Showing posts with label Scott Murakami. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scott Murakami. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Hawaii's on-again-off-again reopening plans are off again, Honolulu mayor to loosen restrictions, Kauai to open resort bubbles, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

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Hawaii sunset with airplane ©2020 All Hawaii News
Gov. Ige says pre-arrivals testing program to reopen tourism probably won’t begin Oct. 1. Gov. David Ige today said that he’s likely to delay for the third time the start of a pre-arrivals testing program to reopen tourism in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Pre-travel testing program likely to be delayed beyond Oct. 1. It’s likely that the 14-day mandatory quarantine for all passengers arriving to Hawaii will remain in place beyond Oct. 1, Gov. David Ige said Monday. Pacific Business News.

Ige says loosening of restrictions on travel unlikely by end of this month. State restrictions on travel to Hawaii are unlikely to be loosened by Oct. 1, Gov. David Ige said Monday. Tribune-Herald.

Out-of-State Travel Quarantine Likely to be Extended. Out-of-state travelers will likely remain subject to quarantine restrictions beyond Oct. 1. Big Island Now.

Governor Ige says tourism’s return October 1 is unlikely, pilot programs could come first. Governor David Ige said Monday that it is unlikely that trans-Pacific travel will reopen without the state’s mandatory 14-day travel quarantine before the tentatively scheduled date of Oct. 1. KHON2.

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State adding 25 more contact tracers this week to help track COVID-19 cases. There are currently 256 contact tracers on-the-job in Hawaii. KITV4.

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Can Military Spending Prop Up Hawaii’s Faltering Economy? As tourism crumbles and tensions escalate between the U.S. and China, the military’s economic role in the islands could become more prominent. Civil Beat.

Jobless claims increasing. Initial unemployment claims are again on the rise statewide, a University of Hawaii economist told the House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness. Tribune-Herald.

Economic woes widen as governor prepares to delay Hawaii’s reopening again. Gov. David Ige said Monday that he’s likely to delay for the third time the start of a pre-arrivals testing program to reopen tourism in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Economist: Hawaii’s Economic Fall Will Be Worse Than Predicted. Researchers are starting to get more data on just how the extended closure of Hawaii’s tourism industry has impacted the economy. Civil Beat.

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2 Senate Staffers Test Positive For COVID-19. The Senate president says social distancing and other protocols were observed and the risk of spread remains low. Civil Beat.

DOH Names Care Homes Affected by COVID-19. A new list doesn’t include case numbers and is not as comprehensive as advocates would like. Civil Beat.

More than 6,000 have applied for rent relief. A new state program providing $100 million of rental assistance to struggling tenants has been wildly popular since being established last week. Tribune-Herald.

Former DLIR Director Scott Murakami takes job at DBEDT. The former head of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, who resigned from his post in August after being on paid leave for two months, has resurfaced at another state agency. Star-Advertiser.

‘Equity Specialists’ Are Reviewing Hawaii DOE’s Problematic Online Learning Program. The state Board of Education is scheduled to take up the issue at its meeting Thursday as parents’ complaints over culturally insensitive content continue. Civil Beat.

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VIRUS TRACKER — Sept. 14: 80 New COVID-19 Cases In Hawaii. Since March, 635 people with the virus have been hospitalized. Civil Beat.

Hawaii health officials report 80 new coronavirus infections statewide. Hawaii Department of Health officials today reported 80 new infections statewide, bringing the state’s totals since the beginning of the pandemic to 10,779 COVID-19 cases. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Mayor pledges to ease restrictions on retailers, gatherings starting next week.  Facing criticism of his stay-at-home order as COVID-19 infections drop on Oahu, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Monday said he’s hoping to relax some rules next week. Hawaii News Now.

It’s been about three weeks since Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced a second stay-at-home order for Oahu. Since then there has been confusion over what businesses are considered essential and can stay open versus the non-essential stores that must stay shuttered. KHON2.

Oahu retailers get ready to reopen. Honolulu’s mayor said Monday if the drop in cases continue, the lock down won’t be extended. Hawaii News Now.

HPD issues thousands of citations over the weekend. Honolulu Police officers issued approximately 2,700 citations over the weekend for emergency order violations. KHON2.

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Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell says Oahu surge testing successful; more than 60K tested in 2 weeks. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell declared Oahu’s mass surge testing effort a success, with more than 60,000 people tested for COVID-19 over the past 14 days. Star-Advertiser.

Surge Testing Program Is Showing How To Control The Coronavirus On Oahu. Preliminary results of a federal coronavirus surge testing drive on Oahu indicate that the infection’s spread is concentrated in certain communities. Civil Beat.

Positive rates likely to rise with fewer COVID-19 tests. Now that COVID-19 surge testing on Oahu is finished after a nearly three-week run, one key metric to monitoring the severity of the pandemic in Hawaii might get worse. Star-Advertiser.

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Homeless shelter reopens following COVID-19 outbreak, but with fewer beds. One of Oahu’s largest homeless shelters is back open after a COVID-19 outbreak prompted health officials to shut it down last month and use it as a quarantine facility. Hawaii News Now.

Plan to upgrade, expand West Loch munitions annex has neighbors on edge. A draft environmental assessment describes a new Army munitions storage complex at the Navy’s West Loch Annex within Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Star-Advertiser.

Park Service seeks to replace Pearl Harbor shore-side floating dock. The National Park Serv­ice is seeking public comment on a proposed project to replace the deteriorating shore-side floating dock and anchoring system at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Kim: VA team to investigate Hilo veterans home. Mayor Harry Kim said a team from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will arrive later this week to investigate the situation at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home and make changes to better manage a deadly COVID-19 outbreak there. Tribune-Herald.

13th coronavirus fatality reported at Hilo veterans home as more federal aid pledged. A Hilo veterans home scrambling to contain a COVID-19 outbreak saw its 13th coronavirus fatality Monday. Hawaii News Now.

HOPE Services returns no positive tests. All 98 HOPE Services shelter residents and staff tested last week for COVID-19 have received negative results, the organization announced Monday. West Hawaii Today.

These Big Island Residents Are Trying To Keep Remote Beaches Safe And Sanitary. Illegal campers are flocking to beaches that have no county police to enforce shutdown orders. Civil Beat.

Maui

Maui County Council approves 2 affordable housing projects. Two affordable housing projects slated for South Maui got the green light from the Maui County Council on Friday afternoon. Maui News.

Hawaiian Language Keyboard Developed by UH Maui Professor is Released by Google. University of Hawai‘i Maui College Assistant Professor Dr. Keola Donaghy has developed and Google has just released a Hawaiian language keyboard extension for users of the Chome OS operating system. Maui Now.

Mayor Interview: Team to Meet with Poi By The Pound. Mayor Victorino’s team is meeting with the Poi By The Pound restaurant today.  Earlier this month, the local eatery had announced its planned closure on Sept. 11, amid the ongoing pandemic. Maui Now.

Condo listings, prices jump in August. Single-family home inventory and costs decline from 2019. New listings for condominium units on Maui last month skyrocketed 97 percent in year-over-year data, according to the latest Realtors Association of Maui report. Maui News.

Kauai

State to approve Kaua‘i resort bubble. Gov. David Ige is set to approve a voluntary “Resort Bubble” program on Kaua‘i in the hopes to bring tourism revenue back to the county this week. Garden Island.

Council discusses additional agriculture usages. Noting the impacts of the on-going coronavirus pandemic on farmers and ranchers, the Kaua‘i County Council is looking at a number of additional revenue options residents can utilize on agricultural land. Garden Island.

Molokai

Search intensifies for quarantine sites on Molokai as number of active cases grows to 13. There are now 13 active cases of COVID-19 on Molokai. And that has state and county leaders scrambling to find a quarantine location. Hawaii News Now.

Thursday, June 11, 2020

14-day out of state quarantine extended to July 31, vacation rentals to begin reopening, facial recognition coming to airports, no audit for Honolulu rail, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

June 10, 2020 press conference
Gov. David Ige June 10, 2020 press conference from video
Gov. David Ige Extends Trans-Pacific Travel Quarantine To July 31. Interisland travel will be opened on June 16. Passengers will be subject to a temperature check and anyone with a fever over 100.4 degrees will not be allowed to board. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige extends trans-Pacific quarantine through July 31, announces temperature checks for interisland flights. Gov. David Ige today extended the mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for out-of-state passengers to July 31. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. extends COVID-19 emergency period; quarantine changes made for travel around, into Hawaii. Hawaii Governor David Ige signed a ninth supplementary emergency proclamation that extends the state’s COVID-19 emergency period through July 31. KHON2.

Governor Ige Extends COVID-19 Emergency Period Through July 31. Governor David Ige has signed a Ninth Supplementary Emergency Proclamation, lifting the 14-day quarantine for inter-island travelers on June 16. Big Island Video News.

Ige Extends Out-of-State Travel Quarantine. Hawai‘i has extended its 14-day mandatory travel quarantine for out-of-state arrivals through the end of July, Governor David Ige announced Wednesday. Big Island Now.

Governor Extends Hawai‘i’s 14-Day Quarantine for International and Out-of-State Arrivals to July 31. The extension was announced during a press briefing this afternoon, and is part of the governor’s Ninth Emergency Proclamation relating to COVID-19. Maui Now.

Full text of Gov. Ige's Ninth Supplementary Emergency Proclamation can be found here.

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Temperature testing will be required for interisland travel. Thermal screening will be required at the airport for all interisland passengers starting Tuesday, and anyone with a fever of 100.4 or greater will be denied boarding. Star-Advertiser.

Thermal scanners, facial recognition technology to be installed in Hawaii’s airports. Hawaii Attorney General Clare Connors said Wednesday that even though the mandatory 14-day quarantine for interisland passengers will lifted June 16, there will be a “new health-screening process” passengers will have to undergo. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii will utilize facial recognition in airports. Installation will begin as a pilot program next week. KITV4.

Hawaii tourism industry faces more losses from extended visitor quarantine. Hawaii tourism, which essentially collapsed amid COVID-19 fears and lockdowns, won’t get out of the starting block for at least another 51 days. Star-Advertiser.

Pandemic budget crunch leaves Hawaii with unpleasant options. The coronavirus pandemic has pushed Hawaii’s unemployment rate up to 22.3%, generated miles-long food bank lines and led hotel operators to close their doors and board up their windows. Associated Press.

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Vacation rentals could reopen soon. As a group of transient vacation rental owners on four islands threatened a $1 billion lawsuit if they’re not allowed to reopen, Kauai was approved Wednesday for a new rule allowing that county to open the rentals to those not under quarantine and Gov. David Ige said his administration is working with other counties to see if it’s appropriate for them to follow suit. West Hawaii Today.

Vacation rental owners claim discrimination, threaten lawsuit. A group of vacation rental owners and property managers threatens a $1 billion lawsuit, if they are not allowed to re-open. KITV4.

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Governor: I ‘ordered’ director handling unemployment claims to take time off. “I ordered Director (Scott) Murakami to take some time off because as you know he was under tremendous pressure,” Gov. David Ige said, at the tail end of a news conference on inter-island travel. Hawaii News Now.

Ige: I Told Murakami To Take A Break. Scott Murakami, head of the state labor department, went on leave in early June after receiving death threats. Civil Beat.

Here’s how many jobless claims have been paid in Hawaii since March 1. The state said it’s still working to process nearly 18,000 valid unemployment claims. Meanwhile, 130,536 jobless claims are being paid. Hawaii News Now.

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Hawaii Is Spending $16M In Federal Aid For Summer Learning Programs. The money is part of a broader $43 million the Hawaii Department of Education received from a federal coronavirus relief package. Civil Beat.

Strengthening Hawaii's Community Food Security In A COVID-19 World. Food shortages in communities statewide because of the COVID-19 pandemic helped highlight the vulnerability of Hawaiʻi’s food supply. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii sees slight uptick in homeless population. Oahu’s homeless count increased by 0.7 percent during the nation’s latest annual homeless census, while the neighbor islands saw a similar 1% increase. Hawaii island saw a 16% increase since 2019, compared with a 9% decline on Maui and 4% decrease on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

4 new coronavirus cases on Oahu; Hawaii’s statewide total at 685. All four of today’s new cases are on Oahu, as was the case that was removed. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

City Council leaders quash HART forensic audit. City Councilwoman Heidi Tsuneyoshi is calling out Council Chairman Ikaika Anderson and Vice Chairwoman Ann Koba­yashi for refusing to proceed with contracting for an independent forensic audit of the agency charged with building Honolulu’s troubled, 20-mile rail line. Star-Advertiser.

A city rail audit won’t happen for now as feds continue their investigation. A city forensic audit for the rail project will not move forward. Councilmember Heidi Tsuneyoshi says the council chair and vice chair would not sign off on a Request for Proposals. Hawaii News Now.

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Honolulu City Council moving forward with resolution pressuring state to test visitors before they board a plane to Hawai'i. The Honolulu City Council is moving forward with a resolution putting pressure on the state to energize tourism by testing visitors up to three days before they leave. KITV4.

COVID-19 patient was at Oahu game room hours before being hospitalized. State Health Department officials reported four new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, one of whom is an Oahu woman in her 60s who has been hospitalized. The woman’s doctor says she was admitted to the ER on Tuesday night. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu City Council looks to keep community food distribution with local produce. So far, the city has held 11 community food distribution events, giving out more than 500 thousand pounds in local produce, which has in-turn made Hawaii’s farmers $250,000. KHON2.

Neighbors raise concerns for planned affordable housing project in Kailua. There are currently seven single-family homes on the roughly one-acre parcel at the intersection of Oneawa and Kawainui streets, along the edge of a residential neighborhood. The proposal calls for a three-story building and a four-story building that will have a total of 73 one- and two-bedroom apartments. Hawaii News Now.

Koko Crater safety project now is delayed indefinitely. Bowing to community concerns, city officials on Wednesday agreed to delay a safety improvement project at Koko Crater summit just two days after they announced it was scheduled to start next week. Star-Advertiser.

Koko Crater stairs won’t close for improvements afterall. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Hilo Landfill Closure Nearly Complete. The landfill is now covered by green, synthetic turf grass. The capping method is the first to be permitted and constructed in Hawaiʻi. Big Island Video News.

Hilo landfill pau this month. The county Department of Environmental Management is expected to finish a months-long project to permanently shut down the South Hilo landfill this month. Tribune-Herald.

South Hilo Landfill Closure Nears Completion. The South Hilo Sanitary Landfill will soon be closed for good, according to a statement from Hawai‘i County Wednesday. Big Island Now.

Maui

Bars get OK to reopen Monday. A couple weeks after Maui County restaurants were allowed to reopen, bars finally got state and county clearance to resume operations starting Monday. Maui News.

Commission mulls short-term rental cap. Bill would reduce permits on Maui, Lanai from 349 to 278. Maui News.

Maui County’s Share of CIP Funds is More Than $533 Million. More than $533 million was set aside for Capital Improvement Projects on Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi as part of the $5.1 billion CIP budget bill passed by the state legislature on May 21 for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021. Maui Now.

Kauai

Emergency rule 12 reopens bars, TVRs June 16. Bars and short-term rentals will be allowed to reopen on June 16 to people not subject to quarantine. Garden Island.

Council talks proposed CARES Act funds budget. If approved by the state, the county hopes to put over $28 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds toward direct assistance, economic and supply chain resiliency and preparing for a potential next wave of the novel coronavirus. Garden Island.

This Kauai Doctor Is Helping Revolutionize Drug Treatment For Inmates. The state is seeking a $650,000 federal grant to set up a pilot program for using medication-assisted treatment to address drug dependency in corrections facilities statewide. Civil Beat.

Reef health at a Kauai beach shows signs of improvement.  DLNR has been monitoring Anini Reef for the past year. They found that evidence of “black band disease” on rice corals fell by more than 11 percent to normal levels. Hawaii News Now.

Monday, June 8, 2020

Unemployment chief goes on leave amid system meltdown that leaves thousands unpaid, Black Lives Matter demonstrations draw peaceful crowds, campaign donor gets big COVID contract, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Scott Murakami (l) with Gov. David Ige in April 22 Facebook live session
The Head Of Hawaii’s Unemployment Office Is On Leave. It’s not clear whether the leave is voluntary, but agency officials say the labor director had been receiving death threats. Civil Beat.

Hawaii unemployment office director on leave, governor’s office confirms. Scott Murakami, the director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, is currently on leave, putting his deputy in charge, a spokeswoman for Gov. David Ige’s office confirmed Saturday. Murakami told a state House committee last month that his employees were receiving death threats because of the issues filing claims. Star-Advertiser.

Senate COVID-19 committee will not be "investigative". The resolution to make the Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 "investigative," giving it the power to subpoena, has been rescinded. KITV4.

How A Major Campaign Donor Got A Million-Dollar Cleaning Contract In Honolulu. The contract, as well as a job on Maui, was approved after Gov. David Ige suspended procurement rules. Civil Beat.

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Thousands of Hawaii protesters rally for Black Lives Matter on Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui and Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Thousands Show Up Across Hawaii To Protest Racial Injustice. The peaceful march Saturday in Honolulu, organized by a youth-led group called Hawaii for Black Lives, drew a crowd estimated at nearly 10,000 protesters. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s weekend Black Lives Matter protests drew thousands statewide. Standing in solidarity with the national Black Lives Matter movement, thousands of Hawaii residents joined in protests across the islands this weekend. Hawaii News Now.


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UH to Begin Training COVID-19 Contact Tracers. The University of Hawaiʻi System-Hawaiʻi State Department of Health kicks off its Contact Tracing Training Program on Monday. Big Island Now.

State’s contact tracing training program kicks off Monday, expects to train hundreds by July. A state training program to trace the contacts of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 starts Monday, June 8. KHON2.

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Germ-fighting ‘dry fog’ system used in prisons could also be used in schools and airports. A new disinfecting system that promises to kill everything from mold to the new coronavirus for at least 90 days is being applied in state prisons and has the potential for use in schools, airports and other buildings to help open Hawaii’s economy, state prison officials say. Star-Advertiser.

Pacific Islanders, Filipinos Have Highest COVID-19 Rates In Hawaii. New data on race shows that Native Hawaiians — previously lumped in with other Pacific Islanders — aren’t currently experiencing higher rates of COVID-19. Civil Beat.

Guidelines create incomplete Hawaii virus data, critics say. Coronavirus information from Hawaii health officials presents an incomplete story of the pandemic’s impact on racial and ethnic communities in the state, some critics said. KITV4.


Hawaii is likely to see more COVID-19 infections as reopening continues, health director says. The number of new coronavirus cases in Hawaii has increased slightly, nearly reaching half of all of May’s cases in the first week of this month. Star-Advertiser.

Weekend COVID cases rise as state figures out a plan to welcome visitors back. Lieutenant Governor Josh Green said we’ll find out soon whether or not the two-week quarantine or travelers into the state will be lifted. KHON2.

2 new COVID-19 cases, 1 new hospitalization reported Sunday. On Sunday, just two new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Hawaii. The two new cases came after both Friday and Saturday consecutively revealed nine new cases on each day. Hawaii News Now.

2 new Oahu coronavirus cases, 509 out-of-state new visitor arrivals to Hawaii. Out-of-state visitor arrivals to Hawaii rose to 509 Saturday, the sixth day in a row that incoming arrivals topped 400. Star-Advertiser.

VIRUS TRACKER — JUNE 7: 2 New COVID-19 Cases In Hawaii. Both new cases were reported on Oahu. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Another audit reveals problems, this time with city parks. The city auditor Friday blasted inadequate maintenance of Honolulu parks, blaming the lack of management and resources. Hawaii News Now.

The new normal for offices will include staggered shifts, limits, more remote working. Many companies with offices downtown are in no hurry to reopen, with some waiting until the end of the month, others until July and even others, beyond that. Star-Advertiser.

Dentist’s offices are reopening for routine care, with fewer patients at a time. Slowly, but surely, dentist’s offices are reopening for routine cleanings and nonemergency procedures. Star-Advertiser.

Single-family homes and condo sales dropped 51% in May. Sales of single-family homes and condominiums on Oahu tanked in May as owners and buyers elected to practice social distancing. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Young Brothers making changes, barge arrival returning to Mondays. Young Brothers will continue operations under a reduced sailing schedule for the next month, but Monday barge service in Hilo is set to resume soon. West Hawaii Today.

Creagan withdraws candidacy: Bondera selected as heir apparent in Democratic contest for House District 5. State Rep. Richard Creagan dropped out of the House District 5 race after hiring a handpicked, last-minute candidate to manage his legislative office in Honolulu. West Hawaii Today.

HECO selects 3 Big Island projects in quest for renewable energy, energy storage. A pair of solar-plus-storage projects that will generate 120 megawatts of solar power with 480 megawatt-hour storage capacity in South Kohala are moving forward. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo DMV: Make an appointment. While the county’s Department of Motor Vehicles is open again for in-person services, residents are advised to make an appointment or be prepared to wait. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

County Council passes austere $823M budget. The Maui County Council on Friday approved on second and final reading an $822.6 million county budget for fiscal 2020-21, which reflects the “new normal” as the county deals with coronavirus impacts. Maui News.

MRA seeks more information from hotel developers. Meeting on review of environmental report stretches over 2 days. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Has A New Plan For Its Vacant Residential Drug Treatment Facility. The director of Hope Treatment Services said the county broke his contract to provide inpatient drug treatment to youth because it couldn’t obtain a license to operate fast enough. Civil Beat.

These Kauai Cops Are Tired Of Racist Police Killings, Too. Kauai’s police chief is encouraging officers to attend protests and have candid conversations with citizens — and each other. Civil Beat.

Restarting Kaua‘i. Broadband infrastructure, cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and implementing a new model for visitor travel are among the ideas that can leverage Kaua‘i’s future post-coronavirus. Garden Island.

Malama Pono Health Services gets grant, launches mobile-health van. Malama Pono Health Services received $200,000 in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus funds for COVID-19 emergency housing and utilities assistance through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Garden Island.