Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang wants to give cash to every American each month. Susie Garza has never heard of Yang. But since February, she’s been getting $500 a month from a nonprofit in Stockton, California, as part of an experiment that offers something unusual in presidential politics: a trial run of a campaign promise, highlighting the benefits and challenges in real time. Garza can spend the money however she wants. She uses $150 of it to pay for her cellphone and another $100 or so to pay off her dog’s veterinarian bills. She spends the rest on her two grandsons now...…Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang wants to give cash to every American each month. Susie Garza has never heard of Yang. But since February, she’s been getting $500 a month from a nonprofit in Stockton, California, as part of an experiment that offers something unusual in presidential politics: a trial run of a campaign promise, highlighting the benefits and challenges in real time. Garza can spend the money however she wants. She uses $150 of it to pay for her cellphone and another $100 or so to pay off her dog’s veterinarian bills. She spends the rest on her two grandsons now...WW…

|Out-of-state travel demand for Hawaii is building as the nation and other countries begin reopening.Hawaii visitor industry members say there’s still time to recapture part of Hawaii’s peak summer travel season if Gov. David Ige makes a definitive announcement soon that he’s willing to ease restrictions in August for travelers with negative tests.But that’s a big if.The window for Hawaii to get a piece of the summer action is narrowing as other major destinations, including Mexico and the Caribbean, reopen. Even cautious destinations like Alaska and Tahiti have begun to lap Hawaii by...…|Out-of-state travel demand for Hawaii is building as the nation and other countries begin reopening.Hawaii visitor industry members say there’s still time to recapture part of Hawaii’s peak summer travel season if Gov. David Ige makes a definitive announcement soon that he’s willing to ease restrictions in August for travelers with negative tests.But that’s a big if.The window for Hawaii to get a piece of the summer action is narrowing as other major destinations, including Mexico and the Caribbean, reopen. Even cautious destinations like Alaska and Tahiti have begun to lap Hawaii by...WW…

The count of daily trans-Pacific visitors rose to its highest level since the first day that Hawaii’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine was implemented for all arriving passengers.The Hawaii Tourism Authority reported today that 691 trans-Pacific passengers arrived on Monday, including 164 visitors and 205 residents. The count also included 144 airline crew members, 130 transit passengers and 48 intended new residents for Oahu.Monday’s count was one of the highest daily visitor counts since March 26, when 239 visitors came.It was 80% higher than Sunday when 91 visitors came to Hawaii.Visitor...…The count of daily trans-Pacific visitors rose to its highest level since the first day that Hawaii’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine was implemented for all arriving passengers.The Hawaii Tourism Authority reported today that 691 trans-Pacific passengers arrived on Monday, including 164 visitors and 205 residents. The count also included 144 airline crew members, 130 transit passengers and 48 intended new residents for Oahu.Monday’s count was one of the highest daily visitor counts since March 26, when 239 visitors came.It was 80% higher than Sunday when 91 visitors came to Hawaii.Visitor...WW…

|Gov. David Ige’s announcement last week that Hawaii will launch a pre-arrival testing program Oct. 15 kicked off the start of a fall tourism reopening for Hawaii.There are those Hawaii residents and business leaders who are still questioning the need, workability and usefulness of Ige’s plan, which has been pushed back three times. Given the delays, some critics are wondering why the state didn’t roll out a fully developed playbook for executing the plan in conjunction with Wednesday’s announcement.The reopening is just 23 days away, and many details of the plan are yet to be worked...…|Gov. David Ige’s announcement last week that Hawaii will launch a pre-arrival testing program Oct. 15 kicked off the start of a fall tourism reopening for Hawaii.There are those Hawaii residents and business leaders who are still questioning the need, workability and usefulness of Ige’s plan, which has been pushed back three times. Given the delays, some critics are wondering why the state didn’t roll out a fully developed playbook for executing the plan in conjunction with Wednesday’s announcement.The reopening is just 23 days away, and many details of the plan are yet to be worked...WW…

|Hawaii’s first Olive Garden is scheduled to open Thursday, just as plans for a second location in Kapolei have been announced.A new staff of 99 has been trained and the restaurant space — the former Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. at Ala Moana Center — has been completely renovated, General Manager Mark Taylor said.A preview dinner Tuesday night uncovered a few “bugs,” Taylor said, but he is confident they will be worked out. More run-throughs are set for tonight and lunchtime Thursday, leading to a public opening at 5 p.m.“Hopefully, tomorrow at 5 will be the beginning of the Olive Garden in...…|Hawaii’s first Olive Garden is scheduled to open Thursday, just as plans for a second location in Kapolei have been announced.A new staff of 99 has been trained and the restaurant space — the former Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. at Ala Moana Center — has been completely renovated, General Manager Mark Taylor said.A preview dinner Tuesday night uncovered a few “bugs,” Taylor said, but he is confident they will be worked out. More run-throughs are set for tonight and lunchtime Thursday, leading to a public opening at 5 p.m.“Hopefully, tomorrow at 5 will be the beginning of the Olive Garden in...WW…

Hawaii appears headed toward establishing an exemption from travel testing and quarantine rules for fully vaccinated trans-Pacific passengers.The new exemption is mentioned in Ige’s latest emergency proclamation, issued today. Although not currently available, the exemption will go into effect once established by the director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, with details to be announced later.To qualify for the exemption, arriving passengers will have to upload to the state’s Safe Travels program or otherwise provide validation they have completed a vaccine regimen approved by the...…Hawaii appears headed toward establishing an exemption from travel testing and quarantine rules for fully vaccinated trans-Pacific passengers.The new exemption is mentioned in Ige’s latest emergency proclamation, issued today. Although not currently available, the exemption will go into effect once established by the director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, with details to be announced later.To qualify for the exemption, arriving passengers will have to upload to the state’s Safe Travels program or otherwise provide validation they have completed a vaccine regimen approved by the...WW…

|We must defeat COVID in Hawaii, and we must do it now.For the sake of our vulnerable kupuna who face its lethal threat, for our loved ones with underlying health conditions who may not know they are at risk, for our patients with other medical emergencies who will need life-saving beds in our hospitals, for Hawaii’s children who need the education and socialization our schools provide, and for the economic health of our state, we have no choice — we must stop the spread of coronavirus now.For five months this year from February through June, Hawaii’s COVID response was seen as a success...…|We must defeat COVID in Hawaii, and we must do it now.For the sake of our vulnerable kupuna who face its lethal threat, for our loved ones with underlying health conditions who may not know they are at risk, for our patients with other medical emergencies who will need life-saving beds in our hospitals, for Hawaii’s children who need the education and socialization our schools provide, and for the economic health of our state, we have no choice — we must stop the spread of coronavirus now.For five months this year from February through June, Hawaii’s COVID response was seen as a success...WW…

LAS VEGAS >> While Nevada’s governor joined other U.S. officials invoking extraordinary measures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the mayor of Las Vegas is pushing back against a shutdown of the casinos that power the city and the state economy.Governors in California, New York and Illinois have ordered millions of people to stay in their homes except for essentials and exercise, while Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and other leaders around the country have told restaurants and other businesses to shut down.Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman became an outspoken outlier by declaring that her...…LAS VEGAS >> While Nevada’s governor joined other U.S. officials invoking extraordinary measures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the mayor of Las Vegas is pushing back against a shutdown of the casinos that power the city and the state economy.Governors in California, New York and Illinois have ordered millions of people to stay in their homes except for essentials and exercise, while Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and other leaders around the country have told restaurants and other businesses to shut down.Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman became an outspoken outlier by declaring that her...WW…

UPDATE: Tuesday, 4:25 p.m.Whole Foods officials said this afternoon that the Kailua store employee who was presumed to have the coronavirus has actually tested negative for .A spokeswoman for the Austin, Texas, based retailer told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in an e-mail today that the worker “has received test results that are, in fact, negative for the virus.”“We are very happy for our fellow team member, and we will continue to be diligent in our cleaning, sanitizing and our social-distancing measures to ensure the safety of our team members and customers,” company officials said.On...…UPDATE: Tuesday, 4:25 p.m.Whole Foods officials said this afternoon that the Kailua store employee who was presumed to have the coronavirus has actually tested negative for .A spokeswoman for the Austin, Texas, based retailer told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in an e-mail today that the worker “has received test results that are, in fact, negative for the virus.”“We are very happy for our fellow team member, and we will continue to be diligent in our cleaning, sanitizing and our social-distancing measures to ensure the safety of our team members and customers,” company officials said.On...WW…

|A resident captured a 4-foot-long ball python snake while hunting in Windward Oahu, and turned it in Tuesday to the Hawaiian Humane Society.The non-venomous snake, discovered in a forested area of Kahaluu, weighs 3 pounds. These constrictors subdue and kill birds and small mammals by coiling themselves around their prey and suffocating them.It was immediately turned over by the humane society to the state Department of Agriculture’s plant quarantine inspectors.It is being held at the Plant Quarantine Branch, the Agriculture Department said in a news release. It added that it is unknown how...…|A resident captured a 4-foot-long ball python snake while hunting in Windward Oahu, and turned it in Tuesday to the Hawaiian Humane Society.The non-venomous snake, discovered in a forested area of Kahaluu, weighs 3 pounds. These constrictors subdue and kill birds and small mammals by coiling themselves around their prey and suffocating them.It was immediately turned over by the humane society to the state Department of Agriculture’s plant quarantine inspectors.It is being held at the Plant Quarantine Branch, the Agriculture Department said in a news release. It added that it is unknown how...WW…