Showing posts with label race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label race. Show all posts

Monday, July 19, 2021

Hawaii employers can mandate vaccinations, officials seek to expand categories of Pacific Islanders, Chinatown changes sought, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2021 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hawaiian kupuna in court pre-COVID ©2021 All Hawaii News

For racial designations, some seek more boxes to check for ‘other.’ Pacific Islanders Of Hawaii’s 1.5 million residents, 38% are Asian — mostly Japanese and Filipino — 26% are white, 2% are Black, and many people are multiple ethnicities, according to U.S. census figures. Native Hawaiians account for about 20% of the population. Associated Press.

Hawaii employers are allowed to mandate vaccinations but are hesitant to do so. A legal ruling in Texas is opening the door to mandatory vaccinations in Hawaii, according to Hawaii’s attorney general. A federal judge allowed a Houston hospital to fire workers who refused to be vaccinated. The attorney general said that means the state can also require employees to get the shots. Hawaii News Now.

State enforcement of years-old raw milk ban blindsides pet food businesses. Local pet food shops say they’ve felt blindsided by recent a state crackdown on raw, unpasteurized goat’s milk. They’re being told to either dispose of all of their stock, or send it back to the vendors — both costly options for small local businesses. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Hawaii Consumers Can Now File Complaints Online. The Regulated Industries Complaints Office has an updated system that finally allows Hawaii residents to submit electronic complaints. Civil Beat.

Inmate Deaths In Hawaii Prisons And Jails Are On The Upswing This Year. The state is on track to have more fatalities in correctional facilities in 2021 than in any year in the past decade. Civil Beat.

July 4th parties blamed for virus spread in Hawaii. Hawaii officials are attributing the recent spike in coronavirus cases statewide to July Fourth celebrations and the still substantial number of residents who have not been vaccinated against the virus that so far has sickened over 39,000 people here and killed 523. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii sees 164 new coronavirus cases, bringing statewide total to 39,254. Sunday's new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 104 new cases on Oahu, 12 on Maui, 18 on Hawaii Island, six on Kauai and 24 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Hawaii Tourism Authority considers Oahu plan to address demand to limit tourism. The Oahu Destination Management Action Plan, an effort to figure out that and other tourism challenges, is expected to go before the HTA board for a vote July 29, with the plan slated for release to the public sometime in August. Star-Advertiser.

The Case Of 3 Honolulu Cops Charged With Killing Teen Is Ramping Up. Defense attorneys are working to get charges dropped as prosecutors prepare to present evidence against the officers on Tuesday. Civil Beat.

Low inmate forecasts at OCCC could affect costs of future jail. The average daily inmate population at Oahu Community Correctional Center is forecast to fall from 1,316 in 2019 to 788 in 2032, which will have profound implications for the planning of a future OCCC, including its size and long-term operational costs. Star-Advertiser.

Chinatown hopes Weed & Seed and foot patrols will clean up neighborhood. Twenty-four hour police foot patrols of Chinatown — funded by $2 million in overtime — began slowly last week, as law enforcement and city officials revive a program to reduce crime, then rebuild a beleaguered community in the midst of a pandemic. Star-Advertiser.

Historic Chinatown commercial building slated for residential use. A development firm led in part by state Rep. Mark Hashem is pursuing the $27 million project that would convert the three-story Hocking Building on a corner of North King Street and Nuuanu Avenue into 40 apartments with monthly rent as low as $634 reserved for households with low incomes. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Highways Chief Neil Azevedo put on leave. Neil Azevedo, the county Highways Division chief who ran unsuccessfully for mayor last year, has been suspended without pay for 30 days, sources told West Hawaii Today.

Brush Fire Burns On Saddle, Closes Highway. The Hawaiʻi Police Department reports the brush fire near Old Saddle Road is still active. Old Saddle Road, between Daniel K. Inouye Highway junction and Highway 190 junction, remains closed. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Hilo Orchid Society to hold orchid sale in lieu of cancelled show.
The Hilo Orchid Society has canceled its popular annual orchid show for 2021, as it did in 2020, because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Pandemic caused delays to telescope. Final review scheduled; work expected to finish in November. The world’s largest solar telescope, located atop Haleakala, will undergo a final review by a scientific panel next week in preparation for its soft startup later this year, which had been delayed by the pandemic. Maui News.

Maui County Loses Again In Federal Court Over Pollution Discharges. For years, the county has violated the Clean Water Act by discharging treated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean through injection wells at a Lahaina sewer plant. Civil Beat. Associated Press.

Testifiers Suggest Delayed Implementation of Plastic Disposable Foodware Ban. Maui restaurants and distributors continued to express supply chain concerns and economic challenges compounded by pandemic impacts when testifying on an ordinance amendment that outlines a ban on single-use plastic foodware in Maui County. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i has state’s highest jobless rate. The unemployment rate is decreasing statewide. However, Kaua‘i still has the highest unemployment rate among the counties, 11.2% in June. Garden Island.

A Kauai Family Gave Homeless People A Place To Live.
Now They All Face Eviction. Marcia and Buna Leialoha felt they had no choice but to offer homes to those evicted from a nearby temporary homeless camp, but their landlord thinks otherwise. Civil Beat.

Anaina Hou Community Park reopens on Kauai, welcomes events for community. Community members of Kauai’s North Shore are looking to bring life back to Anaina Hou Community Park by adding more events to its roster of summer entertainment. KHON2.

Ige talks legislation, Coco Palms.
The Garden Island met with Gov. David Ige last week through a Zoom call, and was told any question goes, but we had only 20 minutes with him. Garden Island.

Monday, October 12, 2020

Possible data breach in travel software, racial data missing in state COVID-19 counts, tech billionaire donates 1M masks, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2020 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hawaiian family in an ocean pond ©2020 All Hawaii News

Hawaii COVID-19 Data For Race And Ethnicity Is Missing. Leaders across many Pacific Islander communities have been working to prevent COVID-19 infections from increasing. Civil Beat.

Advocates worry immigrant, working families struggling to get by amid pandemic woes. A new advocacy group said that the backlog in unemployment claims is hitting immigrant and working-class families hard. Hawaii News Now.

Potential data breach exposed in state’s travel exemption request system. The state is investigating a potential breach of data within one of their systems tied to the Attorney General’s office. Nearly 150 individuals who applied for a travel exemption through the state Attorney General’s website were notified Friday about the potential breach. Hawaii News Now.

Uncertainty around traveler testing program has many taking ‘wait-and-see’ approach. Visitors will face testing requirements that still aren’t finalized, with different rules on every island. Hawaii News Now.

What to expect at the airport when the pre-travel testing program begins. Hawaii’s pre-travel testing program will begin on Thursday, Oct. 15. KHON2.

Kauai, Maui mayors wait for Gov. Ige's approval of pre-travel testing proposals
. Pretravel testing plans differ for other counties. KITV4.

Will Hawaii Finally Be Able To Break Its Dependence On Tourism? The state is about to reopen its tourism industry, the heart of Hawaii’s economic engine. Is it time to find another way forward? Civil Beat.

Hawaii bankruptcy filings continue to tick downward. Hawaii bankruptcies continue to decrease even as individuals and businesses struggle to make ends meet in the slowing economy. Star-Advertiser.

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QAnon Conspiracies, Proud Boys And The Future of Hawaii’s GOP. The party has struggled for the past decade to gain a meaningful foothold in the islands. The rise of Donald Trump and the radical right has only made the situation more dire. Civil Beat.

Election officials run tests of ballot machines ahead of the general. Official observers tested voting machines on Oahu Saturday morning. Neighbor island machines were tested this past week. Hawaii News Now.

Voting machines tested ahead of general election, helps to ensure election integrity. With the general election less than four weeks away, the state Office of Elections is busy gearing up for the big day. KHON2.

Connie Chun / 1928-2020: She was the first nurse and Filipina to serve in state House. Connie Chun, the first Filipina and first nurse elected to the state House of Representatives, was also a lawyer, philanthropist, marathon runner and matriarch of the “Hunky Bunch.” Star-Advertiser.

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Hawaiian Airlines Cuts Service To Lanai and Molokai. Hawaiian said it is committed to resuming the service but didn’t say when. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Airlines to suspend ‘Ohana service. The airline announced Friday that starting Nov. 1, it would temporarily suspend passenger flights between Honolulu and Molokai and Lanai, as well as cargo-only service within the Hawaiian islands. Maui News.

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Hawaii school board chief Catherine Payne urges dropping Acellus online curriculum. Board of Education Chairwoman Catherine Payne wants Hawaii’s schools to stop using the Acellus distance-learning program by the end of the academic year and allow parents to opt out immediately. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Ed Board Chair Expects Acellus To ‘Drop Dead’ By End Of School Year. The online curriculum, which some principals have rejected for racist content, is likely on its way out. Civil Beat.

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Hundreds of Hawaii’s shelter animals to be relocated to the mainland. Hundreds of shelter animals are getting a second chance at adoption. On Oct. 29, the group Wings of Rescue plans to airlift some 600 animals from around the pacific to the mainland. Hawaii News Now.

VIRUS TRACKER — Oct. 11: 103 New COVID-19 Cases In Hawaii. In the last week, an average of 92 cases a day were identified in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Ballot Questions Could Bolster Ethics Watchdog’s Staffing And Spending. Oahu voters are being asked to make changes to the Honolulu Ethics Commission. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council: A Veteran Lawmaker Vs. A Comedian. The candidates running to replace Councilman Ron Menor in Honolulu’s District 9 have vastly different agendas and experience. Civil Beat.

Neglected Varona Village plantation community in Ewa awaits redevelopment plans. Today, 46 homes remain, including several that are boarded up after being ravaged by time and poor city upkeep after Oahu Sugar shut down in 1995. Star-Advertiser.

Community unites to restore and clean Waianae Japanese Cemetery. The Waianae community pulled together, and on Oct. 4 well over 50 people — from keiki to kupuna — showed up, armed with weed whackers, chainsaws, rakes and trash cans to clean up the old cemetery. Star-Advertiser.

Plans moving forward on new Oahu jail despite economic woes. Since at least 1964, none of the efforts to build a new site for the Oahu Community Correctional Center has gotten this far. Star-Advertiser.

Kailua brewing company ordered to shutdown calls for more transparency from liquor commission.
Lanikai Brewing Company was ordered to shut down for 24 hours by the liquor commission Friday evening for violating the mayor’s emergency order and failing to operate as a restaurant. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

2nd test tentatively approved for travelers to the Big Island. Hawaii Island Mayor Harry Kim said Friday that out-of-state passengers arriving on the Big Island will be taking a second COVID-19 test to supplement the state’s pre-travel testing program. Star-Advertiser.

1 million masks: Big Island benefits from Benioff connections. A San Francisco tech billionaire with a home on the Kona coast wants to make sure the Big Island doesn’t run out of masks. West Hawaii Today.

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Report: Hilo veterans home employee stayed on the job for 3 days after COVID-19 exposure. The coronavirus outbreak at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo may have begun with an employee who worked ― despite being linked to a large cluster. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Department of Health rescinds citation given to operator of Hilo veterans home. The Hawaii Department of Health on Thursday cited the private operator of a state veterans nursing home for deficiencies leading to a COVID-19 outbreak earlier this year in which 27 residents died. Star-Advertiser.

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Big Isle’s Na Leo TV resumes operations after FBI raid as board meets with CEO. The board of directors of Na Leo o Hawaii announced this weekend it met with Na Leo TV president and CEO Stacy K. Higa, who assured the board that management and staff are fully cooperating with an investigation being conducted by the FBI. Star-Advertiser.

Neighbors win a round: Board of Appeals overturns Walua Road vacation rental permit. Neighbors of a Kailua-Kona vacation rental won a round Friday, when the county Board of Appeals overturned the Planning Department and revoked the nonconforming use and vacation rental permits of a part-time resident who claimed a homeowner’s property tax exemption. West Hawaii Today.

Zoo renew pushed back: County targets February for reopening of Panawea animal park. The reopening of Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens has been delayed to early 2021. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui officer accused of soliciting sex from women he met on the job indicted. A U.S. Attorney has indicted a former Maui police accused of harassing women by sending them suggestive messages to solicit sex. Hawaii News Now.

Maui’s Struggling Tourism Industry Prepares For Return of Transpacific Travelers. All across Maui, hotels, vacation properties, car rental companies, restaurants, retail shops and other businesses that cater to the island’s 3 million or so annual travelers are preparing for the return of non-quarantining tourists, beginning Oct. 15. Maui Now.

County Council sends water plan back to committee. The Maui County Council voted unanimously Friday to send back to committee the Maui Island Water Use Development Plan, a dense blueprint for protection, management and use of water over a 20-year period. Maui News.

West Maui Taxpayers Association Hosting Candidates Night Webinar Oct. 15, 2020. The West Maui Taxpayers Association will host a virtual Candidates Night webinar on Oct. 15, 2020 at 5:30 pm with candidates for the following: State Representative District 10, Maui County Councilmember – all districts and Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Maui Now.

Kauai

Charter amendments explained. The first side of the state general election ballot has federal, state and county office elections. The second side gives residents the opportunity to vote on proposed amendments to the Kaua‘i County Charter. Garden Island.

Felicia Cowden. As Cowden’s first term as a councilmember comes to an end, she shares what she learned from her radio career. Garden Island.

Volunteers continue work on Kalalau Trail. While the pandemic has lessened the number of volunteers helping to keep the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail clear for hikers, Mark Hubbard and a few other faithful Kaua‘i residents are still hard at work, clearing fallen branches and fortifying the trail on a regular basis. Garden Island.