The public is advised that maintenance work will be performed on Kaumualiʻi Highway at various locations in Waimea next week. The maintenance work will be performed on the westbound lane of Kaumualiʻi Highway between Ola Road and Huakai Road. Traffic will be modified, one area at a time, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 8 and 10, weather permitting. Flaggers will be used to direct traffic through the work area. Motorists should drive with caution, expect delays and adjust their travel times as needed. The closures are necessary to allow the Wastewater Management Division to perform maintenance work on the sewer system in the area. Anyone with questions may contact Jason Kagimoto with the Department of Public Works at 808-241-4083 or via email at jkagimoto@kauai.gov.

Gov. David Ige and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) Acting Director Anne Eustaquio announced today that Hawaiʻi was approved for an additional week of the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program. This adds one additional week of a $300 plus-up for various types of unemployment benefits on top of the three weeks initially approved by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on August 29. “This will bring an extra week of relief to many who are still unemployed due to the impact of the coronavirus on our economy. I’m taking this action to maximize all available federal funds to help people in Hawaiʻi who are unemployed because of COVID-19,” said Gov. Ige. “The DLIR is working to build a new program within the unemployment computer system to implement and pay LWA benefits,” said Eustaquio. “In conjunction with FEMA and the U.S. Department of Labor concerning program administration, the state will work diligently to complete this process as quickly as possible.” To qualify for the $300 benefit, recipients must be eligible for at least $100 in weekly benefit and must certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19. Payments would be retroactive to August 1, 2020. Claimants will be notified by email and through a news release on how and when to file their self-certification. Unlike the FPUC program that ended in July, LWA is a grant with a finite amount of funding. When FEMA exhausts its grant funding, it will no longer have the resources to provide LWA payments and the program will end. If the federal program does not exhaust the LWA grant funding, payments will end on Dec. 26, 2020. The State of Hawaiʻi is not allowed to use CARES Act or any local funds to supplement those individuals with a weekly benefit amount of less than $100 to make them eligible for the program pursuant to the Presidential Memorandum. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, with assistance from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency pursued this additional week of funds to assist the many who are struggling.

Exploring and enjoying Maui County’s beaches and shoreline areas has just been made easier. The County has recently launched a new website with a map viewer to provide an online atlas of over 200 public access locations and their features. “This is a terrific tool for the public to enjoy our coastal resources and use our public beach accesses throughout the County,” Mayor Michael Victorino said. “It was a great collaborative effort to bring this to fruition, and I thank everyone involved in launching this site.” The website and map viewer can be accessed at www.mauishorelineaccess.net. When searching in a web browser entering “Maui County Shoreline Access Viewer” should also provide that website as the top result. The website and viewer are compatible with computers, smartphones and other devices. The viewer can be queried to find locations or features of interest, such as sites that are within 15 miles or nearer, or sites that have a sandy beach, or a site’s amenities such as restrooms. When a site is selected, all of its amenities can be viewed. For most sites, the viewer also features 360-degree photos of both the access point and the shoreline area, along with a depiction of the access path. “Ensuring public shoreline access is a major objective of Hawaii’s coastal zone management program, and this new tool improves our support of that goal,” says Justine Nihipali, Planning Program Manager for the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Program. The website also includes links to supporting information, including weather, surf reports, water quality, public access rights, and Aha Moku land management and stewardship principles. This shoreline access information is provided for all regions of Maui, Molokai and Lanai. The website is also intended to provide a baseline for the management of shoreline access. The website was developed by the County’s Planning Department, Information Technology Services Division, and the University of Hawaii Sea Grant Program, after consulting with members of Maui’s Aha Moku and after the completion of an updated survey and inventory of coastal access locations by Aptim Environmental and Infrastructure Inc. The survey, inventory, and website development was funded by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the Hawaii Office of Planning Coastal Zone Management Program. For more information, contact Jeff Dack at Maui County Planning at 270-6275 or send email to Jeffrey.dack@mauicounty.gov.

This is a COVID-19 informational update for Thursday morning, September 3rd. On today’s update of COVID-19, the number of active cases, on Hawaii Island, reported and monitored by the Department of Health is two hundred and nineteen (219). There are Thirty-five (35) new cases of Coronavirus on Hawaii Island. All individuals associated with a gathering at Milolii have been identified and contacted by the Department of Health. All positive cases from this cluster are now isolated and being monitored by the Department of Health. The investigation of this cluster is ongoing. At this date, for Hawaii Island, eight (8) are hospitalized and four deaths have been reported. All four are from the Yukio Okutsu Veteran’s Home. The Country thanks you for your service. For your information, an `Ohana food service is scheduled today in South Kohala at the Waimea District Park. Distribution begins at 10:00 this morning. A Coronavirus test is scheduled today in Puna at the Keaau High School. Hours are from 9:00 this morning ‘til 1:00 this afternoon. We need everybody to be responsible and follow the preventive policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. With your help, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. To keep you better informed starting today update coronavirus messages will be issued twice daily. Thank you for listening and please take care. This is your Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.

State Has Issued Nearly $3 Billion in Benefits Since March 1 The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) today announced updated unemployment insurance claims information, including paying $2,995,402,610 and 3,015,688 weeks claimed since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic on March 1, 2020. “We are anticipating a significant increase of workers exhausting their regular twenty-six weeks of benefits due to the onset of the pandemic in late February and March. These claimants will need to apply for the 13-week extension (PEUC) by signing into the portal and we have posted graphics to illustrate the process at https://labor.hawaii.gov/ui/main/peuc-how-to-apply/,” said Acting Director Anne Eustaquio. No. of claims filed statewide: 279,542 No. of invalid claims filed statewide: -96,687 No. of valid claims awaiting claimant to verify: -9,583 No. of valid claims requiring DLIR action 182,855 No. of claims paid: 171,855 No. of claims requiring DLIR action 9/2/20 11,000 With the assistance of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA), the DLIR received approval to pay four weeks of benefits in a new unemployment insurance plus up program called the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program. The program, under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was created by the President via a memorandum earlier this month in response to the July expiration of the unemployment $600 weekly benefit. “We’re diligently building a new program within the unemployment computer system to implement and pay LWA benefits as soon as possible,” said Acting Director Eustaquio. “To qualify for the $300 plus-up, recipients must be eligible for at least $100 in weekly benefits and must self-certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19. Payments would be retroactive to August 1, 2020.” Unlike the FPUC program that ended in July, LWA is a grant with a finite amount of funding. When FEMA exhausts its grant funding, it will no longer have the resources to provide LWA payments and the program will end. If the federal program does not exhaust the LWA grant funding, payments will end on Dec. 26, 2020. The DLIR continues to experience a high volume of attempts at fraud in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. As of September 1, the department received 115,992 applications and processed 111,326 or 96% of the applications. The department continues to receive hundreds of fraudulent PUA claims weekly. To date, the DLIR has paid up to $46.5M in fraudulent claims and prevented $616M in fraudulent benefits. For more information about unemployment insurance and other labor issues please visit: https://labor.hawaii.gov/covid-19-labor-faqs/.

The newly appointed Director of Human Services (DHS), Catherine “Cathy” Betts began her tenure in leading the department on September 1, 2020. Today she announced her appointment of Joseph Campos II to serve as deputy director of the department. Cathy Betts – Director of the Department of Human Services Betts has served as deputy director to outgoing Director Pankaj Bhanot for the last three years.  Prior to serving as deputy, she successfully lead the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women for nearly seven years and oversaw several legislative and policy successes including: the final passage of the Compassionate Care Act, which ensures rape victims have access to emergency contraception emergency rooms in Hawai‘i; various state Title IX reforms to ensure Hawaii continues to protect and preserve the late Congresswoman Patsy Mink’s legacy; protections for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; reforms for temporary restraining order process; and increased training on gender based violence. Betts has also practiced in government and private legal practice since 2006. Notably, Betts was honored by the Hawaii State Legislature in 2014 for her commitment to Title IX, received the President’s Award from Hawai‘i Women Lawyer’s in 2015, and successfully hosted the 2016 National Association of Commissions for Women Annual Conference which brought together Commissions from every state, here in Hawai‘i.  In March 2018, she received the Women’s History Month Honoree award by Family Values at Work, an organization dedicated to expanding paid family and sick leave across the nation, as well as being awarded Soroptimist International Central O‘ahu Ruby Award Winner. Most recently in May 2020, she was recognized as one of four YWCA Women’s Leader Awardees.  Cathy has deep roots in the community and has also served on the board of Hawai‘i Women Lawyers, Hawai‘i Filipino Lawyers Association, as co-chair and Chair of the HSBA Diversity, Equality, and the Law Committee, the Board of Directors for Hawai‘i Women in Filmmaking, and the Committee on Equality and Access to the Courts. Cathy earned her BA in Sociology from the University of California at Los Angeles and her juris doctorate from the University of Hawai‘i, William S. Richardson School of Law, where she served as the Patsy T. Mink Legislative Fellow in the late Senator Daniel K. Inouye’s Washington D.C. office. “I do not take the obligation and duty of Department of Human Services Director lightly and am committed to ensuring the residents of Hawai‘i have access to the many resources they need,” said Betts. “Throughout the last three years, I have seen how dedicated and committed our staff are to the mission and vision of DHS.  I am excited to take on this role in order to continue the meaningful work that outgoing Director Bhanot and I collectively embarked on. ” Joseph Campos II – Deputy Director of the Department of Human Services Betts has appointed Joseph Campos II to serve as deputy director of DHS. Since 1994, Campos has served as a State of Hawai‘I  employee in various capacities; at the University of Hawai‘i, Department of Accounting and General Services, and most recently Department of Human Services. He has extensive administrative experience with a strong understanding of the State system. “Joseph is a dedicated public servant who always rises to the challenges presented to him. Even before the pandemic, we saw his innate ability to support staff and ensure their safety and well-being. During this pandemic, he has stepped up repeatedly to support DHS on multiple fronts: from aggressively procuring PPE for our staff and contracted providers, to ensuring emergency operations and response are supported,” Betts shared. “Joseph is the consummate team player and we are grateful to have him as part of our team. I look forward to furthering the collective vision and mission of DHS through our partnership.” Campos is a Maryknoll high school graduate and continued his education at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa where he completed his Ph.D. in security studies and international relations in 2005. He is an author, a respected scholar in security and peace studies, and will bring his passion for rectifying issues of injustice to this position. “I am humbled and grateful for this opportunity to assist Director Cathy Betts in leading the Department of Human Services. I am committed to supporting the health and well-being of individuals and families by ensuring access to vital services, so they may thrive,” said Campos. Source: https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/blog/cathy-betts-begins-her-directorship-at-dhs-appoints-joseph-campos-ii-as-deputy-director/

The County of Maui announced that three (3) employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in self-isolation. These are separate from the 10 positive cases reported by the Maui Police Department. Two (2) cases are from the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney and one (1) is from the Department of Public Works at the Molokai Baseyard. “We are working diligently to safeguard the health and safety of our employees and members of the public while still maintaining government operations,” Mayor Michael Victorino said. “Employees who’ve been in close contact with positive employees are in self-quarantine, and we are aggressively testing other employees and conducting thorough, professional decontamination cleaning of work areas.” The two Prosecutor’s Office employees who have tested positive are both asymptomatic. Both are being monitored daily by the Department of Health. Five (5) other workers who were in close contact with the employees are in self-quarantine at home. The two employees work in the Old Wailuku Courthouse. All 47 employees who work at the old courthouse were tested on Monday and retesting is planned for Thursday. The Old Wailuku Courthouse has been professionally cleaned and disinfected multiple times. The Department of Public Works was notified late Monday afternoon that an employee who works at the Molokai Baseyard tested positive. That individual was notified by the Health Department and remains in self-isolation at home. About 20 County employees at the baseyard have been tested. The department ordered deep cleaning of the baseyard and vehicles this morning. Close contacts have been identified and are in self-quarantine. Health Department contact tracers are investigating the case with the department’s assistance. Essential functions at the baseyard are expected to be maintained. Employees at both departments continue to practice physical distancing and wearing facial coverings as much as possible.

The Hawaii State Judiciary announced today that employees at three different facilities have tested positive for COVID-19. A Honolulu District Court Traffic Violations Bureau employee last worked on Aug. 19 and received a positive test result on Aug. 26. The person did not have public-facing contact. A Hale Hoomalu Juvenile Detention Facility employee last worked on Aug. 26 and received a positive test result Aug. 27. The person did not have contact with juveniles housed at the facility. A Hoapili Hale (Maui) employee, who was asymptomatic and took the test as a requirement for a new job, last worked on Aug. 31 and received a positive test result that night. The person has worked in the courtroom, always wearing a mask and adhering to CDC guidelines. Coworkers with close prolonged contact with the three affected individuals were notified, advised to self-quarantine and seek guidance from their medical providers They will return to work when medically appropriate to do so. Cleaning and disinfecting of the affected areas of Hale Hoomalu and the Traffic Violations Bureau has already been completed. The Second Circuit (Maui) Fourth Division chambers and courtroom are closed today for thorough cleaning and disinfecting. In all cases, the Judiciary confers with the Department of Health to ensure appropriate steps are taken with respect to employees and its facilities. There are now 10 confirmed positive cases for Judiciary employees statewide – eight on Oahu, one on Hawaii island, and one on Maui.

Employees on Oahu and Maui reported positive COVID-19 test results today, the Hawaii State Judiciary announced. The Oahu employee works in the Kapuaiwa Building in downtown Honolulu and has been teleworking. The employee went to the office briefly on Sunday. Consequently, as a precaution, the office, restroom, and entryway will receive additional cleaning and disinfecting. The Maui employee, who is asymptomatic, works at Hoapili Hale and was last at work on Friday. After conferring with the Department of Health, coworkers with close prolonged contact were notified, advised to self-quarantine, and seek guidance from their medical providers. They will return to work when medically appropriate to do so. The individual’s work area will receive additional disinfecting. The courthouse is cleaned and disinfected twice daily and DOH advised this appropriately addresses the circumstances. There are now 12 confirmed positive cases for Judiciary employees statewide – nine on Oahu, two on Maui, and one on Hawaii island.

Closure will be in both directions between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) notifies drivers that the H-3 Freeway will be closed in both directions between the Halawa Interchange and the Halekou Interchange in Kaneohe from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1 and Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020. During this closure the only vehicles allowed on the H-3 will be those whose occupants are there for the free COVID-19 surge testing. This is offered through a partnership between the City and County of Honolulu, the State of Hawai‘i, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General. To register or get details on available testing times visit www.doineedacovid19test.com Details on the testing: • Available testing times are 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. • Vehicles will not be allowed to line up earlier than 8:30 a.m. • Vehicles can enter H-3 to line up for the testing from the following ramps: H-201 Moanalua Freeway eastbound (Exit 1C) at the Halawa Interchange, offramps to H-3 East/Kaneohe; H-201 Moanalua Freeway westbound (Exit 1D) at the Halawa Interchange, offramps to H-3 East/Kaneohe; H-1 eastbound (Exit 13A) offramp to H-3 & 78 East – Honolulu/Kaneohe; H-1 westbound (Exit 13B) offramp to H-3 & 78 East – Honolulu/Kaneohe; Kamehameha Highway Kaneohe bound, offramp to H-3 West/Pearl Harbor. Kamehameha Highway Kailua bound, offramp to H-3 West/Pearl Harbor. • Registration and testing will take place inside the tunnels in both directions. This will be on the right-hand side. The left-side lanes of the tunnel will be open for emergency access. Note, this is an adjustment from the notice sent out on Aug. 28. • HDOT staff will monitor carbon monoxide levels in the tunnels. The monitors are set to alert staff if levels hit 25 parts per million (ppm). This is well below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL) of 5,000 ppm https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/idlh/124389.html • Vehicles can drive up to the registration tables, present vouchers and receive the test kit. They will then drive up to the testing tables to complete the process. • Once testing is complete vehicles must continue on the H-3. They will not be allowed to turn around for the safety of those working the test sites and those that are queued to take the test. Details on the closure: • There will be no access to the H-3 from Likelike Highway. • Non-testing traffic on Halawa bound H-3 from Kailua and Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i will be directed to the Kamehameha Highway offramps at the Halekou Interchange, Exit 11. This notice is not confirmation that the federal government has formally authorized this closure for emergency operations. HDOT continues to work with the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) on an expedited approval process; however, given the importance of the testing to combat the continued spread of COVID-19 in the community, HDOT is moving forward with the testing. HDOT has contacted emergency services, TheBus, and Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i (MCBH) to notify them of the planned closure. The queuing will be monitored by City and State personnel at the Joint Traffic Management Center (JTMC), and information will be provided on closure times and anticipated wait times. HDOT encourages motorists to take alternate Ko‘olau routes such as Likelike Highway or Pali Highway. Estimated travel times and camera views for all Ko‘olau routes can be found on GoAkamai.org

The City and County of Honolulu and State of Hawaii will be partnering to provide a surge testing location to the Oahu community that will minimize impacts to the public and improve safety. The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT), Honolulu Fire Department, Honolulu Police Department, City and County Department of Transportation Services, and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA) are coordinating a full closure of the H-3 Freeway between the Halawa Interchange and the Halekou Interchange to facilitate COVID testing on Tuesday, Sept. 1 and Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020. The closure must be coordinated with the federal government and notice will be provided once this is confirmed. The closure of H-3 in both the Halawa bound and Honolulu bound directions would begin at 7:30 a.m. and continue to 6 p.m. on both days to allow time to set up the closure. During testing hours the inside lanes of the H-3 at the Harano Tunnels will be used to queue vehicles of those seeking to be tested for the COVID-19 virus. The outer lane would serve as access for emergency vehicles. To maximize testing efficiency, test stations will be set up on both the Kaneohe and Halawa sides of the tunnel to service both the north and south bound directions. After testing, drivers will be asked to continue on H-3 to the end of the closure, and can use alternate Koolau routes if necessary. “This surge testing will help us flatten the curve once more,” said Gov. David Ige. “We’re all working together for the health and safety of our whole community. Use of the H-3 will provide space to allow as many people as possible to be tested.” “One of the most important parts of this surge testing effort is making sure everyone who wants a test has access to a testing site,” said Mayor Caldwell. “Testing on the H-3 is a historic, first ever endeavor that will make a significant difference in getting more people tested. This will be made possible by all of our Federal, State, and County teams working together to make sure traffic in and out of these sites can flow smoothly. It’s not a small task to coordinate these sites, and I want to thank our partners at HDOT for clearing a path for as many of our residents as possible to get tested for COVID-19.” HDOT has reached out to emergency services, TheBus, and Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) to notify them of the planned closure. The queuing will be monitored by City and State personnel at the Joint Traffic Management Center (JTMC), and information will be provided to the public on closure times and anticipated wait times. HDOT encourages motorists to take alternate Koolau routes such as Likelike Highway or Pali Highway. Estimated travel times and camera views for all Koolau routes can be found on GoAkamai.org

New Online Safe Travels Application Mandatory on Sept. 1 All travelers required to complete the digital application The State of Hawaii is announcing that the new online Safe Travels application will be mandatory for all travelers on Sept. 1. This new digital application, which collects the required health and travel information, is critical to protecting the health of our residents and visitors alike. Safe Travels is one part of a multi-layered screening process which includes arrival temperature checks, and secondary screening for those with symptoms or temperatures of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. The application can be found at https://travel.hawaii.gov. “I am pleased to launch this digital app which will allow our travelers to provide their required health and travel information before they arrive at the airport,” said Gov. David Ige. “It will also help us keep in contact with those who are required to be in quarantine. This is an important step in preparing to reopen our economy.” Safe Travels digitizes and simplifies the current paper-based process. Currently, there are two different types of forms – one each for interisland and transpacific – for travel to and within Hawaii. This platform provides a one stop shop for both type of travelers. This new online application will provide the State Department of Health (DOH) access to the mandatory health information that passengers need to provide to monitor and protect public health in real-time. It can also be used by the Dept. of the Attorney General and county law enforcement officials to enforce the quarantine rules. Travelers are encouraged to enter their information and trip details well in advance of their flight. Once their health information is entered 24 hours before departure, travelers receive a QR code via email. The QR code on their mobile device or printed on paper gets scanned by the airport screener upon arrival. “Compared to paper processing, this online app will save travelers time at the airport and will speed up distribution of information to state and county officials who need it to keep us all safe,” said Douglas Murdock, chief information officer, Office of Enterprise Technology Services, State of Hawaii. This new app was developed in partnership with Google and its premier partner, SpringML, at a cost of $638,000 for the initial implementation. A platform to collect, aggregate, display, and analyze data is provided by ESRI. Funding for this project is provided by the Federal CARES Act. Key features of the new app include: The ability to login using Email, Google or Facebook logins. A highly secured platform built on Google cloud. The verification of passenger contact information before arrival to speed up their processing at the airport. Collection of health and contact information needed for arrival screening and public health monitoring. Creation of a QR code which airport screeners scan to review the traveler’s information for clearance or secondary screening. Automated generation of quarantine check-in reminders as emails and text messages. New features and data elements will be added in future phases, as the Safe Travels process and State travel requirements evolve. Travelers without smart phones or computers can ask a friend or relative for assistance or receive assistance at the arrival airport. Travelers without email addresses will need to create one on an email service to comply with the conditions of quarantine. This project is being spearheaded by the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, in collaboration with the State Department of Transportation, DOH, Dept. of the Attorney General, Hawaii Tourism Authority and the counties. Broll:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k4385cx2c2yiimx/AAAk0mCxntwOfDNLawN8y5sMa?dl=0 Courtesy: Hawai'i State Department of Transportation