The order requires, among other things, that alcohol not be served after 10 p.m., that diners not be allowed to gather in groups larger than five, and that other social distancing rules be observed. Read more
Advocates for ethnic Pacific Islanders and Filipinos on Oahu applauded the multi-agency effort to reach into their communities and provide them with “low barrier” COVID-19 testing, quarantine and related services, calling it long overdue. Read more
Some inmates being released from Oahu Community Correctional Center are being isolated or quarantined at Honolulu hotels if they have either tested positive for COVID-19, are awaiting test results or have been in contact with someone testing positive, joining other local residents in similar situations, the Department of Health confirmed Monday. Read more
Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard is rejecting a suggestion that she instruct officers to “take a temporary step back” from arresting those suspected of nonviolent misdemeanors and petty misdemeanors to help ease overcrowding and stem the outbreak of COVID-19 at Oahu Community Correctional Center. Read more
Two of 151 tests administered to inmates at Oahu Community Correctional Center came back positive for COVID-19 Friday as the first phase of testing winds down, state officials said. Read more
Members of the Hawaii Correctional Systems Oversight Commission on Thursday voiced growing frustration at the lack of cooperation — and urgency — from the Department of Public Safety and other state agencies as they try to meet their mandate to help ease overcrowding and the spread of COVID-19 at prisons and jails. Read more
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The Hawaii Supreme Court in June tasked the Hawaii Correctional Systems Oversight Commission with helping state officials deal with overcrowding and other issues that plague the Oahu Community Correctional Center and the state’s other jails and prisons. Read more
The state Department of Public Safety reported today that 16 additional inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of positive inmate cases from a mass testing effort to 215. Read more
Four out of every 10 Oahu Community Correctional Center inmates tested for COVID-19 have received positive results since mass testing began at the Kalihi facility a week ago, according to numbers extrapolated from the daily totals issued by the state Department of Public Safety. Read more
The Hawaii Supreme Court on Monday issued a new order speeding up a plan to allow eligible felons and those charged with felonies to be released from Oahu Community Correctional Center quickly to help curb the spike in COVID-19 cases at the Kalihi facility. Read more
It’s unclear, at initial glance, how many actual inmates would be released as a result of the order — but it could be in the hundreds. Read more
Hawaii Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald said the court will take the matter under advisement but that he expects some action soon due to the urgent nature of the request. Read more
Hawaii Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald said the court will take the matter under advisement but that he expects some action soon due to the urgent nature of the request. Read more
With only testing of inmates in only two of the 19 housing modules at the Kalihi jail completed, Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda said he expects there will be other inmates and staff to have positive results. Read more
State health officials said earlier today that an employee potluck was a “potential transmission source” for 11 infections among city workers, but later stressed that the investigation is ongoing. Read more
With only testing of inmates in only two of the 19 housing modules at the Kalihi jail completed, Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda said he expects there will be other inmates and staff to have positive results. Read more
State health officials said earlier today that an employee potluck was a “potential transmission source” for 11 infections among city workers, but later stressed that the investigation is ongoing. Read more
John Radcliffe battled cancer for a number of years and had known since 2014 that his diagnosis was terminal. Read more
Those with plots in community gardens won’t get a reprieve from Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s decision to close the sites along with other recreational facilities. Read more
The state Office of Elections was holding a mandatory vote recount Monday in a too-close-to-call Democratic primary race between incumbent Rep. Lynn DeCoite and challenger Walter Ritte for the state House District 13 representing Lanai, Molokai, and Paia and Hana, Maui. Read more
Honolulu Hale is shutting down to the public due to an outbreak of COVID-19 cases there, Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Monday. Read more
