(Honolulu) – Two, 21-year-old men from Honolulu were cited late yesterday for entering a closed area – Diamond Head State Monument.  The individuals were escorted out of the park by officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) through the park’s main entrance.

(Kailua) – With three successive “fire-in-the-hole” warnings, LT Jordan Bethke of the U.S. Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team (Detachment Mid-Pacific) set off C-4 explosives attached to two potential Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) off Lanikai Beach this afternoon.

(Honolulu) – For more than 20 years, the sight of monk seal R5AY, known as Honey Girl, delighted hundreds of people, as she rested on and gave birth to at least a dozen pups on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i beaches. Yesterday NOAA fisheries received notification that she was found dead on a windward O‘ahu beach.

(Kahului) – While their award trips are being delayed because of the COVID-19 crisis, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is announcing the winners of an essay-writing contest for high school students on this 50th anniversary of Earth Day. 

(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.

(Honolulu) – Governor David Ige today, issued a Fifth Supplementary Proclamation to his Emergency Rules. This one includes limitations on activities outside homes or places of residence and closes all beaches in Hawai‘i.

(Honolulu)  – Winners of the 2020-2021 Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation and Game Bird Stamp Art Contest were announced this week by the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW). DOFAW would like to thank all the wildlife artists that submitted entries for this year’s contest.

 (Honolulu) – “Blatant disrespect,” by some people over the Easter Weekend three-day holiday has led to the immediate closing of all Hawai‘i Offshore Islets, which are all State Wildlife Sanctuaries. This includes the popular Mokulua Islets off of Kailua and Lanikai beaches.  In addition, the Ahu o Laka (Kaneohe sandbar), is also closing immediately.

(Honolulu) – Over the past few weeks, on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i Island, officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) have cited 34 people for violations of State Parks rules, self-quarantine and and the governor’s stay-at-home orders, associated with the COVID-19 crisis.

(Honolulu) – Last Wednesday all DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) restrooms statewide at state small boat harbors (SBH) and boat ramps reopened to observe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for ensuring availability of toilets and hand washing facilities for people experiencing homelessness during this COVID-19 emergency.