HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Lawmakers on a special committee on COVID-19 say the state should require both a pre-travel test and a post-arrival test for visitors. But while health officials agree, they say it’s not their decision to make.Under the state’s Safe Travels program, trans-Pacific travelers who test three days before arriving can skip the state’s 14-day quarantine, unless they’re going to Kauai, which has temporarily opted out of the program.The Centers for Disease Control has recommended the pre-travel test, but also recommends that travelers also take a viral test within...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Lawmakers on a special committee on COVID-19 say the state should require both a pre-travel test and a post-arrival test for visitors. But while health officials agree, they say it’s not their decision to make.Under the state’s Safe Travels program, trans-Pacific travelers who test three days before arriving can skip the state’s 14-day quarantine, unless they’re going to Kauai, which has temporarily opted out of the program.The Centers for Disease Control has recommended the pre-travel test, but also recommends that travelers also take a viral test within...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - All travelers to Kauai — including those on neighbor island flights — now need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, regardless of COVID-19 test results.Gov. David Ige last week approved a request by the mayor of Kauai to temporarily opt out of the state’s pre-travel testing program.Previously, as was the case across the rest of the state, passengers who submitted proof of a negative COVID-19 test that was taken within 72 hours of arrival could bypass the 14-day quarantine.Friday’s decision eliminates that provision for all passengers arriving on...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - All travelers to Kauai — including those on neighbor island flights — now need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, regardless of COVID-19 test results.Gov. David Ige last week approved a request by the mayor of Kauai to temporarily opt out of the state’s pre-travel testing program.Previously, as was the case across the rest of the state, passengers who submitted proof of a negative COVID-19 test that was taken within 72 hours of arrival could bypass the 14-day quarantine.Friday’s decision eliminates that provision for all passengers arriving on...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - One of the two blue mail collection boxes in front of the Moiliili post office station has been stolen.The U.S. Postal Inspection Service said the large collection box closest to the entrance was taken sometime between noon on the Veterans Day holiday, when the post office was closed, and 8:30 a.m. Thursday.Jonathan Heraux was one of the last people to use the box.“Basically on Veterans Day I came to mail some packages,” he said. “I put ten packages in the box, but then it turns out that I had forgotten one package.”Heraux returned to the post office...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - One of the two blue mail collection boxes in front of the Moiliili post office station has been stolen.The U.S. Postal Inspection Service said the large collection box closest to the entrance was taken sometime between noon on the Veterans Day holiday, when the post office was closed, and 8:30 a.m. Thursday.Jonathan Heraux was one of the last people to use the box.“Basically on Veterans Day I came to mail some packages,” he said. “I put ten packages in the box, but then it turns out that I had forgotten one package.”Heraux returned to the post office...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Just a day after Lanai , the island’s medical facilities said they have recorded 20 positive cases so far.Earlier Wednesday, state officials said 12 additional infections had been identified.Heidi Taogoshi, of the Maui District Health Office, said all of those who have tested positive are residents. They are all isolating at home; none have been hospitalized.Medical staffers fear the number will rise rapidly.“There are 20 positive COVID cases on Lanai. And this is going to explode tomorrow,” said Jared Medeiros of the Lanai Community Health Center. “It’s...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Just a day after Lanai , the island’s medical facilities said they have recorded 20 positive cases so far.Earlier Wednesday, state officials said 12 additional infections had been identified.Heidi Taogoshi, of the Maui District Health Office, said all of those who have tested positive are residents. They are all isolating at home; none have been hospitalized.Medical staffers fear the number will rise rapidly.“There are 20 positive COVID cases on Lanai. And this is going to explode tomorrow,” said Jared Medeiros of the Lanai Community Health Center. “It’s...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii could see 5,000 to 8,000 visitors a day shortly after the mid-October launch of the state’s pre-travel testing program, Lt. Gov. Josh Green said Thursday.Under the program, travelers will be able to forgo the state’s mandatory quarantine for trans-Pacific travelers if they arrive with a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours before flight departure.In a news conference Thursday, Green acknowledged the program “will not be perfect.”But he said it should dramatically decrease the risk involved with rebooting the tourism industry ― something Green said...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii could see 5,000 to 8,000 visitors a day shortly after the mid-October launch of the state’s pre-travel testing program, Lt. Gov. Josh Green said Thursday.Under the program, travelers will be able to forgo the state’s mandatory quarantine for trans-Pacific travelers if they arrive with a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours before flight departure.In a news conference Thursday, Green acknowledged the program “will not be perfect.”But he said it should dramatically decrease the risk involved with rebooting the tourism industry ― something Green said...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state senate’s COVID-19 committee says the state government isn’t doing enough to make sure that its workers are following mask and social distancing guidelines while on the job.“It’s almost as though it’s just chaos, that every department is just left to their own,” said state Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz. “There’s no consistency.”The committee is the one that on Aug. 7.Committee members said they’ve heard from state employees who complain that their coworkers aren’t following the guidelines, and that they don’t feel safe.At least one senator told state...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state senate’s COVID-19 committee says the state government isn’t doing enough to make sure that its workers are following mask and social distancing guidelines while on the job.“It’s almost as though it’s just chaos, that every department is just left to their own,” said state Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz. “There’s no consistency.”The committee is the one that on Aug. 7.Committee members said they’ve heard from state employees who complain that their coworkers aren’t following the guidelines, and that they don’t feel safe.At least one senator told state...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Board of Education on Thursday voted to delay the reopening of public schools by two weeks ― until Aug. 17.The delay is designed to give teachers, principals, and other staff members additional time to prepare for the return of students to campuses and train on distance learning tools.It also comes as Oahu continues to .“This issue has divided our community amid these uncertain times. There are no perfect answers,” said schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto, in a statement.“We acknowledge this move effectively delays student instruction, and we...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Board of Education on Thursday voted to delay the reopening of public schools by two weeks ― until Aug. 17.The delay is designed to give teachers, principals, and other staff members additional time to prepare for the return of students to campuses and train on distance learning tools.It also comes as Oahu continues to .“This issue has divided our community amid these uncertain times. There are no perfect answers,” said schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto, in a statement.“We acknowledge this move effectively delays student instruction, and we...WW…

AIEA, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Most people would consider a convent to be a safe space.But that wasn’t the case sometime during the pre-dawn hours last Sunday.Six nuns from the Dominican Sisters of the Rosary live at the convent located behind St. Elizabeth Catholic Church and School in Aiea. They were asleep in their quarters upstairs while burglars broke in downstairs, bypassing the alarm system by removing louvers from the laundry room window.“Fortunately, we did not have much of them to take, except food,” said Sister Bernarda Sindol.She said the nuns discovered a mess when they went...…AIEA, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Most people would consider a convent to be a safe space.But that wasn’t the case sometime during the pre-dawn hours last Sunday.Six nuns from the Dominican Sisters of the Rosary live at the convent located behind St. Elizabeth Catholic Church and School in Aiea. They were asleep in their quarters upstairs while burglars broke in downstairs, bypassing the alarm system by removing louvers from the laundry room window.“Fortunately, we did not have much of them to take, except food,” said Sister Bernarda Sindol.She said the nuns discovered a mess when they went...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Tens of thousands of laid off workers and and hundreds of shuttered businesses are growing increasingly desperate as the days tick on with no hope of relief in sight.In February, the unemployment rate in Hawaii was just 2.6%.Today, with more than 224,000 jobless claims since early March, the unemployment rate stands at about 34%.Susan DesJarlais is one of those now scrambling to figure out what’s next. She was one of about 90 workers furloughed from the Sand People and Sand Kids stores around the state.DesJarlais managed the Kailua Sand Kids store.“Some of...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Tens of thousands of laid off workers and and hundreds of shuttered businesses are growing increasingly desperate as the days tick on with no hope of relief in sight.In February, the unemployment rate in Hawaii was just 2.6%.Today, with more than 224,000 jobless claims since early March, the unemployment rate stands at about 34%.Susan DesJarlais is one of those now scrambling to figure out what’s next. She was one of about 90 workers furloughed from the Sand People and Sand Kids stores around the state.DesJarlais managed the Kailua Sand Kids store.“Some of...WW…