2021 in Hawaii

← 2020 2019 2018 2021 in Hawaii → 2022 2023 2024
Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	History of Hawaii Historical outline of Hawaii List of years in Hawaii 2021 in the United States

The following is a list of events of the year 2021 in Hawaii.

Incumbents

• Governor: David Ige (D) ^[1]
• Lieutenant Governor: Josh Green (D) ^[2]

Events

Ongoing – COVID-19 pandemic in Hawaii

• January 31 – Shirlene Ostrov resigns as chairwoman of the Hawaii Republican Party following a series of tweets posted by vice chairman Edwin Boyette on the party's Twitter account defending people who supported the QAnon conspiracy theory. Additionally, Boyette resigned on January 24 after the tweets were posted the day before. ^[3]
• March 8 – Hawaii reports their first case of the COVID-19 501.V2 variant that originated in South Africa in a person from Oahu with no known travel history. ^[4]
• May 13 – Governor David Ige says that the state will keep its mask mandate despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying that fully vaccinated Americans can go to places without wearing a mask. ^[5]
• June 14 – Hawaii reports their first case of the Lineage B.1.617 Delta variant in an Oahu resident who traveled to Nevada. ^[6]
• July 2 – Transair Flight 810 experienced an engine failure shortly after takeoff from Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and attempted to return to the airport but was unable to maintain altitude and ditched into the ocean approximately 2 miles off the coast around 1:30 a.m. ^[7]
• September 8 – The Alohilani Resort in Honolulu will require COVID-19 vaccinations for workers, becoming the first resort hotel in Hawaii to do so. The mandate will take effect on October 15.
• October 23 – Scientists at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa announce the discovery of 2M0437b, one of the youngest exoplanets ever found at a distant star. The exoplanet was discovered using the Subaru Telescope at the observatory on Mauna Kea. ^[8]
• November 29 – Red Hill water crisis: The Hawaii Department of Health issues an advisory to stop using water from a U.S. Navy-operated water system that serves Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam and adjacent areas due to petroleum contamination. ^{[9] [10]}

Deaths

• January 26 – Billy Kenoi, 52, American politician, mayor of Hawaii County (2008–2016) ^[11]
• February 4 – William Bains-Jordan, 104, American politician, member of the Hawaii House of Representatives (1959–1962) ^[12]
• February 20 – Dean Ho, 88, American professional wrestler (WWWF, PNW, NWA Hawaii), complications from chronic traumatic encephalopathy ^[13]
• July 3 – Haunani-Kay Trask, 71, American Hawaiian nationalist and author ^[14]
• July 12 – Bob Nakata, 80, American politician, member of the Hawaii House of Representatives (1983–1987) and Senate (1999–2003) ^[15]

References

1. "David Ige". National Governors Association. December 2, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
2. "Josh Green". National Governors Association. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
3. "Hawaii GOP chair resigns after party tweets about QAnon". AP NEWS. April 20, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
4. "Virus variant from South Africa detected in Hawaii". AP NEWS. March 8, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
5. Burnett, John (May 14, 2021). "Ige: State to continue mask mandate for now". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
6. Cocke, Sophie (June 15, 2021). "Delta coronavirus variant, which may cause more severe illness, detected in Hawaii". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
7. Yancey-Bragg, N'dea. "'It doesn't look good out here': Coast Guard rescues 2 pilots after Hawaii cargo plane crash". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
8. "Astronomers Discover Infant Planet – One of the Youngest Exoplanets Ever Observed". SciTechDaily. October 23, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
9. Jedra, Christina (November 29, 2021). "State Tells Pearl Harbor Navy Families Not To Drink Or Use Tap Water". Honolulu Civil Beat. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
10. Jedra, Christina (December 12, 2021). "How The Red Hill Fuel System Has Threatened Oahu's Drinking Water For Decades". Honolulu Civil Beat. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
11. "Billy Kenoi, former Hawaii County mayor, dies after lengthy battle with cancer". hawaiinewsnow.com. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
12. Ordonio, Cassie (February 22, 2021). "William Bains-Jordan, first Aiea state legislator, dies at 104". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
13. "Former WWWF Tag Team Champion Dean 'Ho' Higuchi Passes Away •". Heel By Nature. February 28, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
14. "Beloved kumu hula, Hawaiian activist Haunani-Kay Trask dies at age 71 - Honolulu, Hawaii news, sports & weather - KITV Channel 4". July 3, 2021. Archived from the original on July 3, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
15. Blair, Chad (July 15, 2021). "Former Hawaii Lawmaker Bob Nakata Dies At 80". Honolulu Civil Beat. Retrieved September 26, 2022.