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A fire in Makawao burned two acres of heavy brush before being brought under control on Tuesday afternoon. The blaze was declared 100% contained at 3:54 p.m.

Both Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Maui Mayor Michael Victorino said they would be getting rid of the six-foot distancing rule currently in place for restaurants, allowing eateries to resume full capacity for dining indoors, starting Dec. 1, 2021. Mayor Victorino said indoor dining is still limited to those who show proof of vaccination or testing as is currently the case.

During a forced closure due to the pandemic, the Maui Bee Tour relocated its hives to create a new bee farm in Lahaina. The tours and the Lahaina Honey Co. open Nov. 29.

After 18 months of virtual worship, including a limited high holiday gathering, Zoom events and calls and strictly obeying county directives on in-person gathering during the pandemic, it is very fitting that the first in-person gathering will be to celebrate Chanukah.

CoreCivic’s Saguaro Correctional Center in Arizona recently held a graduation ceremony for 22 student-inmates from Hawaiʻi who earned a GED, and one student-inmate, Maui-native Gregory Garcia, who earned two associate degrees and is currently working on his bachelor’s degree.

In Maui County, the seven day average for new cases daily is 15, with a 1.5% test positivity rate over 14 days. This is +25% from Nov. 8 to Nov. 21, 2021. For every 100,000 residents in Maui County, there have been an average of 9.2 newly reported cases per day over the last seven days.

The Maui Visitor Industry Charity Walk distributed $1.203 million in funds to 60 local nonprofit organizations in a ceremony at the Maui Beach Hotel on Monday morning. The funds were generated through the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk which was held in a virtual format for the first time this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event, which is part of the Rotary International’s Day of Service, is working with Mental Health Kōkua to provide special meals for homeless adults with serious mental illness.

Humpback whale season in Hawai‘i is already underway, with sightings occurring regularly off Maui shores. This dynamic image was captured today by photographer, Ellen Riamo, about two miles west of Kīhei.

Of today’s 92 cases, there were 67 cases identified as confirmed, and +25 probable cases were added to the count.  The confirmed cases included: 31 on O‘ahu (+17 probable); 7 on Hawai‘i Island (+6 probable); 17 on Maui (+2 probable); and 12 on Kaua‘i.

American Savings Bank hosted a statewide Turkey Drive-Thru event for its 1,100 teammates across the state on Sunday, Nov. 21, as part of its annual Teammate Appreciation Month festivities.

Preliminary state data indicates that there is a 13% increase in traffic fatalities from last year (80 compared to 71 during the same time last year). Of the 80 fatalities, nearly half were related to speeding. Significantly there was a 142% increase in motorcycle fatalities, with 29 motorcyclists killed compared to 12 during the same time last year.

Of today’s 107 cases, there were 92 cases identified as confirmed, and +15 probable cases were added to the count.  The confirmed cases included: 41 on O‘ahu (+8 probable); 12 on Hawai‘i Island; 17 on Maui (+6 probable); 10 on Kaua‘i (+1 probable); one on Molokai; and 11 in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed while out of state.

Effective immediately all adults age 18 and older who completed their primary mRNA vaccinations of Pfizer or Moderna at least six months ago are eligible for boosters.

Today’s COVID-19 case count includes approximately 90 backlogged cases involving testing providers that recently began providing data to DOH’s electronic lab reporting system. This reporting delay includes cases reported across the state. DOH expects additional backlogged cases to be reported in the next few weeks.

A Maui pediatrician provided safety and efficacy information to parents considering the COVID-19 vaccination for children in the 5-11 year age group.

The Maui County Council unanimously passed Bill 135 to prohibit the sale, distribution, or use of non-mineral sunscreens.

The County of Maui today announced it has come to a resolution on the Hawaiʻi Wildlife lawsuit involving operation of the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility. County officials say they will not appeal Judge Susan Oki Mollway’s decision.

An arrest was made on Thursday in connection with a pedestrian hit-and-run crash in Pāʻia last week that resulted in potentially life threatening injuries.

The project focuses on Hāpapa watershed’s three gulches (Kūlanihākoʻi, Waipuilani and Kēōkea) which are responsible for most of Kīhei’s stormwater flooding.