Kauai News

The Kauaʻi Fire Department is tackling a 3-acre brush fire between Hōkūʻalele Road and Kūhiō Highway with no injuries or damage reported.

No injuries or damages reported to structures were reported as of the last update late the night of Aug. 2. Substantial winds persisted in the area, so while firefighters were able to get the blaze under control, they were monitoring for any hot spots as of ll p.m. Aug. 2.

Det. Eric Caspillo solved a complex sexual assault case and Lt. Aaron Lester and Sgt. Colin Nesbitt worked on station renovations on their personal time to be named Employees of the Month for the Kauaʻi Police Department.

Lane closure schedules can change at any time without notice. All projects are weather permitting. Check to see if any of the planned closures will impact your commute during the next week.

Red flag warnings are a call to action, said Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Administrator James Barros, and the state has seen how just a single spark can have devastating — and deadly — consequences.

National Weather Service in Honolulu extends red flag warning for leeward and interior areas of Big Island through 6 p.m. Aug. 3.

Closure signs ae posted; pools anticipated to reopen Tuesday for their regular schedules.

Meanwhile, strong easterly trade winds of 15 to 30 mph and gusts up to 50 mph combined with relative humidity levels falling to between 35% and 45% during the afternoon will continue to produce critical fire weather conditions through today in leeward portions of both islands.

“We are honored to be recognized as having one of the top hotel restaurants in the country,” said Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i General Manager Michael Murphy. “This award is a testament to the dedication of our incredible restaurant team who work tirelessly to create a memorable dining experience for every guest.”

However, the service is NOT available at Kapa‘a transfer station since it remains closed through December, and it is only for residential use; businesses must bring metal materials to Puhi Metals Recycling Facility for a fee.

The Hā’ena Beach Park Siren Tower, one of 55 siren towers on the Garden Isle, is scheduled for testing on Friday after Tuesday’s tsunami warning.

61-year-old Joy Pigao of ʻEleʻele, a former board member and executive director for the Kaua’i nonprofit, received 90 days in jail plus 4 years probation, and was ordered to pay more than $34K in restitution to the nonprofit.

Last Thursday, the Kauaʻi Sea Scouts departed from Nāwiliwili Harbor for a cruise around the Garden Isle before a tsunami warning halfway through the journey made them change plans and go a mile offshore to wait out the waves safely.

Tsunami waves generated by distant earthquakes take hours to reach the Hawaiian Islands, giving people time to evacuate vulnerable areas. Local tsunami, however, do not need to travel far to reach our shores, leaving a much shorter time to respond.

Emergency waterline repair work that began Thursday morning continues and is expected to last another 1 to 2 hours, causing the alternating traffic flow.

Hawai‘i U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz launches online guide to learn more about how major changes to health care, food assistance and other services, as well as education and taxes, will affect thousands of island residents because of the new fedeal tax law.

Elton Ushio, administrator with the Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency, said while he thought the response went well, “real-world threats like yesterdayʻs Tsunami Warning always test our collective readiness and limits.”

Shipping company’s operations at ports in Hilo, Kawaihae on Big Island and Nāwiliwili on Kaua‘i are open again; barges from Honolulu arrived at Kawaihae and Nāwiliwili on July 29, but not all cargo was discharged and none was loaded back from either port.

“Our hotels’ ability to mobilize even before an official warning was issued, and their seamless coordination with state and county officials, truly highlights our unwavering commitment to the safety of our guests, employees and our communities,” said Hawai‘i Hotel Alliance President Jerry Gibson in a release.

Aimed at helping communities recover from major disasters more quickly, the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act was introduced and written by Hawai‘i Democrat U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and Maine Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.