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

  • Stay safe this Labor Day weekend

    Stay safe this Labor Day weekend

    Happy Labor Day Hawaii Workers
    Thank you for all you do!
    September 6, 2021

    Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers in the United States. At the height of the Industrial Revolution in the 1800’s, people of all ages faced extremely unsafe working conditions. Worker strikes grew into a labor movement to stop child labor and provide health benefits, among other restitutions. Labor Day officially became a holiday in 1894 in the United States. The birth of the Hawaiian labor movement was a painful experience prior to its statehood in 1959. It was marked by a number of failed farm-worker strikes, most notably in 1909, 1920, and 1924. The great strike of 1946 proved to be a success because workers of all races finally organized into a single labor union forever changing the Hawaiian Islands, economically, politically and socially. Labor Day weekend also symbolizes the end of summer for many Americans, celebrated with barbecue picnics, parades, fireworks and football.

    CONTENTS:

    What’s Closed and Open on Labor Day, Monday, September 6, 2021

    • CLOSED: All government facilities, non-retail businesses or services (banks, offices, etc.), and public libraries. Post offices are closed and there is no mail delivery. Paid street parking is free on Federal holidays.
    • OPEN: Retail stores, shopping malls, grocery stores, restaurants, movie theaters, parks and botanical gardens, and municipal golf courses are open.
    • Garbage collection: City & County of Honolulu garbage collection is normal. Click here for more Info.
    • Public Transportation: TheBus will operate on a Sunday schedule. Click here for more info.
    • Click here for the full schedule

    Officials Call for No Gatherings Over Labor Day Weekend
    Twenty-five residents died in the last 7 days due to COVID.  Case numbers continue to rise. Hospitals remain stretched thin and the morgue is near capacity. Government leaders have said they do not want a state shutdown, but a three-day weekend is looming and there are concerns of more large gatherings like the one state and city law enforcement officers had to break up Saturday, where 300-400 unmasked people gathered — that it may lead to more hospitalizations and deaths in the coming days. The mandate is that gatherings are limited to 10 indoors and 25 outdoors in Honolulu. With the long weekend here, there could be consequences if you violate it:

    • Officers are ready to enforce regulations, and seize any items — including tents, generators and sound equipment — used to facilitate large gatherings.
    • Anyone who breaks the law could face fines — and even jail time.
    • In some instances, law enforcement has had to close beach parks entirely or early on certain days to stop these large gatherings.
    • Kapu Breakers, a group that finds violators of the COVID rules and turns them in, will also be out in full force over the holiday weekend, with members throughout the state watching for violations from a distance.

    Stay home. Do not gather. That is the message officials are sending to everyone ahead of Labor Day. If you see any violators, you can report them by calling 643-DLNR or via the free citizen observer app. Download it here.

    DELTA VARIANT, VACCINE CARD
    NO SERVICE DISRUPTION AT MATSON

    Delta Variant Now Accounts for Nearly 100% of all COVID Cases in Hawaii
    The highly contagious Delta variant now accounts for nearly all cases of COVID-19 in Hawaii. Here are some of the sobering facts about the Delta variant that need repeating to family, friends and anyone who will listen:

    • This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated – Currently more than 90% of residents hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated.
    • The Delta variant is different – It used to be if you were fully vaccinated, you could do just about anything. But the Delta variant being so pervasive, the fight has changed.  When someone is infected, they have about one-thousand times as much virus in them than those who had the original-type COVID. Even if you’re fully vaccinated, if you’re sitting next to somebody with COVID, having lunch or having a drink, you’re being bombarded with the virus, and you have a very real chance that it could overwhelm your system and you could become infected.
    • Even the vaccine has its limits – The vaccine helps prevent severe illness and death, but we don’t have the armor we once thought we had, so we need to be thoughtful about our actions.
    • Younger, sicker, quicker – That’s how some health care workers are describing what they’re seeing in recent Delta variant patients. They’re treating younger and younger people. There’s an alarming number of people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s being admitted. Also, the state’s biggest spike in new cases has been among young people with lower vaccination rates.
    • Hospitals are overwhelmed – Exhausted healthcare workers are telling the community to just know they are giving it to each other; it’s no longer someone else’s problem. Lots of people are blaming the tourists, but at this point it’s all community spread.

    Vaccine Card or Negative Test Will Soon be Required to Enter Some Oahu Businesses
    Beginning Sept. 13, customers wishing to enter some Oahu businesses will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within the last 48 hours. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced the program Monday amid an alarming surge in new COVID cases in Hawaii that’s threatening to overwhelm Hawaii’s health care system. There will also be vaccine-or-test requirements in place for employees at impacted businesses. Also effective Sept. 13, restaurants and bars will have to stop serving alcohol at 10 p.m. These are the establishments covered by the Safe Access Oahu order:

    • Restaurants and bars (takeout is exempt)
    • Gyms and fitness facilities, including dance studios
    • Bowling alleys, arcades and billiards halls
    • Movie theaters
    • Museums
    • Indoor portions of botanical gardens, zoos or other attractions

    Children under 12, who are ineligible for vaccines, are exempt from the requirements. The city’s Safe Access Oahu Program, which will remain in effect for 60 days, can be found here.  The rules will be mandatory for all businesses as stipulated by the new emergency order which can be found here.

    Senate COVID Committee
    The Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 convened Friday for an informational briefing to discuss hospital capacity and oxygen shortages with the Department of Health and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the State’s strategy to prevent a Labor Day surge with the Attorney General, and forecasts on transmission and data with Hawaii Pandemic Applied Modeling.  You can watch a recording of the hearing on YouTube here.

    Matson Says No Disruption in Service from Pandemic
    Matson Inc., Hawaii’s largest ocean cargo transportation firm, responded to unfounded rumors circulating in Hawaii about service disruption. All Matson operations continue uninterrupted. Matson continues to maintain its service schedules as normal with three arrivals a week to Honolulu. The company does not foresee any disruption to Hawaii services. Matson has strict health protocols in place to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The company has a vaccine incentive in place for employees and to date has seen very low positive case counts among employees.

    CORONAVIRUS HEALTHCARE, COVID-19 FAKE PRODUCTS

    No COVID Vaccination but Need COVID Healthcare?
    While it may still be your choice whether to get vaccinated or not, Hawaii’s largest healthcare trade group says there may be a financial price tag for not getting the vaccine. Up until now, most insurers in the country, and certainly in Hawaii, have been covering the entire cost – so there’s no out-of-pocket cost for someone who gets sick from COVID. The change that has occurred recently, and is occurring in Hawaii, is that some insurers now are saying, “If you are not vaccinated and you get sick, we will still pay the insurance side, but the member now, or their family, is responsible for the patient copay.” So, there is an obligation the patient now has if they’re not vaccinated. The copay is often 10 to 20% of the total medical bill, depending on what your insurance plan is. How high could that copay go? It would depend on your insurance, but for a hospitalization, the member cost could be thousands of dollars. Read more here.

    Feds Report Increase in Fake Products Claiming to Treat or Prevent COVID
    Homeland Security Investigations report there’s an increase in fake or counterfeit products related to preventing or treating COVID-19. At least $54.6 million of illicit proceeds were seized in the U.S. since April last year. The schemes evolved as the pandemic progressed. Early scams were counterfeit personal protective equipment. Now, it’s fake treatments and items that claim to prevent the coronavirus. When packages arrive from out of the country to the U.S., that’s where Customs and Border Protection encounters it. A random inspection in Honolulu last year led to a discovery of almost 1,000 lanyards called Virus Shut Out, that promise to create anti-viral, anti-bacterial clouds that prevent COVID-19. To report suspicious activity with coronavirus treatments or vaccines, email COVID19FRAUD@dhs.gov

    REMINDER: UI PROGRAMS EXPIRE THIS WEEK

    The UI programs will end Sept. 4.
    The state labor department wants to make sure the unemployed are aware of the potential next steps:

    • When the UI programs end, will you qualify for a new unemployment insurance claim?  Claimants who choose to remain on PEUC will be presented with the “PEUC $25 Option,” then will receive an email from the UI office notifying them of the next steps to resume their new regular UI claims. Your new UI claim will be reinstated (after PEUC expires) and you can continue to collect benefits under that claim. An email was recently sent out to 6,500 claimants who qualified for the PEUC $25 Option program-advising them to file their claim certification for the week ending from Sept. 4 between Sept. 5. and Sept. 11, regardless of claim filing status, weekly or biweekly. If you did not receive the email, it is because you did not qualify for the PEUC $25 option. You will need to qualify for a new initial claim after Sept. 4 based on existing criteria.
    • Why is it called the “PEUC $25 Option?” After creating the PEUC program, the federal government modified it so that many claimants could stay on PEUC even if they were eligible for a new initial claim for standard UI benefits; claimants could choose whichever path paid them a higher weekly benefit for the longer amount of time. This became known as the PEUC $25 option because the new initial claim had to pay at least $25 a week less than the claimant’s existing PEUC claim.
    • For more info., go to: www.hawaiiunemploymentinfo.com
    NO PROPERTY TAX BY PHONE,
    EXPIRED ID DOCS WAIVER ENDS IN OCTOBER

    Why Can’t You Pay Your Property Taxes by Phone?
    Telephone, online and satellite city hall payment options are no longer available because the Aug. 23 due date has passed. You’ll have to pay by mail or at Honolulu Hale. The Department of Budget and Fiscal Services’ website, which indicated that online and telephone payments would still be accepted, was out of date. The following options remain available for the first installment of real property taxes for the 2021-2022 tax year:

    • Mail: Send payment to City and County of Honolulu, Real Property Tax Collection, Division of Treasury, P.O. Box 4200, Honolulu, HI 96812-4200. Your payment date will be based on the post office cancellation mark.
    • In person: Pay with cash or check at the Division of Treasury, located on the first floor of Honolulu Hale. Or you can pay with a credit or debit card, but a convenience fee will be added.
    • Curbside drop box: The black/gray box outside Honolulu Hale is available 24 hours a day.

    Be forewarned that all taxes remaining unpaid after the due date will be considered delinquent and are subject to a penalty of 10 %. Interest at the rate of 1 % for each month or fraction thereof will be applied to all delinquent taxes and penalties. For more info., call 768-3980.

    Waiver of expired identification documents will expire on Oct. 4.
    If your driver’s license or state ID is expired, you might want to get it renewed as soon as possible. The governor’s waiver for the expired documents ends on Oct. 4. After that date, if your license has been expired for more than a year, you won’t be able to renew it. Instead, you’ll have to re-take and pass the written exam and road tests. The Governor’s emergency order allowed for expired documents to still be valid as the pandemic shut down DMVs early on. They have since reopened to in-person services. The city has opened up extended hours and Saturdays to accommodate more appointments for driver’s licenses, state IDs and learner’s permits. If the original expiration date on the driver’s licenses is 90 days past due, card holders would be fined $5 per month for up to a year. The fines would have to be paid before the expired license can be renewed. To make an appointment, click here.

    HECO REQUESTS PUBLIC INPUT,
    BACK-TO-SCHOOL ONLINE SCAMS

    HECO Asks for Public Input on EV Charging Station Locations
    Hawaiian Electric is seeking community input on the locations of future public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to make sure electrified transportation can be a service to all.  With the “Charge Up Hawaii” website, the public is asked to tell HECO about their transportation needs by dropping pins on an interactive map to indicate where participants want to see EV charging stations in the future. The interactive map and survey can be found here.

    Keeping Keiki Safe from Back-to-School Online Scams
    Online access comes with many issues for adults; you can only imagine what it’s like for children. And for those who are distance learning via Zoom, they may be exposed to internet predators. Keiki will need an email to sign up for teleconference sites like Zoom, and as adults know, emails come with junk mail. Kids receive these annoying messages as well, but they do not have the online experience and are much more vulnerable. There are also apps. Specific applications may be assigned for a particular class, but others can collect and share personal data about your child or include paid features. If the child has to download something onto their system, the best thing is for the parent to sit there with them. Also, having a conversation with your child to explain how these downloads could possibly steal money from you, steal your identity and even locate where you’re living, which can be dangerous. For programs that keep track of what children are seeing on the internet and informs the parents of any issues, click here.

    DISTRICT HAPPENINGS

    Ward Avenue New Protected Bicycle Lane
    In an effort to create safer roadways and protect bicyclists, the city announced a new bike path that runs along Ward Avenue. These are the first protected bike lanes that run in both the mauka and makai directions between King Street and Ala Moana Boulevard. The new bikeways connect to the already existing path on King Street, which takes bicyclists eastbound to Moiliili or westbound to Honolulu’s Civic Center campus. The Ward Avenue bike lanes will provide both residents and visitors an easy and safe way to navigate to and from commercial, retail and residential areas in Honolulu. The added lanes can help reduce traffic congestion as well as prevent vehicle and pedestrian collisions. The city said following the installation of Honolulu’s first protected bikeway on South King Street, crashes in the area have been reduced by 50%. Furthermore, the number of bicyclists riding on sidewalks has also gone down and driver awareness when making turns has increased. With the success of past bike paths, proposals have also been made to create lanes in Kakaako and Downtown. The Ward Avenue bike lanes are part of the city’s Complete Streets project, which works to improve safety for all roadway users. For more info., click here.

    Alleged Waikiki Suicide Incident Brings Awareness
    The recent elderly couple suicide incident at The Plaza at Waikiki is a stark reminder of how fragile some lives can be.  Suicide is a big concern among the elderly, especially for those over the age of 85. When it comes to those who are older, they might be facing certain drastic changes in their life. It could be health, it could be changes in their marital status, social status, a lot of different things could be happening in their lives. Warning signs to look out for among loved ones include changes in sleeping and eating habits, as well as a loss of interest in social interaction and hobbies. If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, you can call Crisis Line Hawai’i at 832-3100 for Oahu residents, and 1-800-753-6879 for those on neighbor islands. You can also text the crisis line at 741741.

    MARK YOUR CALENDARS

    Sept. 7: Waikiki Neighborhood Board

    (Added Sept. 7th) The Waikiki Neighborhood Board No. 9 will recess its regular meeting in September 2021. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 12, 2021.

    See the agenda here when it is posted.

    Sept. 8: Full City Council, 10am
    See the agenda and submit testimony here.
    Some items of interest:

    • Resolution 21-187 Urging the City Administration to act quickly to reopen
    • COVID-19 testing sites and establish additional sites to expand testing capacity. FOR ADOPTION
    • Resolution 21-189 Urging the City Administration to reopen and expand COVID-19 isolation and quarantine facilities. FOR ADOPTION
    • Resolution 21-193 Urging the Governor to reinstate pre-travel COVID-19 testing for domestic and international travelers to Hawai‘i regardless of their vaccination status. FOR ADOPTION
    • Resolution 21-174, CD1 Approving the Ala Moana Neighborhood Transit-Oriented Development Plan. FOR ADOPTION, AS AMENDED

    Sept. 8: House Education Committee Informational Briefing on COVID, 2pm
    The purpose of this informational briefing is to receive an update from the Department of Education regarding:

    • Mitigating the Risk of COVID-19
    • Maintaining Social Distancing
    • Efforts to Increase Distance Learning Capacity
    • Masking Protocol
    • On-Campus Testing for COVID-19
    • Efforts to Increase Bus Routes

    See the agenda here.

    WEEKEND WAYSIDES

    Sept. 4: Island Fever Brass Band at the Nextdoor Social Hotspot, 7:00 – 9:00pm
    Island Fever Brass is bringing the sounds of New Orleans to the Island of Oahu! As a hot, brass band, this electrifying group of talented musicians embodies pure creativity and imagination to bring new meaning to your favorite songs. Performing a wide variety of genres from New Orleans second line, hip-hop, jazz, funk, R&B, to throwbacks and everything in between, they hope to connect with every soul in the audience. Check them out at the NextDoor venue located in Hawaii Pacific University, 43 North Hotel Street, Honolulu, HI 96817. Cost is $60 for a table of four. Get your tickets here.

    Sept. 4-5: The 39th Okinawan Festival Goes Virtual for a Second Year
    The main events of the festival will be Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. and will feature local dance groups, taiko performances, and andagi — those sweet deep-fried buns of dough you long for—AND cooking demonstration and a performance by Mānoa DNA. You can shake your bon-bon on Saturday night from 8 to 9:15 p.m. as a few bon dance clubs will perform virtually for guests to follow along. https://www.okinawanfestival.com/

    Sept. 5: Outdoor Yoga by the Aquarium, 8:30am – 9:30am
    Love to Yoga outside? Try this socially distanced, outdoor yoga class with Diana Ho. Location: Kapiolani Park Fitness Station, 2745 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI. 967815. Please plan to arrive 10-15 minutes in advance to find parking along Kalakaua Ave. Along Kapiolani Park, parking is free before 10 am. Meet at Sans Souci State Recreational Park, on the far left closer to the Aquarium. Get your stretch on for only a suggested donation of $10 – $15. Pay via Paypal: info@dianahoyoga.com. Register here before attending.

    Sept. 5: FREE Zumba at International Marketplace-Queens Court, 10:00 – 10:45am
    Start off your Sunday right with some dancing! Join Fabletics International Marketplace and Cat Nitelet-Vedder for a FREE Zumba class! Spots are limited so make sure to reserve your spot today! Click here to register.

    Take care & stay safe!

  • Covid, legislative, UI and other news; Happenings

    Covid, legislative, UI and other news; Happenings

    Stay Safe and Care for Each Other!

    August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights the importance of getting recommended vaccines throughout your life. We know the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of life, including your ability to attend important appointments and receive routine vaccinations. During NIAM, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) — the national public health agency of the United States — encourages you to talk to your doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to ensure you and your family are protected against serious diseases by getting your routine vaccinations.

    CONTENTS:

    All Things Vaccine!
    For all you vaccination buffs, you are probably the most informed out of all in our population. For the rest of us who feel more like running away at the sight of a needle than getting vaccinated, if you think about the lives you’ll save by not infecting others, maybe a brief poke of a needle won’t be so bad in comparison — and just maybe you’ll make the right decision. Here is some brain food:

    COVID SURGE:
    COVID DEFENSES IN PLAY, UNPRECEDENTED EFFECTS,
    MORE ON CITY GATHERING SUSPENSIONS

    Record Covid Numbers Prompt Medical Defenses
    Governor Ige Sunday sent a discouraging message to tourists not to visit the islands. On Friday, new covid cases spiked yet again at 1,035 setting a new single-day record for confirmed and probably cases. Regular life appears to move along with people eating in restaurants, hanging at the beach and going about their activities, but little do they know, the following covid defenses are being put, or have been put, in place:

    • Covid field hospitals tents, beds and equipment are all on standby.
    • Ventilators from Hawaii’s emergency stockpile are now in use.
    • Expected to arrive this weekend, Kaiser is waiting on respiratory humidifiers, high-flow oxygen devices, vital sign monitors, and BiPAP machines (used to provide oxygen to people in need of respiratory care.)
    • More than 500 healthcare workers are on their way to Hawaii to accommodate the increased need at 19 hospitals statewide amid the surge.

    Surging Covid Cases Yield Unprecedented Effects
    The surge is challenging what we thought we knew about covid, and is yet again placing us in an uncertain and vulnerable state:

    • Nine new covid deaths were reported on Friday—the highest one-day COVID death toll since the onset of the pandemic.
    • Covid hospitalizations Wednesday hit a new all-time high for the fourth time this week, with 427 patients sick with the virus being treated in facilities across the state–87% of them are unvaccinated.
    • Hawaii has seen nearly 16,000 COVID cases this month alone. That means some 27% of the total number of Covid infections in the islands since the start of the pandemic have happened since Aug. 1.
    • A record number of 911 calls along with an increase in COVID-related emergencies are putting a strain on first responders. Honolulu EMS reported 390 calls on a single day last week. Normally, crews respond to an average of 250 calls each day.

    Large Organized Gatherings to be Suspended on Oahu for 28 Days
    The City has announced that all large organized gatherings on Oahu will be suspended, effective Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021 through Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, and may be extended further based on current conditions and impacts to the medical providers.

    Gatherings that are suspended are as follows:

    • Conferences
    • Trade shows
    • Conventions
    • Concerts
    • Ticketed sporting events
    • Weddings and Funerals

    These operations will continue:

    • Organized recreational sports
    • Spiritual services
    • Social establishments that operate as a restaurant/bar
    • Farmer’s markets and craft fairs with no entertainment.

    For more info.:
    Click here, email covidresponse@honolulu.gov, or call the city at 768-2489

    FDA-APPROVED PFIZER VAX, IN-HOME VACCINATIONS,
    TESTING EXTENDED AT AIRPORT

    FDA Approves of Pfizer Shot; Expected to Boost Hawaii Covid Vaccinations
    The FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer covid vaccine hopes to reaffirm its safety and effectiveness among the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. When people were asked why they haven’t been fully vaccinated, the state health department said people didn’t have enough confidence in the vaccine or they thought it was experimental. The department wants to remind everyone that “this is the most studied, scrutinized, tracked vaccine in the history of mankind. We know it’s safe. We know it works. It keeps people from severe illness, form hospitalization, from death.”

    Growing Demand for In-Home Vaccinations
    As booster shots are now available for immunocompromised patients, more appointments for in-home vaccinations are expected to be scheduled in the coming months. The call for service can come in two ways: hospital referrals or patients contacting a clinic directly. To schedule an appointment with the state, call 808-586-8332 or 833-711-0645. The call center offers translation services in 30+ languages

    Free COVID-19 Testing at the Airport Extended Until September 4
    Registration required. No walk-ins will be accepted. Bring a valid State ID displaying an Oahu address/zip code. Testing is available at the city’s mobile lab at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in the Diamond Head tour group area (just past baggage claim 31). Hours: 9am. To 5pm. Open 7 days a week, including on holidays. The PCR mid-turbinate test will be processed and results provided to participants within six hours. Register here.

    STATE AIDS THE UNEMPLOYED IN
    NEXT PHASE OF UI BENEFITS & RESOURCES

    Despite End of UI Programs, State Initiatives Continue to Help Unemployed Get Back on Their Feet
    On September 4, 2021, several unemployment insurance programs will end: the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), and the Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC). After they end, the regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) program will be available and here’s what you need to know:

    • PEUC $25 Option claimants: For individuals who established a new initial claim but chose to remain on the PEUC program under the PEUC $25 Option, your new UI claim will be reinstated and you can continue to collect benefits under that claim. You will need to serve a waiting period (non-payable) week before benefits can be paid.
    • Individuals may be eligible for a new initial claim after September 4, 2021 if these criteria are met:
      • The benefit end year date of your most recent regular UI claim must have passed.
      • You must have returned to work and been paid at least 5 times your new weekly benefit amount since the first day of your prior initial claim.
      • You must have been paid wages in at least two quarters of your base period.
      • You must have been employed and paid wages for insured work during the base period in an amount equal to no less than twenty-six (26) times your new weekly benefit amount.
      • Please note you will need to serve a waiting period (non-payable) week before benefits can be paid.
    • Flyers Below: New & Expanded Telephone Appointment System and Career Services

    Click here to request an appointment

    LEGISLATIVE HAPPENINGS

    State Senate Advises and Consents to Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA) Appointee

    Sonja McCullen, Governor Ige’s appointee to the ICA, got a unanimous stamp of approval from the Senate Friday. McCullen has served in her role as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for a combined 11 years, most recently in the Appellate Division. Previously, she worked as an investigator for the Crime Victim Commission, was a staff attorney for United Public Workers, a judicial education specialist for the State of Hawaii Judiciary, and law clerk for the Hon. Paula A. Nakayama, Hawaii Supreme Court.  In addition, McCullen was also a social studies, Hawaiian studies, and Hawaiian Language teacher at Waianae High School for nearly five years, where she created curriculum and instructed classes, to perpetuate Hawaiian culture for the next generation.  McCullen earned a B.A. in Liberal and Hawaiian studies from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, as well as a professional diploma in secondary education. She then went on to earn her J.D. from the William S. Richardson School of Law.

    Measure to Condemn Waikiki Eyesore Property Advances
    The City Council Committee on Executive Matters and Legal Affairs passed Resolution 21-148 which would provide for the acquisition of 1615 Ala Wai Blvd by eminent domain. For years the property has not been maintained so much so that vermin and vagrants have sought residence in the three-story apartment building that could otherwise provide housing for many.  Several years ago, I met with the property owner, Mr. Norman Nip in an effort to negotiate a settlement as the city was willing to purchase the property for public uses; but to no avail.  Unfortunately, the only way to address this problem in the public interest is by condemnation of the property and negotiating a reasonable settlement.  With over 20 years of neglect, the property has become dilapidated, uninhabitable and will require extensive repair and renovation.  However, if acquired, and refurbished, it could provide affordable housing that is in great demand in the district.

    City’s Revised Short-Term Rental Bill Set for Sept 1. Planning Commission Public Hearing
    The Department of Planning and Permitting is proposing major changes to the short-term rental (STR) ordinance that would not allow any new STRs in residential areas, but allow STRs adjacent to existing resort areas, and would provide needed resources to enforce against illegal STRs.  The amendments to Ordinance 19-18 are included in a draft bill that was sent to the Honolulu Planning Commission for consideration. The DPP took into consideration overwhelming community opposition to STRs in residential areas. At the same time, the bill acknowledges that there is a demand for STRs, which is why they will be permitted in and around resort areas of Waikiki, Ko Olina and Kuilima. The bill also would allow STRs in Waikiki’s Gold Coast.  A public hearing will be held on Sept. 1 at 11:30 a.m. For information on the draft bill and how to testify, see www.honolulu.gov/dppstr.  For more information, click here.

    SENIOR HOLO CARDS FOR BUS AVAILABLE, CITY STOPS ACCEPTING RENT AID APPLICATIONS, GIFT CARD SCAMS

    Senior HOLO Cards Available at All Satellite City Halls on Oahu
    The city’s transportation department (DTS) is reminding the public that Senior HOLO cards are available at all Satellite City Hall locations across Oahu. The HOLO card delivers added convenience and “best fare” extra value for TheBus riders. Since July 1, TheBus paper passes have been replaced with the HOLO electronic fare card. HOLO cards can be loaded with money or a pass online or at select retail locations to board TheBus. Like paper bus passes, Senior HOLO cards are available for riders 65 and older with valid identification. Seniors can visit both TheBus Pass Office at the Kalihi Transit Center, or Satellite City Halls to pick up a HOLO card. For Seniors, pricing is as follows: One-way fare: $1.00, Daily fare: $2.00, Monthly fare: $6.00, Annual fare: $35.00 For more information about the HOLO card, please visit www.holocard.net or call (808) 768-HOLO [4656].

    City Temporarily Stops Accepting Applications for Rent Help
    After reaching 5,000 applications, the city has temporarily stopped accepting more applications for rental and utilities assistance so it can process and distribute funds to landlords and utility companies. People who have started their applications should continue to submit their materials using the personalized account they created. Applications are expected to re-open after the current batch of applications is reviewed.

    Officials Warn Public of Gift Card and Survey Scams
    CrimeStoppers and HPD are warning the public about gift card and survey scams. This is what happens:

    • People receive a cashier’s check in the mail.
    • It instructs people to cash the check and purchase gifts from various stores.
    • Then it asks them to complete a survey on their shopping experience.
    • They are then instructed to take photos of the gift cards and email the information.
    • Participants are then instructed to keep a portion of the check for their time.

    HPD and CrimeStoppers say that you should not participate in any type of survey that involves a check.
    Officials also report that people have been receiving phone calls from the Publisher’s Clearing House informing them that they have won a large amount of money. They are then asked to send a processing fee by sending payment by way of gift cards. Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.

    DISTRICT HAPPENINGS

    Affordable Senior Housing Complex Set to Rise in Moiliili
    A cluster of near-century-old homes in Moiliili is slated for demolition next month to make way for high-density affordable housing serving seniors with low incomes. The planned six-story apartment building with 105 residences is expected to take 17 months to build, and is the product of a more than 2-year-old effort led by the local nonprofit affordable-housing development firm Hawaiian Community Development Board in partnership with California-­based 3 Leaf Holdings Inc. Read more about it here.

    Waikiki Aquarium in Need of a Makeover
    Conditions have not improved much since the doors reopened to the public on July 1. Many tanks are still empty, some habitat surfaces are peeling, and the 65-year-old building has trouble hiding its age. But with $2.3 million in pandemic relief funds in the next month and $10 million for improvement plans, surveying, construction and installations over the next two years, its future looks promising. Read more about its new purpose and model.

    MARK YOUR CALENDARS

    Aug. 29: First McCully-Moiliili Citizen’s Patrol, 5:00pm

    The McCully-Moiliili Community Patrol scheduled for Sunday, 8/29 has been cancelled.  It will be rescheduled to a future date to be determined.

    • When: Sunday, August 29th at 5:00 P.M.
    • Where: McCully and Algaroba St. (Diamond Head/Mauka corner)
    • Route: McCully (Makai) – Citron (Diamond Head) – Isenberg – King – McCully

    Mahalo to community member, David Hioki, for organizing and spearheading the McCully-Moiliili Citizen’s Patrol group.  If you have any questions, please email k.vatalaro@captiol.hawaii.gov and we can connect you with David Hioki for further information.

    Aug. 29: Broadcast Premiere of New Film on the Convergence of Climate and the Pandemic
    While investigators delve into whether Covid-19 emerged directly from the wild or was leaked from a Chinese lab, there’s a far bigger untold story – the link between climate change and pandemics like the coronavirus. The intersection of these two existential threats is the story told in the new documentary “Spiraling Crisis: The Alarming Convergence of Climate Change and Pandemics — A Postcard from the Future.” More dates are listed below for this one-hour documentary which will broadcast on Olelo Community Media Channel 54:

    • 8/29/2021, 8pm
    • 8/30/2021, 2:30pm
    • 9/3/2021, 9am
    • 9/4/2021, 10pm

    Aug. 30: Senate Committee Resumes Hearing on Higher Education, 1:00pm
    The purpose of this informational briefing is to take up the remaining matters as well as any outstanding inquiries that were raised at the August 9 briefing when the joint Committees on Higher Education and Ways and Means held an informational briefing to gather information and receive an update on various projects at the University of Hawaii, specifically procurement for the remodeling of the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, Atherton YMCA, the Cancer Center early phase clinical trials, and evaluate the policies and procedures regarding outside employment for personnel employed at the university and at the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH). Click on the agenda here for a link to watch the info briefing:

    Sept. 1: Pandemic Legislative Committee Hears from State Health Leaders, 1:00pm
    Watch as State Department of Health (DOH) leaders provide reports to the legislative pandemic committee. Speakers are as follows:

    • Dr. Libby Char, DOH Director
    • Dr. Sarah Kemble, DOH Acting State Epidemiologist

    Click on the agenda here for the link to watch this info briefing:

    Sept. 1: Kakaako HCDA Board Meeting, 11:00am (Virtual)
    Topics of Discussion include the following:

    • Decision Making on maintaining long-term affordability of reserved housing units.
    • Decision Making on the Change of Title stipulations for owners of Ke Kilohana Ward Village condo complex

    To view the livestreamed meeting, participate, or submit testimony, click on the agenda here.

    Sept. 2: McCully – Moiliili Neighborhood Board, 6:30pm
    WebEx Meeting Link: https://cchnl.webex.com/cchnl/j.php?MTID=mb90367ed931dcc54c38273cd3f4e292d
    Meeting Number: 146 778 4840
    Meeting Password: NB08 (6208 from phones and video systems)
    Meeting Agenda

    WEEKEND WAYSIDES

    August 28-29: Bloom! Garden & Art Festival at Ward Village, 10am-3pm
    Celebrate Hawaii’s bounty at this free, family-friendly event, where you can shop local plant nurseries, Hawaii Potters’ Guild, handmade items, packaged goods, as well as check out plant displays, attend free workshops and more. Learn more here.

    Aug. 29: Sunday Comedy Brunch at Waikiki’s Blue Note Hawaii, 10am
    Start the day off right with some delicious breakfast with a side of the best comedians on the island. Featuring Graham Elwood, Kevin Kellar, Andrew Joyce, Simmone Park and Jose Dynamite, your morning is bound to be a brighter day with laughter. Price range $10-$15. Livestream is free. For more info, click here.

    Aug. 28-31: International Market Place 5-Year Celebration, 11am – 8pm
    The International Market Place invites everyone to celebrate its 5th year anniversary and pay homage to Waikiki’s storied entertainment, history and culture. For the full list of events, visit https://shopinternationalmarketplace.com/anniversary/  For more info, call (808) 921-0536.

    Take care & stay safe!