HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health is pleased to announce Raymond Alejo as the recipient of the 2019 Suzanne Richmond-Crum Award, for his outstanding contributions in providing HIV/AIDS services in Hawai‘i. The award will be presented during the annual World AIDS Day ceremony at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Honolulu on Sunday, Dec. 1 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. “For the past 19 years, Raymond has dedicated his life to working with people living with HIV in Hawai‘i,” said Peter Whiticar, Chief of the Department of Health’s HIV/AIDS program. “His advocacy and loving care for people living with HIV has helped reduce the stigma, fear and unknowns that can keep vulnerable patients from receiving care.” Mr. Alejo began his career in the field of HIV services while in Seattle, as a nurse at Harborview Medical Center. He returned to Honolulu in 2000 and worked as an HIV case manager at the Life Foundation, now known as the Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center (HHHRC). Mr. Alejo currently serves as an HIV registered nurse case manager and community HIV educator at HHHRC. In this role, he provides community-based medical services and education to ensure that people living with HIV obtain necessary medical services that are important for their well-being and for preventing the transmission of HIV infection to others. Besides his primary work with people living with HIV, Mr. Alejo also offers presentations on HIV and hepatitis C prevention and treatment. He has developed several curricula, including cultural competency trainings which help healthcare providers to better serve the Native Hawaiian and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities. His focus on cultural competency and HIV is especially important given that many Native Hawaiians delay accessing needed HIV care. In addition, for more than 15 years, Mr. Alejo has offered the oli (opening chant) at the annual World AIDS Day ceremony and other public events, helping to ground the occasion in the spirit of the Hawaiian culture, and often brings his hālau and family to contribute to the positive energy of such occasions. Dr. Caroline Mee, Medical Director at the Hawai’i Department of Public Safety, said “Raymond has channeled his own personal experiences of stigma and navigating health care access into a keen sense of justice in his work as a community nurse, which makes him a tenacious and effective advocate for our community’s most vulnerable. His drive to ensure Native Hawaiian and LGBTQ populations are adequately served is a shining example of a provider who honors and respects the unique needs of every patient he meets.” The Suzanne Richmond-Crum Award is given annually to a community member who has made outstanding contributions in the provision of HIV/AIDS services. Suzanne Richmond-Crum passed away in August 2004 after serving for more than 10 years as director of the Hawai‘i Seropositivity and Medical Management Program (HSPAMM), in the Department of Health’s Harm Reduction Services Branch. The award program was established in honor of the competence and compassion she demonstrated in her HIV/AIDS work and is currently in its 16th year. This year’s World AIDS Day will be commemorated at a community event on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 5:30 pm at the Cathedral of St. Andrew, located at 229 Queen Emma Square in Honolulu. In addition to the award presentation there will be music, a hula hālau presentation, and a guest speaker panel. The event is open to the public. For more information on this event, visit https://worldaidsdayhawaii.org/. PDF: Raymond Alejo to Receive 2019 Suzanne Richmond-Crum Award on World Aids Day

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) announced today that it will be making available to all employees free introductory Hawaiian language courses through a partnership between its Office of Hawaiian Education (OHE) and the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges (UHCC). “We are excited to announce this new learning opportunity aimed at honoring the essential role that ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian language) plays in our educational system,” Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto said. “Mahalo to the University of Hawai‘i for partnering with us as we work to increase the relevance and awareness of Hawai‘i’s unique educational context.” Beginning with the university’s Spring 2020 semester all HIDOE employees will have two options to take Hawaiian language courses: enrollment in scheduled courses at UHCC campuses statewide or creation of custom courses for a group of HIDOE employees. Introductory courses are offered at all seven UHCC campuses and in a variety of formats. “This collaboration will support the advancement of Hawaiian language across public education," UH President David Lassner said. “UH faculty have been at the core of the revitalization of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi through decades of amazing work. This project is an important extension of the foundation across the Department of Education and our public schools statewide." Upon successful completion, teachers who are part of Bargaining Unit 05 will be able to receive professional development credits and all other HIDOE employees will be able to earn college credit. The Department has over 22,000 salaried employees, including nearly 13,000 teachers. For more information about enrolling, see here.

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) advises motorists statewide of the potential for coastal flooding along all shores of the main Hawaiian Islands from Tuesday, Nov. 26 through Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement alerting Hawaii residents and visitors of potential coastal flooding impacts (available at https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=hfo&wwa=special%20weather%20statement). Drivers on Kauai and Niihau should also note that there is also a Flash Flood Watch in effect for Kauai County from 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26 though late Wednesday, Nov. 27. HDOT reminds drivers of the following when driving in adverse conditions: Never go through standing or moving water on the road. There may be dangers you can’t see beneath the water such as a road washout, debris, tree branches, or power lines. Flood waters can also affect a vehicle’s mechanisms years after the initial contact and may not always present a problem right away. If you are driving through an area with shallow ponding, slow down to avoid hydroplaning and allow for increased stopping distance. If you cannot see the road or road markings through the water, do not try to drive through. Remember, stopping distance (the length of road your vehicle travels between when you press on the brake and your vehicle comes to a complete stop) increases when roads are wet. HDOT crews are on standby to respond to reports of debris caused by overtopping on state roadways. By island, roads that are typically affected by coastal flooding include, but are not limited to: Hawaii Island – Bayfront Highway (Route 19) in Hilo. Maui – Honoapiilani Highway (Route 30) between Ukumehame and Olowalu Oahu – Farrington Highway (Route 93) in Nanakuli and Makaha; Kamehameha Highway (Route 83) from Hauula to Kualoa Kauai – Kuhio Highway (Route 560) in the vicinity of the Hanalei Bridge; Kuhio Highway (Route 560) at Waikoko HDOT recommends that all drivers check weather reports before getting on the road and sign up for emergency notifications for their respective City or County. The links to the counties’ emergency notification systems are: County of Hawaii (Big Island) - https://countyofhawaii.bbcportal.com/ County of Maui - https://www.mauicounty.gov/AlertCenter.aspx City and County of Honolulu - https://hnl.info/ County of Kauai - https://countyofkauai.bbcportal.com/ In the case of substantial, sustained closures of state routes (e.g., full emergency closure of a state highway lasting more than a couple hours), HDOT will issue emergency closure information through GovDelivery, Twitter, and Facebook. To sign up for GovDelivery notifications from HDOT, visit https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/hidot/subscriber/new Source: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/HIDOT/bulletins/26e7a76

The 2019 hurricane season featured five tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) area of responsibility, which is near the season average. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. The Central Pacific basin extends from 140°W to the International Date Line. Four to five tropical cyclones occur during an average year. Hurricane Erick was the first tropical cyclone of the season in the Central Pacific, moving into the basin from the east on July 30. Erick rapidly intensified to a major hurricane (category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) later that day, then steadily weakened as it passed far south of the main Hawaiian Islands. Tropical Storm Flossie entered the basin on August 3 and approached Hawaii from the east, eventually dissipating before reaching the islands. Tropical Depression 12-E entered the basin on September 4 and strengthened to Tropical Storm Akoni. Akoni was the first tropical cyclone to be named from the Central Pacific list of names since Hurricane Walaka in 2018. Tropical Depression Kiko entered the basin on September 24 and immediately dissipated. Tropical Storm Ema, the second cyclone to be named from the Central Pacific list of names, developed southwest of the main Hawaiian Islands on October 12. Ema dissipated over the southern portion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument shortly before crossing between French Frigate Shoals and Maro Reef. Impacts to the State of Hawaii: Swells from Tropical Cyclone Barbara, which dissipated just before crossing into the Central Pacific basin, led to high surf along east facing shores of the state during July 6- 9. Remnant moisture from Barbara also led to heavy rain across Maui and Hawaii Counties during July 8-11. Swells generated by Tropical Cyclones Erick and Flossie led to high surf along east and south facing shores during August 1-6. Moisture associated with Erick also contributed to heavy rain over Hawaii County on August 2, and across Kauai County during August 4-5. Hurricane Season Outlook: NOAA’s 2019 hurricane season outlook issued on May 22, 2019, called for five to eight tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific basin, with a 70% chance of above-normal tropical cyclone activity, a 20% chance of near-normal activity, and a 10% chance of below-normal activity. The 2019 season started with an El Niño event that was expected to last through the fall. Instead, steady cooling commenced early in the summer leading to neutral conditions by the heart of the hurricane season. The following table outlines tropical cyclone names and highest classification, life cycle dates, and maximum wind speeds while in the central Pacific basin. Additional graphics from our social media links: NWS Honolulu Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NWSHonolulu NWS Honolulu Twitter - https://twitter.com/NWSHonolulu Other useful web links: NOAA Central Pacific Hurricane Center - https://www.hurricanes.gov/cphc NOAA National Weather Service Forecast Office Honolulu - https://www.weather.gov/hawaii CPHC Tropical Cyclone Product Archive - https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2019/ CPHC Annual Summaries - https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/?basin=cpac NOAA Atlantic Hurricane Season Summary for 2019 - https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/active-2019-atlantic-hurricane-season-comes-to-end More information: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutcphc.php

1SG Samuel K. Solomon Elementary School held a dedication ceremony to mark the completion of its new two-story, four-building school complex. The dedication also commemorates the school’s 50th anniversary. Principal Sally Omalza addresses the audience Photo Credit: HIDOE 1SG Samuel K. Solomon Elementary School held a dedication ceremony to mark the completion of its new two-story, four-building school complex. The campus includes 63 new classrooms, a student support center, two computer labs, an audio/video room, a covered playcourt, cafeteria and administrative offices, along with new entrance driveways on both sides of campus and more than 170 parking stalls. The dedication also commemorates the school’s 50th anniversary. “From the increased support services now available to our students and their families to the community engagement offered through an onsite farm-to-school program, the connectivity and collaboration provided by this new and improved campus is truly exciting,” said Deputy Superintendent Phyllis Unebasami. After breaking ground in summer 2017, construction took place in phases to replace the former campus with new state-of-the-art facilities. The project was funded by a grant from the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment for approximately $70 million. State funding provided nearly $20 million for the remaining 20% of the total project cost. “This school is proof that we can do great things when we work together. It took a team of federal, state, community and military partners to make this 21st century school a reality,” said Gov. David Ige. “Our military families can be confident that their children will be learning in a state-of-the-art school equipped with the tools to excel academically.” Originally opened in 1969, Solomon Elementary is one of two public elementary schools located on Schofield Barracks, a U.S. Army installation, and serves mainly military-dependent students from families with members serving in Army units. It currently serves over 760 K-5 students. “Solomon Elementary is a shining example of how great partnerships can work between the U.S. Army and our state and local communities,” said Maj. Gen. James Jarrard, Senior Commander, 25th Infantry Division. “This wonderful partnership and investment between the Department of Defense and the Hawaii Department of Education is an invaluable contribution to our children’s futures for years to come.” The school is named after 1SG Samuel K. Solomon, Jr., a Hawaii-born enlisted member of the 25th Infantry Division Wolfhounds. 1SG Solomon earned the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for his courageous effort in saving wounded members of his company in the Vietnam War. As 1SG Solomon was carrying wounded men to safety, he was hit by gunfire and killed in action. The school was officially dedicated as 1SG Samuel K. Solomon Elementary School on Veterans’ Day, Nov. 11, 1969. Source: http://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/ConnectWithUs/MediaRoom/PressReleases/Pages/solomondedication.aspx

In October 2019, the total monthly supply of statewide vacation rentals was 949,700 unit nights and monthly demand was 690,000 unit nights, resulting in an average monthly unit occupancy of 72.6 percent (Figure 1). In comparison, Hawaii’s hotels were 79.1 percent occupied in October 2019. It is important to note that unlike hotels, condominium hotels, and timeshare resorts, vacation rental units are not necessarily available year-round or even for every day of the month. The unit average daily rate (ADR) for vacation rental units statewide in October was $192, lower than the ADR for hotels ($253). The Hawaii Tourism Authority’s (HTA) Tourism Research Division issued the Hawaii Vacation Rental Performance Report utilizing data compiled by Transparent Intelligence, Inc. The data in this report specifically excludes units reported in HTA’s Hawaii Hotel Performance Report and Hawaii Timeshare Quarterly Survey Report. In this report, a vacation rental is defined as the use of a rental house, private room in private home, or shared room/space in private home. This report also does not determine or differentiate between units that are permitted or unpermitted. The “legality” of any given vacation rental unit is determined on a county basis. Island Highlights In October, Maui County had the largest vacation rental supply of all four counties at 323,000 unit nights, which is an increase of 28.8 percent compared to a year ago. Unit demand was 255,000 unit nights, resulting in 79.0 percent occupancy with ADR of $224. Maui County hotels were 76.3 percent occupied with ADR of $329. Oahu had the second largest vacation rental supply with 257,000 unit nights. This is a decrease of 5.2 percent from a year ago. Unit demand on Oahu was 186,000 unit nights, resulting in 72.4 percent occupancy with ADR of $160. Oahu hotels were 82.6 percent occupied with ADR of $228. There were 225,000 available unit nights on the island of Hawaii. Unit demand was 144,000 unit nights, resulting in 63.8 percent occupancy with ADR of $148. Hawaii Island hotels were 74.1 percent occupied with ADR of $239. Kauai had the fewest number of available unit nights at 144,000. Unit demand was 104,000 unit nights, resulting in 72.4 percent occupancy with ADR of $230. Kauai hotels were 69.9 percent occupied with ADR of $253. Tables of vacation rental performance statistics, including data presented in the report are available for viewing online at: https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/research/infrastructure-research/ About the Hawaii Vacation Rental Performance Report The Hawaii Vacation Rental Performance Report is produced using data compiled by Transparent Intelligence, Inc., which was selected by the Hawaii Tourism Authority as the provider for these data services. The report includes data for properties that are listed on Airbnb, Booking.com, HomeAway, and TripAdvisor. Data for units included in HTA’s Hawaii Hotel Performance Report and Hawaii Timeshare Quarterly Report have been excluded from the Hawaii Vacation Rental Performance Report. This report also does not determine or differentiate between units that are permitted or unpermitted. The “legality” of any given vacation rental unit is determined on a county basis. For October 2019, the report included data for 33,948 units, representing 58,969 bedrooms in the Hawaiian Islands.

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige and first lady Dawn Amano-Ige will be leaving the state to spend time with family on the mainland, departing Honolulu today and returning on Nov. 30. While the governor is traveling, Lt. Gov. Josh Green will serve as acting governor.

Award-winning author and New York University Professor Emerita Marion Nestle visited the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus on November 7 to offer her research findings on the parallels between processed-food profits, big-budget marketing and consumer behavior over the last 50 years. Nestle began with a simple premise for healthy living: eat better, eat less, move more. That’s not what most Americans are doing. The average restaurant meal today is more than four times larger than in the 1950s. The American consumer’s everyday access to calories has almost doubled. The cost of fresh fruits and vegetables in comparison to processed foods has tripled. Held at Kennedy Theatre, “What to Eat: Dietary Advice Meets Food Politics” was sponsored by UH Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), the Hawaiʻi Culinary Education Foundation, and University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu’s Sustainable Community Food Systems Program. Held at Kennedy Theatre, “What to Eat: Dietary Advice Meets Food Politics” was sponsored by UH Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), the Hawaiʻi Culinary Education Foundation, and University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu’s Sustainable Community Food Systems Program. Who is responsible for the rise in obesity in America? Nestle addressed the following questions: Are consumers to blame for the rise in obesity across America? Or has Big Food, the multinational food and beverage industry with huge and concentrated market power, confused our food choices and made the basic principles of healthy eating harder to follow? Where does Hawaiʻi fit into dietary recommendations and environmental sustainability? The role of corporate processors has grown accordingly, yet public perception is that personal lifestyle and social markers—not the food industry—determine one’s eating habits. This isn’t a coincidence, Nestle posits. She goes on to add that Big Food simply took a page from Big Tobacco’s playbook, skewing public opinion by influencing scientists and policymakers. In one example, 26 studies found no link between sugary drinks and obesity or type 2 diabetes. Yet, 25 of those studies were funded by the soft drink industry. Food systems approach “The three most important public health nutrition problems facing the world today are food insecurity, obesity and its consequent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease–and the effects of food production and consumption on the environment and climate—all of them are due to dysfunctional food systems,” said Nestle. “If we want to address these problems effectively, we have to use a food systems approach, which means thinking about agricultural production whenever we talk about what people eat, and vice versa.” Said Logan Taylor Motas, a CTAHR undergraduate who attended the talk, “I learned about the complexity of food politics, and how I should be doing my own research on the things I’m eating. Marion Nestle was a strong force of goodness that inspired me to be in control of what I put in my body.” Although not an expert on Hawaiʻi’s agriculture or nutrition, Nestle says she is impressed by how this state exemplifies these three food system problems. “Hawaiʻi’s reported low rate of food insecurity may not reflect reality,” she says. To encourage eating more fruits and vegetables by consumers, as well as stabilize income for local growers, she suggests taking a page from Latin America’s playbook. Lawmakers in Chile, responding to public pressure, have limited processed foods and incentivized shopping for minimally processed foods. View the UH News Release here: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2019/11/18/nestle-addresses-growing-health-crisis/ #Nestle #FoodSytstems #CTAHR #Obesity #HealthyEating #UniversityOfHawaii #MarionNestle

HONOLULU –  The Office of the Governor is seeking qualified volunteers for the Boards of Taxation Review across the state. The boards informally hear and decide disputes between taxpayers and tax assessors, as an alternative to filing formal appeals with the Hawai‘i Tax Appeals Court. There are currently three vacancies on the O‘ahu board, five vacancies on the Kaua‘i board, and one each on Maui and Hawai‘i Island. “Right now, there is a backlog of about 200 cases because of vacancies on the boards. Without functional boards, appeals are not being heard and decisions are not being made. Voluntary service boards are critical to providing an independent body that will handle matters such as these tax appeals,” said Department of Taxation Director Rona Suzuki. The Taxation Review boards may hear a wide range of cases with the exception of matters involving the United States Constitution or federal laws. The boards are required to hold at least one public meeting annually. Board members must be current residents of the island on which they serve. For more information or to apply go to boards.hawaii.gov or contact Sharon Ibarra at boards.commissions@hawaii.gov.

HONOLULU – The Department of Defense announced the death of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk T. Fuchigami Jr. from Kea‘au, Hawai‘i who was killed on November 20, 2019 in Logar Province, Afghanistan while supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel. “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk Takeshi Fuchigami Jr. It is never easy when it’s a soldier from our island home. He served our country with honor and distinction. His passing is a daily reminder of the men and women who bravely serve in our armed forces to safeguard our freedoms. On behalf of the Hawai‘i Island State Senators, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his ‘ohana and friends during this time. His courage and sacrifice to our country will never be forgotten.” Senator Kaiali‘i Kahele, Senate District 1 Senator Russell E. Ruderman, Senate District 2 Senator Dru Mamo Kanuha, Senate District 3 Senator Lorraine R. Inouye, Senate District 4 #KirkFuchigami #AmericanHero #HawaiiSenate

HDOT Airport Division employees received the Airport Carbon Accreditation Certificate on Friday, Nov. 15, 2019. Sitting (L-R): Carlos Salas (FAA), Issa Castro (ACI-NA), Guy Ichinotsubo, Roy Sakata, Tanya Sakamoto, Lynn Araki-Regan Standing (L-R): Ross Higashi, Steven Santiago, Benton Ho, Gordon Wong (FAA), Martinez Jacobs, Herman Tuiolosega, Marvin Moniz, Alex Tamoria, Steve Maruyama HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) announces that the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) received its fourth Airport Carbon Accreditation certification from the Airports Council International (ACI), recognizing HNL’s accomplishments of reducing its energy use and carbon emissions and moving towards a sustainable future. The Airport Carbon Accreditation is the global benchmark for carbon management in the airport industry. The Daniel K. Inouye International Airport along with 46 airports in North America were recognized for its achievements of carbon reduction. In addition, HNL was one of only 14 airports in North America, who were accredited at “Level 2”, which signifies that the airport has achieved a reduction in carbon emissions inventory verified by an independent third party and has continued to reduce carbon emissions under HNL’s control on a year-over-year basis. For more information on the Airports Council International, please view their website at https://aci.aero/. The Daniel K. Inouye International Airport has received accreditation for the past four years since 2015 and remains committed to improving its sustainability and reducing its energy use and carbon footprint. Guided by its Sustainability Policy and energy savings initiative, the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, under the HDOT, is committed to achieving its goals in reducing energy use, carbon emissions, water consumption and waste sent to landfill. The HDOT’s commitment to sustainability aligns with the State’s goal to achieve 100-percent clean energy by 2045. #AirportCarbonAccreditation #DanielKInouyeAirport #Sustainability #HDOT

The Candidate Advisory Council (CAC) of the University of Hawaiʻi is accepting nominations for two (2) seats on the Board of Regents. One (1) Maui County seat, for a 5-year term to begin July 1, 2020. Candidates must reside in Maui County. One (1) student seat, for a 2-year term to begin July 1, 2020. Candidates must be a University of Hawaiʻi student at the time their term begins. Application materials, procedures and descriptions of regent’s responsibilities are available online at http://www.hawaii.edu/rcac. Completed applications must be received by CAC or postmarked by 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, January 4, 2020. Members of the UH Board of Regents as well as the Candidate Advisory Council, who represent various constituent groups, serve voluntarily and are not paid. View the UH News Release here: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2019/11/18/board-of-regents-nominations/