At the direction of the President of the United States, Gov. David Ige has ordered that the United States flag and the Hawai‘i state flag will be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol and upon all state offices and agencies as well as the Hawai‘i National Guard in the State of Hawai‘i immediately, until sunset on ­­Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. “This action is being taken today, as the U.S. marks a half-million COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began. Let us reflect on this loss and the memory of the more than 500,000 fellow Americans – including 431 in Hawai‘i -- who have died of COVID-19. Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones on this day,” Gov. Ige said. More Americans have died in a single year of this pandemic than in World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War combined, according to the White House proclamation. President Joseph R. Biden is also asking Americans to observe a moment of silence at sunset, in honor of those who have died of COVID-19. The president’s proclamation can be found here.

The death of one (1) male Halawa Correctional Facility inmate, between 60 to 70 years old, is being classified by the Hawaii Department of Health as a COVID-19 related death. The death occurred in early February. No additional information is being provided to protect individual medical privacy. Halawa currently remains clear of active positive inmate cases. For more information on PSD’s planning and response to COVID-19, inmate testing data, and information detailing the efforts made to safeguard the inmates, staff and public, visit our webpage at: http://dps.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/03/17/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-resources/.

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced today the names of 46 students nominated to attend one of our nation’s service academies. The four service academies are: the United States Air Force Academy, the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy and the United States Merchant Marine Academy. “The students who attend our country’s service academies represent our nation’s best,” said Senator Schatz. “I look forward to seeing these young men and women grow into the next generation of military leaders.” Applicants were considered based on their ability to successfully meet the rigorous demands for the undergraduate education and training of officers of the United States Armed Forces, as well as their demonstrated leadership skills through athletics and other organizations, and an overall commitment to the military, the community and our country. Nominees will now be considered for appointment by the U.S. Service Academies. The following nominees were named for consideration into our nation’s service academies: U.S. Air Force Academy Jared Barrett, Holualoa, Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy (Hawai‘i Island)* Karl Hanson, Hilo, Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i (Hawai‘i Island) Alexis Huntimer, Honolulu, Iolani School Riku Iwai-King, Honolulu, Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Adam Kwock, Honolulu, Punahou School Maxwell Lee, Honolulu, Punahou School/San Diego State University Brandon Pang, Kailua, Kamehameha Schools Kapalama/University of Hawai‘i Manoa Micah Park, Honolulu, Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Nanealani Satterfield, Honolulu, Punahou School David Torres, Kailua, Iolani School U.S. Military Academy (West Point) Jamahl Adams, Lanai City, Lanai High School/United States Military Academy Prep School (Lanai) Ashli Alcala-Romero, Honolulu, Maryknoll High School* Luke Cheung, Honolulu, Homeschool Cara Cunningham, Honolulu, Punahou School/Columbia University Ryu Kawajiri, Honolulu, Punahou School David Kondo, Honolulu, Iolani School Jordan Lau, Honolulu, Punahou School Brennan Lee, Honolulu, Homeschool David Lee, Honolulu, Iolani School Jonah Lee, Honolulu, Radford High School Madigan McConnell, Haleiwa, Kahuku High School Curtis Meares, Honolulu, Kalani High School Casimir Paras, Wahiawa, Leilehua High School Emery Ramirez, Honokaa, Homeschool (Hawai‘i Island) Sonny Koa Rosales, Ewa Beach, Kapolei High School Jack Schwab, Honolulu, Moanalua High School Johanna Seng, Honolulu, Hawai‘i Baptist Academy* Tyler Sheindlin, Honolulu, McKinley High School Andrew Somerville, Kailua, Iolani School Grace Todd, Kapaau, Kohala High School (Hawai‘i Island) U.S. Naval Academy Julian Armstrong, Lahaina, Lahainaluna High School (Maui) Andrew Agustin, Honolulu, Punahou School Luke de la Pena, Kalaheo, Waimea High School (Kauai) Warner Hoshide, Los Angeles, Brentwood School (CA) Michael Jagdon, Honolulu, Punahou School Kali'inoa Maeva, Honolulu, Punahou School Caleb McCrillis, Kailua, Kalaheo High School Luke Phillips, Honolulu, Punahou School Lillian Piedad, Honolulu, Mid-Pacific Institute Philip Sing, Honolulu, Punahou School* U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Finn Bediamol, Haiku, King Kekaulike High School (Maui)* Victoria Brown, Burke, Lake Braddock Second School (VA) Peter Herrington, Ewa Beach, Homeschool Grant Austin Juan, Honolulu, McKinley High School Aaron Maguire, Mililani, Mililani High School Philip Sing, Honolulu, Punahou School *Principal Nominee

Senator Jarrett Keohokalole (Senate District 24 - Kāne‘ohe, MCBH, Kailua, He‘eia and ‘Āhuimanu) and Representative Linda Ichiyama (House District 32 - Moanalua Valley, Salt Lake, ʻĀliamanu) will be hosting a COVID-19 Talk Story with Department of Health (DOH) Director Libby Char to discuss the coronavirus vaccination schedule, the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the State’s reopening strategy. WHAT: COVID-19 Talk Story WHO: Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Representative Linda Ichiyama DOH Director Libby Char WHEN: Monday, February 22, 2021 TIME: 10:00 a.m. WHERE: Event will be livestreamed on the Hawaiʻi State Senate Facebook page (www.facebook.com/hawaiisenate) For more information, please contact Jacob Aki at j.aki@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami has signed the seventh supplementary emergency proclamation on February 19, 2021, for the County of Kaua‘i, in order to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Kaua‘i from the potential spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The Mayor’s proclamation was issued in coordination with the Governor’s Office and fellow counties. The Mayor’s seventh supplementary emergency proclamation authorizes the County of Kaua‘i to take immediate action to mitigate the potential impacts of COVID-19. It allows the County to be proactive in establishing a plan for officials to mobilize resources if and when needed. The disaster emergency relief period shall continue until terminated 60 days after February 19, 2021, or by a separate proclamation – whichever comes first. To view a copy of the emergency proclamation, visit the County of Kaua‘i’s website at www.kauai.gov/COVID-19. For more information and to sign up for daily updates from the State Department of Health relating to current COVID-19 information, visit hawaiicovid19.com.

Hawai‘i State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char today announced that the state will soon open COVID-19 vaccinations to those 70 and older. Currently, kūpuna 75 and older are eligible to get vaccinated. “We’re still in Phase 1b, and we’re not ready to go into Phase 1c yet. But soon, we’d like to welcome those 70 and older to get vaccinated. We know we still have kūpuna and frontline essential workers waiting to be vaccinated,” Dr. Char said. “We’ve been vaccinating kūpuna since about mid-January, and so we’d like to add in 70 and older to keep the uptake of vaccine really brisk.” The Department of Health will announce when sites are prepared to accept registration for this new age group. However, vaccine availability continues to be impacted by weather-related delays. 27,700 doses of the Moderna vaccine originally expected the week of February 15 are delayed because of ice storms on the mainland. DOH is awaiting news on when shipments will resume and when Moderna will send the backlogged doses. The state anticipates receiving more than 50,000 doses for the week of February 22. Click here to download broadcast quality video of Dr. Char discussing opening vaccine availability to those 70 and older

Today, President Joe Biden named several key nominees to the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is nominated to serve as the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), James Kvaal is nominated to serve as Under Secretary of Education, and Richard Sauber is nominated to serve as General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As tested and experienced leaders, these nominees will help advance President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda and build a stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive nation that delivers every American a fair opportunity and an equal chance to get ahead. Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Nominee for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is currently Managing Director at Manatt. Brooks-LaSure is a former policy official who played a key role in guiding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through passage and implementation, she also provides policy analysis and strategic advice to healthcare stakeholders across the private and public sectors. Brooks-LaSure has more than 20 years of experience in health policy. As deputy director for policy at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and earlier at the Department of Health & Human Services as director of coverage policy, she led the agency’s implementation of ACA coverage and insurance reform policy provisions. James Kvaal, Nominee for Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal is the president of the Institute for College Access & Success. He previously served as the deputy domestic policy adviser at the White House, where he worked on a range of issues related to economic opportunity. His work on higher education included initiatives to make college tuition more affordable, protect students from unaffordable loans, and help many more students graduate from college. Over the course of his career, he has also served in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate. Kvaal has taught at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy and attended Stanford University and Harvard Law School. Richard Sauber, Nominee for Veteran Affairs General Counsel Dick Sauber is a skilled litigator who has tried dozens of criminal and civil fraud cases. Before entering private practice, Sauber was a federal prosecutor and was appointed by President Reagan to form and lead the first multi-agency task force to concentrate on pursuing fraud in government contracts. In his career, Sauber has tried jury cases in New York, Washington, California, Texas, Florida and Oklahoma, and his appellate work includes arguing cases before the Supreme Court and ten of the U.S. Courts of Appeals. Sauber was an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law School and has served as general counsel for Freedom House. Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/19/president-biden-announces-key-nominees-of-his-health-and-human-service-education-and-veteran-affairs-teams/

Seventy-nine years ago today, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which stripped Japanese Americans of their civil rights and led to the wrongful internment of some 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent. In one of the most shameful periods in American history, Japanese Americans were targeted and imprisoned simply because of their heritage. Families were forced to abandon their homes, communities, and businesses to live for years in inhumane concentration camps throughout the United States. These actions by the Federal government were immoral and unconstitutional — yet they were upheld by the Supreme Court in one of the gravest miscarriages of justice in the Court’s history. America failed to live up to our founding ideals of liberty and justice for all, and today we reaffirm the Federal government’s formal apology to Japanese Americans for the suffering inflicted by these policies. The internment of Japanese Americans also serves as a stark reminder of the tragic human consequences of systemic racism, xenophobia, and nativism. I reflect on the bravery of so many Japanese Americans who stood up against this hateful policy, including civil rights leaders like Fred Korematsu who fought against Japanese internment and were a symbol of hope. Their legacies remind us all that civil liberties must be vigorously defended and protected.

Following confirmation from the Honolulu City Council today, Laura H. Thielen has officially begun her service as the Director for the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). “Laura possesses the passion, experience and a deep seeded motivation to take care of our public lands. Consequently, I am confident Laura will excel in her new leadership role.” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “Her skillset represents the necessary mix of pursuing what is right by the public with an intimate understanding of the government process. We have many issues facing our public lands, and she is absolutely the right person to take charge and work with our City team to address them.” As our Director-designate over the past several weeks, Laura has been familiarizing herself with the vast and diverse department, conducting site visits, and meeting staff in all divisions. Now as Director, Laura will oversee more than 800 regular employees and a multi-million dollar budget used to maintain and improve the facilities of 304 designated park and garden locations on nearly 5,000 acres of land across O’ahu (in addition to more than 1,250 acres of undeveloped land). Laura will rely on her extensive experience in government in this endeavor, which includes: State Senator for Senate District 25 (Kailua to Hawai‘i Kai) from 2012 through 2020. During that time she served as Chair of the Committee on Water and Land followed by Chair of the Committee on Government Operations. Chairperson of the State Department of Land and Natural Resources from 2007 to 2010. Director of the State Office of Planning (lead agency for the State Coastal Zone Management Program) from 2005 to 2007. Through all of these positions, and as a keiki o ka ‘āina, Laura has developed a recognition of the value and responsibility for caring for our lands, open spaces, recreational, historic and cultural places, while developing and operating programs to build civic character, healthy lifestyles, and embedding the preservation and perpetuation of kuleana for the care of our unique environment and culture. Former DPR Director Michele K. Nekota is now serving as the DPR’s Deputy Director. As a career-long, award-winning Parks and Recreation administrator and athlete, Michele has always kept the outdoors and recreational activities as an integral part of her life. Her career and personal accomplishments have brought her full circle. She grew up on O‘ahu as the daughter of a respected Honolulu DPR Director before excelling as a student and professional volleyball player. In addition to a 29-year tenure as a Parks and Recreation Administrator in Salt Lake County, Utah, Michele most recently served as Director of the Honolulu DPR from April 2014 through December 2020. With over 34 years of experience as a DPR administrator, she has supervised nearly 7,500 employees, overseen hundreds of millions of dollars in operating and capital improvement budgets, and helped organize and facilitate the creation and renovation of park facilities in Hawaiʻi and Utah. If you need an auxiliary aid/service, other accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please call DPR at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov

The Hawai‘i State Department of Health, Department of Education, and University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Curriculum Research & Development Group recently released high school data from the 2019 Hawai‘i Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) for the state and all four counties. The YRBS is a biennial survey that regularly monitors the health risk behaviors of public, non-charter school students statewide. Over 12,000 Hawai‘i students in grades 9 through 12 participated in the 2019 survey. Topics covered in the survey include unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy; protective factors; mental health and suicide; dietary behaviors; and physical inactivity. The 2019 YRBS results show trends towards less-risky behaviors in many important areas and highlight needed improvements in others. Many YRBS indicators suggest an increase in youth behaviors that support healthy lifestyles. Only 11% of high school students report drinking at least one can, bottle, or glass of soda or pop at least once per day, compared to 23% in 2007. The survey does not cover drinking other types of beverages with added sugar such as sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks (other than 100% fruit juice) or sweetened tea and coffee. Alcohol use declined from 2017 among Hawaii’s youth, with 1 in 5 high school students reporting that they drank alcohol within the 30 days before the survey. Similarly, there continues to be a steady decline in smoking; only 5% of Hawaii’s high school students smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days compared to 15% in 2009. Of great concern, however, are the high number of youth who have tried electronic smoking devices, with 31% (or almost 1 in 3) of high school students using electronic vapor products in the past 30 days. “The Department of Health is pleased that new survey data shows improvements in many important health risk behavior areas,” said Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division, Administrator, Lola Irvin. “However, the continued rise in youth use of electronic cigarettes reminds us that there is still work to be done and the importance of working with partners to ensure that policies and programs are in place to change the trajectory of this critical health risk behavior.” The proportion of high school students meeting physical activity recommendations decreased, with 17% achieving the national recommendation of being physically active at least 60 minutes per day compared to 20% in 2015. Sedentary time continues to increase, with 42% of high school students spending three hours or more per day playing video games or using a computer for non-school purposes compared to 31% in 2007. One other area that remains a concern is adolescent mental health. In 2019, 35% of high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row during the 12 months before the survey. Only 67% of high school students had an adult outside of school they could talk to about things that were important to them. More than half (56%) of high school students who reported feeling sad, empty, hopeless, angry, or anxious indicated that they never or rarely got the kind of help they needed, and 11% of high school students reported attempting suicide over the past 12 months. Survey procedures protect students’ privacy by allowing for anonymous and voluntary participation. The data is gathered from students in public high schools across the State of Hawai‘i. The Hawai‘i YRBS is part of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National YRBS survey results were released by the CDC and are available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs. For more information on the Hawai‘i YRBS, visit https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/VisionForSuccess/SchoolDataAndReports/HawaiiEdData/Pages/Data-Requests.aspx The full survey report, including more detailed data reports by county, gender, grade and race/ethnicity, and the survey questionnaires are available at www.hawaiihealthmatters.org and http://hhdw.org/health-reports-data/other-reports/.

Senator Stanley Chang (District 9 - Hawai‘i Kai, Kuli‘ou‘ou, Niu, ‘Āina Haina, Wai‘alae-Kahala and Diamond Head) recently introduced a bill that would remove psilocybin and psilocyn from the list of Schedule I substances. SB 738 would also require the Department of Health to establish designated treatment centers for the therapeutic administration of psilocybin and psilocyn; and create a review panel to review and assess the effects of this measure. “There is an increasing number of reputable studies that show how psilocybin and psilocyn can have promising results on people suffering from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and addiction,” said Senator Chang. “People with these conditions need options and this bill would give them that while also ensuring that is stored and administered at licensed treatment facilities.” If passed, Hawaiʻi would join Oregon as the second state to legalize psychedelic mushrooms. For more information on SB 738, click here.

Company has more than tripled clean energy in 10 years Driven by higher solar energy and wind production and lower consumer demand, Hawaiian Electric achieved a 34.5 percent consolidated renewable portfolio standard (RPS) in 2020. The 34.5 percent is the consolidated RPS for Oahu, Hawaii Island and Maui County, up from 28.4 percent in 2019. Hawaiian Electric exceeded the state requirement to reach 30 percent by 2020 and has more than tripled the amount of renewable energy on its electric grids in 10 years, up from just under 10 percent in 2010. Even if electricity use had been the same as in 2019, Hawaiian Electric would have still reached a renewable portfolio standard of 32 percent. "Exceeding the state renewable energy mandate underscores Hawaiian Electric's commitment to replace imported fossil fuels at a pace that keeps us on the path to be carbon neutral by 2045," said Scott Seu, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric. "Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we pressed forward alongside our community, government and renewable energy development partners and our customers." The RPS represents the renewable energy used by customers as a percentage of total utility sales. Other 2020 RPS highlights: Maui County reached 50.8 percent RPS, hitting the 50 percent mark for the first time. With a mix of solar, wind and biofuels, Maui County's RPS represents a nearly 25 percent increase from 40.8 percent RPS in 2019. Oahu recorded a 30.5 percent RPS, exceeding 30 percent for the first time and up 5 percentage points from 25.2 percent in 2019. Hawaii Island hit 43.4 percent, compared to 34.7 percent in 2019. The gradual return of Puna Geothermal Venture, which came back online in November, will play a larger role in 2021; PGV shut down in May 2018 due to the Kilauea eruption. Total electricity generated by renewable energy resources increased 13 percent over 2019. "Reaching 30 percent on Oahu is especially significant, considering there is less land available for grid-scale projects and more businesses and homes using electricity," Seu said. "That's why having 36 percent of single-family homes using rooftop solar is such an important element of the renewable portfolio." Some of the factors that drove the year-over-year increase include: A full year of production from West Loch Solar and Clearway Energy grid-scale solar facilities Increased production from private rooftop solar, with nearly 6,000 new systems coming online in 2020. There are 87,848 systems and 3.7 million solar panels, including rooftop and grid-scale facilities, producing electricity on the five island grids. Higher wind production Lower electricity use due to the COVID-19 pandemic The next RPS milestone required by state law is to reach 40 percent by 2030.