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  • Legislature reconvene, safe travels, unemployment, Kakaako food distribution

    Legislature reconvene, safe travels, unemployment, Kakaako food distribution

    Aloha Neighbor,

    LEGISLATURE WILL RECONVENE
    The Senate President and Speaker of the House     announced today (Thursday) that the Legislature will reconvene on Monday, May 11, 2020.  The Senate will convene for floor session at 11:30 am and the House at Noon. This will not be a resumption of the “regular” 60-day calendar that was cut short this year.  Rather, this will be for specific purposes and the resumption may last as few as six working session days.

    As you may recall, the Governor announced a large anticipated budget shortfall and proposed solutions such as drastic budget cuts and State employee furloughs.  After hearing these proposals, the Legislature expressed our concerns and sought to work with the Governor to find alternative solutions.  This will be the primary focus of the Senate Ways and Means and House Finance Committees.

    SAFE TRAVELS: UPDATE ON PASSENGER ARRIVALS
    The senate committee has been concerned for the safety of our community as the number of passengers keep growing, with 669 passengers deplaning yesterday.  Our focus has been on the verification of passenger information before leaving the airport and enforcement of the 14-day quarantine. We visited the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to observe the procedure; and recommended adjustments to tighten enforcement. Today, DOT Director Jade Butay; Airports Division Deputy Director Ross Higashi and Administrative Officer Ford Fuchigami; Hawaii Tourism Authority CEO Chris Tatum and State Attorney General Clare Connors presented procedures and proposals to ensure our safety. A new “Travel Declaration Form” will be required of all passengers, including crew, that will ask identifying information, including travel and lodging.  A web application “SafeTraveler” is being developed that can be used in lieu of the paper form.

    The new procedures will take more time –similar to TSA procedures– but will ensure that all arriving passengers: are temperature screened, understand and agree to the 14-day quarantine order (and the penalties for violating the quarantine), and verify their quarantine residence.  Even returning residents will need to self-quarantine; essential workers (including flight crew) will be exempt while doing essential business only.  To prevent the violations we’ve seen happening, further restrictions were added to ensure compliance with the quarantine: car rental companies are prohibited from renting cars during the quarantine period; and hotels are issuing one-time-use key so anyone leaving the room will be reported to law enforcement.  Travel will be different and this may be the new normal for a while.

    (Left) This is what the temperature screening is like for passengers arriving at our airports

    UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE IMPROVING BUT…
    Today, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations announced that 141,077 unemployment insurance claims have been processed, or 63% of applications received.  Unfortunately, about 91,000 applications still await processing.

    Labor Director Scott Murakami updated the committee on the UI system improvements. While the additional web services and certification solutions have been installed, the numbers are still overwhelming and causing the delays in getting paid. But the director said that some of the delay is due to applicant errors.   There are over 6,000 problems in applications that are as simple as the wrong direct deposit routing or account number or failing to include all employment for the 18-month qualification period.  Remember this is an automated system so all errors, no matter how minor, will delay the claim.

    The certification process should be accepting more reports as it is on a new gateway. Because of the volume of claimants filing, the system was overloaded.  The department is thus accepting reports based on your last name as follows: On Monday – A-G; on Tuesday- H-O; on Wednesday- P-Z; and if you missed your assigned day, you can file on Thursday to Sunday.

    Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is unfortunately not as simple. This will really confuse and frustrate you but take a deep breath and follow along. The new PUA program is a federal pandemic relief program and is providing benefits to claimants who normally would not qualify under the state system. So, the state installed a new system that is now running and in pre-application phase; and will be processing claims on May 15.  But, in order to assure the feds that the program is not paying claims that should be paid by the state, this new system only accepts claims from folks who have been disqualified from the state program.  So…if you applied on the UI website and are among the 40,000 who were denied, you may be eligible for PUA so apply on the PUA website. But everyone (even gig workers and independent contractors) must first apply on the UI site as a new claim at:  https://huiclaims.hawaii.gov/#/. Once you are disqualified/denied, then file at the PUA website: https://pua.hawaii.gov/_/.  Got it? Hopefully this will help those who have been unable to log in to get a step closer to assistance.

    NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR

    Kakaako Walk-in Free Food Distribution
    Free Food will be distributed tomorrow (Friday), May 8, Noon – 2:30 pm at 653 Ala Moana Blvd. (Corner of Keawe & Ala Moana).  All visitors are requested to walk-in. Bring a cart if you can so it’ll be easier to carry away.  For parking, you are advised to park at SALT across the street.  Please do not park on the road and block traffic.  Future distributions will take place on May 15, 22, and 29.  See flyer for details – Mahalo to Na Kupuna Makamae Center, a project of Pacific Gateway Center and their partners

    Take care and stay healthy!

  • Silver linings – still “lucky you live Hawaii”

    Silver linings – still “lucky you live Hawaii”

    Aloha Neighbor,

    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.

    Take care and stay healthy!