. Garden Island.

Airports empty as traveler quarantine begins, COVID-19 cases pass 100, surge hospitals planned, unemployment claims skyrocket, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu International Airport ©2020 All Hawaii News

A noticeably empty airport marks Day 1 of Hawaii’s travel quarantine rules. Thursday marked the first full day of the state’s new rules requiring all travelers on incoming international and mainland flights to Hawaii to go into a 14-day quarantine at hotels or places of residence. Hawaii News Now.

Arriving passengers face 14 days of mandatory quarantine, based on the honor system. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Travelers Quarantine: ‘I Think I Might Go Insane’. Returning residents and visitors who landed at the Honolulu airport say they will abide by the state’s quarantine order, even if they’re not happy about it. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Visitor Counts Plummet As 14-Day Quarantine Enacted. Transportation department spokesperson Tim Sakahara explained the process now in effect for visitors arriving to the islands by air. Big Island Video News.

Hawai‘i Arrivals By Air Drop to 797 on Neighbor Islands. The number of people – both residents and visitors – arriving in Hawaiʻi daily by air has significantly dropped over the past week. Maui Now.

State begins enforcing 14-day quarantine order for arriving travelers. The state’s new policy of quarantining air travelers for two weeks already has reduced visitation rates to a trickle. Tribune-Herald.

As Quarantine Kicks In, Hawai‘i Arrivals Plummet. A 14-day quarantine of all visitors and returning residents to the state of Hawai‘i went into effect Thursday, coinciding with a drastic decline in passengers arriving by plane to the state. Big Island Now.

State: random calls can be made to make sure visitors who just arrived are quarantined in hotel rooms. With this 14-day quarantine for arrivals in place, how are hotels and taxis handling the latest arrivals to Hawaii. KHON2.

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Hawaii COVID-19 Cases Surpass 100. On Thursday, 11 new cases were documented in the islands. The state Department of Health said three of those appeared to be from localized community transmission rather than travel-related. Civil Beat.

Cases Stand At 106; Convention Center, Blaisdell Eyed For Care Sites. Hawaii's coronavirus case count now stands at 106, according to the state health department's latest update. The number represents an increase of 11 cases from yesterday. Oahu has 77 cases, Maui 14, Kauai 5 and the Big Island 5. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawai‘i Surpasses 100 Cases of Coronavirus. Cases of coronavirus tipped into the triple digits Thursday, as Hawai‘i confirmed 11 new infections over the last 24 hours. Big Island Now.

Hawai‘i Coronavirus Total Now 106, Includes 11 New Positive. As of noon on Thursday, March 26, 2020, the state total count of positive coronavirus cases was 106, including 8 new cases on Oʻahu; one new case on Maui; and two cases of residents of the state of Hawaiʻi who were diagnosed outside of the state.  Maui’s island count is now 14. Maui Now.

In new cases, state finds evidence of coronavirus community transmission. The state says at least three of the 11 new coronavirus cases announced Thursday don’t have a link to recent travel, indicating a widening transmission of the virus in the community. Hawaii News Now.

At least three COVID-19 cases show signs of community transmission. The Department of Health director said more than 80% of the presumptive positive cases for COVID-19 are travel-related, but on Thursday they announced a few cases that could be from community transmission. KHON2.

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Hawaii Health Workers Are Already Running Low On Protective Gear. Some more rural Hawaii hospitals say their normal vendors are rationing supplies. Civil Beat.

Hawaii officials are preparing for a surge in demand for medical care due to the new coronavirus and are considering converting the Hawai‘i Convention Center and Neal S. Blaisdell Center into health care facilities. Star-Advertiser.

Two passengers from Grand Princess die from COVID-19. Two passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship have died from the coronavirus. That vessel docked at four Hawaiian islands between February 26, 2020 and March 1, 2020. Since docking in Califonia on March 9th more than 100 people have tested positive. KITV4.

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Hawaii unemployment fund will run out, but safety net awaits. The floodgates haven’t opened wide yet, but the pool of state unemployment insurance money is about to start draining at an incredibly fast rate — so fast that the roughly $600 million fund could be dry several months from now. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Jobless Claims Top 80,000 As Coronavirus Sinks The Economy. Nationwide, the federal Department of Labor reported 3 million more unemployment claims last week, dwarfing the previous high from 1982. Civil Beat.

Local Unemployment Surges, Surpassing 2019 In A Single Day. More than 60,000 new unemployment claims have been filed in Hawaii since March 1st. Workers in the restaurant and hotel industries have been some of the hardest hit. Hawaii Public Radio.

Due to flood of new claims, processing for new unemployment checks could take a month. The state is overwhelmed by the massive influx of new claims: 82,963 this month so far and 67,071 just this week alone. Hawaii News Now.

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Supply Chain Continues Uninterrupted, But Why Are Store Shelves Still Empty? Shipping operations are continuing uninterrupted to the state. Yet empty shelves are an increasingly common sight in local grocery stores. Hawaii Public Radio.

State to identify inmates that may be released from prison amid COVID-19 concerns. The Department of the Attorney General said efforts are underway to identify certain inmates that may be released from prison. KHON2.

Hawaii Homeless Shelters Scrambling As Coronavirus Outbreak Expands. Hawaii’s stay-at-home order and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines for social distancing are prompting groups serving the homeless to make adjustments as the number of coronavirus cases increase in the islands. Hawaii Public Radio.

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State Leaders: We Need To Work Together To Fight The Virus. Medical professionals are aligned with state efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige, Lt. Gov. Josh Green meet to smooth over coronavirus management issues. After a tense few months, Gov. David Ige and his Lt. Gov. Josh Green are now working together to stop the coronavirus from spreading in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

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Fish prices plummet as coronavirus pandemic cripples industry and idles boats. As the coronavirus pandemic ripples through Hawaii’s economy, the state’s fishing industry is taking a severe hit. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii military deployments upended by coronavirus. The potential for the fast-moving virus to spread in the close quarters of ship-based crews had the Navy send the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt to Guam today to test all 5,000 aboard. Star-Advertiser.

Coronavirus Is Spiking Levels Of Anxiety, Panic And Stress. Mental health professionals are increasing doses or seeing patients more often. People with no history of psychiatric symptoms are also struggling. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu police issue 70 citations as stay-at-home orders are enforced statewide. Honolulu police have issued 70 citations and made two arrests for violating the stay-at-home orders put in place to try to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, with most of those people cited in public parks after ignoring officers’ instructions to leave, according to a police spokeswoman. Star-Advertiser.

Family of young Hawaii coronavirus patient pleads: Heed ‘stay-at-home’ warnings. Coby Torda is in the ICU at Kaiser Moanalua and requires a ventilator to breathe. Earlier this month he was diagnosed with coronavirus and quickly deteriorated. The 37-year old Ewa Beach man was in good health before contracting the virus. Hawaii News Now.

Wahiawa General Hospital employee tests positive for coronavirus. In a memo to employees today, CEO Brian Cunningham said the hospital directed the employee not to return to work and to seek follow-up care. Star-Advertiser.

An employee at Wahiawa General Hospital tests positive for COVID-19. Wahiawa General Hospital has confirmed that one of its employees has tested positive for COVID-19. KITV4.

State allows MS Regatta to refuel at Honolulu Harbor. It does not have any passengers on board, no crew members will disembark, and according to the state there's no cases of the coronavirus on that ship. KITV4.

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City officials team up with farmers to bring produce to you. Oahu residents will be able to purchase fresh produce and meat directly from farmers and ranchers without getting out of their cars under a plan unveiled Thursday by Mayor Kirk Caldwell and agricultural leaders. Star-Advertiser.

Having farmers market withdrawals? You can now get the same goods online. The city unveiled a more convenient way for Oahu residents to get their fresh produce during the stay-at-home, work-from-home order. Hawaii News Now.

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Mother and baby murder could be just the start of more domestic abuse cases during stay-at-home order. KHON2.

Advocates fear for domestic violence victims who must shelter in place following double homicide in Ewa Beach. Advocates say they fear for domestic violence victims as Hawaii’s mandated stay-at-home order continues through April 30. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii  Island

3 face enhanced charges due to COVID-19 emergency declarations. The COVID-19 emergencies declared by Gov. David Ige and Mayor Harry Kim allow for enhanced charges for certain crimes. Tribune-Herald.

Ali‘i Health to Host COVID-19 Pop-Up Clinics Every Saturday. Ali‘i Health Center will host a COVID-19 pop-up clinic at Old Kona Airport this coming Saturday, March 28, 2020. Big Island Now.

Books for kids: Kona Stories working to get educational materials to out-of-school at-risk students. With schools shut down, a local book store is spearheading an effort to get educational materials to at-risk students forced to stay home due to the coronavirus pandemic. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

COVID-19 funding, tax cuts in mayor’s budget. $869.8M proposal reduces homeowner taxes, keeps utility rates same. A new county budget forged in the middle of a public health and financial crisis calls for funding to fight the coronavirus and trims homeowner taxes to help struggling residents. Maui News.

Army Corps to Scope Out Potential Conversion Facility For Overflow Medical Care on Maui. The US Army Corps of Engineers in Hawaiʻi is moving forward with a FEMA mission to look at buildings across the state that could be quickly converted to alternate care facilities if medical needs outpace the current facilities available, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Maui Now.

Companies respond to hand sanitizer shortage. Two Maui-based companies that normally produce alcoholic beverages are now also making hand sanitizer, a product that’s been in high demand and hard to get in Maui stores due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Maui News.

MPD: ‘The ocean is not closed’. Beachgoers question new rules and coastal access. Social distancing is possible — even when there’s surf, county officials said Wednesday. Maui News.

Kauai

KPD starts stay-at-home enforcement. The Kaua‘i Police Department has set up checkpoints around the island to ensure residents and tourists are adhering to rules set in place by Mayor Derek Kawakami and Gov. David Ige. Garden Island.

KPD prepping more drone use. The department’s small Unmanned Aircraft System arm has been given the go-ahead to procure a software license for mapping software by the Kaua‘i County Council at its meeting on Mar. 25. Garden Island.