COVID-19

The lack of visitors to Hawaii continues to drain local businesses. That includes some major attractions, such as Dole Plantation and Kualoa Ranch. Jobs have been cut, other adjustments have been made — and an uncertain future lies ahead.

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing many local businesses and organizations to the financial brink. One of them is the Waikīkī Aquarium – a local institution hanging on by a thread.

Big Island Veterans Home; Social Security; Reality Check: DOH Shakeup; Hawaii Defense Economy Website; Pandemic Personal Trainer

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is sending a larger COVID-19 team to the Big Island Thursday to help contain the coronavirus outbreak at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. Multiple investigations are underway into the outbreak at the Hilo nursing home that has claimed the lives of 14 veterans and left another 84 residents and staff infected with the virus.

Feeling stressed about what's going on these days is natural, but letting this stop you from living life is not. Dr. Daniel Lev, psychologist and founder of The Comfort Clinic, shares his perspective on how to focus on what's going right, in order to refocus our perspectives on the difficult situation going on right now during COVID. He has great tips that will help all of us navigate the next few months with a fresh approach. 

Small businesses owners on Oahu say constant disruptions from efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 are making survival increasingly untenable.

Update from Maui County Mayor Mike Victorino; The latest on Maui's homeless; Rail board concerned about finances; Kokua Council files petition with Hawaii Supreme Court; Turning ulu into vodka

Professional sports are back in a big way in the United States, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Football League opened its season yesterday, while playoffs are underway for basketball and hockey. Major League Baseball is approaching the end of its regular season, but in parts of Asia, that season will stretch a bit longer.

As Oahu settles into another two weeks of a stay-at-home order, some other locations around the Pacific are putting new restrictions on movement. And that includes the capital city of the largest economy in Southeast Asia.

One of the state’s top economists predicts that the number of visitors coming to Hawaii is likely to remain well below pre-pandemic levels for at least the next year. 

Hawaii County update from Harry Kim; Prisoner unrest at Hilo jail; State's failure to communicate during the pandemic; The Long View with Neal Milner: Connecting with the dead because of COVID; An interview with mother of the ulu movement

Pacific Islanders in Hawaii are being disproportionately hit by the pandemic. They're 4 percent of the population and more than 30 percent of the state’s COVID-19 cases. The state has struggled to bring that number down, prompting at least one Pacific Islander community to take matters into their own hands.

Marshallese COVID-19 response; Keeping an eye on housing evictions; Term limits on the ballot; Turning ulu into pizza

Hawaii’s tourism timetable remains uncertain. Three weeks ago today, Governor David Ige extended the mandatory 14-day quarantine for travelers until at least October 1st. In Southeast Asia, plans for another tourist hub to start to re-open on that date are likely to be pushed back.

The departures of top leaders from the state Department of Health follow disclosures of major shortcomings in the state’s response to COVID-19. These events have diminished public confidence in what officials say. However, trust is crucial in maintaining the public’s health.

If you're working from home these days, this may be an unusual Labor Day for you. Not going to a workplace is just one of the changes for many people during this pandemic. But what about changes to the way your mind is working? That's a question that researchers in Australia are tackling.

The drastic reduction in visitors coming to Hawaii has afforded scientists a unique opportunity to see how one of the state’s most popular natural attractions fares without a human presence.

We are moving into the second week of the shutdown on Oahu. For those in the food service industry, it has been a long six months grappling with the uncertainty around this health and economic crisis. Planning has been pretty hard to do - most people hoped for a short turnaround but recovery is moving ever so slowly. So many businesses have shut down and many more are hanging by a thread and the supply chain has a taken a hit.

Free testing for COVID-19 continues this week both on Oahu and around the islands. Testing is increasing in many areas across the country and around the world, but there are some dramatic exceptions—including Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

Pacific Islanders have been hardest hit by COVID-19 in the islands. They are catching the virus in disproportion to their small numbers in the population. One reason is that -- as with young people -- public information on how to avoid the virus has been failing to reach them in ways they can act on it.

As surge testing for COVID-19 continues around Oahu, a similar effort is taking place elsewhere in the Pacific, but on an even bigger scale. Hong Kong’s government wants to give a test to every resident who wants one, but so far, the response has been mixed.

The state Department of Health continues to record a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases among young people. One key reason may be that public messages to avoid the virus haven't yet effectively reached them.

Hawaii County Finances; University of Hawaii President; Reality Check: Lawmakers Urge Critical Action on Covid; Susan Scott on Ocean Watch

Locations around the world continue to adjust their policies to halt the spread of the coronavirus. This week, South Korea has again tightened restrictions on movement — while targeting younger adults.

As COVID cases rise, an urgent need for nurses; Starting a new business during the COVID crisis; Kauai businesses struggling without tourism; A new method to measure coral biodiversity; Aerial show commemorates the end of World War II