Maui News

The thermal temperature screening equipment will be installed immediately at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Kahului Airport, Līhuʻe Airport, Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole and Hilo International Airport. Phase 3 expects to have the facial imaging equipment installed by Dec. 31, 2020.

The Hawaiʻi Emergency Laulima Partnership program or H.E.L.P. has announced a second round of funding available as financial assistance for Maui County residents to pay for essential needs due to a layoff, reduction in hours or loss of income related to COVID-19.

The latest list was updated on July 10, 2020; however, three days later, the governor announced plans to move back the state’s pre-travel testing program to Sept. 1.  Many hotels had planned to reopen on Aug. 1, however those dates may be revised to adjust to the governor’s announcement.

From July 24-31, LINEAGE is open for takeout only from 4 to 8 p.m. Beginning Aug. 1, it will be open for takeout and dine-in services from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday; and from 4 to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Limited seating is available to accommodate social distancing measures, so reservations are highly recommended.

“We have not had a positive patient with COVID-19 admitted to the hospital for over 70 days–that’s over two months… As of this morning, our census is only 77%.  All together, we have 31 ICU beds and our capacity right now–we have 17 occupied and 12 available… We are licensed for 219 beds and we have a plan that can increase our capacity to 300 patients a day,” said Maui Health CEO Mike Rembis.

A former Honolulu police officer was sentenced to four years in jail today for conspiring to force a man to lick a urinal in a public restroom. 

The racketeering activity allegedly included “acts involving murder, kidnapping, arson and robbery.” The allegations further include “acts relating to murder-for-hire, chemical weapons, extortionate credit transactions, racketeering, interference with commerce through robbery and extortion, drug trafficking, wire fraud, fraud in connection with identification documents, financial institution fraud, the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, money laundering and obstruction of justice.”

The contributions were collected on six consecutive Fridays in May and June. On those days, the Wailea Golf Club had pledged to make a cash donation for every paid round and gave merchandise discounts to customers who donated nonperishable food donations.

The Hāna Highway checkpoint will be terminated when the extended closure expires at the end of today, according to Maui Mayor Michael Victorino. According to the Mayor, the checkpoints at both Twin Falls and ʻUlupalakua Ranch will not have National Guard or Maui Police Department presence starting tomorrow.

A drive-through COVID-19 testing event will be held on Wednesday, July 22, at Keōpūolani Park in Kahului. Testing will be administered by Minit Medical Urgent Care from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, the state’s tourism agency, has issued two requests for proposals for writers – one for the Destination Management Action Plan for Oʻahu and the other for Maui Nui, comprising the islands of Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi.

There are 29 new COVID-19 cases reported for Hawaiʻi today, including–27 new cases on the island of Oʻahu, and two new cases on Hawaiʻi Island.  This brings the statewide count to 1,292 cases in Hawaiʻi over the course of the pandemic.  To date, 951 people (74.8%) have recovered including 120 (93%) recovery in Maui County. There are currently 319 active cases in the state, including nine on Maui.

“Central to the survival of tenants and property owners alike is the fact that counties continue to collect property taxes in full, resulting in a domino effect of landlords needing to cover their expenses from small businesses’ occupancy,” according to Island Business Management, LLC, one of the survey partners.

A second survey geared toward understanding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Hawaiʻi’s businesses is taking place. Results from the first survey, conducted in April 2020 revealed the hardest hit industries were accommodations (hotels), down 83 percent in full-time employee reductions, and retail businesses, down 76 percent.  

Shania Pinheiro of Maui High School will attend Grand Canyon University with plans to major in psychology and minor in Spanish. Wendellyn Enosara of King Kekaulike High School will attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa to study biochemistry, with the goal of becoming a pharmacist.  

University of Hawai’i Maui College hosts the first in a series of virtual Open Houses via ZOOM today. The Open Houses will be held on Wednesdays, July 15, July 22, and July 29 at 5 pm.  Here’s how to participate:

The County of Maui expects to close the Wells Park Tennis Court Restrooms from July 20-31, 2020, due to maintenance and repair needs of micro guarding to minimize vandalism concerns.

The Nisei Veterans Memorial Center announced its July Ta-Ke Leadership talk on Tuesday, July 21 at 4 p.m. via ZOOM.

Gov. David Ige has appointed Bennette Misalucha to fill the late Sen. Breene Harimoto’s state Senate seat. State Senate District 16 includes Pearl City, Momilani, Pearlridge, ‘Aiea, Royal Summit, ‘Aiea Heights, Newtown, Waimalu, Halawa, and Pearl Harbor.

The Hawai’i Medical Service Association is offering more financial relief to local businesses in the form of a one-month 15 percent premium credit.