Maui News

The US Environmental Protection Agency has found the waters around two Hawaiʻi beaches to be impaired by plastic pollution and ordered state officials to take corrective actions under the Clean Water Act.  

Cumulative CDC data from March 1 through July 10th, shows 2,973 COVID-19 or COVID-like illness cases on cruise ships, in addition to 34 deaths.  These cases were part of 99 outbreaks on 123 different cruise ships. 

There is no tsunami threat to Hawaii after a 6.9 (preliminary magnitude 7.3) earthquake reported at 4:50 p.m. HST on Thursday, July 16, 2020 in the Eastern New Guinea region of Papua New Guinea.  

Governor Ige and his guests, Attorney General Clare Connors and Paul Jones, Deputy Chief Special Agent for the Dept. of the Attorney General Investigations Division, discuss quarantine enforcement and answer questions.

A 37-year-old Maui man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

Here in Maui County, the non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 22.6% in June, an improvement from the 34% rate reported last month, but still significantly higher than the 3% rate reported at the same time last year. 

The Hawai‘i State Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 will convene today at 2 p.m. to assess and advise the Senate on the re-opening of schools.

There are 19 new COVID-19 cases reported for Hawaiʻi today, including–16 new cases on the island of Oʻahu, and three new cases where island residency is pending identification.  This brings the statewide count to 1,311 cases in Hawaiʻi over the course of the pandemic. To date, 975 people (75.6%) have recovered including 120 (93%) recovery in Maui County. There are currently 314 active cases in the state, including nine on Maui. As of July 14 at 4:30 p.m., there were 31 people hospitalized for COVID-19 in Hawaiʻi.

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.