Kihei bar shut down for social distancing violations

DOH: 22 recent cases tied to bars and nightclubs

Lava Rock Bar & Grill in Kihei was shut down for 24 hours after liquor control officers saw continuing social distancing violations Friday night, Maui County reported Sunday.

The enforcement was done in conjunction with police at the Kihei Kalama Village complex, also known as the Triangle, to curtail fights and loitering in parking lot areas, a county news release said. An offduty Maui Police Department officer was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after he was assaulted at the complex in the early-morning hours of Nov. 27, police said.

While inspecting Lava Rock, liquor control officers observed social distancing violations and gave a warning to bar management before returning and seeing continuing violations, according to the news release.

Police were called to stand by while a citation was issued, closing the bar Saturday, the news release said.

Department of Liquor Control Director Layne Silva said the shutdown was a public health and safety precaution. “Our officers are working under the public health emergency rules to enforce measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” he said in the news release.

There was no answer Sunday afternoon at a telephone number for Lava Rock.

The state Department of Health reported last week that three clusters with a total of 22 cases in 14 days were connected to county bars and nightclubs.

“We are also very concerned with last week’s reports of double-digit positive COVID-19 cases in Maui County,” Mayor Michael Victorino said in the news release. “Maui District

Health Officer Dr. Lorrin Pang reports that many of the positive cases were tied directly or indirectly to close interactions among patrons at bars or restaurants with bar areas. Dr. Pang is concerned that bar patrons are removing their face masks for extended periods of time while sipping drinks and eating. We cannot afford to let our guard down.”

On Saturday and Sunday, 22 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Maui, bringing the total count to 600.

Victorino said that “if double-digit cases continue and stem from bar interactions, my administration may need to ask Gov. David Ige for permission to close all bars in Maui County for a period of time.”

To reduce the spread of covid in the community, Victorino asked that people wear face masks, maintain physical distancing of at least 6 feet, avoid crowds and wash their hands frequently.