Election Day is less than two weeks away. And, for the first time in a general election, Hawaiʻi is using all-mail balloting. In Maui County, County Clerk Kathy Kaohu said voting is going "smoothly" so far with 27,350 of the 96,882 active registered voters (28.23 percent) already casting their ballots.

The final Community Budget Meeting for Fiscal Year 2022, hosted by Mayor Michael Victorino and his administration, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, starting at 5:30 p.m.

Mayor Michael Victorino announced Wednesday the launch of a $1 million Small Business Mortgage & Relief direct payment program to provide a lifeline for businesses struggling to survive COVID-19 impacts.

Dr. Lee Weiss, Regional Director of Emergency Medical Services with Maui Health warned that swift action needs to be taken. He said the cases identified so far, are "the tip of the iceberg," and estimated that 10 percent of the Lāna‘i population could be positive within a week.  He called for mass testing as well as a shut down of the island to travel, calling its border "porous." 

The number of COVID-19 cases on the island of Lāna‘i has jumped to 16, with confirmation this afternoon of 12 additional cases as of 4 p.m.  Currently all cases are residents.  None are hospitalized.  All are isolating at home.

There were 78 new COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i today, including 65 on the island of O‘ahu, nine on Hawai‘i Island and four new cases in Maui County.  The four Maui cases were on the rural island of Lāna‘i, and were reported yesterday, but were not included in yesterday's count because the confirmation came after the state released it's official count at noon on Tuesday.

Popular West Maui eatery, Star Noodle will reopen in early November at the spot previously occupied by its sister restaurant, Aloha Mixed Plate. Now with enhanced safety measures and distancing requirements, restaurant managers say the new ocean-front space at 1285 Front Street, will provide the open-air and increased capacity they need.