Community asks to clean up Polihale
Some community members on Kaua‘i are hoping they’ll be allowed to help clean up Polihale State Park, but the state Department of Land and Natural Resources is asking people to hold off on entering the park so that the place can rest.
Schools to open Aug. 17
The state Board of Education has approved the delay of welcoming students back to public-school campuses to Monday, Aug. 17.
Hammond gives back; gets kids ready for school
KAPA‘A — On Tuesday, Kapa‘a resident and parent Chantel Hammond distributed school supplies to 12 kids in need while teaching her own daughter the importance of giving back.
Start of school could be pushed back
LIHU‘E – The Department of Education is considering pushing back the reopening of public schools from Aug. 4 to Aug. 17, after receiving feedback that their original planned date for welcoming students back to classrooms was too early.
Airport checkpoint moved
The quarantine-screening checkpoints at the exit of the Lihu‘e Airport on Ahukini Road have relocated to inside the airport.
Learning to farm amid pandemic
MOLOA‘A — Three days into a three-week agricultural internship program with Moloa‘a-based Retro Farms, four Kapa‘a High School honor society seniors are building teamwork skills and learning about alternative ways to grow fruits like pineapples, sugarcane and mangoes.
Relief lags for unemployed residents
LIHU‘E — The pandemic is still triggering a rise in unemployment across the state, according to the Department of Labor & Industrial Relations (DLIR), even though seasonally adjusted unemployment statewide dipped from 23.5% in May to 13.9% in June.
An emotional mayor’s luncheon
Mayor Derek Kawakami addressed members of the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday in an emotional, virtual mayor’s luncheon that touched on the plan to bring students back to public schools and the hardships COVID-19 has brought to the community.
HDOT selects passenger screening technology
HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) has selected NEC Corporation, NEC Corporation of America and their partner, Infrared Cameras Inc., to provide thermal temperature screening and facial imaging technology at Hawai‘i’s public airports to help protect the community and identify passengers with a potentially elevated body temperature. The companies combined resources to submit a unified proposal for the project.
‘Conquest’ mixes history, fiction
Bill Fernandez, a retired California judge born and raised in Kapa‘a, has just published his 11th book: “Conquest,” a historical novel of Kamehameha the Great.
Hanapepe Road bridge to close
The bridge over the Hanapepe River on Hanapepe Road will be closed for waterline work from Tuesday, July 21 through Friday, Sept. 4, weather-permitting.
A prickly situation managed
Though 2020 has brought many changes to activities and businesses on the island, the Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee and other invasive-species-control groups have been hard at work.
Outfitters Kaua‘i prepares to move
Outfitters Kaua‘i, a local adventure-tour company, is celebrating 32 years in business and preparing to switch locations by hosting an online auction before moving to their new headquarters in Kipu.
Reopening schools discussion ongoing
HONOLULU– Thursday, concerns about reopening schools too early were discussed between the (DOE) Department of Education, Department of Health, and the Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 at the State Capitol.
Sha Ali Ahmad made Kaua‘i his second home
LIHU‘E– International fashion designer Sha Ali Ahmad of Ahmad Couture owns a clothing studio in New Delhi and in India, however Kaua‘i holds a special place in his heart.
Alison Furderer chasing cover girl dream
Alison Furderer, a mom and model who resides in Wailua, is in the quarterfinals of the “Maxim Magazine Cover Girl 2020” online contest and needs more votes to advance.
Mental health app for cops, families
HANALEI — Kaua‘i Police Chief Todd Raybuck discussed a new tool for officers on Thursday while addressing the Rotary Club of Hanalei in a talk about “Policing with Aloha.” He talked about a phone app that could help promote mental wellness for police officers, should they take advantage of the opportunity.
Students have virtual meeting with former astronaut
LIHU‘E – Three young people from Kaua‘i got a chance to chat with former astronaut and retired United States Air Force officer Pamela Melroy in a recent virtual meeting made possible by a partnership between two teachers, one from Kaua‘i and one from New York.
Kaua‘i residents reflect, consider reopening to transpacific travel
LIHU‘E – Since Mayor Derek Kawakami signed the first emergency proclamation relating to COVID-19 on March 4, life has been different for business owners and residents on Kaua‘i.
Giving back is in the blood
From donating to food banks to helping coordinate fundraisers, Kaua‘i custom home builder and “Dateline” TV show producer Luis Soltren has been busy helping his Kaua‘i community stay strong through the COVID-19 pandemic.