In a web poll several months ago when we were in lock down, I asked you what is the #1 challenge you faced during the pandemic. Overwhelmingly, you said, “not being able to see family and friends”. Although these times have caused hardship, it showed the core values of the people of our district and of the Aloha State – that among everything else, we care for each other. Our thoughts and well wishes go out to people among us and beyond our shores who still suffer greatly. This Thanksgiving we keep these people in our hearts as we gather safely with our loved ones and give thanks for all the blessings large or small that we are still fortunate to enjoy. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
SAFE CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR THANKSGIVING GATHERING
Enjoy your Thanksgiving with your ohana safely through a few modifications to your usual gathering. It’ll reduce the spread of COVID-19 to keep your friends, families, and communities healthy and safe. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) offers some considerations to supplement—not replace—our state and city health and safety laws, rules, and regulations.
THANKSGIVING DAY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Our City and County of Honolulu offices will be closed today — Thursday, Nov. 26– in observance of Thanksgiving Day. The following is the City’s holiday schedule of major services:
Emergency medical services, fire, lifeguard, medical examiner, and police services will be open.
TheBus will operate on a Sunday schedule. Please visit thebus.org for more information.
Refuse will be collected and transfer stations, convenience centers, H-POWER, and the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill are open. Visit opala.org for information.
Parks and botanical gardens are open. Visit honolulu.gov/parks for park use guidelines.
Municipal golf courses with revised play. Visit honolulu.gov/des/golf for information.
The Honolulu Zoo will be open. Visit honolulu.gov/zoo for operating hours and safety protocols.
The Neal S. Blaisdell Center box office will be closed. Visit blaisdellcenter.com/ for information.
People’s Open Markets will not be held.
All satellite city halls and driver licensing centers will be closed.
The following traffic and parking regulations will be in effect:
On-street parking will be free, except for the meters on Kalakaua Avenue along Queen Kapiolani Park, metered parking lots, and meters on specific Waikiki streets. View the list of Waikiki streets here.
Traffic lanes will not be coned for contraflow.
GOVERNOR’S 16th COVID-19 EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION: RESTRICTIONS TIGHTENED FOR TRANSPACIFIC TRAVELERS TO HAWAII
The governor’s latest emergency proclamation requires all transpacific travelers to have a negative test result from a trusted travel partner before their departure in order to bypass the 14-day quarantine. Effective Nov. 24, Travelers heading to Hawaii must upload their negative test result into the Safe Travels system prior to departure. It is recommended that they have a hard copy of their negative test result as backup. The proclamation can be found here.
WAIKIKI SHELL: LAST DAY OF SURGE TESTING IS NOV. 30
Waikiki Shell: 2805 Monsarrat Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815
Testing Hours: 8am – 2pm (No testing until the 30th)
MASK MANDATE MUST BE FOLLOWED IN APARTMENTS & CONDOMINIUMS
The Hawaii COVID-19 Joint Information Center sends a reminder to follow the rules on face covering and social distancing if they live in or visit an apartment building or condominium. More info can be found here.
FREE COVID-19 CELL PHONE APP AVAILABLE FOR CAREGIVERS: Sign up by Nov. 30
A new app is available to organizations caring for kupuna. It helps manage employees who test positive or may have been exposed to COVID-19. If the worker is sick or at risk for exposure, it will alert the company for a quick response. It can also coordinate information between employers if the worker has more than one job. Senior care organizations participating in the program will receive a variety of tools that can be found here. Caregivers have until November 30, 2020 to sign up to get the app for free. Sign up at the iHealthHome website.
$24M ADDED TO CITY’S SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM: STARTING DEC. 1
The Small Business Relief and Recovery Fund program has updated its eligibility requirements to allow those who’ve already received grants, to apply again. More businesses that can now apply include the following:
Bars, gyms, arcades.
Have up to 50 employees.
Have applied but have not yet received grants.
Those that did not apply for the program by the previous cutoff date of Oct 19, can now apply.
The new funding will be made available starting Dec. 1. Four local credit unions will distribute the funds. Applications are being accepted for only one week. To apply click here. For those in the culture and arts industry, apply here. For questions, call 768-CITY (768-2489).
ALA WAI WATERSHED FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT PROJECT: USACE Scoping Meetings for the Next Two Saturdays
If you live in the communities in or near the Ala Wai Watershed you should know that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Honolulu District, in cooperation with the City and County of Honolulu, is making changes to the initial project proposed in 2017, based on new data and community input. The USACE is holding scoping meetings now which will be included in its Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Hawaii Environmental Policy Act (HEPA) compliance requirements for the Ala Wai Watershed Flood Risk Management Project.
November 28 – Design and Engineering Forum, 8-11 a.m.(hear from national experts on proposed design)
December 5 – Design and Engineering Forum, 8-11 a.m. (this session will also include local experts telling us of their design concepts)
The community is invited to participate virtually in these public forums by either logging onto https://usace1.webex.com/meet/jeffrey.a.herzog or dialing into 1-844-800-2712; Access Code: 199 126 8738#; Security Code: 1234#. For a video overview of the project, click here.
ALA WAI SMALL BOAT HARBOR ENFORCEMENT
State DLNR-DOCARE officers last Tuesday assisted by the State’s Homeless cleanup contractor HTM were able to address the homeless campsites across the harbor including along the fenceline of the Hilton Lagoon near the old helipad lot. This resulted in the complete cleanup of this area. Additionally, a few citations were issued. Officers had a continuing presence at the Harbor during the evening hours throughout last week. We hope to pursue funding in the 2021 legislative session to continue saturation sweeps at boat harbors to maintain an enhanced level of enforcement.
ALA MOANA MAGIC ISLAND PARKING LOT NOW OPEN
The parking lot reopened Tuesday, Nov. 24 to vehicular traffic after a major facelift. The 470-stall parking lot was completely repaved and restriped, with the installation of new gates, benches, and a drop-off zone. Additional improvements were made to the tree planting spaces, irrigation, and curbing, with a one-for-one replacement of unhealthy trees accompanying the planting of new trees. For more info, click here.
HAVE SOME DAYS OFF WORK? Some Fun Things To Do
Music: Blue Note Waikiki Features Local Artist Anuhea Jenkins: Nov. 25-28. Award-winning songbird is one of Hawaii’s hottest local musical artists in reggae, pop, R&B, and even country. For tickets (and livestreaming tickets), click here.
Virtual Marathon: Turkey Trot Virtual Run/Walk Marathon: Nov. 21-28. The Honolulu Marathon Clinic and Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club present the annual Turkey Trot. Choose from three virtual distances: 10 miles, 5 miles, and 2 miles. Submit your photos. Thanksgiving themed costumes are encouraged. Sign up here.
Safe Cocktailing: DTRIC has partnered with mixologists across the state to create tasty, non-alcoholic drinks or “Mocktails” that provide safe options this holiday season. Full recipes of “Mocktail” drinks are available here.
