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Maui police believe that speed is a factor in a deadly head-on motor vehicle crash reported Monday morning on the Maui Veterans Highway near Kealia Wildlife Refuge. Police say the crash claimed the life of a 54-year-old Kīhei man.

In his address, Gov. Ige announced that given recent revenue projections, he is asking the Hawaiʻi State Legislature to return some of those dollars to taxpayers. “We want to issue refund checks of $100 for every taxpayer and for each of their dependents. For a family of four, that would mean an extra $400. In this way, we’ll also inject $110 million back into our economy,” said Gov. Ige.

There are 2,660 new COVID-19 cases in Hawaiʻi today, including 456 on Maui, 13 on Molokaʻi, and 16 on Lānaʻi. There are now 38 people hospitalized in Maui County with COVID-19 (as of 9 a.m. on Jan. 24, 2022), dropping below the 41 reported during the height of the delta surge in August 2021, and the 44 reported on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. 

The Maui Veterans Highway is now OPEN in both directions. It was closed for more than three hours while police conducted an investigation into a traffic fatality. The crash was reported shortly before 8:45 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 24, near Mile 5. Details are forthcoming from Maui police.

Effective today, a COVID-19 booster shot is required for eligible individuals in order to be considered fully vaccinated in Maui County.

A lucky guest from Hawaiʻi kicked off the new year by hitting a more than $1.1 million jackpot at Boyd Gaming’s Fremont Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, playing IGT’s Wheel of Fortune® slots on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022.

There are 3,167 new COVID-19 cases in Hawaiʻi today, including 493 on Maui, 10 on Molokaʻi, and 11 on Lānaʻi. The state Department of Health reports four new COVID-19 deaths today.

Former University of Hawaiʻi quarterback, Timmy Chang, is the schoolʻs new head football coach, Athletics Director David Matlin announced on Saturday.

A ban on the use, sale or provision of polystyrene food service containers went into effect in Maui County more than three years ago. Researchers are exploring the question: “Did this ban improve the amounts or types of plastic on Maui beaches?”

In Maui County, the seven day average for new cases daily is 644. Statewide, there are 394 people hospitalized with COVID-19, including 42 on Maui.

Come Monday, a booster shot will be required for eligible individuals in order to be considered fully vaccinated in Maui County.

In Maui County, the seven day average for new cases daily is 690. For every 100,000 residents in Maui County, there have been an average of 412.1 newly reported cases per day over a seven day period–thatʻs the highest in the state.

“MMMC’s census is very busy at over 95% capacity with COVID and non-COVID patient care needs,” said Maui Health spokesperson Tracy Dallarda. “However, the hospital is not at an ‘internal emergency’ status as other hospitals around the state have declared…”

About 7,200 customers in parts of Kahului, South Maui, Lahaina, Kula and Kūʻau experienced an outage when a generator tripped at the Māʻalaea Generating Station.

The Maui Police Department is more than 25% short staffed with 145 vacancies department wide.

There are now 44 people hospitalized in Maui County with COVID-19, surpassing the 41 reported during the height of the delta surge in August 2021. 

Maui, Hawaʻi is ranked the #2, 2022 destination based on trip searches on Vrbo and #5 based on trip searches on Expedia. The rankings were released today in the Expedia Group’s 2022 Outlook report.

In addition to the ship and balloon-type object hovering above, there was a “large jet flying low in big circles” and a submarine nearby, according to witness reports. 

Speaker Saiki reports that “the House will advance legislation to increase the hourly minimum wage to $18, increase the food tax credit, and make the Earned Income Tax Credit refundable and permanent.”

The lottery will determine which successful applicants will secure one of the new housing units at the project site, which is planned for construction at the corner of Kaiola Place and ʻOhukai Road, a few blocks mauka from Mai Poina ‘Oe Ia’u and Kalepolepo Beach Park.