Mayor Harry Kim issued the Third Supplementary Emergency Proclamation on Wednesday, April 1, suspending the ban on single-use plastic bags, extending deadlines related to commercial haulers, and clarifying that the April 9, 2020 deadline for filing Real Property appeals is unchanged. The County’s Third Supplementary Emergency Proclamation temporarily suspends Hawai‘i County Code Chapter 14, Article 20, Plastic Bag Reduction. The reason for the temporary suspension of the ban on single-use plastic bags is to discourage the introduction of germs or the virus into stores that could be present on personal reusable bags. Local stores will continue to use paper bags as a priority while their supplies last; plastic bags may be used for greater volume or wetter items. The Third Supplementary Emergency Proclamation also waives several deadlines as they relate to commercial haulers. The proclamation waives the permit expiration deadlines for a commercial haulers’ permit, the deadline for submission of a residential credit claim, and the requirement for interest billing. The deadline for an owner whose property is accessible to a public sewer to connect to the public sewer is also extended. The Proclamation clarifies that the Real Property Tax Appeal deadline is not suspended; the April 9, 2020 deadline for Appeals still stands. The Real Property Tax Appeal deadline remains the same so as not to negatively affect the certification of property values and the budgetary process. The Third Supplemental Emergency Proclamation will continue for 60 days, to May 30, 2020, or until further action by the Mayor’s Office. Here is the link to the Proclamation, posted on the County of Hawai‘i website, under County of Hawai‘i News: https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1926/720 #COVID19 #Coronavirus #HawaiiCounty #HarryKim #RealPropertyTax

Mayor Michael Victorino announced today that applications are now being accepted for financial assistance though the Hawaii Emergency Laulima Partnership (H.E.L.P.) program. The County of Maui allocated $2 million in general funds to the program to assist families with members who have lost jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The H.E.L.P. program offers financial assistance for Maui County residents with essential needs such as food, personal hygiene, medicine, rent, mortgage, utility services, phone or internet services, car payments, and other necessities. The program is being administered through a partnership with Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. (MEO). “The health and well-being of our residents are our top priority,” Mayor Michael Victorino said. “Relief efforts such as the H.E.L.P. program provide vital financial support to our residents, so they can stay healthy and provide for their families during this difficult time.” To qualify, individuals must show: 25 percent or more reduction in income after March 4, 2020, Have less than $5,000 in liquid assets. Application guidelines and a list of other required supporting documentation can be found online at www.meoinc.org Applications can be submitted online or at one of the secured drop boxes located at: Front parking lot of the MEO office at 99 Mahalani Street, Wailuku Front entrance of the Kalana O Maui (County) Building in Wailuku Molokai and Lanai community members may submit applications online or at their local MEO office: Molokai: 380 Kolapa Place, Kaunakakai Lanai: 1144 Ilima #102, Lanai City “We are grateful to Mayor Victorino and the County Council for providing this level of financial assistance to our community, and appreciate the county’s confidence in assigning MEO as the administrator of this program,” said Debbie Cabebe, Chief Executive Officer at Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. If you do not have access to internet, please call 249-2990 or 249-2980 and an application can be mailed to you.

#COVID19 #Coronavirus #DavidIge #SenateSpecialCommitteeonCOVID19

The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is sharing traffic volume data for major state routes on the HDOT website. The data will be updated weekly on Mondays and is available at: https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/covid-19-traffic-volume-comparison/ HDOT is making this data available during the period of Governor Ige’s Stay-at-Home order, which became effective Statewide on March 25 and is in place through April 30, to verify the capabilities of major state routes to accommodate extended lane closure hours and to provide general data on compliance with the order. After the Stay-at-Home order period passes, HDOT will continue to update the data as an economic indicator for the State. The percentage change in the traffic volume data is calculated from the 2019 Average Annual Daily Traffic counts taken by permanent traffic counting stations HDOT maintains Statewide. This data accompanies other offerings on the HDOT website such as the Highways Program Status Map (linked here) and the Lane Closure Map (linked here). Please note that the Highways Program Status Map that is normally updated on the first working day of the month will be temporarily delayed, but still contains the latest available data as of March 2 on current and future HDOT projects, pavement and bridge conditions, and locations and major contributing factors of fatal crashes.

Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Hawaii and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic beginning on January 20, 2020, and continuing. The President’s action makes Federal funding available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, for all areas in the State of Hawaii impacted by COVID-19. Pete Gaynor, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Robert J. Fenton as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further assessments.

Department of Public Works announces partial closures of portions of Makawao Avenue beginning April 8; Work is for roadway preservation project A roadway preservation project will close a segment of Makawao Avenue, from Apana Road to Makani Road, beginning Wednesday, April 8, the Department of Public Works announced. The project will require partial roadway closures with a single lane open and alternating flows of traffic allowed through the work area. Work is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, except holidays. Motorists are asked to follow directions from traffic control personnel. Residents are asked to park outside of work areas. Driveway access will be limited for as much as 30 minutes during working hours. The project is expected to be completed April 22. To sign up for roadway notifications, the public can go to https://www.mauicounty.gov/557/Highways-Division

Please be sure to watch the great video on Hawai‘i County’s COVID-19 Prevention and Education Task Force at work on the “Seniors Living in Paradise,” which airs throughout the month of April on Spectrum Cable Channel 129. The segment appears as part of the program, whose daily air times from April 1 - April 30 are: · 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. · 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. You can also watch the show on KTA Superstores’ website: www.ktasuperstores.com Click on Community, Living in Paradise. Na Leo TV produced a terrific longer version of this presentation, which features Assistant Fire Chief Lance Uchida and State Department of Health public information officer Jason Dela Cruz. Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/DE8tenqA8iI It’s also posted on Mayor Harry Kim’s Facebook and Twitter. Mahalo plenty for doing such a great job, everyone.

Effective Wednesday, April 1, 2020, the County of Maui Department of Transportation is suspending three Maui Bus commuter routes and adjusting schedules for others due to significant decreases in passengers caused by COVID-19. The following commuter routes will be suspended until further notice: Makawao-Kapalua Commuter. (Upcountry riders will need to catch the bus from the U-Haul facility in Kahului.) Kihei-Kapalua Commuter. (Kihei riders will need to catch the Wailuku-Kapalua Commuter #2 from Maalaea to West Maui.) Wailuku-Kapalua Commuter #3 The following commuter routes will have changes until further notice: Haiku-Wailea commuter will not provide service to and from Haiku or Paia. The first point of pick-up will be at the U-Haul facility at the former K-Mart location. Haiku & Paia riders will need to catch this bus from the U-Haul facility in Kahului. Wailuku-Kapalua Commuter #2 will have minor time changes in the afternoon pick-up from Kapalua. This #2 bus will also service Maalaea on both the AM and PM runs. Kihei riders will need to catch this bus from Maalaea to West Maui. To view the full adjusted commuter route schedule, visit https://www.mauicounty.gov/608/35097/Maui-Bus-Commuter-Service. Maui Bus commuter fares are $2.00 per boarding. Monthly passes are also available for $45.00. For more information, please contact the Maui County Department of Transportation at 270-7511.

Federal programs for small businesses as well as step-by-step instructions on how to apply for assistance due to impacts from COVID-19 are available on Maui Economic Development Board Inc.’s (MEDB) website at www.medb.org. The information and assistance is part of a joint effort between the County of Maui, Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and MEDB. “We’re trying to stay up-to-date with the federal legislation and programs so we can continue to help our local businesses,” said Leslie Wilkins, President and CEO of MEDB. “We have a dedicated team, led by Business Development Director Gerry Smith, answering questions and will be updating our website with more resources and information. “We want to remind our small businesses that the SBA Loan application process has been changing daily, so please continue to check MEDB’s website, where we will post any SBA updates.” On Monday, Mayor Michael Victorino introduced businesses to the step-by-step instructions on how to apply for the SBA 2020 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Assistance Program. About 500 people attended the live webinar, which was recorded for current viewing. To watch the webinar, visit https://www.crowdcast.io/e/medb-sbdc-eidl. “I want to mahalo MEDB and SBDC for providing this resource to our business community, so we may face these challenges together,” Mayor Victorino said. For more information and one-on-one assistance, contact Maui Economic Development Board Inc. at info@hightechmaui.com or call (808) 270-6803.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell today, announced that a letter will be submitted to United States President Donald Trump asking him to stop all non-essential travel coming to Hawai‘i in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). This comes a day before Hawai‘i Governor David Ige’s statewide fourteen day mandatory quarantine goes into effect for all interisland travelers. The interisland order expands the Governor’s March 26 quarantine order for all out-of-state passengers. “I am fully onboard with Governor Ige’s strong and deliberative quarantine measures,” said Mayor Caldwell. “But putting a complete stop to all non-essential travel coming into our state is critical to stop the spread of this virus, especially since a majority of Hawai‘i’s COVID-19 cases are travel related.” In addition, Mayor Caldwell issued the closure of private golf courses/clubs, tennis courts/clubs, and similar sport facilities on O‘ahu to further promote social distancing. This is effective Wednesday, April 1 at 4:30 p.m. and will continue through 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. To view the full Emergency Order No. 2020-03, click here. Mayor Caldwell also reemphasized today that bars and restaurants must remain closed to dine-in customers until April 30. This complies with the Mayor’s Stay at Home Order and Governor Ige’s State of Emergency Proclamation. Starting tomorrow, TheBus will be running on a holiday schedule Monday through Friday. Please use TheBus for essential travel only and if you’re sick, stay at home. For more information on TheBus, visit https://www.thebus.org/. In addition, the City and County of Honolulu COVID-19 information call center will remain open for the rest of this week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. O‘ahu residents are encouraged to visit the website, oneoahu.org to get answers to frequently asked questions about Mayor Caldwell’s Stay at Home Order. If they do not find an answer to their questions on the site, residents can call the 768-CITY (2489) information hotline or email covidresponse@honolulu.gov.

Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 requests Governor Ige to put into place a public health alert network system In a letter dated March 31, 2020 addressed to Governor David Ige, the members of the Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 requested that his administration and the Department of Health “put in place as soon as possible a public health alert network system to provide critical information and reminders about COVID-19.” The Special Committee feels that more aggressive messaging to the public is needed as the rules and guidelines for social distancing and sheltering-in-place are not being seriously followed in light of the alarming growth of the pandemic in the U.S. Text alert systems have been implemented in two counties in Southern California, San Diego and Los Angeles. “Public Safety Alerts are critical to remind both residents and visitors that in order to save lives, stay home,” the letter to the Governor reads. “This includes reminding everyone that beaches, trails, recreation areas, and other public spaces are closed. Social distancing is one of the few tools currently available to fight the spread of the virus.” The Special Committee points out in the letter that South Korea officials found that emergency texts sent three to five times a day were effective in reducing community spread, as the text messages detailed exact locations and movements of people who have tested positive for COVID-19. Regular reminders and instructions were also sent out early on on how to prevent the virus from spreading, with instructions on social distancing, hand washing, coughing etiquette, and how to care for seniors. Because of those efforts, South Korea has managed to significantly slow the number of new cases and “flattened the curve.” Also in the letter, the Special Committee asks that Governor Ige -- including the Department of Health and other appropriate members of his administration -- to schedule a daily briefing to provide the public with information on COVID-19. “This will help in assuring that the community is receiving the same information on a timely basis. “The committee requests a response on the strategy and timeline to establish this text alert system and the confirmation on scheduling a daily public briefing by 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 1,” with the Special Committee’s emphasis on timeliness in bold. The letter is signed by Senate Special Committee members Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, Senator Michelle Kidani, Senator Donna Mercado Kim, Senator Sharon Moriwaki, and Senator Kurt Fevella.

Mayor Michael Victorino provided guidance to Maui County residents on the inter-island travel quarantine policy issued by Gov. David Ige. The policy will go into effect statewide beginning April 1, according to the Governor’s supplemental emergency proclamation issued today. “Essential work and health related travel is especially critical in our County, as our unique community spans three islands,” Mayor Victorino said. “Due to reductions in flights, I spoke with Hawaiian Airlines today about transportation for our residents who may need medical treatment on Oahu or have to respond to emergencies. I am committed to working with the State and airlines to balance necessary travel for essential personnel and the protection of our people, especially on Molokai and Lanai.” Starting April 1, inter-island travelers will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival on any island. This includes travel to and from Lanai and Molokai. Travelers arriving by airline will be required to complete an inter-island declaration form provided by the State. In addition, all travelers will receive an order from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency related to their status. For any questions related to exempt activities, please email covidexemption@hawaii.gov The mandatory 14-day inter-island travel quarantine WILL apply to: Individuals returning home from non-essential travel to other islands. Essential travel is limited to individuals performing the services outlined below. The mandatory 14-day quarantine will NOT apply to any person or activity deemed essential under the stay at home order, including the following: Infrastructure personnel, including those who service public and private water, wastewater, sewer systems and utilities. Construction workers Law enforcement, first responders and emergency services personnel Emergency management personnel Doctors, nurses and all healthcare providers Individuals receiving medical treatment, such as chemotherapy Agricultural workers Individuals providing essential food or supplies Maintenance service providers necessary to maintain safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences and businesses, including plumbers, electricians, and exterminators. Media and communications personnel Those listed above are required to: Wear a mask as appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during travel Practice social distancing While not performing essential duties, all individuals must adhere to the statewide stay at home order and Public Health Emergency Rules issued by the County of Maui. This includes essential workers staying at their accommodations anytime they are not at work or performing essential activities. To review county rules, please visit mauicounty.gov To review inter-island quarantine information, please visit the state website at https://hawaiicovid19.com/