COVID-19

... The Governor also approved the City and County of Honolulu’s request to test incoming “CISA essential workers” ....

...On Dec. 27, 2020, a federal COVID-19 relief package that extends and provides additional federal unemployment benefits was signed into law....

... In November 2020, visitor arrivals decreased 77.3 percent compared to a year ago ....

... Magic Money from the Sky: Hawaii Getting $1.7B from New COVID 'Stimulus' ....

... Governor being coy in new budget about tax increases totaling $1 billion ....

... steps state officials could take to turn things around ....

... There is a consensus among restaurateurs that a lack of communication, transparency, and planning by the government is to blame for the economic hardships they now face. ...

...a new policy went into effect on November 24 requiring all trans-Pacific travelers participating in the pre-travel testing program to have a negative test result before their departure to Hawai‘i....

... Developments during this COVID crisis have brought out tax scofflaws in some of the most unexpected ways ....

... Some people are born rebels, and like everything else these days, there’s data to prove it. ...

...more free money from the sky....

...American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as the freely associated states of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau are included in the United States’ schedule of COVID-19 vaccine distribution....

... Will furloughs affect my “high three” .... 

...45,000 additional doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are expected this month.  36,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are expected by the end of the year....

... DHHL has extended the postponement of mortgage loan payments for all DHHL direct loans and loans assigned to the Department for an additional three-month period, through March 31, 2021 ....

... Hawaii’s unemployment insurance system has become a ticking time bomb that threatens Hawaii’s fiscal future. ... 

... Annual Hawaii Forecast With Global Outlook: Mainland COVID-19 surge means a bleak winter, but vaccines promise 2021 growth ....

...The data comes from the firm Safegraph, which collects cellular location data from the apps that run in the background of many people’s smartphones....

...Remember: Public Employee Union agreements are the Highest Law of the Land....

"...I am confident in the Department of Health’s ability to distribute vaccines across Hawai‘i....” -- Gov David Ige 

... Since July, 26.8 percent of users searching in Honolulu from somewhere else in the country were looking for a short-term lease, up significantly from 14.9 percent at this time last year....

"...Many public workers have already lost their second jobs in the tourism industry...."

…roughly 1 in 10 secondary students received a failing grade in English or math during the first quarter. But about 25% of high school students and 6% of middle school students had no grades recorded at all in English and math….

... for up to five health plans to ensure access and continuity of care for Medicaid beneficiaries ....

"...The failed COVID 19 Operational Plan directly promoted abuse by officers...."

... That’s down 7 percentage points from a similar survey conducted in August ....

...Thursday, December 10, from noon to 1:30 p.m. (HST) via Zoom....

...“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”....

... There are currently 14 States and the District of Columbia that are participating in the Google Apple Exposure Notification (“GAEN”) system ....

... funding that will allow the Hawai‘i National Guard to continue with COVID-19 assistance across the state through March 31, 2021 ....

...Yes, HSTA is a one-note band ....

... Increase in Long Term Care Costs in Hawaii Surpass National Trends; COVID-19 Pressures Future Costs ....

... we have opened multiple investigations, and those who violated laws or administrative policies will be disciplined appropriately ....

... Business leaders, legislators urge Gov. Ige to walk back changes to travel plan ....

... NCRS will analyze the hardship the business community across the country is facing and the impact commercial rent is having on their operations heading into 2021 ....

...50 Remote Workers Will Be Accepted into the First Cohort of the Program and Receive a Free Round Trip Ticket to Hawai‘i....

...Effective Dec. 2 at 12:01 a.m., all transpacific and intercounty travelers arriving in Kaua‘i are subject to the 14-day quarantine regardless of testing....

... The annual Honolulu City Lights will look different this year ....

...the looming massive increase in the state’s unemployment insurance tax....

... However, traffic volumes, or the amount of vehicle trips on the roads, has also been greatly decreased ....

... survey on attitudes towards protective actions for the COVID-19 pandemic ....

...tightening restrictions for trans-Pacific travelers heading to Hawai‘i....

... slightly more travelers arrived in Hawaii than in previous months, when testing was not an option ....

... the retired Honolulu Police Department captain said the way he was treated by Department of Health officials during his 14-day quarantine on Oahu was much worse than the disease itself ....

...B&F basically told the departments, “Here’s your money. Go spend it.”....

...OHA touts NHPI Collective -- but completely different group gets funding from NIH, announced by UH JABSOM and Schatz’ office....

... $54M uncommitted, and $173M unspent ....

...Especially with recent news of successes in COVID-19 vaccine development, I think we are all looking forward to better times ahead in 2021....

...When businesses across the state are fighting for their lives, the state is about to levy an enormous hike in the unemployment tax.... 

...If test results are not available before boarding the final leg of the trip, the traveler must quarantine for 14 days or the length of the stay, whichever is shorter....