HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - On a day that the state saw 355 new COVID-19 infections, the governor on Thursday said Hawaii is “moving in the wrong direction” but he stopped short of instituting any new mandates aimed at reining in the spread of the virus.He did pledge, however, to bring back new mandates if cases remain high.“The prevalence of COVID-19 is expanding here in Hawaii,” Gov. David Ige said, in a news conference. “Clusters are occurring in all areas of the community. We have seen a significant and rapid increase in the number of positive cases. I know so many are concerned...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - On a day that the state saw 355 new COVID-19 infections, the governor on Thursday said Hawaii is “moving in the wrong direction” but he stopped short of instituting any new mandates aimed at reining in the spread of the virus.He did pledge, however, to bring back new mandates if cases remain high.“The prevalence of COVID-19 is expanding here in Hawaii,” Gov. David Ige said, in a news conference. “Clusters are occurring in all areas of the community. We have seen a significant and rapid increase in the number of positive cases. I know so many are concerned...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Former mayoral candidate and one-time U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa announced Monday that she was endorsing retired Honolulu television executive Rick Blangiardi for the city’s top job.Hanabusa, , did not get enough votes to advance to November’s general election run-off. Instead, Blangiardi will face Honolulu businessman Keith Amemiya, a fellow political rookie.Neither candidate for mayor has held elected office in Hawaii, but Hanabusa believes one of them is right for the job.“I could of course stay silent, that’s always an option,” said Hanabusa, in a...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Former mayoral candidate and one-time U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa announced Monday that she was endorsing retired Honolulu television executive Rick Blangiardi for the city’s top job.Hanabusa, , did not get enough votes to advance to November’s general election run-off. Instead, Blangiardi will face Honolulu businessman Keith Amemiya, a fellow political rookie.Neither candidate for mayor has held elected office in Hawaii, but Hanabusa believes one of them is right for the job.“I could of course stay silent, that’s always an option,” said Hanabusa, in a...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Honolulu resident who spent years working for the Central Intelligence Agency and as a contractor for the Federal Bureau of Investigation was charged Monday with spying on the U.S. and selling state secrets to China.Authorities say 67-year-old Alexander Yuk Ching Ma ― who moved to Honolulu from Hong Kong in 1968 and began his CIA career in 1982 ― had become ‘a compromised asset’ of the Chinese Ministry of State Security by at least early 2001.In a press conference Monday morning, the U.S. District Attorney for Hawaii, Kenji Price, said Ma’s illicit...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Honolulu resident who spent years working for the Central Intelligence Agency and as a contractor for the Federal Bureau of Investigation was charged Monday with spying on the U.S. and selling state secrets to China.Authorities say 67-year-old Alexander Yuk Ching Ma ― who moved to Honolulu from Hong Kong in 1968 and began his CIA career in 1982 ― had become ‘a compromised asset’ of the Chinese Ministry of State Security by at least early 2001.In a press conference Monday morning, the U.S. District Attorney for Hawaii, Kenji Price, said Ma’s illicit...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state Education Department said Tuesday that there have been 13 coronavirus cases on public school campuses since June.Six of those cases have happened in August, with no students on campus.The figures were released after the Hawaii teachers union complained that the department’s lack of transparency about COVID-19 cases was potentially putting people at risk.The state didn’t release COVID-19 cases by school, but by complex area:All but three of the reported COVID-19 cases are staff members.And in most cases, staff or families (or both) were notified,...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state Education Department said Tuesday that there have been 13 coronavirus cases on public school campuses since June.Six of those cases have happened in August, with no students on campus.The figures were released after the Hawaii teachers union complained that the department’s lack of transparency about COVID-19 cases was potentially putting people at risk.The state didn’t release COVID-19 cases by school, but by complex area:All but three of the reported COVID-19 cases are staff members.And in most cases, staff or families (or both) were notified,...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii is regularly seeing triple-digit increases in COVID-19 infections, a situation that underscores just how fast the virus is spreading in Hawaii.Scientists actually track that rate of spread ― or reproduction rate.And experts say that Hawaii now has the highest reproduction rate in the nation, at 1.6. In other words, every person who gets sick is passing the virus on to 1.6 other individuals on average.“That is very, very high,” said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.Anything above 1 means the virus is spreading quickly. The next closest state is South...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii is regularly seeing triple-digit increases in COVID-19 infections, a situation that underscores just how fast the virus is spreading in Hawaii.Scientists actually track that rate of spread ― or reproduction rate.And experts say that Hawaii now has the highest reproduction rate in the nation, at 1.6. In other words, every person who gets sick is passing the virus on to 1.6 other individuals on average.“That is very, very high,” said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.Anything above 1 means the virus is spreading quickly. The next closest state is South...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state Health Department reported another COVID-19 fatality on Saturday along with 231 new coronavirus infections — a new daily record.The newly-reported death is of an Oahu man who was older than 60.His death is being recorded as the 31st since the pandemic began. A previous fatality included in the death toll from the virus has been removed from the total following further investigation, officials said.Meanwhile, authorities said 223 of the new infections reported Saturday are on Oahu. Five are on the Big Island and three are on Maui.It’s the third...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state Health Department reported another COVID-19 fatality on Saturday along with 231 new coronavirus infections — a new daily record.The newly-reported death is of an Oahu man who was older than 60.His death is being recorded as the 31st since the pandemic began. A previous fatality included in the death toll from the virus has been removed from the total following further investigation, officials said.Meanwhile, authorities said 223 of the new infections reported Saturday are on Oahu. Five are on the Big Island and three are on Maui.It’s the third...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The inter-island traveler quarantine will be reinstated, beaches and parks on Oahu will be closed, and police have pledged to dramatically dial up enforcement of emergency orders as part of a broad new push to rein in the island’s surge of COVID-19 cases.The measures represent the most significant rollback yet of the strict restrictions introduced in the first months of the coronavirus pandemic and come as public health officials warn COVID-19 is rapidly spreading on Oahu. The island is now regularly reporting new infections in the triple digits.[Read...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The inter-island traveler quarantine will be reinstated, beaches and parks on Oahu will be closed, and police have pledged to dramatically dial up enforcement of emergency orders as part of a broad new push to rein in the island’s surge of COVID-19 cases.The measures represent the most significant rollback yet of the strict restrictions introduced in the first months of the coronavirus pandemic and come as public health officials warn COVID-19 is rapidly spreading on Oahu. The island is now regularly reporting new infections in the triple digits.[Read...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell was tested for COVID-19 on Monday after a positive case in his office, and many more at Honolulu Hale.By Monday night, his result came back negative.He got tested after a confirmed case in an office staffer, but his concerns for exposure were low.“I’m feeling pretty certain that I’m going to test negative because the person in my office, I really don’t come into contact with them at all and the people coming in contact with one of them tested negative,” Caldwell told Hawaii News Now.There have been at least 10 COVID-19 cases at...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell was tested for COVID-19 on Monday after a positive case in his office, and many more at Honolulu Hale.By Monday night, his result came back negative.He got tested after a confirmed case in an office staffer, but his concerns for exposure were low.“I’m feeling pretty certain that I’m going to test negative because the person in my office, I really don’t come into contact with them at all and the people coming in contact with one of them tested negative,” Caldwell told Hawaii News Now.There have been at least 10 COVID-19 cases at...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Most voters are not happy with the state’s plans to reopen Hawaii schools and tourism, finds.According to the survey of 975 registered voters, 54% of people are “not satisfied” when it comes to how state officials are handling public education amid the coronavirus pandemic.Only 24% say they’re satisfied, while 15% say they don’t know enough.School was set to have started this week, but it was pushed back to Aug. 17 — giving teachers, educators and other staff members more time to prepare.When it comes to Hawaii’s visitor industry, 56% of people are not...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Most voters are not happy with the state’s plans to reopen Hawaii schools and tourism, finds.According to the survey of 975 registered voters, 54% of people are “not satisfied” when it comes to how state officials are handling public education amid the coronavirus pandemic.Only 24% say they’re satisfied, while 15% say they don’t know enough.School was set to have started this week, but it was pushed back to Aug. 17 — giving teachers, educators and other staff members more time to prepare.When it comes to Hawaii’s visitor industry, 56% of people are not...WW…

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - After losing his surfboard two years ago, a Hawaii-based photographer has found it.Now he just needs a way to get it back.Doug Falter says he last had his board at Waimea Bay in Feb. 2018.The 35-year-old that his leash came off, and the board vanished.So he turned to social media in hopes that someone on the North Shore, or even Kauai might find it.Turns out, someone did — but not someone in the state. It ended up some 5,200 miles away on a tiny island in the Philippines.Giovanne, a teacher in the Philippines, contacted Falter’s shaper, Lyle Carlson, about...…HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - After losing his surfboard two years ago, a Hawaii-based photographer has found it.Now he just needs a way to get it back.Doug Falter says he last had his board at Waimea Bay in Feb. 2018.The 35-year-old that his leash came off, and the board vanished.So he turned to social media in hopes that someone on the North Shore, or even Kauai might find it.Turns out, someone did — but not someone in the state. It ended up some 5,200 miles away on a tiny island in the Philippines.Giovanne, a teacher in the Philippines, contacted Falter’s shaper, Lyle Carlson, about...WW…