Amidst the uncertainty and suffering due to pandemic there is a silver lining to appreciate “lucky you live Hawaii.” We now can enter parks –of course not to congregate as yet – to jog, walk, bike. We can enjoy the blue skies above and green grass and sand below. Below Mother Waldron Park in Kakaako but see the other photos taken by our neighbors here.
IMPROVING WAIKIKI BEACH: ROYAL HAWAIIAN GROIN RESTORATION
More than five years in the making the restoration/replacement of the Royal Hawaiian Groin was launched today (Wednesday) with a blessing sponsored by project partners Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR) in collaboration with the Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association (WBSIDA).
Construction will take about two months to build a 160-foot long groin to replace the deteriorating 90-year groin, which, if not replaced, would result in the destabilization and eventual loss of over 1,700 feet of sandy shoreline located to the east of the groin. The project will maintain the beach, facilitate access along the shore, and provide a first line of defense to the backshore in the event of storm wave attack. For more information about the project, click here.
CONFUSED? UPDATE ON THE 7TH PROCLAMATION
In our last message we repeated to you what the Governor conveyed in his press conference Tuesday that certain businesses and organizations may reopen on May 7. That evening, the Governor changed the reopening date for businesses to May 15 for Oahu and apologized for the miscommunication. Childcare, wholesalers and nonprofits are among the essential business that will be allowed to reopen starting Friday. Additionally of note, select State parks re-opened today for exercise purposes only. Click here for more information. The Governor’s full 7th Supplementary Proclamation is available here.
ENERGY SERVICE FOR THOSE IN NEED.
Hawaiian Electric announced that it modified its operations to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19, which includes suspending service disconnections for nonpayment through June 30. Customers experiencing financial hardship because of the pandemic should contact Hawaiian Electric to discuss payment arrangements and options. The quickest way to start the process is to fill out and submit a Payment Arrangement Request Form at https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/customerserviceoptions.
SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE MEETS THURSDAY
With concerns about the passengers coming into state –visitors, returning residents and intended residents as well as crew, the committee will hear from Sean Williams, Vice President of the Airlines for America, Transportation Director Jade Butay, Hawaii Tourism Authority CEO Chris Tatum and State Attorney General Clare Connors on the plans and procedures to ensure the safety of our community, including but not limited to screening and verification at the airport and quarantine monitoring and control. Also presenting are the directors of labor and tax on the unemployment insurance payment concerns of all claimants and, in particular, the pandemic unemployment assistance program.
The meeting will be available for live viewing on Olelo Channel 49 and online at olelo.org. To see the agenda click here. For information on prior or upcoming meetings, see the committee’s webpage.
