On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, setting 13 colonies on the road to freedom from Great Britain’s rule and to becoming a sovereign nation—the United States of America. As one of the most American of holidays, let’s celebrate Independence Day with appreciation for the freedoms our forefathers won for us!
Independence Day Holiday Schedule (State Holiday observed Monday, July 5)
City and County of Honolulu offices will be closed on Monday, July 5. The holiday operations is as follows:
Emergency medical services, fire, lifeguard, medical examiner, and police services will be available.
TheBus will operate on a Saturday schedule. Visit thebus.org for route and schedule information as well as rider guidelines.
Refuse will be collected and transfer stations, convenience centers, H-POWER, and the Waimānalo 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 are open. Visit honolulu.gov/des/golf for revised play information.
The Honolulu Zoo will be open. Visit honolulu.gov/zoo for information.
The Neal S. Blaisdell Center box office will be closed. Visit blaisdellcenter.com/ for information.
People’s Open Markets will be closed.
All satellite city halls and driver licensing centers will be closed.
The following traffic and parking regulations will be in effect:
Motorists are cautioned that parking will be restricted in Lanikai over the three-day holiday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
On-street parking will be free, except for the meters on Kalākaua Avenue along Queen Kapi‘olani Park, metered parking lots, and meters on specific Waikīkī streets. View the list of Waikīkī streets here.
Traffic lanes will not be coned for contraflow.
TAKING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BACK—HPD Citizen Patrol & Business Security Watch
The African adage “it takes a village to raise a child” underscores the importance of “community” –not just the HPD or government agencies but each of us—working together to care for each other. We are the “village.” Seeing committed citizens working alongside HPD adds to the ongoing government and community efforts to end homelessness and crime. Waikiki’s Major Mark Cricchio and his community policing team of Officers Virardi, Yamamoto and Chang are joining citizens in the Waikiki East (featured in the media), Waikiki West, and Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor (AWSBH) patrols; and Kakaako United continues led by HPD Officer Ho of District 1.
KHON reported on the restarted Citizen Patrols in Waikiki.
Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor Citizens Patrol along with HPD and DLNR DOBOR administrators
And Citizen Patrols can lead to even more positive change. At the AWSBH Citizen Patrol last night the patrollers were joined by HPD Officers Virardi & Yamamoto, and DLNR Division of Boating & Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) Administrator Underwood, Oahu Manager Swartz and Harbormaster Fujioka. Patrollers impressed the DOBOR of their commitment to and knowledge of the harbor as its “eyes and ears” but even more. Administrator Underwood appointed CP members as the AWSBH Working Group to work with other harbor residents and users and DOBOR to improve the harbor, including the plans for returning the harbor’s rightful place as the “jewel of Waikiki!” The working group chair is Gordon Wood. He can be reached at Alawaiharborwatchjw@gmail.com.
And in McCully-Moiliili, several businesses asked for help to address the homeless problems affecting their businesses and buildings. Following our meeting with Scott Morishige (State Homeless Coordinator), Anton Krucky (Honolulu Housing & Homeless Director), HPD District 7 Sgt Brian Lynch, and other providers, Nikki Inamine agreed to coordinate a Business Security Watch with Cpl John Mau and Officer Kaimi Kellett. The first zoom meeting is scheduled for Tuesday July 6 at 5-6pm. If you are a business in the district and want to join the zoom meeting, email senmoriwaki@capitol.hawaii.gov
We’re on the move! Get involved and join any or all of these “village” teams below:
For more information on the citizen/business “village efforts” contact:
MM CP is waiting to be activated. We need a coordinator. If interested please email our office at or call (808) 586-6740.
Legislature Convenes Tuesday to Consider Overriding Several of Governor Ige’s Vetoes
The Senate will convene on July 6, 2021 at 11:30 am. The Legislature needs to decide on one of three options to deal with bills that the Governor will veto: (1) allow the veto to stand; (2) override the veto (which requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate); or (3) agree to amend the bill to address the Governor’s concern with the Governor in agreement. You can watch the floor session live on YouTube here.
Kupuna Caucus Bill to Raise Penalties for Crimes Against Seniors Signed Into Law
We have seen way too many crimes against our kupuna who are vulnerable to assault, theft and financial abuse. HB490 will protect them by enhancing penalties for these crimes against our elders. It lowers the victim’s age from 62 years of age to 60 years for enhanced penalties. Kupuna Caucus co-convenors Rep. Troy Hashimoto and I are pleased that after several years of working on this bill, it has finally passed and signed into law by Governor Ige on Thursday as Act 147.
Human Services Department Provides Food Assistance for Keiki under 6 Years Old
The Keiki Under 6 Food Support Program provides benefits for keiki under 6 years old who have received SNAP benefits at any time since October 1, 2020. Benefits are paid for each month the eligible child(ren) received SNAP benefits between October 2020 through May 2021. Eligible children are automatically enrolled through verification of SNAP participation with the Department’s eligibility system. You can check on your child’s benefit status at: https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/ For more information, call the P-EBT call center at 1-888-975-PEBT(7328), or write to DHS by clicking the “Contact Us” button at https://pais-pebt.dhs.hawaii.gov/.
Public urged to report storm water concerns to the City
Two surveys ask for public input on Oahu storm water management as the City develops a Storm Water Master Plan. You can mark the locations of local storm water concerns (e.g. flooding, stream maintenance) using a mapping tool; and weigh in on priorities such as water quality, flood prevention, infrastructure needs. For more information, click here.City park pools returning to regular lap swim proceduresAs of Thursday, July 1, COVID-19 restrictions on lap swim were removed from all City park pools. This includes restoring the regular number of lanes per pool and walk-in, first-come-first-served public access. Restoration of further pool activities are still being discussed. For more information, click here.
Utility Probing Marks Beginning of Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor (AWSBH) Improvements
AWSBH’s aging and deteriorating water main begins with utility probing this week. Pacific Isles Equipment Rental (PIER) will be working on the main until July 9, beginning with probing for all existing underground utilities that may be affected by the project. Once all utilities are located, construction plans will be finalized. The contractor will begin installation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), corrosion-resistant water mains, service laterals, and fire hydrant connections. They will also conduct pavement repairs and other miscellaneous work. The installation of the water main is slated to start October 4 and expected to be finished by December 1. No major closures are expected; however, various areas of the harbor will have parking stalls blocked off and traffic flow re-routed to allow room for the contractor to install the water main and service laterals. Areas affected by the project include the front row between Holomoana Street and Hobron Lane, all harbor access roads, rows 400, 500, 600, and 700. The estimated cost for this project is $1,474,778.
Vaccination Exception Program for Travelers
To avoid mandatory quarantine, the Vaccination Exception Program is an option for travelers who have been vaccinated in Hawaii On July 8 the exception program will extend to those vaccinated in the United States. The State will accept ONLY certified lab test results from Trusted Testing and Travel Partners, including any tests verified through the State’s Digital Health Pass partners – CLEAR and Common Pass.
Homelessness the Major Concern of Town Hall with Mayor
Speaker Scott Saiki and I co-sponsored a virtual Town Hall on June 30. Over 100 residents and businesses joined us and had a lively exchange with Mayor Rick Blangiardi and City Housing & Homeless Director Anton Krucky. You can see the discussion at here. THE BIG TOPIC was HOMELESSNESS. Speaker & I will be hosting another townhall to focus on McCully-Moiliili homelessness on July 21 at 5pm. Mark your calendars, and register here.
Ala Moana Center Partners with Blood Bank to Host Blood Drive: July 4
One in seven people entering a hospital in Hawaii will need blood. Donations are critical and needed to maintain an adequate supply to fulfill Hawaii’s needs. To help restore the island’s low blood supply, Ala Moana Center is partnering with the Blood Bank of Hawaii to host a Blood Drive, on Sunday, July 4 from 9am–3pm on Street Level 1, Diamond Head Wing. To make an appointment, call 808.848.4770 or visit the website.
Environmental Impact Statement for Waikiki Beach Improvement Program Available; Comments Due July 23
The environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Waikiki Beach Improvement and Maintenance Program is now available here. On January 7, 2021, the state office on conservation also held a virtual scoping meeting to save the loss of beaches due to sea level rise. A recording of the meeting can also be found at the link above. Public comments can be emailed to waikiki@seaengineering.com and are due on July 23. For more info., call (808) 587-0377.
WEEKEND WAYSIDES!
Visit Ala Moana Center for 4th of July Celebration: July 2 – July 5
Join us this 4th of July weekend as we celebrate with drive-in entertainment, special savings, a sweepstakes, gift with purchase and more! For more information, click here.
Freediving Course Oahu at Ala Moana Regional Park with Instructor Neal Tyagi: Starting July 3
Discover your natural capabilities to dive up to 20M/66FT underwater on a single breath of air! The Level 1 course is an introduction to the FII (Freediving Instructors International) education system. It covers everything from safety & problem management, breathing techniques, & equipment selection to correct freediving methods for gradual depth progression. For more information, please call or text 808-636-3457 or 808-436-7046. You can also email daniel@deepfreediving.com. More information can be found here.
Waikiki Scavenger Hunt Adventure: July 4
Turn Waikiki into a giant game board with this fun scavenger hunt adventure at the Duke Kahanamoku Monumenton Kalakaua Avenue this Sunday, July 4, from 8am – 7pm. Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a two-hour city tour. Guided from any smart phone, teams make their way among well-known and overlooked gems of the city, solving clues and completing challenges while learning local history. Start when you want and play at your pace. Price is per team, not per person. Tickets are $27. 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM HST. For more info., call 805-603-5620 from 7 am to 5 pm Pacific Standard Time. Find details and redeem your ticket as a Prepaid Code online here.
