Obituaries for August 5
Bonnie Kam Lin Bissen, 55, of Hilo died July 30. Born in Hilo, she was a contract security supervisor at Port of Hilo for American Guard Services Inc. and Jan Guard Hawaii Inc. Private visitation held. Celebration of Life in Hilo at a later date. Online condolences: oahumortuary.com. Survived by husband Edward Martin Jr.; sons Brandon (Melissa) Respicio, Ikaika Martin and Pomaika‘i Martin; daughter, Kau‘i (Kelsen Kataoka) Respicio; mother, Carol Baclig Bissen; siblings, Linda (Brian) Lee, Darryl (Roxann Hao) Bissen and extended family siblings, eight grandchildren; aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
COVID testing demand surges
Demand for COVID-19 testing skyrocketed Wednesday in Hilo.
Construction code bill advances, faces one more County Council vote
After months of delay, the Hawaii County Council moved Wednesday to adopt changes to the county construction code.
South Kohala wildland fire 95% contained
Firefighters Wednesday spent a sixth day working to extinguish a 40,000-plus-acre wildland fire in South Kohala.
DOE mandates vaccinations for sports, delays high school seasons until Sept. 24
The state Department of Education on Wednesday announced that the start of high school athletic seasons will be delayed until Sept. 24 and that all student-athletes, athletic staff and volunteers will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by that date in order to participate in school-sanctioned sports.
Mensah-Stock 1st first Black U.S. woman wrestler to win gold
CHIBA, Japan — As Tamyra Mensah-Stock celebrated winning her Olympic gold medal, she hoped her victory would encourage Black girls in the United States to consider wrestling.
Police ID murder victim as missing man
Police detectives have identified a man whose body was found Saturday on a cliff side at MacKenzie State Recreation Area in lower Puna as 76-year-old Michael Rosenbaum of Pahoa.
DOH: 63 new COVID-19 cases on Big Island
The state Department of Health reports 63 new coronavirus cases today and is currently monitoring 845 active cases with 21 persons hospitalized, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense.
Police: Body found Saturday in Puna a gunshot victim
Police say a decomposed body found Saturday in Mackenzie State Recreation Area in lower Puna was that of a gunshot victim.
DOE to require vaccinations for student athletes, athletic staff; start of athletic season delayed until Sept. 24
The state Department of Education today announced that all student-athletes, athletic staff and volunteers will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 24 to participate in school-sanctioned athletic activities during the current school year.
McLaughlin edges American teammate Muhammad in smashing 400 hurdles final
TOKYO — Sydney McLaughlin broke the world record. Dalilah Muhammad broke it, too.
COVID cases reported at Life Care Center of Hilo
Nearly a dozen COVID-19 cases have been reported at Life Care Center of Hilo.
Iran’s new president a puppet for Khamenei
Iran’s new president takes office Thursday amid a cacophony of demands from his countrymen: some for water, others for better salaries and all for COVID-19 vaccines. But even if Ebrahim Raisi hears these pleas, he will not heed them.
Your Views for August 4
Mayor MIA
Obituaries for August 4
Alejandro “Al” “Alex” Garaya Gabuat Jr., 64, of Hilo died June 28 at Hilo Medical Center. Born in Hilo, he was a retired worker for Hilton Waikoloa Village. Private services at a later date. Survived by brothers, Vladimar (Cassandra) Gabuat of Hilo, Norbert Gabuat of Waipahu, Oahu, Ronald (Dawn) Daquip of Honolulu, Robert (Lisa) Daquip of Ewa Beach, Oahu, Nelson Gacusan of Hilo, Froilan (Leimomi) Gacusan of Kauai, Danilo Alviento and Davin Alviento of Puna; sisters, Brenda (Vernon Sr.) Basque of Puna, Pricilla Gacusan of Hilo and Denise Alviento of Kona; nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Council members vote to oust Van Pernis
County Council members on Tuesday voted narrowly in favor of removing a commissioner from the Leeward Planning Commission.
Kona man gets 5 years for officer assault
A judge Monday sentenced a 34-year-old Kona man found guilty in May of assaulting a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
‘We’ve got this under control’: Firefighters continue to work Big Island’s largest fire for fifth day
Firefighters on Tuesday continued battling flames and dousing hotspots within the 62.5-square-mile burn area of the Big Island’s largest wildland fire in history.
Puna land purchase advances
Hawaii County will consider purchasing 165 acres of Puna land under its open space land-buying program.
‘Excited to be back’: Students return to public schools for in-person learning
By STEPHANIE SALMONS and KELSEY WALLING
‘The doors had finally opened up for me’: Hawaii Promise scholarship helps single mother achieve her goals
After 10 years of higher education, Hilo resident Mariah Castro is finally working as a registered nurse after graduating from Hawaii Community College this year.
First educational canoe in almost three decades constructed
The Villages of La‘i‘opua last month celebrated the first educational canoe constructed on Hawaii Island in almost three decades.
Volcano Art Center hosts wood show
The Volcano Wood Show Exhibition is currently on display and continues through this week. The show is open 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. today through Sunday at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. The exhibit is also featured online at www.volcanoartcenter.org.
Volunteers work to support those battling S. Kohala fire
Volunteers in Waimea brought food and water to first responders Monday as they battled the 40,000-acre fire burning near the Department of Hawaiian Homelands Puukapu Subdivision.
Firefighters continue to battle Hawaii Island’s largest fire
Firefighters appear to have gotten the upper hand on a more than 40,000-acre wildland fire in South Kohala deemed the largest in Hawaii Island history.
