Featured

A 51-year old woman from Moorpark, CA was arrested this morning by a team of Special Agents from the Investigations Division of the Department of the Attorney General for allegedly violating the State’s 14-day travel quarantine.

State Health officials have removed five cases from the state’s COVID-19 totals as a result of updated testing information, bringing the statewide positive count since tracking began in late February to 642. Two cases were removed from Oʻahu, one from Hawaiʻi Island, one from Maui and one from Kauaʻi. There were no new cases reported today. To date, 585 people (93.6%) have recovered including 105 in Maui County.  There are currently 40 active cases in the state, including six in Maui County. The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health reports that there were 579 individuals released from isolation; and 84 cases (13%) that have required hospitalization. A total of 581 patients (91%) were residents. In Maui County there have been 117 cases, at least 105 have been released from isolation, 22 have required hospitalization, and there have been six deaths. The remaining 11 deaths were on Oʻahu.

“The first week of June will be a big week,” said Mayor Michael Victorino as he continues to make announcements surrounding the phased reopening of businesses in Maui County. 

A total of $532.94 million in Capital Improvement Project funds and General Obligation Bonds has been set aside for a wide assortment of projects in Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021 for their respective districts in the County of Maui.

The County of Maui begins construction tomorrow, May 22 on an estimated 20 temporary emergency shelters at Waiale Park in Wailuku for displaced families and individuals impacted by COVID-19.  The park is located between Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center and the Hale Makana O Waiale apartments.

During an afternoon press conference, Gov. Ige said, ”Health measures are pointing in the right direction to make this move..with infection levels appearing to be under control across the state,” however, he could not pinpoint a target date for making this happen and instead said he hopes to finalize a plan shortly.

Maui police have launched a second degree murder investigation into the death of a man found unresponsive on a side street in Lahaina on Thursday morning. Upon arrival to 535 Waineʻe Street, Lahaina Patrol Officers found the man on the shoulder side of the roadway.   Police say it was reported the male appeared to have been assaulted and was bleeding.

Degraaf indicated she saw the social media post regarding her violating the 14-day travel quarantine. Degraaf provided a statement and is cooperating with authorities. Degraaf is voluntarily elected to return home to Colorado.

Hawai‘i has more than 38,300 tests on hand for COVID-19 tests and is performing an average of 690 tests each day, with test results available the same day or by the next day.

Maui Island went from tied for the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.1 percent in March to the highest unemployment at 36% in April. Molokaʻi’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 12% and Lānaʻi was 5.5% last month.

As of noon on Thursday, May 21, 2020, there are 647 cases of COVID-19 identified in Hawaiʻi with one new case on Maui, and three additional cases on Hawaiʻi Island. To date, 579 people (91.9%) have recovered including 98 in Maui County.  There are currently 51 active cases in the state. The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health reports that there were 579 individuals released from isolation; and 83 cases (13%) that have required hospitalization. A total of 586 patients (91%) were residents.

Mayor Victorino said flags will still be placed on graves, but the traditional live ceremony and flower drop will not happen as many of those who usually attend are senior and elders who are at higher risk of impacts from the ongoing pandemic.

Mayor Victorino said that if things go well and churches are ready with social distancing, sanitizing and other aspects of health and safety, Maui County is looking at the following weekend, at the end of the month, as a possible start week for in-building church services throughout the county.

Mayor Michael Victorino announced a five-week extension of a farmer assistance and food distribution program to help provide food to community organizations that provide food to families and individuals in need.

Drive-through COVID-19 antibody blood testing and diagnostic nasal swab testing will take place: Thursday, May 21 at the South Maui Community Park Gym; and Friday, May 22, at Keōpūolani Regional Park in Central Maui.   Testing on both days will be open to the general public from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center is predicting a near normal 2020 hurricane season. For the season as a whole, 2 to 6 tropical cyclones are predicted for the Central Pacific Hurricane basin. This number includes tropical depressions, named storms and hurricanes.

To date, 578 people (92.3%) have recovered including 97 out of 117 cases in Maui County.  There are currently 48 active cases in the state including 20 in Maui County. The outbreak at Maui Memorial Medical Center in Kahului is now considered closed; however one COVID-19 patient remained at the Maui hospital as of Tuesday afternoon.

The list of retailers that are now open at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Center in Kahului is growing since many were given the green light to resume operations under new guidelines last week.  The expanded list of stores that have since reopened for business is posted here…

A 72-year-old man who sustained injuries after being struck by a vehicle while walking on the Maui Veterans (Mokulele) Highway last month, has since succumbed to his injuries while hospitalized on Oʻahu. Maui police have identified the man as Billy Joe Theus of Kīhei. 

US Senator Brian Schatz has provided an update for stimulus funding including a special phone line established by the IRS for taxpayers with questions about their Economic Impact Payment (stimulus checks) issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security or CARES Act. Taxpayers with questions can call (800) 919-9835.