Police: Man admitted to killing
The wife of a 60-year-old Puna man charged with murdering a neighbor in December of last year told police her husband admitted to her in late March he had shot and killed the man, according to court documents filed by police.
Guilty on all counts: Jury renders verdict in 2019 South Kohala sex assault
A 21-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting an elderly woman in 2019 at a South Kohala campground was found guilty Wednesday on all counts filed in the case.
Biden pledges ‘whatever it takes’ to assist tornado victims
DAWSON SPRINGS, Ky. — President Joe Biden on Wednesday pledged to do “whatever it takes, as long as it takes” to help Kentucky and other states after a series of deadly tornadoes that he said left a trail of unimaginable devastation. “You will recover and rebuild,” he said.
National and world news at a glance
Chauvin pleads guilty to violating George Floyd’s rights
Honolulu becomes latest Hawaii county to adopt hotel tax
HONOLULU — Honolulu has become the latest Hawaii county to adopt its own hotel tax after Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed legislation adding a 3% surcharge to the state’s levy on short-term rentals.
Federal report details fatal Kauai helicopter crash in 2019
HONOLULU — The National Transportation Safety Board released an investigation report Wednesday on a fatal Kauai tour helicopter crash that killed seven people.
Seattle-based Planned Parenthood affiliate ousts CEO
SEATTLE — The CEO of a Seattle-based affiliate of Planned Parenthood has been removed from her position after controversy following a donor’s use of a racist term in a meeting.
US faces a double coronavirus surge as omicron advances
The new omicron coronavirus mutant speeding around the world may bring another wave of chaos, threatening to further stretch hospital workers already struggling with a surge of delta cases and upend holiday plans for the second year in a row.
Health worker vaccine mandate blocked in half the states
NEW ORLEANS — A federal appeals court panel on Wednesday lifted a nationwide ban against President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for health care workers, instead blocking the requirement in only certain states and creating the potential for patchwork enforcement across the country.
Editorial: What we spend: The Defense Authorization Act, ‘Build Back Better’ and American priorities
It’s not often that the end of something means you spend even more money on it, but U.S. defense spending has long defied most rational parameters. With the United States formally out of wars for the first time in about two decades, the Pentagon’s budget increased 5% over last year to a staggering $768 billion in the annual National Defense Authorization Act alone, with an additional $10 billion in non-NDAA defense spending. The package was passed by the House and is expected to pass the Senate.
Editorial: Require vaccination for US air travel
The United States is closing in on a heartbreaking COVID-19 milestone. Nearly 800,000 American lives have been lost in the pandemic.
Jonathan Bernstein: Nunes’ retirement says a lot about Congress
Rep. Devin Nunes announced last week that he’s resigning at the end of the month to go to work for former President Donald Trump. In a way, the decision isn’t surprising. But it does tell us a fair amount about the House, the Republican Party and, perhaps, Trump himself.
Island Life: Mellow yellow
A yellow plumeria in bloom at Paleaku Gardens in South Kona.
Jaguars fire Urban Meyer after 13 games, countless missteps
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Urban Meyer’s tumultuous NFL tenure ended after just 13 games — and two victories — when the Jacksonville Jaguars fired him early Thursday because of an accumulation of missteps.
Amid signing day chaos, SEC powers grab top recruits
Through all the changes to the college sports landscape with money-making opportunities for athletes and open transfers, one thing remains the same.
Chicago Blackhawks reach a settlement with Kyle Beach in the former prospect’s negligence lawsuit over an alleged sexual assault in 2010
The Chicago Blackhawks and former prospect Kyle Beach have agreed to a settlement in his negligence lawsuit against the team, the parties said Wednesday night.
Las Vegas adds NFL jewel with Super Bowl to cap 2023 season
IRVING, Texas — Las Vegas is adding the NFL’s crown jewel with the Super Bowl coming to cap the 2023 season.
AP source: NBA, players’ union may return to daily testing
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are in the process of enhancing their health and safety protocols in response to rising coronavirus numbers around the league, said a person familiar with the negotiations.
Reaves hits 3-pointer at OT buzzer, Lakers beat Mavs 107-104
DALLAS — Rookie Austin Reaves hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer in overtime and give the Los Angeles Lakers a 107-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.
Hawaii Island Visitor Industry Charity Walk raises $282K
Editor’s note: Each Wednesday, West Hawaii Today is publishing a story about individuals, groups or organizations that have helped make life better for others in our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Closing remarks heard in sex assault case; deliberations begin
The fate of a 21-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting an elderly woman in 2019 at a South Kohala campground is in the hands of the seven-woman, five-man jury.
Obituaries: December 15, 2021
Editor’s note: Obituaries are published free of charge as a public service. Content is subject to editing for parity treatment and style continuity. Date of publication cannot be guaranteed. Any questions regarding obituaries should be directed to the mortuary or via email to obituaries@westhawaiitoday.com. Memorial advertisements may be purchased through the newspaper advertising department.
Defense secretary monitoring Navy fuel spill
HONOLULU — U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he is monitoring the Navy’s handling of jet fuel contamination in its Pearl Harbor drinking water system.
Waikoloa man indicted for sex assault of child, 6
A Big Island grand jury has indicted a Waikoloa man on two sexual assault charges for alleged crimes against a 6-year-old child.
More learned about massive black hole in Milky Way
Astronomers using an observatory on Maunakea have determined that the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy is, more or less, about as massive as they had previously thought.
