The Manchurian Candidate
Hawaii Congressional Delegation How They Voted December 26, 2020
More Hawaii residents struggle to pay bills, survey indicates
SA: … More than half of Hawaii residents are struggling to pay rent, mortgages or utility bills, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are continuing to get worse, according to a study from the Bank of Hawaii Foundation.
The study, commissioned from Anthology Research, found that 56% struggle to pay rent, mortgage or utility bills. That’s up from 48% in May.
In other findings, 63% have lost a job or experienced reduced work hours or pay, compared with 55% in May, and 53% have experienced a decline in household income since the start of the pandemic, up from 45% in May….
Hawaii has been among the states with the highest unemployment rates since the pandemic began in earnest in March. Hawaii hit a record high of 23.8% for the state in April. It was tied for second place in November with another tourist destination, Nevada, at 10.1%. Only New Jersey was higher with a 10.2% jobless rate.
In a survey of residents applying for unemployment benefits, 31% were found to have either exhausted their unemployment benefits or will do so in December; 34% filed for unemployment but had not yet received benefits; and 35% are currently receiving unemployment benefits….
“The survey responses confirm the harsh toll that COVID-19 has taken in Hawaii,” said Carl Bonham, executive director of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. “They are consistent with UHERO’s own analysis and point to a very challenging 2021 for Hawaii’s most vulnerable households. The survey reinforces the importance of continued public health vigilance and concerted efforts to safely reopen Hawaii’s economy and put more than one-hundred thousand people back to work.”
Among other issues, resident support was strong for the original pre-travel testing program with nearly 3 in 4 residents statewide in support of the program, which was launched Oct. 15. Some 30% of those surveyed strongly supported the program while 43% of the people somewhat supported it. The program enabled visitors to bypass the 14-day quarantine period by providing proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours of arriving….
Meanwhile on Maui: An Anti-Tourism rant
read … More Hawaii residents struggle to pay bills, survey indicates
Hawaii Begins Public Debate Over Whether To Allow Vaccinated Travelers To Skip Quarantine
F: … with the vaccine now in play, some Hawaii lawmakers are calling for another amendment to its travel policy. According to reports, Lieutenant Governor Josh Green wants to change the State’s policies to allow anyone who has received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to bypass quarantine. “People will start getting their second shot around the first week of January and that will be happening all across the country,” Green told Civil Beat. “If people do that and are immune, it seems like common sense that we would allow them to travel safely.”….
read … Hawaii Begins Public Debate Over Whether To Allow Vaccinated Travelers To Skip Quarantine
Kauai COVID Numbers are Low—Why Hasn’t HSTA-DoE Reopened Schools?
TGI: … I know the Department of Education (DOE) is moving toward a limited blended learning program for the upper grades in the new year. The decision to go to full reopening of schools depends on other factors such as classroom size (allowing for distance between children), and teacher and administrative concerns, but I think Kaua‘i should lean towards as many days in the classrooms as possible. Let’s take advantage of our low numbers. The DOH guidelines are very specific. They help schools navigate the opening process and give advice on moving away from full opening again if the situation requires it….
Under the leadership of Mayor Kawakami and Dr. Berreman, our current seven day average new case rate is less than one and our test positivity is 0.5 percent (see DOH reference)….
read … In a good position to open schools
Navy begins to assess secondary containment for the fuel at Red Hill
SA: … After regulators rejected key parts of a plan to improve the Red Hill fuel farm, the Navy responded that it continues “to firmly believe” that its repair proposal keeping single-wall tanks “provides a safe and effective approach” for ongoing operation of the facility, which was completed in World War II.
But the Navy also said that it has begun working with industry to see whether existing technology could provide some type of secondary containment.
Additionally, the Navy said it submitted a “justification supporting a funding request” for a $56 million water treatment facility to protect the Red Hill Shaft drinking water source below the fuel farm in what it calls the “unlikely scenario” of a significant fuel spill. The water shaft supplies Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam….
read … Navy begins to assess secondary containment for the fuel at Red Hill
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