Maui News

Today, US Senator Brian Schatz of Hawai‘i announced that Hawai‘i is set to receive $537,823 to support four Native Hawaiian and educational institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee voted to provide $19 million for Maui Health System operating costs, $21.6 million for Hawai‘i Health System Corporation operating costs, and $750,000 to the Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority to maintain the State’s existing rent supplement program.

Maui Councilmember Tasha Kama of Kahului hosts a Kūkākūkā informal talk story session on Sunday, June 28, 2020 at the Maui Sunday Market in Kahului from 4 to 8 p.m.

In its statement of interest, the United States claims that Hawaiʻi’s self-quarantine requirement “effectively discriminates against out-of-state residents.” Meantime, Special Assistant to the Attorney General for Hawaiʻi, Krishna Jayaram responded to the claims saying “the Governor’s Emergency Proclamation for COVID-19 and the subsequent proclamations were properly and lawfully issued pursuant to the Governor’s statutory authority and his determination that an emergency exists due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the danger and threat it poses to Hawaiʻi.”

The County of Maui reminds residents that rental assistance may be available to those who have lost their job or have reduced income by more than 25% as a direct result of COVID-19.

“There is discussions with the governor.  Mayor actually went to Honolulu today to have discussions with the governor and we look forward to an announcement coming out very shortly,” said Maui Managing Director Sandy Baz.  

Circuit courts may resume jury trials on September 1 “barring further public health or other extraordinary developments that would make doing so imprudent. Grand juries have already resumed in the Second (Maui County) and Fifth (Kauaʻi) circuits. First (Oʻahu) and Third (Hawaiʻi Island) circuits will resume grand jury proceedings in July.

A salvage company has been hired and a 250-ton crane has been contracted to lift shipping containers out of the ocean in Hilo.  The effort is underway following yesterday’s mishap involving 21 containers that fell into the ocean while in transit to Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island. 

Produce distribution for the general public will take place from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., or until supplies run out, in the County parking lot located between the County gym and school cafeteria.

The fire as reported at 6:56 p.m. on Monday, June 22, 2020 in an area of brush north of Maiha Street. Firefighters arriving on scene found several small areas of brush on fire.

There are three new COVID-19 case reported in Hawaiʻi today–all of them on Oʻahu–pushing the statewide count to 819 cases in Hawaiʻi over the course of the pandemic.  To date, 673 people (83.9%) have recovered including 113 in Maui County. There are currently 129 active cases in the state, including three on Maui.

Red flags that the caller might be an impersonator include asking for your Social Security Number, bank information, or a form of payment.

Mayor Michael Victorino announced drive-through testing for COVID-19 in West, South and Central Maui from Wednesday through Friday, June 24–26, 2020.

The ACLU Hawai‘i drafted a letter dated June 19, 2020 to the state Department of Transportation, the Attorney General and Governor David Ige, expressing concerns with the state’s plans to use the technology as part of the COVID-19 screening process.

There is no tsunami threat to Hawaii after a preliminary magnitude 7.4 earthquake was reported near the coast of Oaxaca Mexico. The earthquake was reported at 5:29 a.m. HST on Tuesday, June 23, 2020.

Representative John M. Mizuno, Chair of the House Health Committee, and Representative Rida Cabanilla, a registered nurse, are asking all nursing homes to comply with recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and have COVID-19 testing for all their residents.

Mayor Michael Victorino announced today the extension of the Micro Business Loan Program with an additional $750,000 of funding from the County of Maui.

Maui Managing Director Sandy Baz reports that the bus will be located in Hāna Bay for the next two weeks, from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and then from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

There are four new COVID-19 case reported in Hawaiʻi today–all of them on Oʻahu–pushing the statewide count to 816 cases in Hawaiʻi over the course of the pandemic. The state Department of Health reports that as a result of updated information, two cases were removed from the counts.  To date, 669 people (83.7%) have recovered including 113 in Maui County. There are currently 130 active cases in the state, including three on Maui.

Several 40-foot shipping containers fell overboard. That number currently stands at 21. Nine of those have been located, 12 remain missing. The crew of the tug and barge Ho Omaka Hou recognized the containers were missing after mooring in Hilo. Containers are reportedly adrift approximately 8 miles north of Hilo, and one is reported adrift in Hilo Harbor.