Home sales soar on isle
Big Island homes are selling almost as soon as they hit the market as the real estate industry rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Let’s Talk Food: Summer salads
With the heat, summer salads are wonderful and healthy for lunch and dinner. It is also a great way to clean out the refrigerator.
UHH alum Dylan Spain goes to Braves in 10th round as Hilo’s draft streak continues
Make it nine consecutive years that a player with Hilo ties has been selected in the MLB Draft.
Billionaire Richard Branson reaches space in his own ship
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. — Swashbuckling billionaire Richard Branson hurtled into space aboard his own winged rocket ship Sunday, bringing astro-tourism a step closer to reality and beating out his exceedingly richer rival Jeff Bezos.
Bonus pay for essential workers varied widely across states
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — For putting their health on the line during the coronavirus pandemic, prison guards in Missouri got an extra $250 per paycheck. Teachers in Georgia received $1,000 bonuses. And in Vermont, nurses, janitors, retail workers and many others got as much as $2,000.
June juxtaposition: Kona seeing wetter than normal rainy season as rest of island dries out
Ample rainfall continues to fall over much of Kona sparing the area from drought that has taken hold of most the island.
Council OKs bill rezoning Hilo Iron Works
In an effort to make the property more attractive to investors, the historic Hilo Iron Works has been rezoned.
Fires rage in several states as heat wave broils US West
Firefighters working in searing weather struggled to contain a Northern California wildfire that continued to grow Sunday and forced the temporary closure of a major highway, one of several large blazes burning across the U.S. West amid another heat wave that shattered records and strained power grids.
PGV power purchase agreement still in limbo
Hawaii County has responded to a request from the state Public Utilities Commission seeking input regarding an application for an amended power purchase agreement between Puna Geothermal Venture and Hawaiian Electric.
Search in Florida collapse to take weeks; deaths reach 90
SURFSIDE, Fla. — Authorities searching for victims of a deadly collapse in Florida said Sunday they hope to conclude their painstaking work in the coming weeks as a team of first responders from Israel departed the site.
Close the digital divide, but don’t trap people in the slow lane
Although Republicans recoiled when President Joe Biden unveiled his sweeping infrastructure plan in March, a bipartisan group of senators has thrown its support behind one of the less conventional ideas in the package: making a massive investment in broadband networks.
Rainy Side View: The English language is a morass
English is a funny language. I know, because for 30 years, I taught this hilarity to hapless foreign students.
Obituaries for July 12
Miguel A. Gaspar, 93, of Paauilo died June 15 at Hale Ho‘ola Hamakua in Honokaa. Born in Banna, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, he was a retired dairy worker for Botelho Hawaii Enterprises, farm worker at Yamamoto Farm, dairy worker at Ruis Ranch Enterprises and member of St. Columba’s Episcopal Church. Visitation 5-8 p.m. Friday (July 16) at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Paauilo. Visitation again 8-10 a.m. Saturday (July 17) at the church. Funeral service at 10 a.m. Face masks and social distancing required. Burial in the church cemetery. Survived by wife, Rosalina G. Gaspar of Paauilo; sons, Remy (Shirley) Gaspar, Jerry (Mila) Gaspar and Wilfred (Delia) Gaspar of Paauilo; daughter, Mary Jane (Boni) Castro of Paauilo; sister, Rosaria Tabucbuc of Paauilo; sister-in-law, Alfreda S. Geronimo of Manila, Philippines; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchidren; cousins, nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Kona virtual Social Security office future in limbo
The future of a virtual Social Security office at West Hawaii Civic Center is in limbo because of space constraints at the county building.
Trumpification complete: The mess in Ohio is a terrible sign for America
After losing the presidency and the Senate thanks to Donald Trump’s disastrous management of COVID, Republicans look determined to try to ascend again in Washington by parroting his stolen election lies. If you can’t snap out of a slumber, it seems, the second best thing is to dive back into the delusions of your dream.
Cartoon for July 11
The Big Island as seen by Hawaii Tribune-Herald cartoonist Gary Hoff.
Portions of Kilauea Avenue will be closed Tuesday
The Department of Public Works will be closing parts of Kilauea Avenue between Mohouli Street and Aupuni Street for gas line work from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
State could hit 70% vaccination goal by September
If current inoculation rates hold steady, it could be early September before 70% of Hawaii’s population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, state health officials told lawmakers Friday.
Third season of ‘Love Island’ premieres
The biggest film or TV production on the Big Island in over a decade began airing last week.
Officials see uptick in number of Delta variant cases
Acting state Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble said Friday that the Alpha variant of COVID-19, which originated in the United Kingdom, had been the predominant strain of the coronavirus on the mainland but has been surpassed by the Delta variant.
Building code: Council balks at increased home construction cost
A cost-conscious County Council balked at new construction code requirements that builders say could add at least $10,000 to the cost of building a home.
Restaurants overwhelmed: Many struggle to find enough help to meet rising demand
As Hawaii reopens to all fully vaccinated travelers from the mainland, restaurants are struggling to find workers in preparation for an influx in tourism.
‘An incredible day’ as Lee statue removed in Charlottesville
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Cheers erupted Saturday as a Confederate statue that towered for nearly a century over downtown Charlottesville was carted away by truck from the Virginia city where it had become a flashpoint for racist protests and deadly violence.
New low-income housing project planned for Hilo
Construction of a 64-unit low-income housing development in Hilo is expected to begin early next year.
California wildfire advances as heat wave blankets US West
SAN FRANCISCO — Firefighters struggled to contain an exploding Northern California wildfire under blazing temperatures as another heat wave hits the U.S. West this weekend, prompting an excessive heat warning for inland and desert areas.
