News Releases

HONOLULU — When COVID-19 and social distancing guidance required healthcare providers to rethink the way they delivered care, larger healthcare organizations were able to rapidly pivot to telehealth and keep pace with the rest of the nation. But Hawai‘i’s community health centers—federally qualified health centers—needed assistance in getting up to speed to serve the state’s most vulnerable populations. Patients who receive care at these centers pay for their care on a sliding scale discount, depending upon their household incomes. With a combined total of $670,000 from the Hawai‘i State Legislature and federal telehealth grant awards, the Hawai‘i Department of Health [...]

Visitor Also Arrested Last Week HONOLULU – A student attending college in Hawai‘i was arrested this morning by Special Agents from the Investigation Division of the Dept. of the Attorney General. 21-year-old Venasio Vaipulu was reported by a witness. The witness told the special agents that on May 18, Vaipulu returned from spring break aware that he was under the State’s current 14-day mandatory traveler quarantine. The witness reports Vaipulu left his designated quarantine location nearly daily. Investigators went to the address looking for Vaipulu to learn that he had moved without informing the state of his new residence. [...]

HONOLULU – Beaches in the Waimanalo area were more empty today than usual on the first full day of Governor Ige’s emergency rules that has closed all beaches under State of Hawai‘i jurisdiction, other than to cross them to get to the ocean for exercise. On one stretch of sand, two fishermen were casting at the shoreline, more than the social distancing recommendation of at least six feet apart. A short distance away a couple lounged in beach chairs. The fishermen were within the rules set out by the Governor’s Fifth Supplementary Proclamation yesterday, but the beach loungers were [...]

One Faces Additional Charge of Animal Cruelty HONOLULU – Social media postings again helped lead to the arrests of two men, on Friday afternoon, accused of violating the State’s 14-day mandatory traveler quarantine rules. Special Agents from the Investigation Division of the Department of the Attorney General arrested 20-year-old Artyon Zhiryada of Happy Valley, OR and 19-year-old Dan Vlasenko of Vancouver, WA as they were leaving a condominium on Lewers Street in Waikiki. In addition to facing quarantine violation charges, Zhiryada faces an additional charge of Cruelty to Animals. Agents say he posted a video, among others, showing him [...]

Have Fun Safely HONOLULU – This Memorial Day weekend is bound to bring thousands of Hawai‘i residents and visitors, who’ve first cleared their 14-day traveler quarantines, to our state’s beaches, parks, trails, and other outside spaces. Health officials and state leaders are encouraging continued social distancing, wearing of masks while around others or inside businesses, and frequent hand washing, as necessary for keeping the COVID-19 case count low or at zero. Yesterday, at Maunalua Bay, a large group of teenagers tied numerous boats together and had a miniature flotilla. Not only were they clearly not socially distancing, they were [...]

HONOLULU – A 51-year old woman from Moorpark, CA was arrested this morning by a team of Special Agents from the Investigations Division of the Department of the Attorney General for violating the State’s 14-day travel quarantine. Investigators say Misty Lynn Beutler arrived in Honolulu on May 9 to stay with her son at a Hawai‘i Kai condominium. A resident of the complex reported seeing the woman and her son unloading luggage that day. Two days later, the same witness reported seeing the pair enter the condo lobby carrying beach equipment. Then on Wednesday, the witness said she saw [...]

HONOLULU -- In-state COVID-19 testing capabilities have been a top concern throughout the pandemic, but an assessment of statewide testing capacity this week shows there are ample supplies of tests that can be conducted in Hawai‘i. It means Hawai‘i residents can breathe a sigh of relief. Healthcare providers can now consider testing patients whom they suspect may be infected to ensure rapid identification of cases. This is a shift in the Hawai‘i Department of Health’s earlier guidance that required specific symptoms and epidemiological criteria before testing. In the past three weeks, the number of sites conducting tests has increased [...]

HONOLULU – Wednesday afternoon, Special Agents from the Investigation Division of the Dept. of the Attorney General arrested an 18-year-old woman on charges of violating the State’s mandatory 14-day-quarantine rule and for unsworn falsification to authority. Alyza Alder, of Gilbert, AZ, was taken into custody at a fast food restaurant in Laie, after a citizen notified authorities that she was allegedly in violation of emergency rules. The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority assisted law enforcement on this case. Alder arrived on O‘ahu on May 6 and allegedly began posting photos of herself swimming off beaches in Lāʻie and Hau‘ula between May [...]

HONOLULU - The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Food Safety Branch has issued a Cease and Desist Order to Ahmad Ramadan dba Malama Meals located at 91-100 Farrington Highway. The operation was preparing and providing meals on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, and Molokai. “The operation had multiple food safety issues as it prepared and packaged hot meals on O‘ahu and shipped them to the neighbor islands without proper temperature controls,” said Peter Oshiro, chief of the DOH Food Safety Branch. “Without proper controls, the risk of an outbreak of food illness is high and could have a devastating impact especially on [...]

Man Stopped Before Boarding Departing Flight HONOLULU – Social media postings and citizen tips again resulted in the arrest of visitor for violation of Hawai‘i’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine rule for all incoming visitors and returning residents. Abdulla Aliyev (aka Turgut Aliev), a citizen of Azerbaijan, who lives in Reseda, CA was arrested early Saturday afternoon at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, one hour before he was scheduled to catch a flight to Los Angeles. At 11:30 a.m. he allegedly blogged that he was at the airport and was leaving in a few hours.  He is charged with violating [...]