Feds Have Funds: Want to Talk to Telescope Protesters About Money
Ethics Fines for Reps Saiki, DeCoite
COVID Count: 169 new cases out of 2,026 tests
COVID Releases: OCCC Inmates Get Free Hotel Rooms
“People are almost rebelling” against emergency measures—and Kai Kahele is in the middle of it
HTH: … The county’s Civil Defense chief said Monday he and his staff are “hearing that people are almost rebelling” against emergency measures put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
“They’re taking off their face masks, and they’re not wanting to (social distance) anymore,” Talmadge Magno, Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator said. “But this is the worst numbers that we’ve had, and this is when we need people to come together, to be responsible for themselves, their families (and) their neighbors….
In its Sunday morning message, Civil Defense expressed concern Big Island community spread of the virus might be associated with “Hilo-based gatherings where people failed to practice preventive measures.”
The message specifically mentioned a “huge gathering of remembrance recently held in East Hawaii” — an apparent reference to a celebration of life on July 25 for Kaulana Pakele, lead singer of the popular band Mana‘o Company.
The Hilo-born entertainer died May 25 at age 47 after apparently drowning at Makaha Beach Park on Oahu’s leeward coast.
Hundreds gathered to honor the Hilo-born entertainer, and social media videos showed few wearing masks and almost no one social distancing. There was a large tent with an entertainment stage and a food-service line. Video showed the food handlers wearing masks.
Among those in attendance was state Sen. Kai Kahele, the Democratic nominee for the 2nd Congressional District U.S. House seat being vacated by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Kahele also posed on a video with a group of men, none of them social distancing or wearing masks over their noses and mouths.
Kahele didn’t immediately return a call Monday seeking comment….
“I know we’ve been at it a long time already, almost six months, and it gets tiresome,” added Magno….
WHT: Hilo Medical Center has 10 virus patients
read … Surge in East Hawaii cases leads to greater enforcement
New data shows young adults have the highest number of COVID-19 diagnoses in Hawaii
SA: ... Older adults may be the most vulnerable to COVID-19, but 20- and 30-somethings are the ones driving the disease in Hawaii.
The state’s coronavirus age data, released in new graphics on the state Department of Health’s website Monday, mirrors what’s happening in the rest of the country, with young adults in some areas now making up the largest and fastest-growing demographic contracting the virus.
“While the death rates are clearly higher for older people, the data suggest that the bulk of the disease activity is occurring now among the 18- to 29-year-old category, which has the highest number of total cases, followed by those in the 30- to 39-year-old group,” State Epidemiologist Sarah Park said Monday.
read … New data shows young adults have the highest number of COVID-19 diagnoses in Hawaii
Hawaii County Using ESRI App to Spy on Tourists
SA: … The application was originally developed by Esri, a California software company, for interisland use….
On July 27, the state Office of Enterprise Technology Services hired Google and its partner SpringML to develop a new Hawaii Safe Travels system at an initial cost of $638,000 in CARES Act funds. It was supposed to be done by Aug. 17. Now, the state is saying the application is in the initial release phase, which will continue to expand through the end of August.
That’s left the counties without a statewide application for the return of a partial interisland quarantine, which was restarted Aug. 11. The mandatory 14-day interisland self-quarantine, which is slated to run through Aug. 31, applies to non-exempt passengers who are traveling to the counties of Kauai, Hawaii, Maui and Kalawao.
There’s still time to get the system running for the reopening of trans-Pacific travel through a pre-arrivals testing program, which isn’t expected to start now until at least Oct.1.
However, Hawaii island Mayor Harry Kim said his county needed an active system once the interisland quarantine went back into effect. That’s why he resurrected the Esri system on Aug. 12, and will run it with the permission of the state Department of Transportation until the the Google system is ready to go….
Coverage:
ERSI Background:
read … Hawaii behind in launching new web app that collects traveler information
COVID Positive—11 Days No Call from DoH as Disease Spreads Thru Family
KITV: … Tears of fear and frustration for the woman, who says her father was the first to catch the virus, likely at his work at the airport. She says a temperature check showed he had a fever. He went to Kaiser Permanente for a COVID-19 test on Aug. 13, which came back positive. It was devastating.
"I cried so hard," she said. "He was told that DOH will call him. But until now nobody called him yet until this day."
Unable to wait, she did her own research and contacted relatives in the Philippines who were also battling COVID. Her uncle there died from the virus.
Her family's cases are mild and they don't have underlying health conditions. But the lack of information is debilitating.
"They will think that they die. That's the first thing that they're gonna be thinking," she said. "There should be like a help from the government that to boost their feelings that you're not alone, we're here for you. We're gonna help you overcome this."
"Basically residents are having to take matters into their own hands," said Honolulu City Council member Joey Manahan. "The DOH is supposed to contact them and give them information on quarantine facilities. And so without that, there's further community spread."…
(Really Obvious Solution: Pay for hotel rooms to quarantine patients away from crowded homes. Oh, that's right. Free hotel rooms are only for criminals.)
read … Kalihi woman says COVID-19 spread in her family due to neglect of health department
Hospital space at a premium, some COVID-19 patients are now sharing rooms
HNN: … Queen’s has more than 100 positive patients at its Punchbowl hospital and has started what’s called cohorting, where two COVID-19 patients share a room.
Ross says there are three pairs of cohorts, but COVID-19 patients never share a room with a non-COVID patient. Considered a last resort, Ross says the ones who are sharing rooms are the most stable.
“The nurses are concerned because they don’t feel that it’s safe having two in there. I get the hospital’s dilemma. It’s a balancing act," Ross said….
Maui Memorial Medical Center also has some of its COVID-19 patients in cohorts.
“Positive patients are in cohorts within two warm units,” said a hospital statement.
The hospital says it’s caring for 25 positive patients and has identified 14 new positive health care workers since last Thursday with no new positives Monday….
read … Hospital space at a premium, some COVID-19 patients are now sharing rooms
Hawaii's convalescent plasma supply running low
KITV: … Many Hawaii residents have tested positive for COVID 19, without any symptoms.
Including Pearl City residents Jason Perry and Cheryl Kapua Perry.
After their positive result at the end of March, they have still been active in fighting the coronavirus - by donating their plasma.
"We could use our blood and our plasma to find a cure and help others, that was our main reasoning for donating," said Jason….
Since the pandemic began, the Blood Bank of Hawaii has been collecting and processing plasma, but as the number of COVID 19 cases surged, so has demand.
"We went from about 16 doses a week to shipping out 80-90 doses a week," said Dr. Kim-Anh Nguyen, Blood Bank of Hawaii President.
One donation can result in several doses for patients who critically need them.
"Knowing you can help 3-5 people in just an hour of your time, is rewarding," said Cheryl Kapua Perry.
But now not enough residents who have recovered are donating.
"We need so many more donors. As the hospitals fill up, we've had to supplement with imports from the mainland," added Nguyen….
Background: Recovered from COVID? Hawaii Blood Bank Needs You
read … Hawaii's convalescent plasma supply running low
COVID 20 Cases at Roselani Nursing Home Maui
MN: … Eight residents and 12 staff have tested positive for COVID-19 at a senior independent and assisted living community that’s largely escaped the pandemic until now.
The outbreak at Roselani Place in Kahului that began with a resident in the memory support area and three staffers had grown to 20 on Monday after a round of testing over the weekend.
Karl Drucks of Paradigm Senior Living, the management company for Roselani Place, said that the first resident confirmed with the virus had been discharged from Maui Memorial Medical Center earlier this month. However, because of possible exposure from a family member, it was unclear where the resident had actually contracted the virus….
Hospital outbreak grows to 31 patients, 35 staff…
read … 20 at Roselani Place test positive
As federal aid runs thin, a ‘cliff’ looms for Hawaii’s restaurant industry
HNN: … according to Sengoura, local officials are going to have to do a much better job at communicating the latest coronavirus restrictions in Hawaii ― and the reasons behind them.
“It’s very frustrating. Every week it changes,” she says. “Everyone is highly confused. Us as restaurant owners, having to check back with the liquor commission, one day it’s this way and one day it’s that way. We are just trying to comply, but how do we do that if they don’t know themselves?”
At least some of the rules enacted by the City and County of Honolulu have proven confusing….
One brewery that was only selling closed containers of beer as a take-out operation was shut down by Honolulu police despite having approval to operate, and another establishment that meets the city’s food vs. alcohol criteria in order to stay open was shut down anyway.
Both were eventually allowed to reopen….
read … As federal aid runs thin, a ‘cliff’ looms for Hawaii’s restaurant industry
Thought Control: Acellus online content flagged by ‘Political Correctness’ Censors screaming ‘Raaaacism’
KHON: …Controversy has erupted over one of Hawaii’s largest mainland providers of public school distance learning. Some parents call the content sexist and racist, while the founder of Acellus says a small handful of nearly 1 million video lessons have been flagged and removed….
read … Acellus online content flagged as petitions ask DOE to cut or keep it
Special Session to Spend COVID Money, New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District?
SA: …Six groups responded in May to the state’s request for qualifications and the finalists had been expected to be announced in July or August.
But the deferral of the bill that would have transferred governance of the NASED project from the Hawaii Community Development Authority to the Stadium Authority expired July 10, the final day of the last legislative session due to a flaw in its language.
Legislators have hoped to readdress the bill in a special session if additional federal funds are made available for COVID-19 relief.
In a statement, Chris Kinimaka, Public Works Administrator for the state Department of Accounting and General Services said, “Our work continues to move NASED forward. Senate Bill 2940 was deferred during the previous session of the Legislature and this has presented some challenges with regards to the procurement process. Therefore, the state will resolve these challenges first and then confirm the next steps of the procurement process before making plans to publicly announce the names of three priority-listed, developer-led teams.”…
SB2940: Text, Status
read … State to name priority developers for New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District
Hu Honua Threatens $555M Lawsuit (again)
IM: … “…the Order Revoking Waiver essentially kills the Project, which undermines the settlement achieved between Hu Honua and HELCO, HECO and HEI.
This may result in the resumption of the lawsuit in which Hu Honua seeks an award of damages of more than $555 million, which in turn may negatively impact HEI, HECO, and/or HELCO financially, including the utility’s bond rating, which would likely be detrimental to the utility and its ratepayers….”
Thus the threat has been made.
If the Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission does not reverse its position by September 30, 2020, Hu Honua will lay off its workforce and file a federal lawsuit seeking more than a half-billion dollars…. (this strategy already worked once for Hu Honua)…
IM: Hu Honua -- Hawai`i Senate Splits With Democratic Party
read … Hu Honua Threatens Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission
Soft on Crime: Lifelong Criminal Busted Again
MN: … Kevin Enos, 55, of Kahului is charged with first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, attempted first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia, second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, attempted first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and promoting a controlled substance near a school.
He was arrested Aug. 18 after police had obtained search warrants for Enos, his vehicle and his residence as part of a vice investigation, Deputy Prosecutor Joanne Hicks said during Enos’ initial appearance Monday in Wailuku District Court.
She said Enos was opening the trunk of his vehicle when police located him in the parking lot of Walmart in Kahului. Police found $4,667 in cash in his pocket, she said.
From his vehicle, police recovered 54.47 grams of methamphetamine, as well as a digital scale, plastic bags and other drug paraphernalia, Hicks said. She said another 9.74 grams of methamphetamine was found at his residence on South Papa Avenue, which is within 50 feet of Kamaaina Kids Kahului Preschool.
Enos admitted to selling drugs to support his habit, Hicks said.
In asking that bail remain at $500,000 for Enos, she said he is a flight risk and danger to the community based in his lengthy criminal history dating to 1987 and including convictions for kidnapping, abuse, burglary, terroristic threatening and second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug. Enos also has a history of reoffending on parole, Hicks said.
“This defendant is being charged as a persistent offender,” she said. “The consequences he’s facing if convicted as charged are very dire.”
She said he could face a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole if convicted of the most serious charges.
Deputy Public Defender William Pannell requested supervised release….
read … Soft on Crime
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