Tag: hawaii state,oahu,honolulu,senator district 12,sharon moriwaki

  • Honoring Dr. King by Serving the Community

    Honoring Dr. King by Serving the Community

    Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking at the UH Andrews Outdoor Theatre, February 19, 1964 (Miyamoto Photograph Collection, UH Mānoa Library). First Session of the Hawaii State Legislature, Iolani Palace 1959.

    “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve”
    — Martin Luther King Jr.

    Dr. King’s leadership, courage, and eloquence made the world change for the better. In 1959, when we became a state, Dr. King spoke in our District’s McKinley High School Auditorium (yes, the same auditorium there today!). He also addressed the very First Hawaii State Legislature which met in Iolani Palace. Dr. King said of Hawaii — “As I looked at all of these various faces and various colors mingled together like the waters of the sea, I could see only one face — the face of the future!”

    The following words come from one of the last sermons he gave in his home church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, in 1968. Every time I read them; I am deeply moved for he talks about the potential of everyone…

    “If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s a new definition of greatness. By giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know Einstein’s theory of relativity to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. And you can be that servant.”

    On Monday, we celebrate Dr. King! Learn how Stevie Wonder played a key role in establishing this federal holiday after years of failed attempts in Congress and listen to this spirit filled celebration of the very first National holiday honoring Dr. King in 1986 hosted by Stevie Wonder and friends joining together from three cities!

    With most humble grace and love,

    Sharon

    In honor of Dr. King, discover new ways to serve the community! Check out Volunteer Match — a wonderful nonprofit that believes everyone should have the chance to make a difference and they make it easy for good people and good causes to connect! Learn more about them by clicking here. To find a match for volunteering in Honolulu, please click here.

    CONTENTS

    THE 31st SESSION OF THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE BEGINS JAN 19th

    We are excited to be preparing for the Legislative Session and look forward to serving you! Meet our team! You can put a face to the voice you hear on the phone or to an email you may receive! From left to right – Senator Moriwaki; Charles Izumoto, our Office Manager, Kaley Vatalaro, our Committee Clerk; and our newest team member Heather Brittain, our Session Legislative Aide.

    The official start of the 2022 Legislative Session is 10:00 am on January 19th! Connect to the State Senate’s YouTube channel to watch the proceedings. The 2022 Session calendar is located here. While the Capitol building remains closed for now, our phone, email and zoom lines are open and welcoming – our contact information and updates on legislation are located here!

    COVID-19 UPDATES & RESOURCES

    Public Schools — K-12th — Updated COVID-19 Guidance
    The Hawaii Department of Education updated the “Return to School/Work Criteria” and is asking ALL employees, students, contractors, and visitors to their schools to complete this Daily Wellness Checklist every morning BEFORE going to school regardless of vaccination status (their updated guidance is located on page 2). Everyone, let’s be sure to do our part to help keep our students, educators and community safe so please spend a moment every morning to check your daily wellness!

    Resources – COVID-19
    Vaccine/Booster dose locations – Click Here
    Testing locations – AlohaClear.com or Hawaiicovid19.com
    COVID-19 Daily Metrics Updates from DOH – Click Here
    State of Hawaii COVID Portal – Click Here

    BE ALERT

    Hawaii DMV Profile Phishing Scam
    The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) has alerted us of a scam that asks for social security and license plate numbers. The phishing link is sent out on an email from profileinfos@hat.kr     stating: “You have an incomplete Hawaii DMV contact information [sic] on your Hawaii Department of Motor Vehicle [sic]. You are required to update your Hawaii DMV profile. Thanks. Hawaii Department of Motor Vehicle [sic]”

    Know that motor vehicle registration and licensing is conducted by the Counties. DMV information would not be solicited over email. The County DMVs would send an individualized letter or call the registered owner directly to request the information be submitted in person. No sensitive information would be requested over the phone.

    If you have received this phishing email, please do not click on the links within. Delete it immediately.

    HOMES, JOBS AND COMMUNITY

    Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) Project in Our District!
    A new 23-story high rise consisting of 270 affordable rental units for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries of the Hawaii Homes Commission Act is planned for our District at 820 Isenberg Street (by the Old Stadium Park where the Stadium Bowl-O-Drome bowling alley used to be). To learn more and watch the recorded Beneficiary Consultation meeting click here.

    Tech Job Fair is Virtual
    It’s time for the Tech Job Fair put on by Hawaii’s High Tech Development Corporation (HTDC) of our State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT). On January 21, 2022, Friday, 9:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. jobseekers can link virtually to find a job with tech companies and startups in Hawaii. There will also be “live” sessions about trends in the tech industry, including a presentation by Stripe, a San Francisco company that built a “remote talent base” pre-pandemic. Visit the HTDC website to learn more at: www.htdc.org/techjobfair.

    Workforce Hawaii Job Fair
    The City also holding a job fair on January 26th both online and in-person at the Blaisdell Center in our District! Please be sure to upload your resume to increase your opportunity for an interview. Employers from a broad array of industries, including the City & County of Honolulu, are participating. Click here to learn more!

    How Should the City Spend Federal Recovery Funds?
    Please complete this City & County of Honolulu’s survey which will help decide how our county government spends Federal Recovery Funds! Mayor Rick Blangiardi says that “…this survey along with feedback from the Honolulu City Council and other stakeholders will inform our priorities and decision-making for federal recovery funds. I encourage every resident on Oʻahu to share their ideas with us through the survey.” Our county government will receive a total of $386 million federal funds. The survey will be open to the public through February 14, 2022.

    Join a Citizens Patrol!
    Please check the Honolulu Police Department’s Community Calendar to see when and where the Citizens Patrol in your neighborhood will be meeting — click here. All ages and pets are welcomed! Great way to meet new friends, get in some walking exercise, and serve your community!

    Neighborhood Board Meetings
    What is a “Neighborhood Board”? The City and County of Honolulu’s Neighborhood Board System increases community participation in government. Oahu has neighborhood boards island-wide. Please be sure to sign up to automatically receive information about the Neighborhood Board(s) you are most interested in – click here — very easy to do! Here are Neighborhood Boards in our District. Our office participates in their meetings and we look forward to seeing you there!

    DISTRICT HAPPENINGS: WEEKLY LANE CLOSURES

    Honolulu (Night Work)
    Center lane closure on Ala Moana Boulevard in the eastbound direction between South Street and Forrest Avenue on Tuesday, Jan. 18, through Friday, Jan. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., for flow monitoring.

    Honolulu (Night Work)
    Right lane closure on Ala Moana Boulevard in the eastbound direction between Keawe Street and Coral Street on Tuesday, Jan. 18, through Friday, Jan. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., for flow monitoring.

    Honolulu
    Full closure of Ala Moana Boulevard in the eastbound direction between Atkinson Drive and Kalakaua Avenue on Tuesday, Jan. 18, through Friday, Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., for MLK Day Parade. Traffic will be contraflowed in the westbound lanes.

    Honolulu
    Full closure of Ala Moana Boulevard in the eastbound direction between Ward Avenue and Cooke Street on Tuesday, Jan. 18, through Friday, Jan. 21 from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., for resurfacing work. Traffic will be contraflowed.

    WEEKEND WAYSIDES

    Jan. 16: Honolulu Museum of Art January Family Sunday, 11:00am
    Support the Arts! From 11am-2pm, the Honolulu Museum of Art will be having in-person art-making, story time, a drawing prompt, and a gallery hunt. Please reserve your free ticket at honolulumuseum.org to confirm your allotted timed entry.

    Copyright © 2022 Hawaii State Senate, All rights reserved.

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  • Senate, Covid, Red Hill, News & Events

    Senate, Covid, Red Hill, News & Events

    “Grandchildren fill a space in your heart that
    you never knew was empty.”
    Unknown
    These five amazing young people are why I wake up every morning extra energized to make the world a better, safer, and healthier place!  Our grandchildren are full of joy, warmth, and inspiration!  Because of COVID-19, we were unable to see them for so long.  Thanks to vaccines and boosters and testing, this holiday our family, like many other families, was able to carefully gather together outdoors and took this photo without masks (just for a few seconds!).  This legislative session, I will continue to work on issues that are important to Hawaii’s families – healthcare, affordable housing, homelessness, crime, excessive noise, sea level rise, clean energy, pathways to employment for our youth, and kupuna, among other issues.  Please visit my website for legislative updates – senatormoriwaki.com, or follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

    Happy New, Fulfilling & Brilliant Year 2022 for all of YOU!

    January is National Blood Donor Month!
    Did you know that every blood donation can save up to three lives? Locally, more than 200 blood donors are needed every day and currently, there is a severe shortage of blood in Hawaii with less than a two-day supply!  Please kokua and help.  Donating blood is especially convenient to do in our District because we are fortunate to have one of the main Blood Bank Donation Centers located right here in our District on Young Street!   For more information about becoming a blood donor, please visit the Blood Bank of Hawaii – click here.

    CONTENTS:

    Hawaii State Senate Committee on Ways and Means (WAM)
    This week we began our review of the Governor’s proposed budget.  On Tuesday, we started with a presentation by the State Economist and the UH Economic Research Organization about Hawaii’s Economic Conditions and Outlook.  Please click here for a copy of the handout and/or click here to watch a recording of this presentation.  Informational Briefings of the Governor’s Proposed Budget will continue through January 18th.  The 2022 Legislative Session begins on Wednesday, January 19th.

    • Schedule of all WAM Budget Briefings — please click here
    • Agendas for each day’s Budget Briefings – please click here
    • Videos of WAM Budget Briefings – live streams & recordings – click here
    • 2022 Legislative Session Calendar – click here

    NOTE:  Due to increasing COVID-19 cases, the Hawaii State Capitol remains closed.  Building status will be reevaluated in coming weeks.

    Reapportionment Updates: Senate Committee on Government Operations Informational Briefing, Jan. 10, 10:00am
    Part II of Act 14 (2021) was enacted, in part, to guide the Reapportionment Commission in providing an accurate count of the total resident population of the state for reapportionment purposes; specifically extracting from the US Census count only those residents that were not permanently domiciled in the state. The Commission used the total population of higher education institution students from out-of-state and military personnel and dependents. Based on significantly discrepant counts provided by the USPACOM, the briefing will examine the data and methodology used and the bases for the Reapportionment Commission’s decision to provide an accurate count of “permanent residents.” The rationale, methodology and data used in determining “permanent resident” for reapportionment purposes will be presented and discussed by the following agencies:

    •  Office of Elections
    •  Reapportionment Commission
    •  Department of Defense—INDOPACOM
    •  Dr. Sumner LaCroix, Department of Economics Emeritus Professor—University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization
    •  Attorney General

    The public can tune-in at 10am on Monday, Jan. 10 on the Senate YouTube channel.  The briefing will also be recorded on YouTube to watch thereafter.

    COVID-19 UPDATES & RESOURCES

    Mayor Implements 50% Indoor Capacity Limit for Large Indoor Events
    Mayor Blangiardi issued a new emergency order implementing a capacity limit of 50% for large indoor events (events of more than 1,000 people) on Oahu prompted by the ongoing surge in single-day infections. This Mayor’s order is in effect from Monday, January 10th through January 31, 2022  Click here for more information.

    Please Care for Each Other
    Too many of our families, businesses and groups are hurt by the growing number of their loved ones and employees out sick with COVID-19. Because of staffing shortages caused by COVID-19 businesses of all kinds are closing temporarily and frontline healthcare providers are stretched thin and burning out.  Let’s please continue caring for each other!  Please get vaccinated and boosted, wear a mask over your nose & mouth, wash your hands frequently, kindly physically distance from others, and avoid large gatherings.

    Updated Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines & Daily Metrics
    Per the new CDC guidelines, the Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) has updated Hawaii’s quarantine and isolation guidelines.  You may learn more here.  For COVID-19 daily metrics, please click here.
    RED HILL WATER SUPPLY

    Red Hill:  CDC Public Health Survey of Navy Water System Contamination
    If you know civilians on the Navy’s water system, please tell them about this survey and have them contact the CDC team at phone (404)657-3256 or email address ATSDRACE@cdc.gov.  Beginning earlier this week, the CDC and a public health team began conducting a survey to investigate the potential health impacts on the civilian population affected by the contamination of the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Water Distribution System. Learn more here.

    Red Hill Information: 
    Oahu’s aquifer is vital to all of us.  Here are links to the key organizations’ webpages for updates about Red Hill:

    NEWS & REMINDERS

    You Can Help Update the Statewide Historic Preservation Plan
    Our District is filled with history and it is important we ensure it is preserved!  The Statewide Historic Preservation Plan is a function of the State Department of Land and Natural Resources’ State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD).  It is a five-year strategic plan that creates goals for historic preservation in Hawaii.  It is also required for Hawaiʻi to remain eligible to receive federal funds from the National Park Service. The plan includes recommendations for historic buildings, archeological sites, aviation artifacts, burials, cultural landscapes, lo’i, fishponds, and more.  The first public meeting will be held on Friday, January 14th, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.  To learn more, including the link to watch the meeting and/or to submit testimony, please click here.

    Hawaii Remote Work Pilot Program
    This is a pilot program designed to provide Hawaii’s residents with expanded opportunities to work remotely here at home in Hawaii for companies outside of our state!  The kind of “remote work” employment opportunities that are possible is wonderful!  This pilot program is being coordinated by the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT).  Find secure and vetted remote work opportunities by clicking here for more information.

    Annual Business Registration Reminder
    Do you own a business?  When you created it, if you registered it in the first quarter of that year, then please remember to file your annual business report.  Easy to do online before midnight (HST) March 31, 2022 – click here for more information. Hawaii annual reports can be filed at any time during the quarter in which the annual filing is due. The annual report filing period is related to the business entity’s registration date. Questions — email breg@dcca.hawaii.gov or phone (808) 586-2727.

    EVENTS & ACTIVITIES HAPPENING IN OUR DISTRICT

    Mother Marianne Cope & the Sisters of St. Francis at Kakaako’s Hansen’s Disease Hospital Statute of Saint Marianne Cope in Kewalo Basin Park
    View of Kalaupapa, Molokai

    9th Annual Virtual Saint Marianne Cope Walk
    A beautiful statute of Saint Marianne Cope is located in our Kewalo Basin Park facing Molokai.  Near this park is where the Sisters of St. Francis first arrived in Hawaii in 1883.  They came in answer King Kalakaua’s call for help in caring for “lepers” (now called “Hansen’s Disease patients”).  Kaka’ako, was the location of the Kingdom’s first government Hansen’s Disease hospital.  The Sisters cared for patients there until they went to Kalaupapa, Molokai in 1888 to continue the work of Father Damien.  January is Kalaupapa Month and on Saturday, January 22, 2022 beginning at 7:30 am, the St. Francis Healthcare Foundation will hold a “virtual” Saint Marianne Cope Walk and Wellness Fair.  Sign up and learn more by clicking here.

    Year of the Tiger, a Virtual Celebration!
    It’s the Year of the Tiger and you can celebrate it virtually with the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii located in our District!  You are a Tiger if you were born in the years 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 (the Chinese Year rungs from February through January).  The Tiger occupies the third position in the Chinese zodiac after the Ox and before the Rabbit. As the legend goes, the Jade Emperor challenged all the animals in the Kingdom to a “Great Race.” Whoever arrived at his palace first would win his favor. The Tiger was sure that he would win, but ended up placing third after the cunning Rat and workhorse Ox snuck in ahead of him. The Japanese Cultural Center’s New Year’s ‘Ohana Festival will have taiko, kendo, singing, karate, koto, dance, a silent auction, and more.  Their Year of the Tiger celebration will be grrrreat!  Click here to learn more.

    City Parks & Recreation Classes Opening for Registration
    Want to learn what pickleball is (hint: it does not involve pickles)?  Or, is painting more your thing?  Learn a new hobby, exercise n’ socialize too!  There is a plethora of fun and interesting activities to enjoy thanks to the City’s educational and recreational classes either in-person and/or online. The list of classes being offered is now open — learn more by clicking here  The City shares that those who may need an interpreter or accommodations for a disability, to please phone them at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov

    94th Annual Lei Day Celebration!
    Apply to be a member of this year’s beautiful Lei Court!  What is the “Lei Court” you ask?  It is an incredibly artistic display of Hawaiiana where applicants are judged on their lei-making abilities, hula performance, poise, personality, and public speaking in English and Hawaiian. The selection will determine the Lei Queen/King and their princes/princesses to represent the City and County of Honolulu in an honorary capacity during select events throughout the year. Of those events, the Lei Day Celebration is one of the most prominent.  This year’s theme is Lei Wao Nahele – forest lei. To learn how you may apply, please click here.

    Citizens Patrol
    Come join a Citizens Patrol group!  It’s good fun and an opportunity to learn more about the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) and your neighborhood!  Citizens Patrols are a part of HPD’s initiatives for developing partnerships within the community to create safe and secure neighborhoods.  Please check the HPD Community Calendar to see when the Citizens Patrol in your neighborhood will be meeting — click here.  All ages and pets are welcomed!  Great way to meet new friends, get in some walking exercise, and help your community!

    Tuesday, Jan. 11: Waikiki Neighborhood Board, 6 pm
    Regular Meeting Agenda
    Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82481293650?pwd=RHJia3R4Y2xMN0EyY0g3TEV0TndKQT09
    Meeting ID: 824 8129 3650 Passcode: NB#09
    Dial by your location: +1 253 215 8782 US
    Meeting ID: 824 8129 3650
    Passcode: 972813

    Take care & stay safe!