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The DOH is reporting a COVID-19 count of 2,205 today, the highest daily count on record for the state.

A species of plant declared extinct in the wild on Kahoʻolawe in 2015, has found new life thanks to seeds collected and propagated by experts at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Maui County had the largest vacation rental supply of all four counties in November, with 189,300 available unit nights (-15.6% vs. 2020, -37.8% vs. 2019), according to the Hawaiʻi Vacation Rental Performance Report issued by the Hawai.i Tourism Authority.

Aunty Patty Locey will be retiring from her job as a cashier at Pukalani Superette at the end of the month.

There has been an average of 1,148 cases daily over seven days (Dec. 17-23), with the DOH reporting a count of 1,591 today. 

One excited resident of Hale Lōkahi ʻAkahi, and former Bayada Home Health Care patient, Jojo Bonner was overcome by excitement, “I can’t believe you guys came out of your way to visit me. It brings tears to my eyes. You have made my whole year.”

There has been an average of 1,075 cases daily over the last seven days, with todayʻs count rising to 1,828, the highest single daily count for Hawaiʻi since the pandemic began.

The rally comes ahead of the holidays and during a year when traffic fatalities have spiked nearly 50% from the previous year.

Hawai‘i residents can book a staycation at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kāʻanapali with the resort’s limited New Year’s Kama‘āina deal, available to book now for a limited time. Valid for stays Dec. 30, 2021 to Jan. 2, 2022, the package includes rates starting at $299 and includes a $50 resort credit.

The Mākena State Park Improvements Project would cost $2,090,495 in state funds and take about a year to complete if it gains several approvals.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation announced today that the Kahului Airport Access Road is now Mayor Elmer F. Cravalho Way.

There were 1,511 new COVID-19 cases in Hawaiʻi today, including 1,293 on Oʻahu, and 101 in Maui County. There were also three new deaths–two on Hawaiʻi Island, and one on Kauaʻi. Statewide, there were 68 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Thursday. As of this morning, there are 5 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Maui, including one in the ICU.

The mayor said he feels the moratorium would worsen an already “dire housing crisis” by renting to visitors and taking away housing that is needed by Mauiʻs working families.

Four swimmers in distress were pulled from waters in West Maui on Wednesday afternoon, but one died in the incident.

While all Omicron cases detected thus far are on O‘ahu, four specimens from Hawai‘i Island and two specimens from Maui contain a molecular clue indicating they are likely Omicron. Whole genome sequencing will be performed to determine if they are Omicron.

A new ban on plastic disposable foodware takes effect in Maui County on New Yearʻs Day 2022.

The infilled neighborhood will consist of 100% owner occupied workforce housing units exclusively for local residents and all created with sustainable design and construction. The development itself will consist of 40 duplexes across three acres of land.

Hawaiʻi has had six consecutive days with triple digit case counts exceeding 700. There are 961 additional COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i today, including 866 on Oʻahu and 58 on Maui.

The number of homes in Hawaiʻi purchased by Mainland buyers in the first half of 2021 was more than double the sales in the first half of 2020 and more than 50% higher than during the first half of 2019, according to UHERO.

At 7:45 a.m., radar showed widespread moderate rainfallcontinuing over all of windward Maui, with some showers spreading to leeward areas. “Shower coverage upstream is gradually diminishing, and thus rainfall is expected to subside as the morning progresses,” according to the NWS forecast.