Both sides play the blame game as virus relief talks stall
WASHINGTON — With talks on emergency coronavirus aid having stalled out, both sides played the blame game Thursday rather than make any serious moves to try to break their stalemate. Official Washington is emptying, national politics is consuming the airwaves and the chasm between the warring sides appears too great for now.
Trade group report: Gambling economy hit hard by coronavirus
LAS VEGAS — The coronavirus and efforts to fight it have hit U.S. casinos and legal gambling businesses hard, leading to a nearly 79% drop in commercial gambling revenue for the second quarter of 2020, the industry’s trade association reported Thursday.
Trump’s suggestion to eliminate payroll tax doesn’t add up
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s push to cut Social Security payroll taxes for the rest of the year — and even arguing for a permanent cut — would do little to bolster the coronavirus-battered economy in the short term and could destabilize long-term funding for benefits that millions of Americans depend on.
More US churches sue to challenge COVID-19 restrictions
Churches in California and Minnesota, backed by a conservative legal group, filed lawsuits this week against the governors of their states challenging restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak that they contend are violations of religious liberty.
Texas hospitalizations below 7,000 for first time in weeks
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas reported fewer than 7,000 hospitalized coronavirus patients for the first time in six weeks Thursday, but that encouraging sign was clouded by questions over testing as schools reopen and college football teams push ahead with playing this fall.
Officials: U.S. seizes Iranian oil heading for Venezuela
MIAMI — The Trump administration has seized the cargo of four tankers it was targeting for transporting Iranian fuel to Venezuela, U.S. officials said Thursday, as it steps up its campaign of maximum pressure against the two heavily sanctioned allies.
Trump’s EPA dumps methane emissions rule for oil, gas fields
HARRISBURG, Pa. — President Donald Trump’s administration is undoing Obama-era rules designed to limit potent greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas fields and pipelines, formalizing the changes Thursday in the heart of the nation’s most prolific natural gas reservoir and in the premier presidential battleground state of Pennsylvania.
Trump gives credence to false, racist Harris conspiracy
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday gave credence to a false and racist conspiracy about Kamala Harris’ eligibility to be president, fueling an online misinformation campaign that parallels the one he used to power his rise into politics.
Crews try to tame California wildfire as heat wave arrives
LOS ANGELES — Crews scrambled to protect homes from a huge wildfire that prompted evacuations north of Los Angeles and officials warned the blaze could flare up again Thursday as a blistering heat wave descended on California.
American considering cutting flights to many smaller cities
DALLAS — American Airlines is planning to drop flights to up to 30 smaller U.S. cities if a federal requirement to continue those flights expires at the end of next month, an airline executive familiar with the matter said Thursday.
Hawaii marks record 355 COVID-19 cases, including 86 at jail
HONOLULU — Hawaii reported a record 355 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, including 86 cases at the state’s largest jail.
Judge orders Oahu organized crime suspect held without bail
HONOLULU — A federal judge has ordered an Oahu businessman held without bail pending trial on multiple charges stemming from a lengthy organized crime ring investigation.
Ige defends virus response of health officials
HONOLULU — Hawaii’s governor has defended the performance of two of the state’s top heath officials overseeing the coronavirus response, saying they retain his support despite recent criticism from the lieutenant governor and others.
Learning life lessons
PUHI — The Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League (KPWFL) officials, players and families have been delivering boxes of fresh produce to kupuna for the past three months, said KPWFL official Arnold Cruz.
Four seals go back to Midway Atoll
KONA — Four Hawaiian monk seals were successfully released last Wednesday on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge after rehabilitation at Ke Kai Ola, The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Kailua-Kona that is dedicated to the endangered marine mammal.
Kaua‘i looking to limit outdoor gatherings
LIHU‘E — Monitoring the rapid community spread of the coronavirus on O‘ahu, yesterday, Mayor Derek Kawakami announced his intentions to limit casual, outdoor gatherings.
DOH cites four companies for air permit violations
LIHU‘E — The Hawai‘i Department of Health Clean Air Branch issued fines to four companies last week for violating air permit regulations, including one on Kaua‘i.
FTA funds to replace six in Kaua‘i Bus fleet
LIHU‘E — The County of Kaua‘i received $1.4 million in funds, as part of a Federal Transit Administration package of $9,596,669 to purchase new buses on Kaua‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i Island.
Johnson, Kikuchi siblings win Kaua‘i leg of state HSJGA Match Play
HONOLULU — Kade Kikuchi went up 4 and 3 over 20 holes with Niki Upson to win the Kaua‘i Boys 13-18 bracket during the Hawai‘i State Junior Golf Association (HSJGA) Match Play Tournament that benefitted the Hawai‘i Foodbank.
Obituaries for Thursday, August 13, 2020
• Reynaldo Rosale Palacio • Gladys Shizue Horner • Raymond W. Smith • Kevin Kapuniai Kaiakapu • Allan Beralas