HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) Food and Drug Branch is alerting residents of a voluntary recall of a series of vegetable products distributed in Hawai‘i. Mann Packing Company, Inc. is issuing this voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution. The recalled products have “Best If Enjoyed By” date of Oct. 11, 2019 to Nov. 16, 2019. The full list of products and all corresponding product images are available at https://mannpackingproductlist11-2019.us Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.  To date, DOH has not reported any illness associated with these products. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Mann Packing will continue to work closely with the authorities to investigate the issue. Consumers who believe that they are in possession of any of the products affected by this recall should dispose of the product in an appropriate waste container. For any inquiries or comments, all consumers are welcome to call the 24-hour customer service line at 1-844-927-0707 or email Mann Packing Co., Inc. at consumers@mannpacking.com PDF: Recalled vegetable products sold in Hawai‘i associated with potential contamination of Listeria

HDOT HIGHWAYS DIVISION FUNDS $100 MILLION AT HISTORICALLY LOW RATES, REFINANCES DEBT FOR SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is pleased to announce that it has successfully issued new highway revenue bonds that will provide funding to advance critical projects that will help preserve the State highway system and improve safety.  In addition, HDOT exercised fiscal prudence to refinance prior bonds for significant savings. The new bonds will fund $100 million of key highway capital improvement projects that will enhance and improve Hawaii’s statewide system of highways, streets and roads.  The bonds have an average interest rate of 2.82% with a final maturity in 2040. HDOT also successfully refinanced $27 million of outstanding revenue bonds, reducing annual debt payments.  The bonds that were refinanced were originally issued in 2011 with an average interest rate of 4.89%.  The new bonds have an average interest rate of 2.41%. The refinancing will generate $4.5 million of savings for the Highways Division over the next 13 years. In preparation for the bond sale, the Highways Division’s management team led an extensive marketing campaign, highlighted by an online investor roadshow that was viewed by over 15 investors, digital advertising on local websites, and in-person meetings with investors in Hawaii and on the mainland.  As a result, the bonds received an overwhelming response from investors, with over $350 million of orders from Hawaii and national investors. “Today’s bond sale results are positive for the state and its people,” said Gov. David Ige. “The market continues to have strong confidence in Hawaii’s Highways Division and its ability to deliver crucial projects to improve our roads and enhance safety.” Prior to the bond sale, the Highways Division’s credit quality was reviewed by Moody’s Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings.  Moody’s upgraded the Division’s credit rating to Aa1 from Aa2 while S&P affirmed the Division’s rating of AA+.  The Moody’s upgrade brings the Division’s bond rating to within one notch of the highest possible rating of Aaa.  The improved credit rating and strong market conditions were instrumental in allowing the Highways Division to obtain a historically low interest rate on its bonds. In their review, the rating agencies cited the Highway Division’s strong coverage of its annual debt obligations by pledged revenues, the diversity of the pledged revenue stream, and the State legislature’s demonstrated willingness to add new pledged revenues to fund the State’s highway program. Also noted was the strength of the State’s economy and effectiveness of HDOT management. In addition, Moody’s noted the Highways Division’s growing focus on improved project delivery, recognizing that the Division reduced its unexpended federal highway aid balance from $950 million in federal fiscal year 2010 to $450 million in federal fiscal year 2019. Morgan Stanley served as the lead managing underwriter for the bond sale, with Well Fargo as the co-senior manager.  A Hawaii-based selling group was utilized to market the bonds to local retail investors.

2019 PROTECT OUR WATER CONFERENCE HELD TO EDUCATE INDUSTRY AND TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES ON ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE OPERATION OF SYSTEMS HONOLULU – The State of Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) proudly hosted the 2019 Protect Our Water Conference at Koʻolau Ballrooms and Conference Center on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. The annual Protect Our Water Conference provided construction best management practices training to approximately 400 attendees on how to minimize polluted storm water runoff from construction activities. These attendees included HDOT employees, contractors, subcontractors, and consultants; other MS4 permittees; and representatives from state and federal agencies, including the State of Hawaii Department of the Attorney General’s office, State of Hawaii Department of Health, U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. HDOT has storm water management programs for the Highways, Airports, and Harbors Divisions. The goal of these programs is to satisfy HDOT’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits and ensure that HDOT is operating its highways, airports, and harbors in a manner that protects our ocean environment. For more information on the 2019 Protect Our Water Conference please visit https://www.stormwaterhawaii.com To view photographs from today’s event, visit the HDOT Flickr site by clicking here. Please courtesy “HDOT” or “Hawaii Department of Transportation” if the photographs are used and published. About HDOT’s Storm Water Management Program The State of Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) has storm water management programs for the Highways, Airports, and Harbors Divisions. The goal of these programs is to comply with storm water regulations. The construction program of HDOT aims to reduce the discharge of pollutants from both private and public construction projects within HDOT’s jurisdiction.  For more information, visit http://hidot.hawaii.gov/stormwater/

PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING FOR UPCOMING PROJECT ON THE WESTBOUND H-201 MOANALUA FREEWAY BETWEEN FORT SHAFTER AND THE H-3 UNDERPASS HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) will be conducting a Public Informational Meeting (PIM) regarding the proposed Interstate Route H-201 Outbound Auxiliary Lane Project. This meeting will include discussion on a Community Noise Variance Application for the project to allow night work. The PIM and Noise Variance Consultation is scheduled for: Wednesday, November 20, 2019, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Moanalua Middle School 1289 Mahiole Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 The proposed project location is on the westbound H-201 Moanalua Freeway from the Fort Shafter Offramp to the vicinity of the H-3 Freeway Underpass. The project as proposed will continue the existing left auxiliary lane on the H-201 from Fort Shafter to the Aiea/Pearlridge Offramp to provide an additional lane through the area. The scope of the project includes: installation of striping, pavement markings, signage and traffic counting stations; cold planing, resurfacing, and reconstructing spot areas; cleaning existing drains; removing grass and silt buildup adjacent to the roadway; and, trimming hedges along the freeway median. The hedges in the freeway median may alternatively be removed and replaced with a temporary glare screen. Limiting construction to daytime hours would result in prolonged traffic delays and disruption to business operations in the area. Performing the work during daytime hours would also significantly lengthen the time required to complete the project, increasing construction costs, and causing undue hardship on the motoring public and surrounding area residents. Pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 342F-5, subsection (h), HDOT seeks written comments from interested person regarding the Community Noise Variance Application for this Project. To comment on the project you can complete the form linked here. The meeting is accessible for individuals with disabilities. For more information or if you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, contact Li Nah Okita, Design Project Manager, at (808) 692-7581 or email li.nah.okita@hawaii.gov, as soon as possible. Please make requests as early as possible to allow adequate time to fulfill your request. Upon request, this notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy.

The Friends of Iolani Palace along with the Royal Guard of the Hawaii Air National Guard will celebrate King Kalakaua’s 183rd birthday with a day of festivities. Inspired by the styles and colors of the King’s Birthday Jubilee in 1886, the celebration will feature live entertainment by the Royal Hawaiian Band, Monarchy era bunting and décor, and special birthday tributes. Saturday, November 16: 11:30 a.m. – Opening Remarks 11:45 a.m. – Royal Hawaiian Band performance 12:00 p.m. – Review of the Royal Guard 12:30 p.m. – Posting of the Royal Guard Iolani Palace 364 South King St. Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813 For additional information on this free event, call (808) 552-0822 x122. Website: https://www.iolanipalace.org/event/king-kalakauas-183rd-birthday-celebration/ #IolaniPalance #KingKalakaua #DavidKalakaua #RoyalHawaiianBand

KONA, Hawaiʻi – Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) has come to Hawaiʻi Island, on the heels of early successes on Oʻahu and Maui. The pilot project, which received $650,000 in ʻOhana Zone funding from the State, launched Thursday in Kona. The Big Island Substance Abuse Council (BISAC) will operate the pilot project along with several key partners, including HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, Going Home Hawaiʻi and Bridge House. The Hawaiʻi County Police Department and Prosecutor’s Office are also on board with the project, which will initially operate only in Kona but may eventually expand across the island. “The launch of Kona’s LEAD program represents another step forward in our effort to resolve homelessness,” said Gov. David Ige. “We are confident that LEAD will make a positive difference and improve the well-being of participants on Hawaiʻi Island, just as it has on Oʻahu and Maui.” “I am excited about the implementation of the LEAD program on Hawaiʻi Island and more specifically in West Hawaiʻi,” said Hawaiʻi Island Mayor Harry Kim. “I am so proud of our police officers and all others involved in this program.” LEAD is an arrest diversion program implemented as an alternative to the normal criminal justice system cycle of booking, detention, prosecution, conviction and incarceration. Under the LEAD program model, law enforcement officers make contact with low-level nonviolent offenders or individuals at high risk of arrest and refer them into a trauma-informed intensive case-management program. There, the individual receives a wide range of support services, often including transitional and permanent housing and/or drug treatment. The original LEAD program began in Seattle in 2011 and has been replicated in 34 states. There are LEAD projects already operating on Oʻahu and Maui. Honolulu’s LEAD pilot began in July 2018, and a recent 1-year evaluation found that participants saw a 55 percent reduction in law enforcement citations, an increased feeling of wellness, and a decrease in meth use. Maui’s LEAD program began in May and its participants are already showing positive results. Kauaʻi LEAD just recently launched as well. “We are really excited to begin the LEAD program on Hawaiʻi Island,” said Dr. Hannah Preston-Pita, chief executive officer of BISAC. “With the lack of resources on our island, this program will definitely make a big impact. Our mayor, prosecuting attorney, chief of police and our local providers – Hope Services, Bridge House and Going Home – have been ready since day one to add this program as a resource. “BISAC and ADAD (the Hawaiʻi Department of Health’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division) have been planning this program for the last couple of months and now it’s finally here.” In 2018, state legislators appropriated $30 million to establish at least three ʻOhana Zone sites on Oʻahu, and one each on Hawaiʻi Island, Maui and Kauaʻi. The law requires that ʻOhana Zones be placed on state and county land and that those spaces provide services to assist homeless individuals and families in accessing permanent housing. Other projects addressing homelessness are also in the pipeline for Hawaiʻi County. An assessment center at the Na Kahua Hale o Ulu Wini housing complex is expected to open by the end of the year, and the Village 9 affordable housing project and 20 units of permanent supportive housing at the newly opened Keolahou emergency shelter are scheduled to welcome residents in spring 2020.

(HONOMū, HAWAIʻI) – The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) has issued its final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FEA-FONSI) for the Department’s Honomū Subsistence Agriculture Homestead Community in South Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island. DHHL’s Honomū project will be the first of its kind on the island and is among expanded options the Department is working to bring beneficiaries, including the opportunity to return to the land and promote self-sufficiency through farming. The project proposes subsistence agriculture, supplemental agriculture, commercial, and community facilities, as well as special district and conservation land. “Honomū is a pilot project to implement the Department’s new rules for subsistence agricultural lots,” said Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair William J. Aila, Jr. “These lots will allow beneficiaries to live and cultivate their land while producing locally grown food for themselves and their families, all in fulfillment of Prince Kuhio’s vision. We are excited to work with the County in advancing this subdivision. I’m certain future lessees are looking forward to joining the existing Honomū community.” A bid for the first phase is anticipated to go out in early 2020 after project plans are submitted to the Hawaiʻi County Planning Department in December. The project’s first phase is anticipated to cost $2 million and will include the infrastructure development for 16 one-acre subsistence agricultural homestead lots near Akaka Falls. In 2017, DHHL updated its Administrative Rules allowing for Subsistence Agriculture which provides beneficiaries with more manageable lot sizes and removed the requirements of traditional agricultural lots. The project in total is anticipated to include up to 375 lots to provide beneficiaries subsistence agriculture parcels ranging in size from one to three acres. The EA can be read in full at the following link: http://oeqc2.doh.hawaii.gov/EA_EIS_Library/2019-11-08-HA-FEA-Honomu-Subsistence-Agricultural-Homestead-Community.pdf ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS: The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands carries out Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole’s vision of rehabilitating native Hawaiians by returning them to the land. Established by U.S. Congress in 1921, with the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, the Hawaiian homesteading program run by DHHL includes management of over 200,000 acres of land statewide with the specific purpose of developing and delivering homesteading.

HONOLULU – The Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) has received numerous reports of local businesses receiving emails purportedly coming from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) and OCP. These emails commonly referred to as “email phishing scams” are fraudulent and are an attempt to illegally obtain private information and to place malware on the businesses’ computers. The fraudulent email attempts to deceive consumers through the inclusion of a DCCA letterhead and uses a spoofed sender email of “consumer.reports@cca.hawaii.gov.” The phishing correspondence is as follows: Dear Business Owner: We are formally notifying you of a claim submitted against your company with the Office of Consumer Protection. Your company has a rebuttal period of 7 business days from the receipt of this notice, to respond to the claim. The response must contain a final rebuttal and be no more than 5 pages in totality. The full compliant [sic] filed as well as the response form and instructions for submitting your response have been attached to this email. Due to the privacy of the claim the file is password protected. The password is located below. You can download the file at the link below. Complaint Notification: Click to Download Password: 56673637 Your reply must be sent to us as instructed within the reply form. If we have not received notification from you within the allotted time the claim will awarded to the party filing the claim and they may take further action if they choose to do so, depending on the severity of the claim. Waiting for your reply, Office of Consumer Protection Anyone receiving this email should not click any links associated with it nor download any attachments. Neither the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs nor the Office of Consumer Protection has anything to do with this email. “This email is an illegal attempt to deposit malware on the recipient’s computer,” said Stephen Levins, Executive Director of the Office of Consumer Protection. “The Office of Consumer Protection never requests a business to download a password protected file through a link, like the one referenced in the email.” Scammers use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information. They may try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could gain access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day—and they’re often successful. Do not click on any links listed in the email message, and do not open any attachments contained in a suspicious email. Do not enter personal information in a pop-up screen. Legitimate companies, agencies, and organizations don’t ask for personal information via pop-up screens. Install a phishing filter on your email application and also on your web browser. These filters will not keep out all phishing messages, but they will reduce the number of phishing attempts. If you aren’t 100 percent certain of the sender’s authenticity, don’t click on attachments or embedded links; both are likely to result in malware being installed. Instead, open a new browser window and type the URL directly into the address bar. Often a phishing website will look identical to the original, so check the address bar to confirm the address. Similarly, never submit confidential information via forms embedded in or attached to email messages. Senders are often able to track all of the information you enter. Be wary of emails asking for financial information. Emails reminding you to update your account, requesting you to send a wire transfer, or alerting you about a failed transaction are compelling. However, scammers count on the urgency of the message to blind you to the potential for fraud. Don’t fall for scare tactics. Phishers often try to pressure you into providing sensitive information by threatening to disable an account or delay services until you update certain information. Contact the merchant directly to confirm the authenticity of the request. Be suspicious of social media invitations from people you don’t know. Phishers rely on your natural curiosity to click on the person’s profile “just to find out who it is.” However, in a phishing email, every link can trigger malware, including links that appear to be images or even legal boilerplate; scammers use your hijacked account to send spam to your friends, because spam from real accounts is more believable than spam from a fake account. Watch out for generic-looking requests for information. Many phishing emails begin with “Dear Sir/Madam.” Some come from a bank with which you don’t even have an account. Ignore emails with typos and misspellings. Recent real examples targeting TurboTax include ”Your Change Request is Completeed” and “User Peofile Updates!!!” Update and maintain effective software to combat phishing. Reliable anti-virus software should also automatically detect and block fake websites, as well as authenticating the major legitimate banking and shopping sites.

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige and Department of Public Safety (PSD) Director Nolan Espinda announced the appointment of Shari Kimoto as the Department of Public Safety Deputy Director for Corrections. Kimoto will begin her new position, effective December 17, 2019. “Shari has been a dedicated public servant and leader in our corrections division for more than two decades and will provide valuable insight and experience in her new role,” said PSD Director Nolan Espinda. Shari Kimoto has been employed with the Department of Public Safety since 1994, and is currently the Acting Institutions Division Administrator since February 2015.  During her 25-year career, she has served in multiple capacities and positions to include, Project Director to design and implement a web-based audit system based on legal standards in Hawaii’s jails and prisons, Mainland Branch Administrator and Interstate Compact Coordinator, Acting Corrections Supervisor, Social Worker, Inmate Classification Officer and Legislative Coordinator. The current Deputy Director for Corrections, Jodie Maesaka-Hirata, is retiring on December 16, 2019.  She has served in her position since January 2016. Maesaka-Hirata previously worked for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney from 2014 until her appointment to Deputy Director for Corrections.  Prior to that she worked for the Public Safety Department from 1992 to 2014 in various capacities. “I want to thank Jodie for her many years of service to the state. I wish her well in her future endeavors,” said Director Espinda. The Public Safety Department Deputy Director appointments are not subject to Senate confirmation.

HONOLULU, Hawai‘i – The Hawai‘i State Senate in their second Special Session of 2019 has confirmed the judicial appointments of Kelsey Kawano as Judge of the Circuit Court of the Second Circuit (encompassing Maui county), Rebecca A. Copeland as Judge of the District Family Court of the First Circuit (O‘ahu), and Alvin Nishimura as Judge of the District Family Court of the First Circuit (O‘ahu). The Chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Senator Karl Rhoads (Dist. 13) commented, “The Senate is pleased to confirm three well-qualified judges to the bench. In the interests of timely court proceedings, it is important to keep judgeships filled.” Judge Kelsey Kawano has served as a judge of the District Court of the Second Circuit since August 29, 2008, and in 2010 he was made Deputy Chief Judge for the circuit. He had previously been in private practice and primarily handled cases involving family, business, employment and real estate law. He also had served as a part-time district court judge from2006-2008. Judge Kawano received his law degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 1984. Judge Rebecca Copeland has served as a per diem District Court Judge of the First Circuit Court since December 2016 and also has had a career in private practice specializing in appellate litigation. She served as a Deputy Solicitor General in the Department of the Attorney General from 2008-2010. Judge Copeland received her law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law, in San Antonio, Texas, in 2002. Judge Alvin Nishimura has been in private practice since 2001 and has served as a per diem District Court Judge of the First Circuit since 2005. He also serves as a Federal Court Indigent Defendant Panel Attorney with the Federal Criminal Justice Act. His prior legal experience includes hearings officer with the Department of Hawaiian Homes and Deputy Public Defender in the Office of the Public Defender. Judge Nishimura received his law degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law in 1985.

HONOLULU – Beginning this month, the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) will mail driving reports to thousands of vehicle owners across the state. This is the next step in researching the feasibility of adjusting to a per-mile road usage charge (RUC) to fund Hawaii’s roads in the future. The research is part of a federally funded three-year study that began in 2018 to explore how RUC could replace the state gas tax. Vehicle owners who get this customized report are asked to complete an online questionnaire at www.hiruc.org. Completed questionnaires are the best way for the public to provide input. Across the country, states are grappling with the difficulty of taking care of their communities’ needs with dwindling revenue from gas taxes as cars grow more fuel efficient and drivers buy less gas, while the costs of maintaining and enhancing roads and bridges grow more expensive. Without a consistent source of funding, states are finding it difficult to deliver on the maintenance and capacity improvements the public is asking for. They are looking for other, fair ways to fund road and bridge maintenance. In Hawaii, the gas tax is one of the largest sources of state road funding, and revenue is declining. HDOT is studying the replacement of the gas tax with a RUC system. In a RUC system, drivers would pay to use roads based on the number of miles they drive instead of how many gallons of fuel they burn. Like the gas tax, RUC funds would go into the highway fund which pays for the upkeep, improvement, and enhancement of the State surface transportation system. “The driving report will start arriving in mailboxes in November for most car owners who recently had their annual safety inspection. It will compare what they paid in gas taxes over the last year to what a road usage charge could cost for the same vehicle and mileage,” said Director Jade Butay, Hawaii Department of Transportation. The driving report will use the two most recent valid mileage records available for a vehicle through vehicle inspections, estimate the amount paid in gas taxes based on the vehicle make and model, and show what the same vehicle would pay under a RUC. The report is not a bill. No payment is required. The gas tax was once a fair way to assess a person’s use of the transportation system.  As new cars grow ever more fuel efficient, this is no longer the case. Now, some drivers pay significantly more than others for their use because they cannot afford to upgrade their vehicles. On average, this disproportionately impacts rural residents and low-income drivers. The RUC study allows us to see if there are systems that provide more parity, so everyone pays their share based on usage. The first set of driving reports will go out to approximately 50,000 households in November. Starting in January and continuing throughout 2020, owners of about half a million vehicles will receive the driving reports and be asked to take the online questionnaire. The driving reports are the next phase of research, which began with public meetings across the state. The feedback from those 14 meetings helped HDOT understand the public’s questions, concerns, and funding preferences. Feedback from the driving reports will help further refine the research before the final phase of the demonstration involving approximately 2,000 volunteers is launched across the state in 2020. At the end of the three-year study, HDOT will provide a report to the Legislature and Governor, who would ultimately decide if the RUC is implemented in Hawaii, and to the federal government who is considering alternatives to funding the federal highway trust fund. “Even if the research indicates the RUC is a feasible alternative to the gas tax, discussions with states who have been working on this for many years indicate that establishment of a new system could take up to 10 years, said Deputy Director Ed Sniffen, Hawaii Department of Transportation Highways Division. HDOT has already started moving forward on process adjustments, updated contracting vehicles, new construction materials, and advanced technologies to deliver more for the public now.  We look forward to hearing from the public on their thoughts on the RUC and how we can improve our service to them.” Residents are encouraged to visit www.hiruc.org to learn more, sign up to receive email updates on the research, and volunteer. To view a sample driving report for a gas vehicle click here. To view a sample driving report for an electric vehicle click here. About the Hawaii Road Usage Charge (HiRUC) Project The Hawaii Road Usage Charge Demonstration is a three-year project to investigate the use of a per-mile fee to fund upkeep of roads and bridges instead of paying gas taxes. The demonstration will allow Hawaii drivers to experience what a road usage charge (RUC) system could be like and provide their feedback, opinions, questions, and concerns to the Hawaii Department of Transportation. More information is available on the website at www.hiruc.org

HONOLULU – Creative Lab Hawaii (CLH), founded by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) Creative Industries Division (CID), will host an Indigenous Storytellers Panel and Discussion on Saturday, November 16, 2019. Coinciding with an intensive CLH Weekend Ideation Program for Indigenous Storytellers, the free public panel will be held at Hawaii Pacific University and will offer insights from the program’s esteemed coaches. The timing of the panel further aligns with a number of other creative and media related development events happening in the state this November. “It’s an exciting time for indigenous creative content. The Ideation Weekend will allow more local talent to develop compelling stories and explore the growing opportunities to reach new audiences across multiple platforms—from streaming media and videogames, to virtual reality and beyond,” said Mike McCartney, director of DBEDT. Emerging indigenous writers, media creatives, oral history practitioners and spoken word artists, as well as non-indigenous storytellers who are working on indigenous stories and seeking partners in indigenous communities, are encouraged to attend the public discussion. Panelists will include: Princess Saazhraii Johnson – Neets`aii Gwich`in; Producer, Actor, Writer, Director; Creative Producer “Molly of Denali” (PBS) Jason Suapaia – Native Hawaiian; Executive, Producer, Consultant; Co-Founder of `Ohina; Content producer for ABC, HBO, NatGeo, PBS, Revolution Micah Ian War Dog Wright – Muscogee (Creek) Nation; Executive, Writer, Director; Video Game/VR Designer for  “Call of Duty,” “Transformers,” “Looney Tunes,” and “The Blu” Designed to help emerging storytellers find a pathway for developing their stories for global media platforms, while retaining the integrity of their distinct voices, the CLH Indigenous Storytellers Panel and Discussion will start at 6:00 p.m. at 1 Aloha Tower Drive. Participants are encouraged to register their attendance at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creative-lab-hawaii-2019-indigenous-storytellers-panel-discussion-tickets-74364619579 “There are tremendous indigenous stories and storytellers just waiting to be heard, and in an exciting first for Hawai‘i, we are seeing more and more leading organizations across our local creative economy offering storytellers a chance to develop their work both pre-and-post the Hawaii International Film Festival,” said Georja Skinner, chief officer, Creative Industries Division and founder of CLH. “Given an opportunity to develop their concept and a strategy to navigate the entertainment industry, these creatives can better bring their vision to the marketplace while vitally upholding the essence of what makes these narratives so unique.” In addition to the CLH Indigenous Storytellers Panel and Discussion, other relevant events and workshops across Hawaii this November include: `Ohina Filmmakers Lab and public panel https://ohina.org/ Hawaii Media Makers Summit/Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC)  https://www.piccom.org/ Good Pitch Hawaii/Doc Society, Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) https://goodpitch.org/orgs/good-pitch-local-honolulu-hawaii VR Panels and Master Classes / Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF), Creative Industries Division (CID) https://hiff.org/ Wahine in Media / Hawaii Women in Filmmaking  https://www.hawaiiwomeninfilmmaking.org/Hawaii Film Collective Writers Lab https://hifilmmakers.com/index.html “We’re thrilled to see where the inspiration from these various workshops and our Indigenous Storyteller discussion will lead,” said Michael Palmieri, executive director of CLH, “Our panel’s incredible coaches will bring both their personal insights and invaluable industry expertise to the table in support our attendees and the important stories they’re committed to telling.” CLH was founded in 2012 to develop an ecosystem to increase export, attract investment and build the state’s creative entrepreneurial capacity. Its Ideation Workshops are designed for entrepreneurs in early stage project development with the goal of building the pre-requisite requirements for CLH Immersive programs or other relevant accelerators. For more information, contact creativelab808@gmail.com. To connect to Creative Lab Hawaii via social media for the latest updates, insights and content, please visit: Facebook: Creative Lab Hawaii – https://www.facebook.com/creativelabhawaii/ Twitter: CreativeLabHI – https://www.twitter.com/creativelabhi IG: CreativeLabHI – https://www.instragram.com/creativelabhi About DBEDT (Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism) DBEDT is Hawaii’s resource center for economic and statistical data, business development opportunities, energy and conservation information, and foreign trade advantages. DBEDT’s mission is to achieve a Hawaii economy that embraces innovation and is globally competitive, dynamic and productive, providing opportunities for all Hawaii’s citizens. Through its attached agencies, the department fosters planned community development, creates affordable workforce housing units in high-quality living environments, and promotes innovation sector job growth. About CID (Creative Industries Division) CID, a division within DBEDT, is the state’s lead agency dedicated to advocating for and accelerating the growth of Hawaii’s Creative Economy.  Through initiatives, program development, and strategic partnerships, the division and its branches implement activities to expand the business development, global export and investment capacity of Hawaii’s arts, culture, music, film, literary, publishing, digital and new media industries. About the Creative Lab Hawaii Program The Creative Lab Hawaii (CLH) Program was founded in 2012 by the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic, Development and Tourism (DBEDT)’s Creative Industries Division to accelerate the growth of Hawaii’s creative entrepreneurs through immersive, hands-on training in broadband/new media, producing, screenwriting, interactive media, music and design/fashion.  The CLH Program, a key facet of Hawaii’s creative economy, is developing an ecosystem to increase export, attract investment and build the State’s creative entrepreneurial capacity in media, music and fashion/design. The CLH Program features three program components: 1) Immersive Programs; 2) Ideation Workshops; and 3) Public Keynotes. Website:  creativelab.hawaii.gov