Hawaii Island schools, government offices to remain closed Tuesday as other counties reopen

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – All state and county offices, public schools, and court facilities on Hawaiʻi Island will remain closed on Tuesday as cleanup and recovery efforts continue in the wake of Hurricane Lala.

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Gov. Josh Green and Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda announced the extension of the closures during a press conference on Monday.

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Clean up and power restoration

Officials said keeping residents off the roads on Hawaiʻi Island is critical to allowing utility workers and road clearance crews to work without traffic obstructions.

“Our electrical utility company cannot really fix the power if there’s so much traffic,” Alameda said. “Being off the road really helps our road crew repair those roads as well.”

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More than 100,000 families statewide remained without power on Monday, though utility providers expect a significant portion of power to be restored through Monday night and into Tuesday.

Rest of state to reopen Tuesday

The rest of the state — including public schools, state and county offices, courts and judiciary facilities — in Honolulu, Maui, and Kauaʻi counties will reopen on Tuesday.

The Hawaii State Department of Education later announced specific campus closures and modifications for Hawaiʻi Island and Oʻahu due to lingering storm damage.

LIST: Hawaii Island, Oahu public school closures for Tuesday

Green added that public workers who must stay home to care for children because of the school closures will be accommodated with personal leave and will not face penalties.

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Watch the full press conference: