Mayor Kirk Caldwell

Updated 12/30/20, 11:59 a.m.

It's official: any furloughs of state workers will not begin until July 1 at the earliest. Governor David Ige says that's because of the latest federal COVID-19 relief measure just signed by President Donald Trump.

Updated 12/21/20, 3:49 p.m.

Governor David Ige has released his proposed state budget for lawmakers to consider in the 2021 legislative session. Ige says the two year spending plan reflects the difficult decisions forced on the state by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Updated: 11/20/2020, 12:09 p.m. 

The state Department of Health today reported one death and 95 new COVID-19 cases. Given the state’s recent reporting changes that delay the numbers for two days, the latest daily numbers represent cases for Wednesday through 11:59 p.m.

Updated: 11/17/2020, 12:14 p.m.

The state Department of Health yesterday reported 53 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths.

With the state’s recent reporting changes, the daily case counts are two days old. The health department said by email that the receipt of 4,000 to 5,000 electronic records from the labs that handle the tests take time to process, accounting for the delay.

WAIPAHU — Susan Galicha can see Honolulu’s rail cars being tested on elevated tracks just minutes from her home. Yet the Waikiki hotel housekeeper may never get to ride them to work and avoid the city’s horrendous traffic jams because the city doesn’t have enough money to finish building the rail line.

Updated: 10/30/2020, 12:26 p.m. Hawaii marked another milestone with an additional 94 new reported COVID-19 cases, pushing the statewide total in the pandemic to over 15,000 today.

Honolulu's mayor announced the city plans to withdraw from its part in establishing a public-private partnership for the final stretch of the city’s $9.2 billion rail project.

Most Oahu businesses and activities that were shut down under the city’s stay-at-home order can restart beginning tomorrow but with restrictions. 

Updated: 9/4/2020, 12:27 p.m.

Hawaii recorded 2 more deaths today and 271 new COVID-19 cases, the state Department of Health reported. The latest counts bring the state death toll to 81 and the total number of cases to 9,473. Of the new cases, 236 are on Oahu, 34 on Hawaii Island, and 1 on Maui.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced his nominations for two vacancies on the Honolulu Police Commission on Monday. Michael Broderick, the current president and CEO of the YMCA of Honolulu, and Doug Chin, former Hawaii attorney general, were nominated for the panel.

Updated: 5/11/2020, 1:10 p.m.

Where Hawaii stands

Hawaii recorded two new coronavirus cases today. The state health department reported that the count is now at 634 and the deaths stand at 17. Oahu cases are at 410, Maui County at 117, Hawaii Island at 75 and Kauai County at 21. There are 11 cases diagnosed out of state.

Visitors arrivals up almost 250 yesterday

Updated: 3/18/20, 8:04 a.m.

Gov. David Ige said the state is encouraging tourists to temporarily postpone their Hawaii visits for a least 30 days and will screen cruise ship passengers for the coronavirus starting on Friday while working on similar thermal screening at the airport. At a press conference on Tuesday, he urged stricter social distancing, with gatherings of more than 10 strongly discouraged, which would effectively close many bars, night clubs, restaurants and religious gatherings.

More than $40 million is earmarked in Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell's budget plan to revitalize the Blaisdell Concert Hall.

Honolulu's police chief plans to use new officers promised by the mayor's latest budget plan to add neighborhood patrols and increase homeless outreach.

City and County of Honolulu officials are seeking information from organizations that may be interested in managing and operating a fee-based concession to use Haiku Stairs.

Updated: 2/11/20, 11:30 a.m.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is growing increasingly impatient with delays in the city's rail project, citing holdups in awarding the final phase of the system's construction contract and work along Dillingham Boulevard.

The controversial sports project planned for Waimanalo would be no more under a city plan announced at a neighborhood board meeting Monday night. The announcement represents a change in direction for the administration of Mayor Kirk Caldwell, who had once defended the project in the face of mounting opposition.

An alternate site for a controversial children's playground in Honolulu will likely become a reality, as the group funding the project is holding a press conference Saturday in Kakaʻako.

A Honolulu City Councilmember hopes Mayor Kirk Caldwell will seriously consider alternative locations for a controversial children’s playground, with Kaka’ako Waterfront Park that was recently transferred to the city being one option.

The City and County of Honolulu is the second county to announce plans to sue fossil fuel companies for what officials say is damage caused by climate change and rising sea levels traced back to corporate action or inaction.

While showing off the new renovations at Ala Moana Beach Park on Thursday, Mayor Kirk Caldwell slammed critics of his plan to add a playground to the park.