HAWAI‘I ISLAND INSIDE COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing COVID-19 COUNT PORK RECIPE Available to eligible people. FOR A By appointment only. TOTAL CASES ACTIVE CASES NEW CASES DEATHS No walk-ins. WEEKNIGHT Check eligibility and Honey, sage enliven schedule an appointment. 3,368 114 15 55 a Greek skillet braise www.cvs.com State of Hawai‘i - Department of Health W FLAVORS, 8A TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2021 WESTHAWAIITODAY.COM 75¢ MAHUKONA PRESERVATION ADVANCES BY NANCY COOK LAUER WEST HAWAII TODAY COUNCIL RESOLUTION BEGINS PURCHASE PROCESS [email protected] 145 continues a process that’s by a Tampa, who sponsored the resolu- Natural Resources Preservation A plan to preserve 644 acres been going on for decades, Florida, limited tion, said the property could Commission last year. of Mahukona land of histor- when community groups came liability compa- be purchased with county pub- “It makes all the sense in the ical and cultural significance together to push for public pur- ny, according to lic access funds either outright, world,” Richards said. “We’re has taken a big step forward chase of the lands. The 11 par- county property or as conservation easements, definitely seeking way forward with the County Council’s unan- cels, zoned agriculture, conser- tax records. working with the Hawaii Land conversations with corporation imous approval of a resolution vation and hotel/resort, carry Kohala Trust. He noted the proper- counsel on how we’re going to authorizing sale negotiations. a combined market value of Councilman ty was the top priority of the The approval of Resolution $13.3 million and are owned Richards Tim Richards, Public Access, Open Space and SEE MAHUKONA PAGE 5A DESTINATION MANAGEMENT NEEDED Home sales soar on isle BY MICHAEL BRESTOVANSKY HAWAII TRIBUNE-HERALD Big Island homes are selling almost as soon as they hit the market as the real estate industry rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to multiple listing ser- vice data, 1,626 home sales have been made in the first half of this year — nearly 50% more than in the first half of 2020, and 500 more than the in the first half of 2019. With only one exception, every district on the island has had an increase in sales from last year, with Puna seeing a 47% increase from last year, and South Hilo a 36% increase. The exception was Hamakua, which had five fewer sales than last year, a decrease of 13%. The island’s median home sales price has also increased by 20%, or $79,000, from last year, and is nearly $100,000 higher than the median sales price by June 2019. The Puna median sales price is $280,000, a 25% increase from last year, while South Hilo’s dropped by 2% to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ranger Mequette Gallegos, right, shows visitors different trails Friday. Masks are $395,000. not required at the park unless social distancing measures can not be achieved. KELSEY WALLING/HAWAII TRIBUNE-HERALD In North Kona, sales increased by 57%, with median sales prices jump- ing 23% to $926,000. Ka‘u sales GOVERNOR IGE CALLS FOR SHIFT IN THE WAY TAT FUNDS ARE USED increased by 26%, and median prices BY STEPHANIE SALMONS airports and hotels to really focus in on high-attraction destinations “in a way that climbed 19% to $295,000. South Kohala sales rose by 39%, HAWAII TRIBUNE-HERALD getting the visitors we want, then we do can really reduce the stress of so many and its median sales price increased have just unfettered access to the state visitors.” Gov. David Ige on Monday said less by 26% to $783,000. of Hawaii,” he said during a livestream In response to a question from a lives- money should be spent on tourism Islandwide commercial real estate Monday. advertising and more should be focused tream viewer, Ige said he cannot con- sales increased by 125%, although Ige said visitors aren’t spending as on destination management. trol or limit the number of flights into the median commercial sales price much as those who came previously. Ige recently vetoed legislation that Hawaii’s airports. dropped by 23% to $560,000. Many are staying in illegal, but cheaper, would take away the counties’ share “Once an aircraft lands, we can imple- It is a very brisk seller’s market of the Transient Accommodations Tax vacation rentals. ment quarantine orders and things like on the island, said Lucena Nicolas, on hotel rooms and short-term rent- “And because of that, they’re in the that, but that’s the limit of my authority founder of Pineapple Homes in als, as well as funding for the Hawaii communities, they’re creating traffic prob- as governor.” Pahoa. Tourism Authority, but that veto was lems, they’re parking illegally. It really Ige has said previously that when “I put one house on the market, subsequently overridden by the state does create friction between visitors and the state reaches a fully vaccinated and within five days, it was already in Legislature and became law. residents that really is not sustainable.” rate of 70%, all of Hawaii’s COVID- escrow,” Nicolas said. “We definitely agree that we need to be Ige said TAT dollars should be invest- related emergency restrictions will be Julie Hugo, real estate agent with changing how we spend the dollars that ed differently. dropped, and the state’s Safe Travels Venture Sotheby’s International we use, and it may be necessary to reduce Less money should go into advertis- Program will end. Realty in Hilo, said demand for Big the marketing and advertising dollars, ing, but more dollars should be spent Although vaccination rates in Hawaii Island homes has far outstripped but we’ve seen over the last several weeks on managing parks and hiking trails, have slowed, Ige echoed state health the available inventory, so homes are that without someone guiding, without focusing on “getting the visitors that we someone working with destinations and want,” and working to permit access into SEE IGE PAGE 4A SEE HOMES PAGE 7A VIRUS DELAYS SENTENCING MAN IN POLICE OFFICER ASSAULT TO NOW LEARN FATE JULY 26 JUDGE CONTINUED learned the defendant hadn’t yet document here that contains all HEARING AFTER had a chance to review a pre-sen- sorts of information about you,” LEARNING DEFENDANT tencing report and consult with DeWeese said after asking Ke if his attorney. he’d read statements in the report HADN’T MET Kona Circuit Court Judge from the victim (Hawaii Police WITH COUNSEL Wendy DeWeese opted to con- Department) Officer Randall tinue the hearing two weeks after Hancock, his wife and his mother BY CHELSEA JENSEN hearing sentencing arguments WEST HAWAII TODAY about the March 16, 2019, inci- [email protected] from Deputy Public Defender dent on the shoreline fronting James Greenberg and Deputy Huggo’s Restaurant. “I think you A judge delayed sentencing Prosecuting Attorney Chase have the right to see it because Shannon Ke appeared via Zoom for his sentencing Monday for a 34-year-old Kona Murray, and defendant Shannon otherwise you are not on notice hearing Monday before Kona Circuit Court Judge Wendy man found guilty by a jury of K. Ke’s address to the court. of what things I’m considering in DeWeese. DeWeese continued the hearing after learning assaulting a law enforcement offi- “I’m uncomfortable sentencing Ke hadn’t reviewed a pre-sentence investigation report nor cer and resisting arrest after she you because I’m looking at a big SEE SENTENCING PAGE 5A consulted with his counsel. CHELSEA JENSEN/WEST HAWAII TODAY INDEX Annie’s Mailbox . 3B Classified . 5B Comics . 4B Flavors . .8A Opinion . .6A Sports . .1B HI 86 LO 74 WEATHER, PAGE 2A VOL. 53, NO. 194 16 PAGES WEST HAWAII TODAY | TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2021 HAWAII NEWS 5A Police respond IN BRIEF COVID-19 case count confirmed the death of a fully vac- administrator. cinated Oahu man, older than He called the response rates “fright- to break-in at increases by 15 80, who had multiple underlying eningly low.” Fifteen new COVID-19 cases health conditions. DOH spokesman Those who do not turn in their were reported Monday on the Big Brooks Baehr said the DOH report- paperwork on time will be noti- Holualoa Island, the third straight day Hawaii ed his death several weeks ago but fied that their SNAP benefits have County has reported new cases in the learned the man had been vacci- been terminated. While the person’s nated while conducting a follow-up double-digits. Electronic Benefit Transfer card investigation. On Saturday, the island reported will still work, no new funds will be Post Office 20 new cases and 12 on Sunday. According to Baehr, there have added. The person would have to Statewide, there were 114 new and been more than 100 deaths since reapply, and would likely see a gap in probable cases Saturday and anoth- the first people in Hawaii were fully USPS WORKING TO er 102 on Sunday. vaccinated in mid-January. More receiving the service. DETERMINE IF ANY “Over the weekend, we saw a bump than 99% have been unvaccinated up in cases again,” Gov. David Ige people. Additionally, about 98% of Maui median home price in MAIL WAS REMOVED said during a livestream Monday. individuals hospitalized recently have “Over 100 new cases a day over the been unvaccinated, he said. June was more than $1.1M BY WEST HAWAII TODAY STAFF last weekend, which looks like it’s WAILUKU — The highest medi- probably the result of the Fourth of an price for a single-family home in Big Island police are asking for the pub- State worries people July weekend.