Latest news with #Kauai
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
TikTok star Michael Armstrong reveals wife Emma had a stillbirth three weeks before due date: 'We are shattered'
TikTok star Michael Armstrong revealed the sad news that he and his wife Emma lost their baby. Emma delivered their child as a stillbirth 37 weeks into her pregnancy. 'It's been hard to find words for this, but it's with a heavy heart to share that our sweet baby has passed at 37 weeks,' Armstrong shared on Instagram on Saturday, June 14. Armstrong goes by Michael Love on social media while his wife is Fire Love. '3 weeks ago, my wife woke up and noticed there wasn't movement in her belly. She intuitively felt something was off. 'A couple hours later we got an ultrasound and the doctors found no heartbeat,' his Instagram caption read. 'We were shattered,' the influencer continued, noting his wife underwent a stillbirth and delivered their child after 37 hours in labor. The couple chose to wait until birth to find out their baby's gender. They had a boy they named Zen Diamond Armstrong. 'There was no sign of what went wrong. His ultrasound, body and placenta all looked good. As we've learned, sometimes this just happens, and 1/3 of the time no cause is ever discovered. 'I've been balancing the divine purpose of it all and the truth of deep grief,' he wrote. 'I know our souls wouldn't have chosen this experience if there wasn't a greater purpose, but the devastation is real. 'The love that's poured in has been a light in the darkness. Our friends here in Kauai have been delivering food and everything else to us,' he wrote alongside a photo of their baby's hand being held by one of his parents. 'Absolute angels. I've been able to devote my energy to taking care of Emma, who is navigating an unimaginable postpartum journey with such strength.' Michael then went on to praise his wife, writing, 'She carried our son with such grace and love, singing to him each night and morning in bed. Armstrong goes by Michael Love on social media while his wife is Fire Love 'Thank you for holding us in your hearts. Every message, every meal, every prayer, we feel it. It matters (even if we don't get to respond right away). 'We're taking it day by day, moment by moment, and letting love lead us through.' Emma also posted about her loss, detailing how many things she had been planning to do with her child. 'I must have spent hours every day just imagining all the things I would do with my baby and the mother I would get to be,' she shared. 'We were preparing for the happiest day our life and instead we got our worst.' 'This is not a share about some silver lining or Gods plan though I have felt the divinity and love like a breath for air that desperately gasp for while I drown,' she continued. 'This is me sharing my shock. For any human that has felt the ground ripped from underneath them. For any mother that has lost her baby. 'The shock, denial, confusion, longing, love and unbearable heartbreak of a loss like this all gets a seat at the table.' 'He is essence of peace and love. He is the rainbow light of our lives. He is an angel guiding us from beyond the veil,' Emma wrote. 'There are no words to convey the depth and grief of this loss. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and please know even if we don't respond that your messages mean so much to our tender hearts,' she concluded. Armstrong rose to fame on TikTok for his hypnosis masterclass and discussions about past lives. The lovebirds got married in April 2024 and called their story, 'the ultimate love story' as well as saying they were each other's 'soulmates.' In January 2025, Emma posted a video and captioned it, 'There's a miracle growing inside of my womb.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Elliot Ke named Interim Kaua‘i Police Chief
LĪHUʻE, Kauai (KHON2) — The Kaua'i Police Department marked a major leadership transition this week as longtime officer Elliott Kalani Ke officially stepped into the role of Interim Police Chief. Kauaʻi commission begins search for next Police Chief A Change of Command ceremony was held June 12 at the Kaua'i Veterans Center to recognize the change and reflect on the service of outgoing Chief Todd Raybuck. Raybuck, who has led the department since 2019, announced his departure after more than five years at the helm. During the ceremony, he shared gratitude for his time on the island and praised the department's progress during his tenure. 'Serving as Kaua'i's Police Chief has been the greatest honor of my professional career,' Chief Raybuck said. 'This community welcomed me with open arms and I will forever be grateful for the aloha, the lessons and the spirit of service shared by the men and women of KPD. I leave knowing the department is in good hands.'Representing Mayor Derek Kawakami at the ceremony was former KPD Chief Michael Contrades, who emphasized Raybuck's efforts in modernizing department operations, improving training and expanding community engagement. The event also introduced Interim Chief Elliott Ke, a Kaua'i native who has been with the department since 1999. Ke has worked his way through the ranks, holding multiple leadership roles including Assistant Chief and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. 'I am humbled and honored to take on this responsibility,' Chief Ke said. 'My priority is to continue to provide the highest level of service to our Kaua'i community and the island we call home.' Contrades added that Ke's rise from patrol officer to Interim Chief shows not only his experience but his deep-rooted connection to the island and its people. His leadership, officials say, will focus on continuing transparency, integrity and community-based policing. Check out more news from around Hawaii Although Mayor Kawakami could not attend, he issued a statement thanking Raybuck for his service and congratulating Ke on his appointment, offering full support from the County of Kaua'i. Chief Ke will lead the department while the county begins its formal search for a Police Chief. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
11-06-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Hawaii foster system in crisis: Kids still sleeping in offices, hotels
A toddler, age 2, spent the night in a government office on Kauaʻi. A 13-year-old slept on an Oʻahu office futon for almost two months. And a 15-year-old lived for more than three months out of offices and hotel rooms on Hawaiʻi island. For some Hawaiʻi foster youth, government offices and hotels are a home of last resort. What used to be a rare occurrence has become a trend that was first reported by Civil Beat two years ago. And it has persisted. In the last two years, more than two dozen children have slept in offices or hotels when families, guardians and the foster system were unable to meet their basic needs, according to the latest data from the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services. Though the numbers are small, they represent the extreme of a system struggling to serve young people experiencing complex mental health issues, behavioral challenges and developmental disabilities. For children to be sleeping in these conditions is just one symptom of a system in crisis, said Venus Kauʻiokawēkiu Rosete-Medeiros, president and CEO of Hale Kipa, a nonprofit youth shelter. 'To me, it represents a profound failure in our collective kuleana to protect and uplift our vulnerable children,' she said, using the Hawaiian word for responsibility. The state apparently agrees. Amid inquiries from Civil Beat, the newly installed director of DHS, Ryan Yamane, ordered the formation of an internal task force last week to explore solutions to the problem. 'We're going to be working together trying to figure out how we can best address this issue here in Hawaiʻi,' DHS Social Services Division Administrator Daisy Hartsfield said. The state data sheds light on the issue. One Big Island 17-year-old stayed overnight in state offices three different times, for spans ranging from two weeks to two months. When children sleep in offices or hotels, it sends them a message, said Carla Houser, executive director of RYSE, a youth shelter in Kailua. 'Kids are super smart, and they know that it's not a place meant for human habitation,' she said. 'And so if the system can't put me in someplace clean and safe, why do I trust you? Because I know I ain't supposed to be sleeping here.' Some Families 'Can't Handle' Troubled Youth Hawaiʻi tries to exhaust all other options before consigning a child to sleep in an office, according to Hartsfield. But she said there is a placement crisis — in Hawaiʻi and nationally – for foster youth, who are given up by their families or taken away from them for reasons including abuse, neglect or because their parents are put in jail or prison. Indeed, other states, including Kansas and Tennessee, have made headlines for housing kids in offices, and the practice triggered a state audit in Kentucky. The governor of Virginia signed child welfare reforms last month, noting that he was inspired to do so after learning that 100 of his state's foster children were sleeping in social services offices, the Virginia Mercury reported. This is happening as national forces are converging, Hartsfield said. For years, there has been a shift away from institutionalization of young people, with experts recommending placements in community settings — but there aren't enough community placements for kids, Hartsfield said. During and after the Covid-19 pandemic, some foster families stopped taking kids in, further reducing the number of potential placements for children in need. In Fiscal Year 2023, the monthly average stood at 843 foster homes for 1,225 foster youth, according to the state's human services annual report. More recent statistics were not publicly available and DHS did not respond to requests for updated figures. Making matters worse, the isolation and disruption of the pandemic triggered a national emergency in youth mental health. So even as the number of foster children in Hawaiʻi has steadily declined in recent years, Hartsfield said, they are exhibiting more severe behavioral issues. 'We get a whole lot more calls from grandma who's like, 'I can't handle him,'' Houser said. Some children lash out with disruptive behavior or even violence, but there is a lack of mental health facilities to treat them. At least half of the children who have stayed in office spaces have had run-ins with the juvenile justice system, according to Elladine Olevao, administrator of the Child Welfare Services branch of DHS. Many are known to skip school or run away, Olevao said, and some are suspected trafficking victims. 'We know the office is not the best place for them,' Olevao said. Sometimes even the emergency shelters can't take on a high-needs child. Hale Kipa has eight beds for boys and eight for girls at its ʻEwa Beach facility. But the provider has to make tough calls when faced with hosting a young person with especially demanding behavioral issues, Rosete-Medeiros said. Bringing in one particularly high-needs individual could mean that staff isn't able to safely supervise the others and would have to leave some beds empty, Rosete-Medeiros said. 'We can't keep them on,' she said. 'It becomes an unsafe environment in our shelters.' The nonprofit would welcome state funding to pay for staff that is specially trained to handle these cases, Rosete-Medeiros said, such as an on-site therapist. But there are no immediate plans for that. Hale Kipa has therapeutic foster homes with support for foster parents 24/7, she said. That program is funded through the Hawaiʻi Department of Health. Rosete-Medeiros suggested the Department of Human Services start up a similar program of its own so that the state's foster parents feel better equipped to take on tougher cases. How To Get Involved If you are interested in becoming a foster parent – what the state calls a resource caregiver – visit Some child advocates, including Houser and Rosete-Medeiros, argue the disparity between foster homes and foster youth is a sign that the state takes children away from their families too hastily. Both said more could be done to support families while keeping them together. But DHS officials said they already strive to keep families together. If paying the rent or covering the cost to fix a broken down car is the difference between a family staying together or children being taken, DHS can help out, Olevao said. 'There's a pathway to do that, and that's been excellent,' she said. 'It's been working really well.' No Quick Fixes After several high-profile deaths of former Hawaiʻi children, the state formed the Mālama ʻOhana working group to explore solutions. Following recommendations from the group, Gov. Josh Green's office proposed two reforms at the Legislature this year. House Bill 1079 aimed to boost training for child welfare staff, and Senate Bill 952 would've created a five-year pilot program meant to divert children from the child welfare system by better supporting families. Lawmakers didn't pass either one. Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, who chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, cited a lack of funding for the Senate bill's failure. Amid costs for the Maui wildfire settlement and major federal spending cuts, she said the Legislature's fiscal stewards wanted to preserve a cushion. At the same time though, she acknowledged the status quo isn't cheap. When children sleep in a government office or hotel, they are supervised by at least two adults who ensure they are safe, fed and make it to school on time, social services officials said. A DHS summary document shared with San Buenaventura shows overtime for one teenager's January stay cost $954 for one night. 'It gets pretty expensive,' San Buenaventura said. If Hawaiʻi wants to improve its child welfare system, Hartsfield said the state needs to fortify services that support families. 'There are no short term fixes for this,' she said. 'If we really want to address the problem, we've got to get to the root cause.' ___ This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LIST: USPS Hawaiʻi hiring events
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Interested in a job with the United States Postal Service? Visit one of the job fairs and open houses throughout Hawaiʻi. US Postal Service improving security at Windward Oahu branch Starting June 12, on Kauaʻi and Maui, USPS will host multiple open houses and hiring events. Get a chance to meet with local postmasters and supervisors, who will provide information about the Assistant Rural Carrier and Rural Carrier Associate positions currently available and help candidates apply onsite. They are also hiring for those positions in locations throughout Hawaiʻi. View the full list of events here: Open House When: Thursday, June 12, 2025, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Where: Kahului Post Office, 105 Aalele Kahului, HI Lihue Night Market When: Saturday, June 14, 2025, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Where: Lihue Night Market (outdoor event), Kress Street, Lihue, HI Open House When: Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Where: Lihue Carrier Annex, 3230 Kapule Hwy, Lihue, HI Hiring Event When: Thursday, June 26, 2025, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Where: Pukalani Post Office, 55 Pukalani St. (Pukalani Shopping Center), Makawao, HIFor more information and to apply online, visit the USPS website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Vog to move up island chain due to E/SE winds
HONOLULU (KHON2) – A rather stable, light to moderate trade wind flow remains in place this afternoon. A surface trough lies between Hawaii and somewhat strong high pressure farther north, causing the local pressure gradient and resulting trade winds to weaker than usual, and a mid-level ridge sitting over the islands is maintaining stable conditions with an inversion based near 7,000 ft. A narrow slot of reduced moisture is producing minimal rainfall along windward areas this afternoon, and aside from scattered showers over the Kona slopes of the Big Island and Ulupalakua area of Upcountry Maui, leeward areas are dry. Shower activity over leeward Maui will dissipate quickly around sundown and will diminish overnight on the Big Island. Shower activity over windward areas will remain light, with the exception of a possible uptick near Kauai and Oahu near sunrise. Subtle changes are expected Monday and Tuesday. A surface trough will develop roughly 600 miles northwest of Kauai and cause local trade winds to veer out of the east to east-southeast, possibly causing afternoon leeward sea breezes to be more extensive on Kauai and Oahu. The inversion will weaken over these islands as well, suggesting higher chances for afternoon showers over leeward terrain. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
