Friday, December 11, 2020

Coronavirus vaccine may be in Hawaii next week, Maui closes bars, unions may sue to stop furloughs, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Centers for Disease Conrol and Prevention
CDC lab worker developing vaccine PC:CDC

 Vaccines offer the key to speed of Hawaii’s economic recovery. The state’s recovery is not expected to pick up in earnest until the middle of next year, according to the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization’s annual Hawaii forecast due out today. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Economists Predict Slow, Perilous Path To Recovery. Hawaii’s economy is among the hardest hit in the country, a new report confirms. Civil Beat.

Ige: Coronavirus Vaccines May Land In Hawaii As Early As Next Week. Hawaii health officials say they expect to receive more than 81,000 vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna during the month of December. Civil Beat.

‘A hopeful moment’: Hawaii preparing to receive first COVID-19 vaccine doses soon. The state’s plan to acquire and distribute a coronavirus vaccine ‘may be the largest immunization campaign in the history of our state,’ Governor David Ige said Thursday. Hawaii News Now.

Ige: More than 81K doses of vaccines from two companies slated for Hawaii this month. Gov. David Ige said during a news conference Thursday that the first round of vaccines could arrive as early as next week. Tribune-Herald.

DOH says general population could get vaccinated by summer. Officials say the state is expecting to receive nearly 82,000 doses, and that’s just for the first dose, by the end of the month. These doses will go to people in phase one which is divided into groups: essential healthcare workers, staff and residents in long term care facilities, first responders and essential workers. KHON2.

DOH Director has plan for who will receive COVID-19 vaccine first, Lt. Gov. says he has faith in the vaccine. Director of the Department of Health, Libby Char confirms her top priority will be essential healthcare workers and kupuna in long-term care facilities. KITV4.

State announces COVID-19 vaccines coming. The rollout of a vaccine for COVID-19 inches closer, with a possible shipment to the state coming as early as next week. Garden Island.

Gov Holds Press Conference On COVID Vaccine Distribution. With FDA approval of an Emergency Use Authorization for the first COVID-19 vaccine on the horizon, the State of Hawaiʻi is moving forward with a plan to vaccinate 81,000 individuals in December. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii health-care workers could get shots in the arm as early as Tuesday. The state expects 81,000 thousand people to receive COVID-19 vaccinations by the end of the month, including health care workers, staff and patients in long-term care facilities, and first responders. Hawaii News Now.

Health-care workers won’t be required to take vaccine until FDA’s full approval
. Health Director Libby Char said the state is expecting 45,825 initial doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 36,000 initial doses of the Moderna product, which federal authorities will consider next week for emergency use authorization. Star-Advertiser.

=====

Furlough fight likely to wind up in court unless lawmakers step in. With unions set to challenge the governor’s proposal to furlough state workers, experts say it could ultimately be up to the courts to decide. But the legislature can also step in and provide a solution. KHON2.

DOE Reveals Furlough Plan For Teachers, Other Employees. Hawaii’s 13,000 teachers and other Department of Education employees will have to take six to 10 days of unpaid leave next year, the superintendent said Thursday after the governor ordered statewide furloughs in a bid to balance the budget. Civil Beat.

Public Worker Unions Urge Ige To Halt Furlough Plan, Cite Confusion In State Departments. State department heads were given a “very short window” to determine which employees will be furloughed and which will be exempt, and department heads are unsure how the program should be executed, according to the statement from the unions, which included United Public Workers and the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly. Civil Beat.

=====

$22 million left on Hawaii Restaurant Cards need to be spent by Tuesday. Millions of dollars on Hawaii Restaurant Cards need to be used by next week or it will go away. With just days left before the deadline, restaurant owners are begging people to come eat. Hawaii News Now.

=====

Office of Hawaiian Affairs names Carmen Hulu Lindsey chairwoman. Lindsey, who has represented Maui on the board for eight years, replaces former chair and veteran OHA trustee Colette Machado, who lost her reelection after 23 years on the board. Star-Advertiser.

Carmen Hulu Lindsey To Chair OHA Board Of Trustees. Lindsey is taking over the board’s top leadership position from former chair and OHA trustee Colette Machado, who lost her bid for reelection in November after serving at OHA for more than two decades. Civil Beat.

Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey Voted OHA Chair. The Maui trustee and award-winning recording artist said Thursday marked the dawning of a new era at OHA. Big Island Video News.

=====

How Hawaii Became A Training Ground For The Indonesian Military. Hawaii politicians and military commanders have pushed for strong defense ties with Jakarta for two decades, but Indonesia’s bloody history in the Pacific casts a shadow. Civil Beat.

VIRUS TRACKER — Dec. 10: 123 New COVID-19 Cases In Hawaii. Health officials reported 123 new COVID-19 cases statewide on Thursday, including 79 on Oahu, 24 on the Big Island, 11 on Maui and two on Kauai. Seven Hawaii residents were diagnosed with COVID-19 out of state. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Tommy Waters likely to become chairman of Honolulu City Council. Veteran lawmaker Tommy Waters will lead the Honolulu City Council as its chairman when a new lineup meets for the first time Jan. 2, under a resolution made public Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council May Be Headed By Waters, Kiaaina And Tupola. The new council will have several political veterans and a couple of newcomers. Civil Beat.

Mayor Caldwell says City and County of Honolulu won't furlough workers. But he does caution if things don't improve the new mayor could have to consider furloughs as a last resort further down the road. KITV4.

Oahu restaurants get 90-day delay of ban on plastic utensils. Restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets and other businesses that serve prepared food on Oahu are getting an extra three months to use up their plastic or other fossil fuel-based forks, spoons, knives and other utensils. Star-Advertiser.

=====

Oahu’s move to tier 3 on Christmas unlikely unless numbers decrease. In a press conference Thursday, Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Honolulu could move to tier 3 by Christmas but it will take a lot of hard work. KHON2.

Honolulu mayor hopeful Oahu can move into Tier 3 by Christmas. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said it would be very difficult, but that there is still hope that Oahu could get to Tier 3 by Christmas in about two weeks. Star-Advertiser.

Despite millions in federal funds, HPD’s tent city at Keehi Lagoon sits mostly underutilized.
The Honolulu Police Department’s large tent city at Keehi Lagoon Beach Park is a highly-visible symbol of the twin battles being raged against COVID-19 and homelessness. But the rising cost of the emergency shelter is raising red flags amongst members of the Honolulu City Council and within the community. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Replacing Kahele: Local Democrats prepare to fill Hilo Senate seat. The Big Island could be short a state senator when the regular legislative session begins Jan. 20, as the process of filling Sen. Kai Kahele’s greater Hilo District 1 seat can’t begin until he resigns. West Hawaii Today.

The solar photovoltaic system was given Hawaiian Electric approval to operate on September 30, Keck officials say. The W. M. Keck Observatory announced on Thursday that it has successfully installed a solar photovoltaic system on the rooftop of its telescope facility on the summit of Maunakea. Big Island Video News.

Keahuolu Courthouse Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19.
An employee at the Keahuolu Courthouse tested positive for COVID-19, the Hawai‘i State Judiciary announced Thursday. Big Island Now.

Kona Judiciary Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19. The employee was last at work on December 8, does not work in a courtroom, and did not have close or frequent contact with coworkers or court users. Big Island Video News.

Maui

APPROVED: Mayor’s Request for Two Week Bar Closure on Maui. Governor David Ige has approved Maui County’s request to close bars and bar areas within restaurants for two weeks from Dec. 12 to 26, 2020. Maui Now.

County seeks to stop bar service for two-week stint. Mayor hopes that temporary closure will stop uptick in cases. Maui County is seeking to close down bars and bar service areas for two weeks to try and stop the uptick in COVID-19 cases that officials say are coming from “bar-like” behavior. Maui News.

PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RULES, AMENDED DECEMBER8, 2020 can be found here.

Maui’s Family Life Center Receives $1.25 Million Bezos Grant to End Homelessness. Family Life Center, a nonprofit organization serving the homeless in Maui and Kauaʻi Counties, was selected to receive a $1.25 million grant from the Day 1 Families Fund created by Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. Maui Now.

Maui authorities identify surfer who died following Honolua Bay shark attack. Authorities initially said 56-year-old Robin Warren of Napili was in stable condition when he was hospitalized on Tuesday. He underwent surgery, but his condition quickly deteriorated and he died on Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

KPD recruit commencement postponed. The graduation ceremony scheduled to take place on the lawn of KPD was called off in the final minutes leading to the start of the protocol. Garden Island.

No comments:

Post a Comment