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

Aloha Neighbor,

Happy Friday!  Below are some fun and healthy events occurring this weekend. Do take advantage!  Also, do find out more about what is happening in our district and weigh in so the decision-makers can hear your concerns and interests.  In that regard, I appreciate those who have sent in ideas and concerns, so if you have suggestions for legislation send our way, too.

CELEBRATE YOUR CHILD: VIRTUAL ‘CHILDREN AND YOUTH DAY’ ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4^TH

Celebrate our keiki from the comfort of home! The 27th Annual Children & Youth Day (CYD) will be live online this Sunday, October 4^th from 10:00am–3:00pm. You can chat with a live representative and see pre-recorded videos at participant booths. The videos be available after the event till the end of October 2020. It’s free but you must register to attend at: https://cyd2020.vfairs.com/en/.  If you have questions, email  info@hawaiicyd.org

BE ARMED AGAINST THE FLU:  GET YOUR FLU SHOTS IN KAKAAKO THIS WEEKEND

BE healthy: get a flu shot.  If you haven’t yet gotten your shot, a drive-thru flu shot clinic will be in the Kakaako Waterfront Park parking lot on Cooke Street from 8 a.m. to noon this Saturday, Oct. 3 and Sunday, Oct. 4. The “Drive Through to Beat the Flu” clinic is available to everyone with or without insurance.  If you plan to attend, here are some instructions:

• Enter thru the intersection of Ward Ave. and Ala Moana Blvd.
• It’s on a first-come-first-served basis until supplies last; but the first hour is reserved for seniors 65 years and older.
• You must wear a face covering and be in a motor vehicle (no walk-ups).
• You need to bring the following documents:
• A completed Flu Shot Questionnaire and Consent Form (click to access a copy).  (Don’t worry about the “Lihue” form; just print and fill out before arriving).
  • Photocopy of State ID, School ID, or Birth Certificate.
  • If you have insurance: Copy of Medical Insurance Card(s). A co-pay might be necessary depending on medical provider. Medicare Advantage plan members must have their Medicare A/B cards AND advantage plan card (e.g., HMSA, HUMANA, Kaiser, UHC etc.).
  • If you are not the primary subscriber on your insurance plan, provide subscriber’s Name, Birth Date, Gender, Relationship (spouse, parent).

For more info, call (808) 294-1399. If you have a disability or need an interpreter, call (808) 768-3003 for assistance on weekdays 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov.

HELP FOR THE COVID-IMPACTED:  UNEMPLOYED

If you are unemployed, the following new programs have been launched:

• FREE JOB TRAINING:  Sign up for Oahu Back To Work from Sept 28 – Thanksgiving – Oahu Back to Work is a short-term training program offered by the City and the University of Hawaii. Virtual classes run from October 5, 2020 to December 30, 2020. To qualify, you must be living on Oahu and your employment was disrupted by COVID-19, e.g., lost hours, furloughs or job loss.   If interested go quickly to OahuBackToWork.com for more information and to sign up for the free courses.  Know that more than 1,000 residents have already enrolled; and the goal is to provide training to 2,000 qualified applicants. Go now!
• FREE ONLINE COURSES: Sign up in Coursera from Now until October 31 – The State is offering Hawaii’s unemployed a free online learning platform called Coursera to help users upskill, take on more advanced technology projects, and reposition for new career opportunities. Approved users can take their pick from more than 3,000 courses and certifications from top universities and organizations, ranging from technology to business and personal development offerings. See the list of recommended courses here: https://www.htdc.org/covid-19/learning-tech/  Registration is open from now until October 31, 2020. To apply, visit  www.htdc.org/workforce-recovery-initiative-by-coursera. For more information, contact info@htdc.org.
• STILL HAVING PROBLEMS GETTING UNEMPLOYMENT?  UI Virtual Call Center Opens – With the thousands still needing help getting into the system or paid, the Hawaii state unemployment office has just opened a new Virtual Call Center to address questions with live knowledgeable persons.  The toll-free numbers to call: (833)-901-2272 and (833)-901-2275 (you can also use the local numbers (808)-762-5751 and (808)-762-5752). The center will operate during normal state business hours from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Two hundred trained operators will be available to answer all types of questions, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The center staff ask callers to help in the following ways to get served faster:
  • Refrain from robo-calling (or auto-dialing); it prevents other claimants’ calls from getting through.
  • Answer your phone when UI operators calling back.
  • UI operators can answer a lot of your questions but cannot resolve employer separation issues.
  • For more information, visit  https://labor.hawaii.gov/covid-19-labor-faqs/.

LEARN ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY: GET INVOLVED
Look around the district a lot is happening. A lot of construction as these are essential activities and contractors see this as a great time to repair or build when traffic is still at a minimum. Read about the developments and proposed changes below and send your input before the decision is made:

• ALA MOANA PLAZA DEVELOPMENT:  Deadline for comment extended to October 7  – The Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) heard the permit application for the Ala Moana Plaza on September 30. Developer Brookfield Properties seeks interim approval for a 400′ tower and 7.0 FAR density building that would be allowable under a draft Ala Moana Transit Oriented Development Plan that has not yet been approved by the City Council.  A number of concerns have already been raised about the project, including sea level rise, traffic, safety, view corridors, minimal community benefits, limited number of affordable units, parking spaces, and the lack of a park or open green space. The DPP has extended the time to receive written testimony to October 7.  Send your input to the City Department of Planning & Permitting (DPP) by emailing to info@honoluludpp.org . To review the developer’s plan for its Ala Moana Plaza development, click here.
• CITY COUNCIL CONVENES ON OCT. 7:  Weigh in our district issues – For instructions to view the Session Live virtually, and to submit testimony, see the agenda. Should you have any questions, please call 768-3814 or send an email to jyamane1@honolulu.gov. Proposals on items of interest to our district are below:
  • Bill 47, CD1 Relating to crosswalks. Requires the City Administration to provide or offer to provide a presentation to the affected neighborhood board prior to the removal or relocation of an established, marked crosswalk.
  • Bill 52, CD1 Relating to the Department of Enterprise Services. Amends the Rental Schedule Rates for the Neal S. Blaisdell Center and Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell to permit adjustments to rental rates and/or substitution of larger facilities to allow for required physical/social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as recommended and/or mandated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
  • Resolution 20-204, CD1 Approves the December 2019 update to the Oahu Bike Plan and transmits the plan to the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization for incorporation into the Oahu Regional Transportation Plan.
  • Resolution 20-232 Names the new park on the property bounded by Seaside Avenue, Royal Hawaiian Avenue, Aloha Drive, and Manukai Street in Waikiki “Centennial Park Waikiki.”
• PROPOSED REMOVAL OF KAKAAKO CROSSWALKS: Send your input by October 8 – The City Department of Design and Construction, as part of its repaving project, is proposing to remove and add crosswalks.  Many in Kakaako have raised concern over the proposed removal of crosswalks located on the notice and map here.  Call in your input to the City Department of Design and Construction  at 768-8801 by October 8.

GENERAL ELECTION BALLOTS WILL BE MAILED OUT OCT. 5
To minimize mail delivery issues, Honolulu election officials are mailing out ballots early. The Oct. 5 date factors in the U.S. postal service’s average delivery time of 5-13 days so voters can receive their ballots by October 16. For a list of drop box locations, visit www.honoluluelections.us or call 265-1293. If mailing your completed ballot, the U.S. Postal Service recommends that you mail it at least 7 days before General Election Day, which is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. 

PLANNING FOR THE 2021 LEGISLATURE: Send us your ideas
Our office is working on bills and resolutions for the 2021 legislative session.  Your ideas on how we can improve our community are important to us.  If you have an idea email us at senmoriwaki@capitol.hawaii.gov and we will work with you. Together we can make our community better.