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Maui Coronavirus Impacts

Hawaii panel promotes steps to improve public officials’ conduct

The Associated Press HONOLULU — A Hawaii commission formed after two former lawmakers from Maui and Oahu were arrested in connection with taking bribes on Thursday recommended boosting the state attorney general’s capacity to prosecute white collar crime and public corruption. The panel included the guidance in an interim report on ways the Legislature could improve behavior in government. It focused its recommendations on measures the Legislature could pass before the current session ends May 5. Its final report, due on Dec. 1, may address other topics such as term limits, the ...

Maui County hotels top state in revenue despite lowest occupancy

Maui County hotels continued to lead the state in room revenue and daily rates despite the lowest occupancy of the four counties in February. Hawaii hotels statewide reported substantially higher revenue per available room, average daily rate and occupancy last month compared to February 2021, according to the Hawaii Hotel Performance Report released by the Hawaii Tourism Authority last week. Room revenue for Maui County hotels was $403, up 185.2 percent compared to February 2021, with an average daily rate of $583, up 30.9 percent from February 2021, and occupancy of 69 percent, ...

Larger community centers to reopen

Maui County will reopen higher-capacity community centers in April and May, the Department of Parks and Recreation announced Wednesday. The community centers and their opening dates are: • Lahaina Civic Center social hall, Friday. • Eddie Tam social hall, Friday. • Velma McWayne Santos Community Center, Friday. • Kihei Community Center, April 30. • Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center, May 20. The centers were closed in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 1 of this year, the county reopened most community centers with capacities under 300 ...

AJA Baseball state tournament returns this weekend at Maehara

The Hawaii State AJA Baseball Association Championship Tournament has only been canceled a handful of times since the leagues were formed in 1930 — during World War II in the 1940s and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Following two missed years in 2020 and 2021, teams, fans and officials are excited for the 85th annual AJA Baseball Tournament’s return this weekend on the Valley Isle. Games are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Maehara Stadium in Wailuku. “Whether you’re in high school or now you’re an adult, it’s nice to have good competition. We have very good ...

DOH: Additional booster doses now available to higher-risk groups

The Maui News Additional booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are now available to older or immunocompromised residents, the state Department of Health announced Tuesday. “Additional booster shots allow people in these select populations to get extra protection against severe illness,” state Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char said in a news release Tuesday. “A second booster can be especially beneficial for people 65 and older and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions.” Following U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval on Tuesday, the DOH announced that ...

Fewer whales spotted in third count of season

The Maui News Volunteers looking for whales off Maui on Saturday reported fewer sightings than in the previous two Great Whale Counts this season. A total of 56 whale sightings were recorded from 9:30 to 9:45 a.m., the most of any other time period during the third count of the season. This was fewer than the 122 whales sightings during the peak period of the count in January and the 94 sightings during the peak period of the count in February. Volunteers at 12 sites on Maui scanned the ocean for whales during 15-minute intervals between 8:30 and 11:50 a.m. Saturday, according to a ...