The new law establishes the use of green, yellow or red cards to indicate each business’ status following food-safety inspections.

The Hawaii Island Retreat in Hawi earned the state’s highest rating in the Eco-Travel category.

Dr. Linda Rosen, a deputy DOH administrator and faculty member of the UH medical school, will fill the post left vacant by the death of Loretta Fuddy.

Gill, who is the current deputy health director for environmental health, has served in a wide variety of elected and appointed posts.

The new policy, which goes into effect Jan. 1, prohibits the use of electronic smoking devices from all Department of Health properties.

Spaghetti cooked the previous day and improperly reheated was determined to be the cause of the illness that struck dozens at the Leeward Oahu School Dec. 10.

North Hawaii Community Hospital becomes the third on the Big Island to achieve the designation, which means it has surgeons and other care available 24/7.

The department’s Clean Air Branch has again fined a Hamakua company for violations stemming from the operation of a rock-crusher.

The state Department of Health anticipates vaccinating 60,000 Hawaii school children in the voluntary program lasting six weeks.

The state and the CDC are investigating cases of acute liver failure in Hawaii that so far have resulted in two liver transplants and one death.