Yesterday, 1,633 people arrived in Hawai'i. During this same time last year approximately 35,000 passengers arrived in Hawai'i daily, including residents and visitors. The state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started on March 26th for all passengers arriving in Hawai'i from out of state. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday and does not include interisland travel. This data was collected from the Hawai'i Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Mandatory Travel Declaration Form.

Department of Health: COVID-19 Case Count Reaches 900 With two (2) additional O‘ahu cases today, 27 on Sunday, and six (6) on Saturday, Hawai‘i has a total of 900 coronavirus cases since reporting began in late February. Both of the new cases today are associated with a known case and both adults are in isolation. More information at www.hawaiicovid19.com

Agreement will facilitate enforcement, promote compliance and support the County’s visitor industry Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami and Airbnb today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to help the County of Kaua‘i enforce its short-term rental laws. Under the agreement, hosts without a valid Tax Map Key (TMK) will be removed from the Airbnb platform upon notice from the County of Kauaʻi. Kaua‘i law allows short-term rentals in designated Visitor Destination Areas (VDAs) or areas designated for hotels. The new agreement will make it easier for the county to enforce against short-term rental operators outside these designated areas. "Following months of dialogue, we are pleased that Airbnb has partnered with the county to promote only legally permitted short-term rental operators on our island and we look forward to continued partnership," said Mayor Kawakami. As outlined in the MOU, hosts on Airbnb will be required to input a TMK number on listing pages in order to appear on Airbnb’s platform. Every month Airbnb will share a report with the County Department of Planning that includes the URL for each listing and the corresponding host-provided TMK number. The County will use this monthly report to verify the TMK numbers. Hosts that fail to provide a TMK or input an invalid TMK will be removed from the platform and only allowed to relist once they provide a valid number. “Short-term rentals are a vital source of supplemental income for local residents, and for many the only source of income,” said Matt Middlebrook, Airbnb’s Head of Public Policy in Hawaii. “We are grateful to Mayor Kawakami and County Planning Director Ka‘āina Hull for working with us on an agreement that preserves the benefits of short-term rentals for residents and the local economy, while providing the County the tools to bring rental owners and operators into compliance with local law. We hope this agreement serves as a fair, common sense model for other counties looking to promote compliance and leverage the benefits of home sharing.” In addition, under the agreement Airbnb also commits to educate hosts about the County’s short-term rental laws to promote compliance. Airbnb will share a link of the County’s licensing and information web page on its responsible hosting page and share information about the County’s requirements with hosts ahead of the launch of the mandatory TMK field on its listings. Photo: Mayor Kawakami (middle), accompanied by Planning Director Ka‘āina Hull (left) and TVR Enforcement Officers Andres “Bambi” Emayo and Joan Ludington, signs an MOU with Airbnb today to help the County of Kaua‘i enforce its short-term rental laws. Source: County of Kaua'i

The Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA), the State of Hawaii, and Board of Education have agreed on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to allow continuity of education next school year with certain contract modifications while assuring the safety of educators and students. The MOU also guarantees teachers’ and HSTA representatives’ involvement in collaboration with the employer to improve operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This MOU will be treated as a supplemental to the master agreement and applies to all Bargaining Unit 05 employees, including public charter school teachers. It is very important that every educator reads the entire agreement, or at least familiarizes themselves with key points of the summary below. The HSTA Negotiations Team worked around the clock over the last week preparing for bargaining and meeting with the employer, working out the last pieces of the agreement Saturday afternoon. Saturday evening, the Negotiations Committee unanimously voted to recommend the MOU for approval by the Board of Directors (BOD). After thorough debate by the BOD, the vote was overwhelming to approve the tentative agreement in order to ensure a number of protections as we start the 2020–21 school year. Throughout the negotiations, HSTA focused on securing the best possible language for our members. We used the results of HSTA’s recent surveys from members, guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Board of Education’s June 18 resolution regarding reopening of schools, as well as other resources such as National Education Association (NEA) guidance and other State of Hawaii and Department of Health guidance. Our main priorities included looking to health expertise for the safest practices, providing educator voice in making decisions, assuring protections, and advocating for equity of treatment and resources for our members. The Employer agreed to nearly every HSTA proposal on school and worksite health and safety. This includes a commitment to prioritize the health and safety of students and staff, and an expectation that “schools and worksites shall work to minimize the risk of COVID-19 spread … reducing opportunity for the spread of respiratory droplets … by maintaining six (6) feet … of separation between and among students and staff members … whenever possible.” The agreement also includes language that says all “individuals, including employees, students, and campus visitors should wear face coverings” especially “in circumstances where sufficient physical distancing is difficult or impossible, within 6 feet of others.” It should be noted that there are exceptions to the face-covering for situations such as when it is not safe or poses a medical risk. The agreement also assures proper cleaning and disinfecting, cleaning and hygiene supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), and guaranteed reimbursement if supplies are not available and teachers have to purchase. With that that said, the state did not agree with every one of our demands. They were unwilling to agree to any blanket guarantee of telework or to provide child care for public school teachers whose children are impacted by hybrid schedules. They were also unwilling to agree to negotiate anything mandating specific classroom configurations, health and safety processes and procedures, or a 100-percent mask rule with no exceptions. Soon you will hear about the opportunity to participate in a virtual briefing. HSTA UniServ Directors will schedule a series of general member briefings in the next week. Members should be on the lookout for more information to be communicated from your HSTA school-level leaders. We also will schedule a private webinar to brief our HSTA school, chapter, and state leaders on Monday, June 29, at 1 p.m. SLLs will receive a separate email shortly with a link and instructions to register for that event. In addition, we will provide members with a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) as soon as possible. Click here to view the Memorandum of Understanding* *This document is available on HSTA's members-only section of our website. You must be an active HSTA member and logged in with your registered account to view this. It is very important that every educator reads the entire agreement, or at least familiarizes themselves with key points of the following summary. Health and safety HSTA strongly believes that the Hawaii Department of Health needs to provide clear guidance before in-person schooling resumes. We also believe it should be done in line with CDC-issued guidance on considerations for schools reopening. The CDC provides a wide variety of considerations for schools “in collaboration with state and local health officials” when implementing educational programs. This is why the HSTA insisted on language that requires the following: “In-person school will resume in conjunction with written guidance from the state of Hawaii Department of Health (DOH).” Teacher voice in COVID-19 response Page 2, lines 39–45 The HSTA and Employer will hold regular COVID-19 Response Meetings at least once a month at the state level to discuss how to improve response to the pandemic. The same type of meetings will also take place monthly at the school and worksite level with the Association Policy Committee (APC) and other HSTA representatives with their administrators. This includes discussing health and safety, continuity of education plans, contingency plans for school closures, and communication with the community. This language is very important as it is a commitment by the employer to ensure HSTA leaders at the state or school level have the right to regular meetings to discuss and address concerns and needed changes and adjustments to improve response to the pandemic. Social and physical distancing Page 3, lines 62–98 Schools and worksites shall work to minimize the risk of COVID-19 by “maintaining six (6) feet or two (2) arms’ length (whichever is longer) of separation between and among students and staff members in meeting spaces and exterior school grounds whenever possible.” Each campus, classroom, and office will have adequate supplies including soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, etc. If students eat meals in classrooms, teachers will not have to supervise them, preserving the duty-free lunch clause of HSTA’s contract. Each campus will designate and prepare a space for conducting in-person parent and guardian meetings so they don’t have to take place in classrooms. All teachers will have the option to participate in any meeting through teleconferencing. Personal protective equipment (PPE) Page 5, lines 99–116 All individuals, including employees, students, and campus visitors, should wear face coverings that cover the mouth and nose consistent with public health guidance. In circumstances where sufficient physical distancing is difficult or impossible, within 6 feet of others, face coverings should be worn; with some exceptions such as age or medical condition. Teachers can use face shields, which enable younger students to see their teachers’ faces and to avoid potential barriers to phonological instruction. Employees whose assignment places them at greater risk for exposure to COVID-19 will be provided appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Each teacher may request a face shield and a supply of face coverings for students. If not available, with approval, teachers may purchase their own supplies and be reimbursed. Cleaning and disinfecting Page 5, lines 117–135 Teachers will not be required to clean or disinfect classrooms, or other non-professional custodial duties, which are not part of a teacher’s job responsibilities. The campus, classrooms, and offices will be cleaned and disinfected on a routine and frequent basis. Surfaces frequently touched by multiple people will be cleaned and disinfected at least daily. Each campus, classroom, and office has adequate cleaning supplies, including disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer. If supplies are not available, employees, with approval, may purchase such supplies and be reimbursed. Supports for teachers and continuity of learning Page 6, lines 139–171 HSTA strongly believes in the need to address time to plan, prepare, and adjust to the changes needed for school year 2020–21 and to provide teachers the necessary resources to engage in distance and blended learning programs. The HSTA and Employer agreed to the following: “The most effective instructional methods involve face-to-face, in-person programs. However, Hawaii’s public schools do not have enough classroom space to allow all students to receive face-to-face, in-person instruction with the necessary and proper physical distancing needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools will need to implement distance and blended learning programs to ensure continuity of instructional programming for all students.” The following provisions support and facilitate distance and blended learning programs: Teachers will be provided ongoing support including equipment, internet access, guidance on the use of online learning platforms, and technical support. August 4, 2020 is designated as the first instructional day of school. The first nine (9) days of instruction will consist of half-days for students, including lunch, and the remaining time in the day will be utilized for training and planning. Teachers will be provided no less than one (1) hour each day for teacher-initiated preparation. Teachers who are care coordinators of students with special needs will be provided, in the first quarter, no less than three (3) hours per student to address any preparation, facilitate assessments, and lead conversations related to possible compensatory services and/or extended school year services. To ensure all schools can maximize student-learning time, the HIDOE will seek a waiver from federally mandated testing from the United States Department of Education (USDOE) for school year 2020–21. Instructional models for school year 2020–21 Page 8, lines 172–225 Schools will need to modify their models of instructional delivery in school year 2020–21. All members of Bargaining Unit 05 will be notified of the opportunity to participate in a collaborative faculty discussion in the month of July regarding their school’s instructional model(s) and draft bell schedule. For purposes of determining an instructional model and draft bell schedule for the start of the year, the meeting will be in July and voluntary. This means the meetings should not occur prior to July 1. The opportunity to participate in the collaborative process will be communicated to all Bargaining Unit 05 members by their principal with at least 48 hours’ notice. The notice will include copies of the proposed instructional model and draft bell schedule changes. The discussion will include the opportunity to present suggestions for improvement to the proposed model, and consensus on an instructional model will be attempted. If the faculty present can’t reach consensus, a vote will be taken and held open for two hours at the conclusion of the presentation for faculty present or not present to vote. If the vote is not approved, the principal shall select a model from the instructional models listed in Section 3(f), line 207 of the MOU. Click here for a color version of the approved instructional models. Safeguards and assurances Page 10, lines 226–259 In addition to the above, HSTA focused on a few key areas that are needed to further support and protect our members. The agreement includes the following: No Bargaining Unit 05 positions will be eliminated because of any instructional model changes for SY 2020–21 and the response to COVID-19. Teachers’ privacy, health, and personnel records shall be protected in compliance with the American Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Teachers’ privacy will be protected while engaging remotely with students. Teachers cannot be recorded without their permission, and monitoring and observation can only be done openly and with full knowledge of the teacher. Teachers may be observed and monitored by administrators for professional support. Any other observation by coaches or mentors may only be done with teacher consent. Teachers can’t be forced to share their personal email or phone numbers and may use approved digital platforms, which hide personal phone numbers, for messaging students. The Educator Effectiveness System (EES) teacher evaluation process will continue in school year 2020–21. However, in order to assess the impact of COVID-19 response, the EES Joint Committee will meet and provide recommendations to the superintendent no later than July 28 to address any modifications to the EES for school year 2020–21. To protect at-risk individuals, teachers will be provided with information regarding access to employee assistance programs (EAP). Teachers will also be provided information regarding their right to request Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)accommodations should they have underlying health conditions or risk factors placing them at higher risk from COVID-19. In addition, the superintendent has signed a letter committing to the following: “Teachers who are documented to be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 may be provided options to limit their exposure risk (e.g., telework or modified job opportunities).” This letter of commitment applies to all Bargaining Unit 05 employees of the HIDOE. For the duration of COVID-19 pandemic, the following leave provision adjustments shall be followed: Per the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), should a teacher need to care for a family member who is ill due to COVID-19 or in a high-risk category, they may use their paid sick leave; and Teachers may utilize Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and/or Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA). Click here to view the Memorandum of Understanding* *This document is available on HSTA's members-only section of our website. You must be an active HSTA member and logged in with your registered account to view this. HSTA UniServ Directors will schedule a series of general member briefings in the next week. Members should be on the lookout for more information to be communicated from your HSTA school-level leaders. We also will schedule a private webinar to brief our school-level leaders on Monday, June 29, at 1 p.m. In addition, we will provide members with FAQs as soon as possible. If you have specific concerns and would like to speak to your UniServ Director, please share them here and your message will be forwarded for a response. We know information about the reopening schools has been scarce and the lack of clarity has caused anxiety for all of our members. While we wish we could have gotten even more in the agreement, we are proud of our team and the work that they accomplished under tremendous pressure during an already stressful time. While this agreement does not guarantee every option we sought, we firmly believe it is the best protection we could negotiate given these unprecedented circumstances. It also gives us options to continue to advocate at both the state and school level to improve and adjust as needed. We will continue to organize and advocate for the best possible working and learning conditions for our members and the students of Hawaii. We plan to continue to speak with the media, the public, as well as testify at the Board of Education to fight for what is right and necessary for a safe school year. HSTA leaders and staff will continue to do our best to support and protect you. We also would like to express our continued appreciation for the work of the HSTA Negotiations Team. The photo below was taken as the team concluded the last virtual session with the employer. HSTA’s Negotiations Team: Paul Daugherty, Chair (Kona); Diane Mokuau, Vice Chair (Molokai); Shannon Kaaa (Honolulu); Lisa Morrison (Maui); Corey Rosenlee, President; Osa Tui, Vice President; Logan Okita, Secretary-Treasurer; Andrea Eshelman, HSTA Deputy Executive Director and Chief Negotiator. source: https://www.hsta.org/News/Recent-Stories/hsta-reaches-school-reopening-agreement-with-state-of-hawaii

A bus operator for TheBus has tested positive for coronavirus, Oʻahu Transit Services, Inc. (OTS), operator of TheBus and The Handi-Van confirmed today. OTS received word Saturday night (6/27/2020) that the worker tested positive for COVID-19. The driver operated buses on several bus routes over the past week, but it is unknown how the employee came in contact with the virus. All the buses operated by this driver have been deeply cleaned and disinfected. “Our highest priority is to protect the health and well-being of our employees and the riding public,” OTS President and General Manager Roger Morton said in a statement. “As soon as we were notified of the one confirmed case, we confirmed that all buses driven by the employee and all areas in our facilities the employee had occupied were disinfected.” OTS is in contact with the Department of Health (DOH), receiving guidance, and following DOH protocols. DOH received the laboratory report late last night and more information will be shared when it becomes available. Morton added that coworkers who may have come in close contact were individually notified of the positive test and are quarantining at home. In addition, all OTS employees have been notified via email of the positive test. The City has taken steps to reduce the risk of infection while riding or operating a bus. “Always wear a mask or face covering while riding TheBus. When possible, limit travel on TheBus to essential trips,” said Jon Nouchi, Deputy Director of the City’s Department of Transportation Services. “We will make every effort to maintain a safe environment onboard TheBus and TheHandi-Van, including ramping up our services levels as Honolulu comes back to life and more people ride TheBus.” TheBus and TheHandi-Van have taken steps to reduce the risk of infection while riding or operating a transit vehicle. Plastic curtains have been installed on all buses to provide a barrier between drivers and passengers as they board. Seats closest to the operator have been made unavailable to provide greater space and extra buses have been added on busy routes to provide more area for physical separation. All buses and vans are disinfected daily by wiping down all touch surfaces manually with a strong anti-virus disinfectant and receive nightly disinfecting fogging using an electrostatic spraying system. The City continues to remind the public that only essential trips should be taken on public transit, and that wearing a face mask or covering while entering and riding on a bus or a TheHandi-Van is required. Transit riders should continue practicing good hygiene and social distancing. People who are sick or in poor health conditions should stay at home and not ride public transit.

A spike in COVID-19 case numbers today are largely due to a cluster of 17 Honolulu cases all associated with attending a funeral. Intensive contact tracing identified the cases quickly, testing was conducted, and all are in isolation. Contact tracing also identified six cases in Leeward O‘ahu associated with known clusters, and all of the cases are in isolation In addition to the 23 O‘ahu cases, the Department of Health reported two new Kaua‘i cases associated with a known cluster reported last week, one case on Maui, and a case on Hawaii Island with travel to Georgia. “It’s important to celebrate life and share life events, whether it’s remembering someone who has passed or gathering with others in practicing a common faith, and doing so safely will protect our loved ones and the entire community,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park, chief of the DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division. “Safe practices including physical distancing, wearing of masks, and frequent hand washing are critically important during these times and especially when we are with others outside of our daily household.” “These recent cases are local examples of how this virus has no bounds. It spreads easily from place-to-place, island-to-island, state-to-state,” said Health Director Bruce Anderson. “We all need to continue to take personal responsibility and take steps to protect ourselves and our community.” www.hawaiicovid19.com

Hawai'i State Department of Health: Sixteen Additional COVID-19 Cases Reported Thirteen (13) O‘ahu residents, one (1) Hawai‘i Island resident, and two (2) residents diagnosed out-of-state are the latest cases of coronavirus reported by DOH. Six of the cases on O‘ahu are associated with previously confirmed cases. The two cases diagnosed out of state were in Arizona and Nevada. All but one of today’s cases are adults. For context, the median number of cases each day for the week of June 14–20, 2020 is eight (8). At the peak of the current pandemic wave, March 15–21, 2020, the median number of cases per day was 27. Please visit www.hawaiicovid19.com for more information.

Legislators urge Public Safety Department to reconsider cancellation of programs for women inmates on O‘ahu Members of the Senate and House of Representative sent a letter on Thursday, June 25, 2020 to Governor David Ige and Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda, urging them to continue operation of correctional work furlough and halfway house programs for women inmates on O‘ahu, contracted through the YWCA of O‘ahu. The letters state that the Department of Public Safety (PSD) notified the YWCA on May 29, 2020, that the work furlough program at the Women’s Community Correctional Center in Kailua, and halfway house program at the YWCA’s Fernhurst branch in Makiki, would both be terminated by June 30, 2020. The legislators said that “the closure of (work furlough) program, operated solely by YWCA of O‘ahu since July 2015, means the only such resource available to women will no longer be available. “According to the PSD’s annual report, it costs an average of $198 per day for the State to house an inmate. PSD paid YWCA of O‘ahu $120 per day for each resident in the program,” the letter goes on to say. “The imminent implementation of the decision to terminate the program presents immediate difficulties to put together a substitute program with the right staff, curriculum, and facilities.” The legislators “strongly urge” immediate restoration of support by the PSD of the work furlough program and subsequently for the halfway house program. The letters are posted here: Senate, House The respective letters are signed by Senators Rosalyn Baker, Stanley Chang, Donovan Dela Cruz, J. Kalani English, Kurt Fevella, Mike Gabbard, Les Ihara, Lorraine Inouye, Kaiali‘i Kahele, Dru Mamo Kanuha, Gilbert Keith-Agaran, Jarrett Keohokalole, Michelle Kidani, Donna Mercado Kim, Ronald Kouchi, Sharon Moriwaki, Clarence Nishihara, Karl Rhoads, Gil Riviere, Russell Ruderman, Maile Shimabukuro, Brian Taniguchi, Laura Thielen, and Glenn Wakai; and Representatives Della Au Belatti, Tom Brower, Ty Cullen, Lynn DeCoite, Stacelynn Eli, Sharon Har, Mark Hashem, Troy Hashimoto, Linda Ichiyama, Aaron Johanson, Lisa Kitagawa, Dale Kobayashi, Chris Lee, Nicole Lowen, Sylvia Luke, Angus McKelvey, Lauren Matsumoto, John Mizuno, Daynette Morikawa, Nadine Nakamura, Takashi Ohno, Val Okimoto, Amy Perruso, Scott Saiki, Joy San Buenaventura, Calvin Say, Roy Takumi, David Tarnas, Cynthia Thielen, Chris Todd, Gene Ward, Tina Wildberger, Justin Woodson, and Kyle Yamashita.

Yesterday, 1,273 people arrived in Hawai'i. During this same time last year approximately 35,000 passengers arrived in Hawai'i daily, including residents and visitors. The state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started on March 26th for all passengers arriving in Hawai'i from out of state. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday and does not include interisland travel. This data was collected from the Hawai'i Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Mandatory Travel Declaration Form. For Hawaii Tourism Authority and state updates regarding COVID-19 visit: https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/news/alerts/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/ About the Hawaii Tourism Authority The Hawaii Tourism Authority is the State of Hawaii agency responsible for strategically managing its support of the tourism industry. Established in1998 to support Hawaii’s leading industry and largest employer, HTA continually strives to help ensure tourism’s sustainability and the benefits it brings to residents and communities statewide. Follow updates about HTA on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@HawaiiHTA).

Senate budget chair proposes spending $15M in federal CARES Act funding for Hawai‘i child care relief Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, has proposed child care relief as an important part of the CARES Act federal funding initiative for Hawai‘i. “It is critically urgent that we increase the availability of child care for the healthy growth and safety of our keiki so their parents can go back to work, and we can reopen the economy,” said Chair Dela Cruz. Without immediate action, 30% of child care providers may not re-open resulting in the loss of permanent child care seats. This squeezes an already strained child care sector that pre-COVID-19 had far fewer seats than needed by families across the state. The proposed $15 million would go to the Department of Human Services (DHS) for child care, working coordination with federal funds (Child Care Development Block Grant, subsidies to families for child care), county funds (CARES Act grants programs to non-profits, private businesses, families), and private philanthropy. “Child care is a foundational requirement to reopening our economy,” said Department of Human Services Director Pankaj Bhanot. “Without access to safe, healthy and affordable child care, working parents will not be able to return to full employment.” The state faces a critical shortage of child care seats. • According to the University of Hawaiʻi Center on the Family, under the current COVID-19 restrictions, there are potentially four times more children under the age of six who need child care than there are available regulated child care seats. • Licensed infant-toddler center seats are available to serve only one out of every 37 children under the age of three. • The shortage of child care is more acute in rural areas, with Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi having no infant-toddler centers. Of the approximately 900 DHS-regulated child care providers statewide, only 30% of child care providers were open in May, and those that were open were serving far fewer children than pre-pandemic. Of the remaining 70%, many were unsure when they will reopen or how they will financially manage. During focus groups conducted in early June, child care providers that planned to reopen said in order to keep their business afloat, they are cutting program hours, raising tuition, limiting student capacity (i.e., smaller class sizes or a multi-site provider may only open some sites) and/or eliminating meal service. “We are at a critical point of losing child care seats and experienced, qualified child care workers,” said Bhanot.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority’s (HTA) Board of Directors adopted the Aina Aloha Economic Futures declaration during its board meeting yesterday. HTA now joins thousands of Hawaii community members, businesses and organizations as Aina Aloha takes action to bring to life a resilient economy through its core value of aina aloha – a deep and abiding love for Hawaii’s communities and natural environments. Aina Aloha’s declaration was drafted by a group of Native Hawaiian community members who came together at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kalani Kaanaana, HTA Director of Hawaiian Cultural Affairs and Natural Resources, is one of the 14 collaborative authors of the Aina Aloha declaration. According to the group, “This declaration serves as a starting point to facilitate broader engagement and collective action in support of our shared principles, and was sent to Governor David Ige on May 19, 2020.” Naalehu Anthony and Mahina Paishon-Duarte presented Aina Aloha’s guiding principles and four-step community engagement process to the HTA board members and staff, and explained about the importance of having the four principles guide Hawaii’s economic recovery. Anthony shared, “The entire initiative is grounded in our kuanaike Hawaii, or Hawaiian perspective, and values that have sustained us for generations and will continue for many more. The values resonate with all of us who are privileged to call Hawaii home.” Paishon-Duarte affirmed, “We are in unprecedented times, which require unprecedented leadership, and having the HTA Board come stand alongside us is a prime example of that.” Aina Aloha’s core values are in alignment with HTA’s new strategic plan and its guiding pillars, which include supporting programs that perpetuate the Hawaiian culture, preserving Hawaii’s natural resources, strengthening the community and brand marketing. “The board’s unanimous adoption of the Aina Aloha Economic Futures Declaration is a milestone in the work we do at HTA to move our tourism economy toward a regenerative model guided by our shared values, as we strive to improve the quality of life for Hawaii’s residents,” said Kaanaana. Link to Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/AinaAlohaImages Photo credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority

Governor David Ige expressed his condolences today to the family and friends of an elderly Honolulu man, who became the 18th death in Hawai‘i due to the coronavirus. The last reported death was on May 3. “This is the worst way to emphasize the need for all of us to continue safe practices such as physical distancing, wearing of masks, and hand washing,” said Governor Ige. “We must protect our kupuna and others who are at high risk, by practicing personal responsibility, especially around others outside our own immediate family or household.” While Hawai‘i has one of the best statistical records for COVID-19 management in the country, a survey released by the Dept. of Health (DOH) today suggests that many residents are becoming lax in their practices and attitudes about the infection. The number of people who considered the virus as a very serious health concern, fell from 73% to 54% in less than two months.* More alarming, according to the DOH, is changing attitudes on preventive behaviors. 42% of survey respondents said they are social distancing all of the time and that’s steady compared to a previous survey. However, fewer residents are following recommendations “most of the time” or “part of the time.” Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson said in an earlier news release, “We cannot interpret the reopening of businesses, restaurants, parks and other places, as a license to let our guards down. It is more important than ever to adhere to prevention measures we know work.” To learn more about DOH’s COVID-19 prevention efforts: HawaiiCOVID19.com