The U.S. Census Bureau has begun to release daily 2020 Census housing unit completion rates, including the 2020 Census self-response rate and Nonresponse Followup completion rate. 85.7% of housing units have been accounted for in the 2020 Census as of today, with 20.4% counted by census takers and other field data collection operations, and 65.3% of housing units responding online, by phone, or by mail. When more households self-respond to the census, census takers will have fewer households to visit. It has never been easier to respond to the census on your own, whether online at 2020census.gov, over the phone, or by mail. More than 95 million households in the country have responded on their own so far! See the total response rates here.

A Keahuolū Courthouse employee has tested positive for COVID-19, the Hawai‘i State Judiciary announced Friday. The individual was last at work on Monday. After getting tested on Tuesday, the person was first told the test was negative, but later got a corrected -- positive -- test result on Thursday. After conferring with DOH, coworkers with close, prolonged contact with the affected individual were notified and advised to seek guidance from their medical providers. They will return to work when medically appropriate to do so. The Third Circuit Kona District Court courtroom will be closed on Friday for thorough cleaning and disinfecting. Traffic and criminal cases will be continued. This is the second positive case for a Judiciary employee on Hawai‘i island. Source: www.courts.state.hi.us/news_and_reports/2020/09/keahuolu-courthouse-employee-tests-positive-for-covid-19

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO AWARD $20 MILLION FOR GRANTS TO STRENGTHEN WORKERS RIGHTS AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF LABOR REFORMS IN MEXICO The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its intent to award two $10 million grants focused on Mexico. Funding for these grants was appropriated as part of the legislation implementing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). One grant will strengthen workers’ ability to exercise their labor rights under Mexico’s recent landmark labor law reforms by increasing workers’ effective use of labor rights provisions, building the capacity of worker organizations in priority sectors, and strengthening dialogue among relevant stakeholders to improve implementation of labor law reforms. The second grant will increase awareness of the Mexican labor reform among workers, employers and union leaders through targeted, innovative campaigns, materials and tools. The grant will also improve the ability of federal and state government agencies to conduct outreach regarding labor rights and implementation of the labor reforms among target audiences. Both grants will build on recent programs funded by the Department to strengthen capacity in Mexico to effectively implement labor reforms and support compliance with the groundbreaking labor provisions of the USMCA. Funded with more than $32 million over the past two years, these programs are working to support the Mexican Ministry of Labor, conciliation bodies and the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labor Registration; advance productive labor relations and union democracy; combat child labor and forced labor; and promote women’s economic empowerment and acceptable conditions of work for vulnerable workers. In addition to the new programs announced today, the Department is finalizing the obligation of nearly $25 million in additional funding for programs to support compliance in Mexico with the labor provisions of the USMCA. These grants will be made available through the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, whose mission is to promote a fair global playing field for workers in the United States and around the world by enforcing trade commitments, strengthening labor standards and combating international child labor, forced labor and human trafficking. The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights. Agency Bureau of International Labor Affairs Date September 4, 2020 Release Number 20-1705-NAT

All County and State Beach Parks on Hawai‘i Island will be closed for two weeks from September 4 through September 18, amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. The intent of the closures is to prevent the further spread of the virus by limiting gatherings at the beaches. Department of Health contact tracing has shown that large gatherings are a key source of the virus’s spread, with several clusters being linked to social gatherings. “We are at a critical stage, and we must stop the spread of the virus,” said Mayor Harry Kim. “Beach parks can only be used to access to the ocean, exercising, fishing and gathering food, and using the bathrooms and shower facilities.” “Everybody has kuleana to end the spread of COVID-19 on Hawai‘i Island, and by rallying as a community we can beat this.” Beach parks and coastal parks may be used for direct access to and from the ocean in order to engage in exercise, fishing and gathering food. Park restrooms and showers will be open during the hours of 7:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. daily. The following terms and conditions will be in effect, per an Amendment to the Mayor’s COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 11: • Use of pavilions, barbecues, temporary canopies, pop-up tents, tarps and similar shade devices are not allowed. • Tables, hibachis, coolers, and other items commonly associated with picnicking and gatherings are prohibited. • Camping at all beach parks and shoreline parks is prohibited. All existing camping permits are hereby cancelled. • All commercial operations and activities are prohibited. • Camping at all beach parks and shoreline parks is prohibited. All existing camping permits are hereby cancelled. To clarify, for Kailua Park, the restrictions only apply to the area makai of the runway. Lili‘uokalani Gardens remains open; however, the use of pavilions, barbecues, temporary canopies, pop-up tents, tarps and similar shad devices are not allowed, and tables, hibachis, coolers, and other items commonly associated with picnicking and gatherings are prohibited.

The trans-Pacific passenger arrivals data is derived from data provided by the new Safe Travels program, which was launched on September 1, 2020. Data collected from 09/02/20 Source: Safe Travels program developed by the State of Hawaii Office of Enterprise Technology Services Note: The data is preliminary and subject to change

Make COVID recovery ‘a true turning point’ for people and planet, Guterres urges, calling for concerted action by G20. Addressing ministers at a virtual meeting on sustainable recovery from COVID-19 on Thursday, the UN chief said that the world is confronting two urgent crises: COVID-19 and climate change. “Let us tackle both and leave future generations with the hope that this moment is a true turning point for people and planet,” he said, in a video message. The ministerial meeting, convened by the Government of Japan, saw the participation of senior officials from several countries, as well as representatives from youth groups, civil society organizations, businesses and local governments. In parallel, an online portal that showcases climate and environment policies and actions in recovery from COVID-19 was launched. The Platform for Redesign 2020 will help build momentum for COP26, the UN conference that assesses progress in dealing with climate change, to be held in 2021. Renewables cheaper and more efficient The Secretary-General outlined six climate-positive actions for a sustainable recovery, including investing in green jobs; not bailing out polluting industries; ending fossil fuel subsidies; accounting for climate risk in all financial and policy decisions; working together; and – most important – leaving no one behind. There is simply no rational case for coal power in any investment plan – Secretary-General Guterres Mr. Guterres spoke of governments and businesses shifting towards them, realizing that clean energy brings more jobs, cleaner air, better health and stronger economic growth. “The world’s top investors – including some in Japan – are abandoning fossil fuels because renewables are cheaper and more efficient”, he continued, adding: “They understand that it makes no economic sense to burn money on coal plants that will soon become stranded assets.” The UN chief also called on all countries, especially member of the G20 - the group of top industrialized nations - to commit to to carbon neutrally before 2050. He  urged them to submit “more ambitious” nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and long-term strategies before COP26 aligned with the goal to limit temperature increase to 1.5 degree Celsius.

Drive-through COVID-19 testing will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 8, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Pauole Community Center on Molokai. “I strongly encourage Molokai residents to consider getting tested during this drive-through testing event,” Mayor Michael Victorino said. “By testing our community widely and accurately, we can limit the spread of this virus. Again, we want to mahalo Minit Medical for taking their team to Molokai and for their hard work and partnership to administer these drive-through events for Maui County.” Diagnostic PCR testing will be available. Minit Medical will call individuals with all results, which are expected to take one to three days. Participants should pre-register for the drive-through testing on Minit Medical’s website at www.minitmed.com. Participants can do same-day registration, but pre-registration saves time and avoids paperwork and personal interactions. Testing is available for individuals who are either symptomatic or asymptomatic. People who get tested are asked to bring: • Insurance card • Identification • Facial covering / mask Criteria for Molecular testing: • Symptomatic: o Fever/chills o Body aches o Short of breath o Difficulty breathing o Cough o Loss of taste or smell o Diarrhea o Sore throat o Headache o Nausea o Runny nose • Asymptomatic (with possible exposure): o Recent travel to Mainland/International o Positive/possible exposure contact o First responders/essential workers o Pre-operative, pre-procedure testing o Required for travel (costs might be incurred) For more information on the drive-through testing event, call Minit Medical Urgent Care at (808) 667-6161. For more information on COVID-19 in Maui County, visit www.MauiCounty.gov.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) informs Oahu motorists that the Kunia/Waipahu/Ewa offramp will be closed from the eastbound H-1 Freeway on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., for asphalt repair work. Motorists wanting to access these areas will be directed to the Waikele/Waipahu offramp (Exit 7) as an alternate route. Electronic message boards will be posted to warn motorists of the closure. Special duty police officers will be onsite to assist with safety procedures and traffic control. HDOT advises motorists to plan ahead and allow for extra travel time to get to their destinations.

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.