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Baldwin High Student Services Coordinator Janina Amaral goes over a health check with senior Lala Nardi before classes Thursday, while clerk Carole Satoshige takes Jerren Manarpaacâs temperature. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos
WAILUKU Baldwin High School Principal Keoni Wilhelm was “flying high” Thursday as he welcomed more of the school’s senior class back to campus, including some who have not attended since last year.
“I’m flying high, especially with our seniors,” Wilhelm said shortly after the school day began Thursday. “Although the atmosphere is calm because there’s not as many students on our campus, there is this excitement that I’m feeling and I can definitely feel the excitement being reciprocated back to me even though we can’t hug, we can’t do those things we normally do, I feel the connection is going both ways between myself and the students.”
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dgrossman@mauinews.com
Maui County Deputy Director Josiah Nishita (clockwise from top), Maui County Council Member Kelly King and Lt. Gov. Josh Green appear during a virtual town hall meeting hosted by King on Tuesday night to answer questions about the state’s current vaccine distribution efforts, health and safety protocols and COVID-19 cases counts. The Maui News / DAKOTA GROSSMAN photo
Lt. Gov. Josh Green estimated that there are about 10,000 to 12,000 undercounted doses in Maui County, which ranks last in the state in the percentage of the population vaccinated.
In Maui County, 9.1 percent of the total population has received at least one dose of the vaccine so far, according to state Department of Health data as of Wednesday. Kauai County had the highest percentage of residents vaccinated with 18 percent, followed by Honolulu County at 14.6 percent and Hawaii County at 12.7 percent.
A public meeting to get input on the planning and preliminary program development of two Central Maui projects will be held on Zoom from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Feb.
kcerizo@mauinews.com
Mahi Ponoâs fields in Central Maui. Multiple crops are being grown on lands formerly used for sugar cane. â The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
PUUNENE Wind. Drought. Pests. Farming in Central Maui already holds a unique set of challenges. Add a global pandemic and agriculture operations are tested in a whole new way.
So Mahi Pono, the largest agriculture company on Maui, has made key changes to its operations in light of coronavirus.
The pandemic affected everything from shipping costs a 46 percent increase in Young Brothers rates took effect last year to in-field work that needed COVID-19 safety protocols. Restaurants and hotels major markets for local produce closed, causing the company to look at the type and scale of its crops.