Obituaries for July 27
Randolph “Randy” Akima Akui, 77, of Hilo died July 14 at Hilo Medical Center. Born in Hilo, he was a security guard for the former Wackenhut. Private services at a later date. Survived by wife, Debrah Akui of Hilo; son, Wade Akui of Hilo; brother, Roderick (Sheila) Akui of Hilo; sisters, Puanani Kea of Las Vegas and Cynthia DeCoito of Hilo; four grandchildren. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
State briefs for July 27
Work continues to keep seabirds off power lines
Warming rivers in US West killing fish, imperiling industry
SAN FRANCISCO — Baby salmon are dying by the thousands in one California river, and an entire run of endangered salmon could be wiped out in another. Fishermen who make their living off adult salmon, once they enter the Pacific Ocean, are sounding the alarm as blistering heat waves and extended drought in the U.S. West raise water temperatures and imperil fish from Idaho to California.
Winds stoke California’s largest fire as blazes scorch West
INDIAN FALLS, Calif. (AP) — Erratic winds and the potential for dry lightning added to the challenges facing firefighters battling California’s largest wildfire, one of numerous blazes burning Monday across the U.S. West.
UN: Women, children casualties on the rise in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan — More women and children were killed and wounded in Afghanistan in the first half of 2021 than in the first six months of any year since the United Nations began systematically keeping count in 2009, a U.N. report said Monday.
Pope to UN forum: Hunger is ‘crime’ violating basic rights
ROME — Pope Francis on Monday decried as criminal the existence of hunger in a world which can produce enough food for all, building on a warning from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that climate change and conflict are a consequence and driver of poverty and income inequality.
Let’s Talk Food: The difference between a muffin and a cupcake
Iwas reading “If You Give a Moose a Muffin” to my soon-to-be 3-year-old granddaughter, Artemis, and she started to tell me the moose got a cupcake, not a muffin. How can she tell that it is a cupcake and not a muffin when most adults can’t tell the difference?
Why the delta variant threatens to undermine the economic recovery
The U.S. economic recovery is being threatened by the COVID-19 delta variant. Increasing vaccination rates is the most important thing the U.S. can do to sustain the economy over the next few months. Beyond that, however, full recovery might require creating new vaccines against delta and other emerging variants.
After attacking Israel, Ben & Jerry’s is going to get its just desserts
“Peace, Love &Ice Cream” is the motto of Ben &Jerry’s. All was sweet and good when they stuck to flavors like Phish Food and sponsored Free Cone Day. Happy cows and all that. Even conservatives could still love Chunky Monkey despite Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield having long mixed in their hippy-dippy Vermont lefty politics supporting this or opposing that. After all, even ice cream salesmen have free speech.
Jeff Bezos is again trying to change the world
Lots of people hate Jeff Bezos because, you know, he is the richest man in the world, but I love the guy because, to begin with, I am a bibliophile and he started this incredible online bookstore where you could buy just about any work you wanted pretty darned cheap.
Big Isle resident misses qualifying at Olympics; Hilo LL loses opener
Big Island resident and Kona Aquatics swimmer Taeyanna Adams finished fourth in her heat Sunday in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke in Tokyo, failing to advance with a time of 1:25.36.
Study: Hawaii County has third worst primary care provider shortage in US
Hawaii County has the third biggest shortage of primary care providers in the country, according to a recent study.
Project to assess health care in Hawaii County
Health care leaders across the county and state are preparing to launch a comprehensive health care needs assessment unlike any before it.
Jill Biden calls on unvaccinated in Hawaii to get shots
First lady Jill Biden visited a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Waipahu, Hawaii, on Sunday to encourage unvaccinated Hawaiians to get their shots as the delta variant surges through much of the U.S.
Fauci says US headed in ‘wrong direction’ on coronavirus
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The United States is in an “unnecessary predicament” of soaring COVID-19 cases fueled by unvaccinated Americans and the virulent delta variant, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert said Sunday.
Charter school receives $48,000 grant for farm-to-school program
Connections Public Charter School in Hilo will grow its farm-to-school programs with the help of federal grant.
Japanese bottle found in HPP not the first to be discovered on Big Island
With the Father’s Day discovery of a message in a bottle at the Makuu Drive shoreline in Hawaiian Paradise Park, Abbie Graham became a part of something bigger than she imagined.
Sparked by pandemic fallout, homeschooling surges across US
Although the pandemic disrupted family life across the U.S. since taking hold in spring 2020, some parents are grateful for one consequence: They’re now opting to homeschool their children, even as schools plan to resume in-person classes.
California’s largest fire burns homes as blazes scorch West
INDIAN FALLS, Calif. (AP) — California’s largest wildfire merged with a smaller blaze and destroyed homes in remote areas with limited access for firefighters, as numerous other fires gained strength and threatened property across the U.S. West.
Senators race to overcome final snags in infrastructure deal
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers racing to seal a bipartisan infrastructure deal early this coming week are hitting a major roadblock over how much money should go to public transit, the group’s lead Republican negotiator said Sunday.
Climate change is driving extreme floods, wildfires and heat. Will the world meet the moment?
The summer isn’t even halfway through and it’s already proved to be a season of deadly extremes.
‘Surreal’ surfing: Hawaii’s Moore advances, Florence falls short
TOKYO — By his own count Fernando Aguerre said he worked 22 years to get surfing added to the Olympic schedule. So when the first of the 40 Summer Games competitors hit the waves early Sunday morning at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach in Chiba Prefecture, about 40 miles east of Tokyo, it was a special moment.
Cartoon for July 25
The Big Island as seen by Hawaii Tribune-Herald cartoonist Gary Hoff.
Schools prep for new year, finalize plans for in-person learning
With less than two weeks until students are set to return to classrooms, state health officials are working to finalize updated safety guidelines for schools and educators are preparing for the new year.
Waika‘alulu Gulch bridge to close during day
A bridge at Waika‘alulu Gulch southeast of Honokaa will be closed daily through the end of next week.
