Good evening, Hawaii. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen announced that West Maui, except for Lahaina, will open to tourism starting Nov. 1; the state has cancelled an ambulance services contract following a protest by American Medical Response, the incumbent provider; and House Republicans selected Rep. Mike Johnson as their latest nominee for speaker, hours after an earlier pick, Rep. Tom Emmer, abruptly withdrew. Read about the important stories you need to know.
Your Weather Planner
Light southwesterly winds could bring a few showers to the southern slopes of most islands today, along with some interior showers thanks to the sea breeze. For the rest of the week, a typical land and sea breeze pattern will continue. A stalled front that moves in this weekend could bring wetter weather over Kauai and Oahu.
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Today's Big Stories
1. All of West Maui opening for tourism except for Lahaina
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said in a news release that all of West Maui except for Lahaina will reopen to visitors in phases starting Nov. 1.
The phased reopening of West Maui began on Oct. 8 from the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua to Kahana Villa. Maui County will now reopen the remaining area from Kahana to Kaanapali.
The mayor said he decided to reopen the rest of West Maui starting on Nov. 1 after consulting with his Lahaina advisory team, the Red Cross and other partners. He also said he listened to community feedback regarding the earlier phase of reopening.
In the beginning of the month, residents from Lahaina delivered a petition asking to delay plans to reopen portions of West Maui to tourism.
Bissen’s phased approach to reopening West Maui was developed after Hawaii Gov. Josh Green announced West Maui would reopen on Oct. 8. Green said the reopening would bring back jobs and help the economy recover.
2. State cancels Kauai, Maui ambulance procurement
The Hawaii Department of Health has canceled its procurement of ambulance services for its Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention System Branch following a protest by the incumbent service provider.
The contract for comprehensive emergency medical services for 911 grand ambulance transport for Kauai and Maui Counties was initially awarded to Danish-owned Falck Northwest Corp. It was previously held by American Medical Response.
State health director Kenneth Fink, who serves as head of the purchasing agency, reviewed the protest and determined that while the EMSIPSB may have intended to maintain the current staffing level for advanced life support ground ambulances, that requirement was not clearly included in its request for proposals.
According to DOH, the new procurement process will commence in the coming weeks. Current contracts will be extended while the new procurement process is underway to ensure that Maui and Kauai County residents have uninterrupted access to ambulance services.
3. Kilauea’s summit continues to see elevated unrest
Since Oct. 4, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has reported elevated activity at Kilauea’s summit. However, the volcano is not erupting at this time.
On Monday, the HVO reported that over a 24-hour period, the south-southwest area of Kilauea’s summit experienced elevated unrest. Seismic stations across the island observed tremors on Monday between 2:20 p.m. to 3 p.m. with the strongest at Kilauea’s summit.
According to the HVO, elevated unrest at Kilauea may continue to increase and decrease as magma moves beneath the summit. Kilauea’s summit remains at a high level of inflation and an eruption may begin with little or no warning. However, HVO said it is impossible to say for sure if an eruption will start.
The HVO detailed three possible scenarios. First, magma may continue to accumulate in the south-southwest region of Kilauea’s summit, but eventually stop with no eruption. Second, an eventual eruption could occur inside the caldera. Third, an eventual eruption could occur outside of the caldera, to the south or southwest.
4. Blangiardi signs off on flavored tobacco ban
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed into law a bill he acknowledged is imperfect but “nonetheless a powerful and first step” in banning flavored tobacco products from Honolulu retail shelves.
Bill 46, which passed the Honolulu City Council earlier this month, prohibits the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including candy-flavored vaping liquids used to attract young users, within the county.
Both Blangiardi and Weyer praised the efforts of youth advocates who championed the bill, three of whom attended the signing.
However, before the provisions of the bill can take effect, the state must first act to return authority to ban tobacco products to individual counties.
Current state law mandates that the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products and electronic smoking device are regulated solely at the state level.
5. Hawaii Island Police Dept. warns against illegal lumniaries
Monday morning, Ka‘u patrol officers responded to a report of three burned out sky lanterns found on a property on the 96-1000 block of Iliau Street in Pahala. The resident reported that one landed on a roof, another on a utility line and a third in the yard of another nearby property.
Following the discovery of the lanterns, Hawaii Island police issued a public reminder that “aerial luminaries are incredibly dangerous, as well as illegal.”
In the news release, the department stated that it appears that the lanterns were ignited and set afloat sometime over the weekend.
The possessing and igniting of aerial luminaries like the sky lanterns found in Pahala is prohibited by state law. Those found guilty may be imprisoned for up to a year or fined up to $1,000.
“Given Ka‘u’s history of wildfires and the current drought conditions currently affecting Ka‘u, and other parts of Hawaii Island, the use of aerial luminaries poses a significant fire risk to communities,” said Ka‘u Patrol Acting Captain Pernell Hanoa in the news release.
The Hawaii Police Department asks that anyone who witnesses someone using an aerial luminary call the department’s non-emergency number, 808-935-3311.
6. Trump attorney Jenna Ellis pleads guilty in Georgia election case
Jenna Ellis, an attorney and prominent conservative media figure, reached a deal with prosecutors Tuesday and pleaded guilty to reduced charges over efforts to overturn Donald Trump's 2020 election loss in Georgia.
Ellis, the fourth defendant in the case to enter into a plea deal, was a vocal part of Trump's reelection campaign in the last presidential cycle and was charged alongside the Republican former president and 17 others with violating the state's anti-racketeering law.
Ellis, 38, pleaded guilty to a count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings. She had been facing charges of violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and soliciting the violation of oath by a public officer.
In a statement read in court, Ellis admitted that she "failed" to do due diligence, saying she "relied on others including lawyers with many more years of experience," and claimed that she believes in election integrity.
"If I knew now what I knew then, I would not have represented Donald Trump in these post-election challenges," an emotional Ellis told the court, adding: "I now take responsibility before this court and apologize to the people of the State of Georgia."
7. Republicans nominate Mike Johnson for House speaker after Emmer's withdrawal, desperate to end chaos
House Republicans chose Rep. Mike Johnson as their latest nominee for House speaker, hours after an earlier pick, Rep. Tom Emmer, abruptly withdrew in the face of opposition from Donald Trump and hardline GOP lawmakers.
Johnson of Louisiana is member of House GOP leadership, a lawyer specializing in constitutional issues who had rallied Republicans around Trump's legal effort to overturn the 2020 election results.
Republicans are meeting late into the evening behind closed doors, desperate to find a way out of the chaos they created by ousting Kevin McCarthy at the start of the month.
Your Notes for Tomorrow
Wednesday, October 25
- President Biden hosts state visit for Australian PM
- 'Household Food Security in the United States' report released
- Senate Foreign Relations Committee Business Meeting
- House Financial Services subcommittee hearing on Hamas and sanctions abroad
- U.N. launches report on 'tipping points' for life-sustaining systems
- Fortune's Fastest-Growing Companies list published
- TIME celebrates this year's TIME100 Next rising star honorees
- Russian cosmonauts perform spacewalk from International Space Station
- 'Of Mice and Men' first-draft fragment torn up by John Steinbeck's dog goes to auction
- Court hearing for actor Jonathan Majors charged with misdemeanors, including assault, in an alleged domestic violence incident
- Hearing on 'Ensuring the Safety and Well-Being of Unaccompanied Children, Part II'
- Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee hearing on 'The Human Rights of Foster Children'
- What: Trick or Treat Lane
- Where: Kalakaua District Park | 720 McNeill St., Honolulu
- Details: The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation hosts trick-or-treating and costume contest in Kalihi, 6 p.m. Oct. 25. Call 808-768-6757 for info.
- What: Sheryl Renee Salutes …The Carpenters
- Where: ProArts Playhouse | Azeka Shopping Center, 1280 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei | 808-463-6550
- Details: Sheryl Renee Productions, Jazz Maui and ProArts Playhouse presents a one-woman tribute to the songs and lives of the world’s greatest music icons in the following 7 p.m. performances: Oct. 25, The Carpenters; Nov. 22, Marvin Gaye; Dec. 27, Barbra Streisand. A portion of the procceds will benefit wildfire relief efforts. Tickets.
- What: Family Night at the Museum
- Where: Imiloa Astronomy Center | 600 Imiloa Place, Hilo | 808-932-8901
- Details: You’re in for a bone-rattling experience as you learn about the structures that make up the framework of an organism’s skeleton or exoskeleton at this fun Halloween event, 3-8 p.m. Oct. 25-26. Also enjoy themed activities, crafts, balloon pets, a walk-through “glow” forest, and Toddler Town with special activities for the littlest keiki. Come in costume! Call the number above to pre-purchase tickets or visit Imiloa’s front desk.
- What: 5th Annual Poipu Food & Wine Festival
- Where: Kauai Community College | 3-1901 Kaumualii Hwy., Lihue
- Details: The Poipu Beach Foundation and Kauai Community College come together to present a three-day celebration of Kauai’s diverse culinary resources and talents while supporting the Culinary Arts Program at KCC, Oct. 25-27. The Kauai Culinary, a culinary demo by the students of the KCC Culinary Arts Program, cooking classes and the concluding paina gala are all part of the festival. Visit the event website for detailed info.
For more on these and other events, see this week's HI Out & About.
In Case You Missed It
ANA celebrates 25 years with the "Journey with Flying Honu" sweepstakes, a third Airbus A380 aircraft and adding a third daily flight between Japan and Hawaii. (Photo courtesy of All Nippon Airways)
All Nippon Airways celebrates 25 years connecting Japan and Hawaii
Serving travelers between Japan and Hawaii since 1998, All Nippon Airways celebrates 25 years in October while bringing a third Airbus A380 aircraft into service in response to the growing demand for flights to Hawaii.
The third Airbus offers 520 seats and is known as “Flying Honu” because of its exterior illustrations resembling the Hawaiian sea turtle. It arrived in Honolulu on Friday and returned to Narita, Tokyo, the same day.
Starting Dec. 6, ANA will increase daily flights between Tokyo and Honolulu from two to three — one to Haneda, Tokyo, and two to Narita, Tokyo. The addition increases seat capacity on the route to 18,004, a number that surpasses pre-COVID levels and equals 42 weekly flights.
To commemorate 25 years of service and the addition of the third “Flying Honu” Airbus, ANA introduces a special sweepstakes, “Journey with Flying Honu” that runs through Nov. 19. Entrants must be 18 years and older.