The National Weather Service informed the City and the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Sunday morning that flooding and severe weather from a Kona Low system could begin impacting O‘ahu this evening with effects continuing through Tuesday. There is potential for O‘ahu to experience a catastrophic rain event during this period with intense rain bands. Deep tropical moisture could produce widespread 10 to 15 inches of rain with isolated areas of... Read More

The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) received results of two sets of samples collected from the Navy water system in the last 10 days. On November 24, prior to reports from the public of fuel-like odors in tap water, DOH collected two drinking water samples from the Red Hill water supply shaft. These samples were collected as a part of routine testing, one before water passed through the chlorination system and... Read More

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today granted Emergency Use Authorization for Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccination. With the FDA authorization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will soon issue recommendations on who should receive the vaccine and how it should be distributed.   “Today’s announcement validates the FDA’s findings that this vaccine is safe and effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death,”... Read More

It's not surprising that an elderly patient and eTurboNews staff member with diabetes was prevented from wearing her KN95 mask at a Diagnostic Laboratory Services medical office in Honolulu today and given a lower grade surgical mask instead. The reasoning: holes in the KN95 mask. Healthcare workers are also put in harm's way. Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. in Honolulu is allowing healthcare staff to wear cloth masks or surgical masks, knowing... Read More

Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced his selection today for Chief of Staff. Sam Moku will step into his new role with the City beginning February 1. Moku leaves his post as the Executive Director of Athletics and Community Relations at Hawai‘i Pacific University (HPU) where in addition to his role leading the Athletics Department, he oversaw HPU’s government and community relations.  “Sam brings with him a wealth of knowledge in local government... Read More

The New Years' news is not too good with 241 new Corona Virus cases in the State of Hawaii, bringing the totals since the start of the pandemic to 289 fatalities and 21,638 cases. The state’s official coronavirus-related death toll includes 224 fatalities on Oahu, 45 on Hawaii island, 17 on Maui, one on Kauai, and two Hawaii residents who died on the mainland. The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said... Read More