Contract Tracing: DoH Stonewalls State Auditor
COVID Count 277 new cases out of 2,518 tests
COVID Count 306 new cases out of 2,478 tests
Bridge Aina Lea: US Supreme Court Urged to Hear Case
Hawaii Community Colleges Ranked
HGEA preparing COVID-19 class action grievance
Tourist arrivals down 98% for July
HIDOE extends Learn from Home distance learning through first quarter
Money News: Legislators and other Lawyers team up to help Inmates and Unions sue over COVID
CB: … On Monday, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Itomura interrupted an online discussion of the response to the Oahu Community Correctional Center outbreak during a meeting of the Hawaii Correctional Systems Oversight Commission to warn the commissioners they were discussing information that is deemed confidential.
Then on Tuesday, state Sen. Clarence Nishihara told reporters he was advised in an email from the Attorney General’s Office that lawmakers could not publicly disclose what was said in a closed-door briefing on OCCC by corrections officials for select lawmakers.
The briefing on Monday involved a lively discussion in which lawmakers sought information on “what was going on, not only just the numbers that have been increasing but the procedures that they have in place, how they are handling the COVID cases that they do have, how they are protecting the (adult correctional officers) at the prison, how they are protecting the inmates as well,” Nishihara said.
He called a press conference Tuesday to discuss OCCC with the media, but then told reporters that “there was some concern raised by the Attorney General’s Office, I just got an email, saying that because of possible ongoing litigation, that we couldn’t discuss anything of what occurred at the meeting that we had.”
(Solution: Ask the Surgeon General to authorize use of Stage 2 Vaccine by prison guards and other emergency workers. Of course this won’t do anything to profit lawyers, but somebody has to suffer.)
At the Monday meeting of the Hawaii Correctional Systems Oversight Commission, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Itomura interrupted a question by former Public Safety Director Ted Sakai in an effort to keep that discussion confidential as well.
Sakai asked about plans to change the use of Module 20 at OCCC to help separate different groups of inmates, saying he wanted to know who is in the module now, and who would be moved there. He said he asked the question “so we can have an overall picture of what the situation is at OCCC.”….
But Itomura said that information was contained in a confidential document delivered to commission members that same day, and said discussing the uses of specific housing units could raise security issues. She said Sakai should not ask the question publicly, and the discussion should be held in an executive session that would not be open to the public.
Commissioner Martha Torney told Itomura there were portions of the document that could and should be made public, partly because they were responses to questions commission members had posed to the department in previous public meetings. The department chose to respond to those questions in writing, but then stamped the document as confidential, Torney said.
Itomura then acknowledged she had not actually read what the department said in the letter.
“All I can say is that they asked that it be checked confidential at this time,” Itomura told Torney. “Now, again, there might be a public version that could be released of that, certain portions may have to be redacted and so forth, but right now, not having looked at that document, I can’t say that.”
As Explained: HGEA preparing COVID-19 class action grievance
read … AG Won’t Release Information On COVID-19 Outbreak At Hawaii Jail
Prosecutors only oppose release of half on inmate list
MN: … Guzman said lists of eligible inmates provided by the state Department of Public Safety included about 100 Maui County inmates, with all but two housed at the Maui Community Correctional Center. The other two are at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.
As of last week, the Wailuku jail housed 312 inmates, (because the soft-on-crime crowd has obstructed construction of a new jail for years, 312 is) above its design capacity of 209 and operational capacity of 301, according to the Department of Public Safety.
(Since there is no COVID in sister isle jails, the soft-on-crime crowd needs to release some of these criminals so they can go out into the community and get COVID before inevitably getting rearrested. Once they bring COVID into the sister isle jails—as they have on Oahu—it becomes an excuse for even more releases. This in turn will produce more homelessness and help to provide business for meth dealers..)
NR: Representatives Want Governor to Lease Federal Prison to Quarantine New, Infected Inmates
read … Prosecutors oppose release of about half on inmate list
Blaming citizens for the current crisis obfuscates the responsibility of state and local leadership.
CB: … All state leaders echo the personal responsibility rhetoric, using a public relations strategy that is known as framing. They directly attribute spikes and surges to a misbehaving public, one that is unable to take responsibility for its actions.
…example….A top public health official said, “As long as individuals in our communities fail to accept personal responsibility for the spread of COVID-19, we are unfortunately going to see continued days of triple digit numbers.”…
If the public is to blame for the current surge in infections, then our leadership is no longer responsible. It is an evasion technique that avoids asking hard questions, making hard choices, and more than anything, it avoids accountability….
SA: Unless Oahu residents really, really take the order seriously and follow it, we could be stuck with a shutdown for a lot longer than two weeks
read … The Public Is Not Alone In Behaving Badly
DoH fought Caldwell on Length of Shutdown Order
SA: … Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said state Health Director Bruce Anderson wanted the duration of the “Stay At Home / Work From Home” order lengthened to 28 days.
“I sent it back to him (Gov. David Ige) and said I’m not going to do what Dr. Anderson requested,” Caldwell said Wednesday afternoon. “I’m not going to do something I don’t want to do.”
Caldwell said Ige agreed to the two weeks on Tuesday morning. Ige said he believes 14 days is enough time to make progress against the pandemic and he can always renew for another two weeks if not.
Only nine hours before it was to take effect at 12:01 this morning, the governor finally signed the mayor’s order as is.
Asked for a response from Anderson, the Department of Health issued a statement denying the department held up the order.
“The Department of Health recommended the order be for 28 days or two incubation periods, to determine the effectiveness of control measures. Two incubation periods allow time to evaluate the results before new mitigation measures are taken. Any length of time will undoubtedly help and could be extended if needed.” …
NEWS RELEASE: GOV. IGE APPROVES MAYOR CALDWELL’S STAY AT HOME ORDER
read … Oahu lockdown order in place following a bit of drama
Turnout for city’s mass testing program starts strong, but some hiccups reported
HNN: … about 3,600 people had signed up to be tested on Oahu on Wednesday….
For the last several weeks, the state has typically reported between 2,000 and 3,000 daily tests.
“The good news is people are getting tested in numbers like never before,” the mayor said. “As we test during these two weeks, we find out where COVID-19 is and where it isn’t and how to attack it.”
The federally-backed program was announced Tuesday, with the U.S. surgeon general on-hand, in hopes of giving health experts more insight into the virus’ spread.
Mayor Caldwell said the city and state were planning to significantly ramp up testing — conducting 60,000 tests in 12 days — in an effort to be able to reopen safely. Officials said authorities will also use the time to bolster contact tracing programs and improve quarantine and isolation measures….
read … Turnout for city’s mass testing program starts strong, but some hiccups reported
Latest COVID-19 positivity rate reported puts Hawaii ‘in the red,’ surgeon general says
HNN: … 277 new coronavirus cases were announced in Hawaii on Wednesday, when the Health Department reported 2,518 additional COVID-19 tests ― an 11 percent positivity rate.
It’s a rarity for Hawaii, which has only reported positivity rates above 10 percent on three other occasions this month, to have seen a rate that high on an average testing day, according to data obtained from the Department of Health.
But Hawaii has reported a positivity rate of at least 7 percent in 23 of the 26 days so far in August.
Health experts keep track of positivity rates because groups like the World Health Organization believe communities are safest when those rates are at 5 percent or lower for at least 14 consecutive days….
AP: Hawaii says 11% of people taking COVID-19 test are positive
read … Latest COVID-19 positivity rate reported puts Hawaii ‘in the red,’ surgeon general says
Contact tracing on Maui meeting need; more testing likely on horizon
MN: … Contact tracers in Maui County are “not overwhelmed” and increased testing may be on the horizon in the battle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, Maui County Health Department officials said Wednesday.
“We continue to act on positive cases immediately upon notification,” said Public Health Nursing Supervisor Heidi Taogoshi at a county news conference at Maui Memorial Medical Center.
This is in stark contrast to the situation on Oahu, where the triple-digit daily new cases have overwhelmed contact-tracing efforts and generated criticism and staffing changes.
There are 24 contact-tracing investigators on Maui with 28 members of the National Guard assisting. An additional 12 temporary staffers will be hired at the beginning of September, Taogoshi said. UH-Maui College has been assisting with office space, phones and furniture to help contact tracers.
Contact tracers have made 1,200 calls in the past week, she said.
Positive cases identified by testing activates the contact tracing team….
MN: Staffing and PPE at hospital ‘tight’
NR: County continues to support MDHO and Hawaii National Guard in expanding contact tracing capacity
read … Contact tracing on Maui meeting need; more testing likely on horizon
In-person testifying suspended due to stay-at-home order
HNN: … Honolulu City Council Chairman Ikaika Anderson announced on Wednesday that in-person testifying will no longer be available beginning Thursday, August 27, at Honolulu Hale and will stay in effect for the duration of the newest government directive, triggered by the surging number of positive COVID-19 cases.
Mayor Caldwell’s Emergency Order No. 2020-25, which goes into effect at 12:00 a.m. August 27 and will continue through September 9, 2020, mandates that all citizens stay at home and work from home, with certain exceptions including essential workers.
“On behalf of the City Council, we still welcome anyone interested in testifying to take part in the legislative process but for the sake of public safety, everyone must comply with the Stay-at-Home order,” said Chairman Anderson. “As always, testifiers can submit written testimony or share their mana‘o remotely by video or audio.”
Since May, the Council has been receiving remote public testimony. Those wishing to participate in that format can register online and are strongly encouraged to register at least 24 hours before the start of the meeting.
More information can be found here.
HTH: Hawaii Co Council to only accept oral public testimony via WebEx starting Tuesday
read … In-person testifying suspended due to stay-at-home order
HSTA was Lying About Nonexistent Private School Shutdown Order
KHON: … The City and County of Honolulu’s “stay-at-home, work-at-home” order announced on Tuesday by Mayor Kirk Caldwell allows private educational institutions to operate as essential functions, as long as they (1) comply with Social Distancing Requirements to the extent applicable and reasonably possible; (2) comply with the face covering requirements; and (3) implement distance learning to the greatest extent possible.
The Department of Education and the UH Systems will determine what is necessary, appropriate and safe with respect to in-person instruction at the public schools and UH campuses. …
HNN: HSTA has a gripe over order that deepens divide between public, private schools (HSTA senses another opportunity to be paid for pretending to work from home, but its just a lie.)
NR: EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE ESSENTIAL
read … Not Shut Down
Already-struggling Oahu florists brace for another closure — and loss of inventory
HNN: … For flower shops across Hawaii, Tuesday is usually the day when most of their new inventory comes in.
So when Honolulu mayor Kirk Caldwell announced a shutdown with less than 48 hours notice, Oahu florists were left scrambling to clear out their shops and deal with what was likely to become a significant loss.
“Nobody can just turn off and shut down immediately,” said Michael Miyashiro, owner of Rainforest at Kilohana Square in Kapahulu. “It’s like, impossible. It’s like turning off all the power and saying, ‘No electricity. Forever. Just like that.’ It’s impossible.”
Typically, the shelves at Rainforest are packed and the selection is vast. With another shutdown on the way, Miyashiro estimates he’ll lose out on $10,000 in potential revenue….
Miyashiro says he will close his doors to the public for the next two weeks, but hopes to continue operations in some capacity through contactless delivery.
Watanabe Floral has already laid off 20% of its operational staff and its existing employees have been told to start filing for unemployment.
read … Already-struggling Oahu florists brace for another closure — and loss of inventory
PUC should take firm hand to force Young Brothers to reform
SA: The 46% rate increase for Young Bros. (YB) is outrageous. As a statewide licensed bus and van motor vehicle dealer, our company, Soderholm Sales & Leasing, is forced to ship our vehicles with YB. We have had good service from it over the years, but it is already overpriced, partly due to its overpriced union labor. Private shops lose techs to YB since it pays huge wages.
Matson, our close partner for mainland and Pacific island shipping, had to idle its interisland barge, the Waialeale, due to the coronavirus economic slowdown, which was used to transfer our buses coming from the mainland to the outer islands. Now Matson is using YB. We have set contracts with the county transit agencies for delivering buses that now must partly go on YB barges. YB will raise Matson and our rates 46%. Wow! …
… The state should immediately seize YB from its mainland profitable parent, Saltchuk Resources Inc., due to non-support. A parent company can’t just siphon off profits from Hawaii in good times, and not support its island companies in bad. The state should then convert YB into a co-op following the successful path of KIUC, the electric utility on Kauai that was sold to a co-op from a mainland utility. YB is a monopoly regulated by the PUC. As a cooperative, all users would benefit….
read … PUC should take firm hand to force Young Brothers to reform
COVID Impact: Water Board mulls 13% rate hike
HTH: … The current plan is to take the proposed rate increase for public hearing in October. That would follow the board’s next meeting in September, during which its members will review the full proposal and draft presentation to be taken to the public the following month.
Tentatively, rates would then be approved in November and go into effect Jan. 1, 2021.
Based on a family of four using about 20,000 gallons per month, a 13% increase to the standby charge and consumption charge for the smallest meter size would increase a consumer’s bill by $11.82 per month or $141.84 a year. A household using just 12,000 gallons per month would see its bill increase by $7.82 per month or $93.84 a year.
The 13% increase was among three scenarios presented to the board Tuesday as part of a pared-down five-year rate study that now assesses two years due to the current economic situation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this year, prior to the pandemic taking hold, the increase was looking to be in the range of 6% to 6.5%.
However, water consumption is now down 7% year over year, and that trend is expected to continue, thus decreasing revenue for the semi-autonomous agency. Account receivables more than 90 days overdue are also increasing….
read … Water Board mulls double-digit rate hike
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