Hawaii cruises to resume
After 15 months in dry dock because of the coronavirus pandemic, the passenger cruise industry is gearing up to make Hawaii port calls before the end of the year.
County decades behind on ADA compliance at parks
Almost a quarter-century after Big Island resident Alexa Russell sued Hawaii County to enforce Americans With Disabilities Act mandates in county parks, only six of the 16 facilities the county agreed to upgrade have been done, and the County Council will be asked to float $25.5 million in bonds to pay for the rest.
Public Works in talks with contractor to finish Kalanianaole Avenue work
County officials still hope to get the stalled Kalanianaole Avenue improvement project finished by the end of the year.
Trump airs old election grievances in return to rally stage
WELLINGTON, Ohio — Former President Donald Trump reprised his election grievances and baseless claims of fraud as he returned to the rally stage Saturday, holding his first campaign-style event since leaving the White House.
Crews at collapse site find body, raising death toll to five
SURFSIDE, Fla. — Rescue crews found another body in the rubble of a collapsed 12-story condominium tower near Miami on Saturday, raising the death toll to five as they raced to recover any survivors after fighting back fire and smoke deep inside the concrete and metal remains.
‘Not fun’: Northwest heat wave builds, all-time records fall
PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon’s largest city broke its all-time heat record on Saturday. It could beat the new mark on Sunday.
Obituaries for June 27
Helen Leinaala Doria, 85, of Captain Cook died June 7 at Kona Community Hospital. Born in Hilo, she was an executive sous chef at the former Kona Hilton Hotel and member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. Services at a later date. Survived by sons, Joseph (Desiree) Doria Jr. of Kealakekua and Kimo (Douri) Doria of Captain Cook; daughters, Alberta (Bryan) Allen of Kirkland, Wash., and Penelope (John) Souza of Captain Cook; sisters, Faye Medeiros of South Kona and Pearl (Mike) Hind of Kailua-Kona; brother, Bucky Leslie of Captain Cook; daughter-in-law, Laura Doria of Hilo; sisters-in-law, Yvonne Leslie of Honaunau, Loretta Cambra of Hawaii Kai, Oahu, and Nancy Foster of Minnesota; 15 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren; nieces, nephews and cousins. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Let’s vaccinate everyone, including keiki
Moms and dads continue to ask me: “Should I vaccinate my kids to protect them and others from severe illness or possibly death from COVID-19?”
Volcano Watch: Seismic halfalogues: earthquakes are only part of the conversation
The journey from volcanic repose to a climactic eruption is like a mystery movie that keeps you at the edge of your seat. The story is filled with twists and turns that often lead to dead ends.
Your Views for June 27
Brave officers
Fund public transit, not more roads
It’s federal transportation policy season, with the House and Senate advancing bills to fund federal surface transportation programs for the next five years. That makes it a great time to reflect on the social and environmental impacts of our transportation policy.
Condo search grows dire with 159 still unaccounted for
SURFSIDE, Fla. — The tortuous wait for word of nearly 160 people unaccounted for after an oceanfront condominium building collapsed near Miami, killing at least four, is taking a toll on relatives who can do little but pray and hope their loved ones will somehow be found alive in an increasingly dire hunt for survivors.
3 Honolulu police officers face charges in fatal shooting
HONOLULU — Three Honolulu police officers appeared in court on Friday to face charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old Micronesian boy, the first cases of their kind against law enforcement in the city in more than 40 years.
Survey: Hawaii residents believe tourism a net positive
Hawaii residents largely believe tourism is a net positive for the state despite its issues, according to a survey by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Will pricey Hawaii do enough to limit evictions?
HONOLULU — A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.
Delta variant expected to spread rapidly
Hawaii health officials anticipate that a highly transmissible variant of COVID-19 could become the dominant strain in the state within a month or so.
Food Basket completes 150th food drop
The Hawaii Food Basket on Friday morning in Pahoa held its 150th Ohana Food Drop.
1st cruise ship to sail from US as industry seeks comeback
MIAMI — The first cruise ship to board passengers at a U.S. port in 15 months is set to sail today from the industry’s South Florida hub in a symbolic stride toward normalcy that will be watched closely by health experts as vaccines curb the coronavirus’ spread in the country.
On border tour, Harris laments ‘infighting’ over immigration
EL PASO, Texas — Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday used her first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border since taking office to call for an end to political “rhetoric” and “infighting” over immigration, an issue that Republicans have been eager to weaponize against her.
Police: Man who shot Colorado gunman was killed by officer
DENVER — A man who intervened in a shooting that killed a police officer near Denver was shot and killed by a responding officer while holding the suspect’s AR-15, police said Friday.
Trudeau says Pope Francis should apologize on Canadian soil
TORONTO — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday he has urged Pope Francis to come to Canada to apologize for church-run boarding schools where hundreds of unmarked graves have been found, and he said Canadians are “horrified and ashamed” by their government’s longtime policy of forcing Indigenous children to attend such schools.
Chauvin gets 22 1/2 years in prison for George Floyd’s death
MINNEAPOLIS — Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvin’s knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations.
Tropical Gardening: Leaping lizards, there’s a new kid in town
Hawaii’s garden recently became home to a new Anole. The one we have seen for years is called the American Chameleon because of its ability to change colors. The new guy is the Bahamian Anole that is dark brown with diamond markings on the back and a bright red dewlap of the male. There are others as well like the Cuban Anole on Oahu. We also have iguanas, at least eight species of gecko, skinks and at least two species of true Chameleon. We have one species of snake called the Island Blind Snake. However, none are native to Hawaii. In fact there are no native land lizards, snakes, frogs, toads or turtles. Some came as hitchhikers, stowaways and in the days when there were few laws, in the pet trade. Now it is illegal to bring in most of these types of animals. Most aforementioned are harmless or even beneficial, but can be a nuisance depending on ones attitude toward the environment. Local folks often think of geckos in the home are good luck, and almost everyone has a warm spot in their heart for the Geico Gecko!
Writing’s on the wall, NCAA. Pay college athletes
It’s not just mania about college hoops that puts the “madness” in March Madness. Think about the money behind NCAA basketball. John Calipari, coach of perennial powerhouse University of Kentucky, makes $8 million a year. Duke’s famed Mike Krzyzewski makes $7 million. Closer to home, University of Illinois men’s basketball coach Brad Underwood got $3.8 million this year.
Students can speak freely, thanks to cheerleader
In a landmark First Amendment opinion, the Supreme Court has limited schools’ ability to punish students for off-campus speech. In a case involving a cheerleader who was suspended from her team after criticizing her coaches and the cheer program in a profane Snapchat post, the court held that the school had gone too far.
