After poking around, I decided to book accommodations using points I had accumulated from my Capital One Venture X credit card. Booking the room was less expensive than I expected, and the process was pretty straightforward.

I booked my hotel entirely with rewards

Looking at hotel rooms in downtown Honolulu, I stumbled upon a boutique hotel a few blocks from Waikiki Beach. The total cost for three nights, including taxes and hotel fees, came out to just under $600 — not including a $100 hotel fee.

While the app allows you to partially pay for a hotel, flight, or rental card with points and the remainder using your card, I decided to book my three-night stay entirely with my travel rewards — roughly 59,000 points.

I have two Capital One cards, the Venture X and the VentureOne, and could use a combination of points from either card. I was tapped out of points on my VentureOne card, so I redeemed points from my Venture X card for the hotel room. My Venture X card had an annual credit, but I had used it on a trip to Yellowstone earlier in the year.

I saved money from hotel perks

The boutique hotel I stayed at offered several perks that I scooped up, which helped me save on my trip: free yoga mats, which came in handy during sunset yoga sessions, and free admission to several art museums on the island.

I enjoyed perusing the natural and cultural artifacts at the Bishop Museum and skipping the $34 adult entrance fee. As an added bonus, I received a complimentary tray of local snacks, such as chocolate macadamia nuts and Maui-style potato chips, which I brought home with me to give as souvenirs.

The hotel room was the only thing I spent some of my points on, as I’m hoping to save up as many points as possible for a longer international trip in the near future. I used my Venture X card to book the flights, earning me 5x miles. If I had used my card to book the hotel or car rental (we used a combination of Lyft, public transportation, and Hui, Hawaii’s car share service, on the trip), I would’ve earned 10x miles.

I used my credit card for all other purchases during my time in Hawaii, including food, sightseeing, and shopping. Putting most of my trip expenses on my credit card netted me 2x miles, and I paid off my balance in full in the next billing cycle.

Last-minute changes happen. But instead of paying a lot more for a last-minute hotel room, I was able to use miles from my card to cover the additional cost of accommodations during my Hawaii vacation.

The Hawaii Senate on Monday rejected a bill to decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of cannabis, Maui Now reports. In a statement, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaiʻi Board President Nikos Leverenz called the bill’s failure a “disappointment.” 

“While Hawaiʻi saw an uptick in legislative activity on cannabis decriminalization and adult-use cannabis legalization, the status quo remains. Too many legislators this cycle have ceded to the histrionic arguments by many in the criminal legal lobby and others who want to ensure broad prohibition. Fifty-eight percent of Hawaiʻi residents support adult-use legalization, which now reaches over half of the population of America and employs over 440,000 across the nation. Decriminalization of cannabis possession and cannabis paraphernalia remains an important reform in its own right.” — Leverenz in a statement via Maui Now 

Several lawmakers and the Department of the Attorney General expressed concerns that passing the reforms would create a stronger illicit market in the state.  

Sen. Troy Hashimoto (D) told Maui Now that he “would rather have a structure to tax and regulate marijuana rather than pursuing decriminalization,” which he said “would allow an unchecked market and potentially unsafe products to exist within our community.” 

In submitted testimony opposing the legislation, the Department of the Attorney General maintained that “decriminalized marijuana is unregulated, untested, and untaxed.” 

“This lack of regulation and testing creates a significant public health concern, particularly as marijuana use increases,” the department said in the testimony. “Black market marijuana often contains pesticides, trace amounts of metals like lead and nickel, and other toxic chemicals. Regulated marijuana can be tested for these poisons, to increase the chances that the marijuana consumed by recreational users is relatively safe. Because there are no restrictions on the levels of pesticides and other toxins in black market marijuana, consumers risk inhaling or ingesting harmful substances.” 

Earlier this month an effort to legalize adult cannabis use in the state was killed by the House Finance Committee. The legislation had been approved by the Senate. 

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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The state has confirmed an additional case of pertussis — or whooping cough — on Hawaii Island amid an outbreak that has so far sickened 11 since March.

Several of the recent cases have been in infants too young to be fully vaccinated.

Officials said the cases indicate “community spread” of pertussis on Hawaii Island.

Because of that, the state Health Department is strongly recommending that parents stay up to date on children’s vaccinations, especially for infants and young children.

Pertussis vaccination can usually be obtained from a primary care provider. Calling ahead to confirm pertussis vaccine availability is recommended. Those who do not have a primary care provider can contact their health plan or can contact a federally qualified health center if they do not have health insurance.

Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by bacteria.

It can cause severe coughing fits, followed by a high-pitched “whoop” sound when breathing in.

Vomiting and exhaustion may also follow. Pertussis can lead to serious complications, especially in infants.

For more information about pertussis, visit the CDC website.

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