General News

Updated: 5/5/20, 12:12 p.m.

Retailers including shopping malls that can maintain social distancing for employees and customers can reopen beginning after midnight on Thursday, Hawaii Gov. David Ige announced today. The governor said, however, that officials expect cases of the coronavirus  will increase as more people leave their homes to visit the newly opened businesses.

Updated: 5/4/2020, 12:53 p.m

The University of Hawaii plans to resume in-person classes on August 24 on all 10 campuses, President David Lassner said in an email to faculty and others in the university community.

"We all realize that the fall will absolutely not be a return to business as usual," Lassner said. "Rather, UH will deploy a COVID19-aware safe approach to providing high-quality education throughout the state for new and returning students at this very time when they and our State need higher education more than ever."

HONOLULU (AP) -- Flying to a faraway beach might seem like the perfect way to escape a pandemic, but for isolated Pacific islands, controlling the coronavirus means cutting off tourism.

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way we all do business here in Hawaiʻi, the state Supreme Court included.

Tomorrow justices will – for the first time in history – hear oral arguments remotely with the use of video conferencing technology.

Courtoom doors will be closed and seats empty at Aliʻiʻiolani Hale when the Supreme Court conducts its oral arguments online. Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald told HPR theyʻve been experimenting with technology like Zoom and WebEx to find the right fit.

Updated: 5/3/2020, 12:03 p.m.

Where Hawaii stands

Health officials today reported another coronavirus-related death at Maui Memorial Medical Center, bringing the state's death toll to 17. The Maui woman had been at the hospital since late February and became infected in mid-April.

Hawaiian Airlines has announced enhanced policy changes requiring travelers to cover their faces with masks or cloths to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Updated: 5/2/2020, 12:13 p.m.

Where Hawaii stands

Health officials reported one new case of the coronavirus today, the second day running of a single additional case and continuing a trend of single-digit increases in recent days that is spurring efforts to reopen the state. Hawaii's case count is at 620. Deaths stand at 16.

Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green said Friday the state is moving into “Phase 2” of its effort against the coronavirus now that it has successfully reduced the rate of new infections and “flattened the curve.”

Updated: 5/1/2020, 12:42 p.m.

Where Hawaii stands

Health officials reported one new case of the coronavirus today, continuing a trend of single-digit increases in recent days that is spurring efforts to reopen the state. Hawaii's case count is at 619. Deaths stand at 16.

Oahu's count is now at 400, Maui County stands at 116, Hawaii County at 73, and Kauai at 21. 

Newlyweds arrested in quarantine violation case

Updated: 4/30/2020, 12:11 p.m.

Where Hawaii stands

Health officials reported five new cases of the coronavirus today, continuing a trend of single-digit increases in recent days that is spurring efforts to reopen the state. Hawaii's case count is at 618. Deaths stand at 16.

Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim has confirmed he plans to seek another term in office.

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply has voted to transfer management of Haiku Stairs and the surrounding land to the City and County of Honolulu.

Updated: 4/29/2020, 11:58 a.m.

Where Hawaii stands

Health officials reported four new cases of the coronavirus today, continuing a trend of single-digit increases in recent days that is spurring efforts to reopen the state. Hawaii's case count is at 613. Deaths stand at 16.

HILO — The University of Hawaii is considering possible new management structures for governing land on Mauna Kea in an effort to improve its stewardship of the state's highest mountain.

Updated: 4/28/2020, 6:46 p.m.

Health officials reported two new cases of the coronavirus today, continuing a trend of single-digit increases in recent days that is spurring efforts to reopen the state. Hawaii's case count is at 609. Deaths stand at 16.

Updated: 4/27/2020, 3:33 p.m.

The state Department of Health reported a 16th death today and the case count rose by just one case. The latest death is an Oahu woman over 65 who had underlying medical conditions and had been hospitalized since early April. The department is looking into whether the case involves travel or is the result of community spread. Hawaii's case count stands today at 607.

Updated: 4/26/2020, 1:30 p.m.

Kauai County plans to take its first steps loosening coronavirus-related restrictions on May 3, Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami said in his daily video briefing today.

When a curfew goes into effect each night for one Hawaii county, the mayor gets bored -- and posts videos on social media. And his constituents? They’re entertained.

Updated: 4/25/2020; 3:31 p.m.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige today extended his mandatory 14-day quarantine and stay-at-home orders through May 31, saying the state is not out of the woods yet.

He says information on utilization of the hospitals and equipment such as ventilators will factor into when he will lift the orders rather than any specific timeline. He said the state will take a phased approach in reopening 

Eight men were sexually abused when they were Boy Scouts in Hawaii in the 1960s and 1970s, they alleged in a lawsuit filed Friday as the state's window closed on allowing child sex abuse claims that would have been barred under a statute of limitations.

HILO — The Hawaii County Council has accepted a $5.3 million agreement with the state for reimbursement of law enforcement overtime costs during demonstrations against the Big Island giant telescope project.

Maui Mayor Michael Victorino says the county plans to work with state regulators to deal with groundwater discharges in the wake of a major U.S. Supreme Court ruling yesterday.