Lawmakers, state agencies host reverse job fair for persons with developmental disabilities WHO: State Representatives and Senators and the state departments of Labor, Human Services and Health WHAT: Reverse Job Fair for persons with developmental disabilities WHEN: Tuesday, October 30 9:00 a.m. to -10:00 a.m. Empowering All Abilities Talk for employers in the Capitol Auditorium 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Entry Level Reverse Job Fair House and Senate Conference Rooms WHERE: Hawaii State Capitol Auditorium, Chamber level State Legislators and government agencies will host the "Empowering All Abilities" Job Fair on Oct. 30, a reverse job fair for persons with developmental disabilities. During the fair each job seeker will have a table set up with a presentation board that showcases their interests, strengths and abilities. Prospective employers will visit each job seeker's booth. There will be a conference room/space set up for employers to conduct on-site job interviews. First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige and members of the host committee will address the prospective employers at the Empowering All Abilities Talk at 9 a.m. More than 100 employers/HR professionals and 50 job seekers are confirmed for this inaugural collaborative job fair. The Legislative host committee includes Senators Josh Green, Roslyn H. Baker, Mike Gabbard, and Russell E. Ruderman, and Representatives Lynn DeCoite, Della Au Belatti, Beth Fukumoto, Joy San Buenaventura, Lauren Matsumoto and John Mizuno. #senatorgabbard #mikegabbard #senatorbaker #rozbaker #senatorgreen #joshgreen #senatorruderman #RussellRuderman #Disabilities #empoweringallabilities #EMPOWERINGALLABILITIESJOBFAIR #developmentaldisabilities #hawaiidepartmentofhealth #DOH

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) notifies the public of the following planned nighttime closures for Oahu on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018: H-1 Shoulder Work and PCCP Rehabilitation. Two left lanes in the eastbound direction closed from Waipahu onramp to Moanalua Rd. onramp from 6:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. Added closure of third lane from 7:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. Shoulder also closed. Two left lanes in the westbound direction closed from Kaamilo St. overpass to the Pearl City viaduct (Waimalu offramp) from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Added closure of third lane from 9 p.m. to 3 p.m. Shoulder open. H-1 Guardrail and Shoulder Improvements – Middle St. to Punchbowl offramp. Two right lanes and shoulder closed in eastbound direction between Gulick Ave and Kalihi St. overpasses; and, two right lanes and shoulder closed in the westbound direction between Queen Emma St. and Aala St. overpasses and between the Palama St. and Houghtailing offramps from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. Pali Hwy Lighting Replacement and Resurfacing. Full closure of Honolulu-bound lanes from 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. from Kamehameha Hwy to Waokanaka St. One to two Honolulu-bound lanes from Waokanaka St. to Nuuanu Ave. from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. (Tentative) One lane Kailua-bound from Nuuanu Dr. to Waokanaka closed from 6:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. Added closure of second lane from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. (Tentative) One to two Kailua-bound lanes from Waokanaka St. to Nuuanu Pali Dr. closed from 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Left lane closed from Nuuanu Pali Dr. to tunnels from 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Kalihi St. Resurfacing Nimitz Hwy to School St. Two lanes closed between Nimitz and Beckley in the mauka bound direction from 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Kalanianaole Hwy Resurfacing between H-1 and West Hind Dr. Westbound lanes closed with contraflow to run on eastbound lane from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. (Tentative) Nimitz Hwy between Libby St. and Waiakamilo Rd. Left lane in both directions from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. (Permit work) Nimitz Hwy between Alakawa and Pacific St. Left lane in the westbound direction 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. for City’s flow monitoring. Kamehameha Hwy at Pali Momi. Closure of the lanes turning onto Pali Momi St. for the Pali Momi St. Resurfacing from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Farrington Hwy. between Nanakuli and Haleakala Ave. One lane in west or eastbound directions closed between 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. for traffic signal installation. No nightwork is currently planned on State Routes in Maui County. The following closures with impacts on Halloween night and evening traffic on Hawaii Island and Kauai are as follows: Hawaii Island Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) in Volcano. 24 hour/ 7 day a week lane closure on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) with alternating traffic control in the vicinity of Volcano National Park (mile marker 30) for road repairs due to seismic activity. Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) in South Hilo. Lane closure on Hawaii Belt Road with possible detours between Wailuku River Bridge and Waiaama Stream Bridge (mile markers 2.45 to 9.78) from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for paving. Kauai No modifications to the local access convoy to Wainiha and Haena via Kuhio Highway (Route 560). For more information on the continuing emergency repairs, visit the Kuhio Highway Emergency Repairs page here. Nawiliwili Road (Route 58) 24 hour/ 7 day a week lane closure between Kaumualii Highway and Kanani Street for panel and curb replacements. HDOT’s weekend lane closure list and the weekly lane closures for the upcoming week are updated every Thursday and Friday respectively and can be found at http://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/roadwork/ - All work is weather permitting. HDOT advises motorists to make use of tools such as GoAkamai, Google Maps, and Waze to plan out their routes ahead of time. Additionally, drivers are asked to be especially cautious for pedestrians and other roadway users during Halloween when there will be a higher number of people walking along roadways. Pedestrian tips for drivers can be found here. Halloween specific safety tips for young pedestrians can be found at http://hidot.hawaii.gov/walk-smart-for-ed/ and below: Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always stand back a step from the curb until it is time to cross. Look left, right, and left again and check for turning cars before and while crossing the street. Cross only at crosswalks. Lower electronic devices and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street. Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far left side of the road facing traffic to stay safe. Wear a highly visible or reflective costume or put reflective stickers on clothing, trick-or-treat bags or toys. Especially be sure to pay attention when walking past driveways to make sure cars aren’t pulling in or out. Eye contact with drivers to ensure they see you before crossing in front of them is important. Never cross when you see the countdown signal with the red stop hand. Cross only when you see the “walking man” signal. #halloween #roadclosures #hawaiidepartmentoftransportation #goakamai #googlemaps #waze #trickortreat #nawailiwili #kaumualii #kananistreet #kalihiStreet #NimitzHwy #Kalanianaolehwy #punchbowofframp #gulickavenue #palamastreet #houghtailingofframp #QueenEmmaStreet #H1Guardrail #Waimaluofframp #PearlCityViaduct #MoanaluaRoad #October31

HONOLULU – Strengthening industry access for Hawaii’s creative entrepreneurs, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) Creative Industries Division (CID) announces selected fellows of the Creative Lab Hawaii (CLH) Immersive Program who will participate in the world’s largest motion picture business event at the 2018 American Film Market (AFM). Hosting professionals from across the globe looking to establish partnerships and strike film deals in every stage of development and production, the market conference will take place in Santa Monica, California from Oct.31 – Nov. 7. CID also returns this year as a sponsor of the AFM Pitch Conference, to be held on Nov. 3. It was at last year’s AFM that past CLH fellows pitched before an audience of 400 industry colleagues. The experience offers the selected participants and audience members access to industry professionals who simulate what it’s like in a real studio pitch, learning pointers and the essential pitching tools necessary for getting projects noticed and hopefully sold, licensed and land a distribution deal. “Our local economy benefits from the opportunities that the department’s CLH program fosters for writers, producers and more across the creative industries,” said DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria. “Showcasing the diverse work of these fellows at AFM shines a spotlight on the talent being fostered in our state and reinforces Hawaii’s position as a hub for developing dynamic entertainment content for global distribution.” DBEDT’s Creative Lab Hawaii team will accompany the following fellows to AFM, where they will pitch their respective talents and key projects they developed further through their participation in the CLH Immersive Program: GB Hajim – 2018 Producers Immersive Fellow – “The Big Pig” Serge Marcil – 2018 Producers Immersive Fellow – “Within” Jonathan Melikidse – 2018 Producers Immersive Fellow – “Amontillado” Jeff Orig – 2018 Producers Immersive Fellow – “Waikiki PD” Nadya Wynd – 2018 Writers Immersive Fellow – “Ghost of the Sinclair Plantation” Brian Kohne, a 2015 Writers Immersive fellow, will also be taking his award-winning motion picture, “Maui” (previously known as “Kuleana”), to the market with a foreign sales distributor, American Cinema International. The film follows a disabled Vietnam Vet as he rediscovers the Hawaiian warrior within and where his loyalties lie. “It’s incredibly important to have these entrepreneurs showcasing their projects and participating in a worldwide platform like AFM,” said Georja Skinner, chief officer of DBEDT’s Creative Industries Division and founder of CLH. More than 7,000 industry leaders from across the globe converge at this event, and it offers a unique opportunity for our fellows to forge connections, make deals and develop opportunities to monetize their work and talent.” “The CLH Immersive Program helps prepare participants from across the creative industries to reach their next level, and these selected fellows have all done the hard work to come equipped to AFM and be able to put their projects forward in the best light possible to leading deal makers,” said Michael Andres Palmieri, executive director, Creative Lab Hawaii, who was also instrumental in selecting this year’s participating fellows. “We’re thrilled to accompany this team to such an amazing marketplace.” Key project and fellow details include: GB Hajim, Producer, Writer and Visual Artist, Hawaii: GB has produced award-winning Hawaiian language dramas, animations, documentaries and educational programs for the immersion program and Kamehameha Schools. His last feature, Strange Frame, attracted an all-star cast from Tim Curry to George Takei. At AFM, GB will present a new live action horror-comedy he’s developed titled “The Big Pig”—a horror comedy about a man, a killer boar, and talking dogs. Jonathan Melikidse, Writer and Producer, Oahu: Jonathan will present his latest script at AFM— a feature-length adaptation of “Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe, drawing from Jonathan’s knowledge of wines and love of thrillers. He has experience doing background work on several network shows and feature films, and has filmed a series of “how-to” bartending videos in Maui for his YouTube page, Barwars44. Serge Marcil, Producer and Writer, Kauai: Serge Marcil has directed more than 300 hours of television programming for a wide range of broadcasters, networks and production companies. He additionally co-founded 4D media on the island of Kaua’i (in Hawaii) and produces his own media projects. His current project, “Within,” tells the story of a 17-year old hapa girl named Kanoa who lives on the island of Kauai in 1818, at a time of great turmoil for everyone living in the kingdom. Jeff Orig, Writer, Director and Producer, Oahu: Jeff is the award-winning writer-director of Orig Media and Orig Entertainment, and has won multiple American Advertising Federation Awards for Best Local Commercial. He was a finalist at the 2018 Sundance YouTube New Voices Lab and has been nominated in both the Outstanding Director for a Comedy and Outstanding Writer for a Comedy categories at the L.A. WebFest. He is also a winner of the Amazon Studios Trailer Contest. At AFM, Jeff plans to meet with foreign sales and distribution companies specializing in comedies and mockumentaries. His “Waikiki PD” is inspired by shows like “The Office” and “Reno 911.” Nadya Wynd, Writer, Producer and Director Artist, Kauai: Nadya will pitch her screenplay, “Ghost of the Sinclair Plantation,” at AFM, a story following a sheriff investigating a murder on a sugar plantation on the island of Kauai in 1888. Nadya previously wrote, produced and directed The Beautiful Illusion, a short film about the sexual exploitation of actresses, which appeared in the LA and NY Independent Film Festivals and aired on PBS. She also adapted the epic novel, The Physician, and served as co-producer for the film project. Creative Lab Hawaii, founded in 2012 by the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism’s Creative Industries Division, is a key facet of Hawaii’s creative economy. Through this effort, Hawaii is developing an ecosystem to increase export, attract investment and build the state’s creative entrepreneurial capacity. Supported by State of Hawaii Legislators and U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, CLH Strategic partners include: the Writers Guild of America- West, the Producers Guild of America, and the International Game Developers Association. The program is sponsored by the Kauai Marriott, Fairmont Orchid and SpeediShuttle/Arthur’s Limousine. About Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) 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 Creative Industries Division (CID) 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 implements 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 Creative Lab Hawaii (CLH) CLH was founded in 2012 by the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic, Development and Tourism (DBEDT)’s Creative Industries Division (CID) 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. CLH, 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 the areas of media, music and fashion/design. CLH features three program components: 1) Immersive Programs; 2) Ideation Workshops; and 3) Public Panels. Website: www.creativelab.hawaii.gov #DepartmentofBusinessEconomicDevelopmentandT #DBEDT #CREATIVELAB #fILMINDISTRY #aMERICANFILMMARKET #afm #clh #sANTAmONICA #lUISsALAVERIA #gEORJASKINNER #CreativeIndustriesDivision #Kuleana #maui #americancinemainternational #briankohne #GBHajim #SergeMarcil #JonathanMelikidse #JeffOrig #Nadya #NadyaWynd #ThebigPig #Within #Amontillado #WaikikiPD #GhostoftheSinclairPlantation

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, until sunset on October 31, 2018, to honor the victims of the tragedy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “Words fail to express the sadness and injustice of yet another vicious mass shooting at a sacred place of worship. We stand together with all Pennsylvanians and send our Aloha,” said Gov. David Ige. The President’s Proclamation: Flag Directive Please note the portion of the president’s proclamation below: “I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, October 31, 2018.” Full Proclamation: THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 27, 2018 HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE TRAGEDY IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – – – – – – – BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION As a mark of solemn respect for the victims of the terrible act of violence perpetrated at The Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 2018, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, October 31, 2018. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third. DONALD J. TRUMP # # # #pennsylvania #pittsburgh #pittsburghtragedy #flagdirective #governorige

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) launched the 2019 Hawaii State Trade Expansion Program (HiSTEP), a comprehensive program designed to assist Hawaii small businesses to increase their exports. The program is administered by DBEDT and partner organizations in Hawaii, and is funded, in part, through a grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). A kick-off program information session was held in Honolulu today and a series of kick-off seminars will be held on the neighbor islands next week explaining the various services being offered and how companies can register. The Hawaii State Trade Expansion Program (HiSTEP) has three, integrated components: HiSTEP – Export Readiness Program (HiSTEP-ERP): A series of training programs and one-on-one consulting that prepare Hawaii companies to begin or expand their export market development. It will cover subjects ranging from scaling up operations to logistics, as well as country-specific topics. HiSTEP-ERP also includes one-on-one business and export advising provided by our partner organizations. HiSTEP – Hawaii Pavilions (HiSTEP-HP): DBEDT organizes groups of Hawaii companies to participate in major trade shows, subsidizing booth space in a Hawaii Pavilion to introduce potential buyers and distributors. HiSTEP – Company Assistance (HiSTEP-CA): Direct financial assistance for export market development costs. Application proposals may request a minimum of $3,000 and a maximum of $7,500. The program RFP is posted on the State Procurement Office website. After registering for the program, participants receive an initial consultation from HiSTEP partner, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC,) to assess their business and export plans. As needed, other HiSTEP partners will provide additional business and export mentoring. DBEDT HiSTEP Partners are: U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Hawaii District Office Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Hawaii Pacific Export Council (HPEC) Patsy Mink Center for Business and Leadership (MCBL) HTDC/INNOVATE Hawaii Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) No. 9 U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) Jane A. Sawyer, District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Hawaii District Office, commented “We are very pleased to work again with DBEDT and the many Hawaii companies they support through HiSTEP. DBEDT has demonstrated consistent growth in the number of companies assisted, as well as in increasing export sales.” DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria stated, “We are very grateful for the continued support from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Through HiSTEP and our partner organizations, we have helped Hawaii exporters to further grow their sales in overseas markets to nearly $20 million.” In 2017, we provided: Export training, delivered to 147 companies; Business/export consultation and mentoring services, provided to 72 companies; Direct financial assistance, awarded to 28 companies; Hawaii pavilions, organized and subsidized for 134 companies. For more information and program links, please see invest.hawaii.gov/exporting/histep/ #DepartmentofBusinessEconomicDevelopmentandT #hawaiistatetradeexpansion #HiSTEP #DBEDT #HawaiiPavilions #CompanyAssistance #ExportReadinessProgram

(Hilo) – The Hawaii Ant Lab has won the 2018 Conservation Innovation Award by the Hawaii Conservation Alliance. The Ant Lab is a collaboration of the University of Hawaii’s Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, and was established in response to the Little Fire Ant invasion. Attached photo: Staff of the Hawaii Ant Lab, recipients of the 2018 Conservation Innovation Award from the Hawaii Conservation Alliance. Left to right: Michelle Montgomery, Ersel Hensley, Cas Vanderwoude, Heather Forester, Jack Fields, Alison Wagner and Kiyoshi Adachi. (HAL staffers Matthew Sandrich and Mikey Bunyan not pictured). When the Little Fire Ant was discovered on Hawaii Island in the late 1990s, it could have been the beginning of the end for much of Hawaii’s agriculture and our remaining native ecosystems. Twenty years later, the impacts of the ant have been undeniably substantial: residents on the eastern side of Hawaii Island have seen their homes and businesses invaded, tourists visiting beach parks have taken home unexpected welts from ant stings, and the ant has found its way in interisland cargo to Kauai, Oahu, and Maui. The Ant Lab has produced several innovations to meet these challenges, with one of the first being a new gel bait that can be applied to tree canopies and other vertical structures. The effort has brought the world’s foremost experts on the species to the lab’s headquarters in Hilo. On Hawaii Island, the lab works to assist farmers, nurserymen, and residents with Little Fire Ant management and to slow the spread of the ant as much as possible across the island. The lab also works with the Department of Agriculture to minimize the movement of ants in interisland cargo, and leads both prevention and control projects across the Pacific. On Kauai, the Ant Lab and partners have rappelled over cliffs on the north shore to remove the sole infestation in Kalihiwai, which is on track for eradication. On Oahu, the team partnered with agencies to remove ants from Mililani Mauka after a population was discovered in December 2013. The area was recently declared free of Little Fire Ant. In Waimanalo, the Ant Lab provides guidance and support to the Department of Agriculture and other partners to remove ants that may be moving in potted plants. On Maui, several small populations have been removed and the team is working with the Maui Invasive Species Committee to design a strategy that will hopefully eradicated the large Nahiku infestation. “Little Fire Ants remain a serious concern for Hawaii, and many residents and business owners are struggling with the impacts of this invasive species” said Suzanne Case, Chairperson of the Department of Land and Natural Resources and co-chair of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council. “Without the excellent work of the Hawaii Ant Lab, it’s possible that we would have dense, intractable populations of Little Fire Ants on all of the main islands by now.” Heather Forester, Extension Specialist at the Hawaii Ant Lab said, “Little Fire Ants have the potential to impact everyone. Unfortunately, as humans we are more reactive than proactive, but if you focus your efforts on surveying your property and high-risk materials you bring onto your property, you have the chance to stop Little Fire Ants from establishing. For those of us who have Little Fire Ants, there is hope to manage this invasive; it just takes diligence and follow-through.” The impacts of the Little Fire Ant are diverse and threaten our agriculture, tourism, environment, human health, and quality of life. On Hawaii Island alone, the ant is estimated to cause approximately $174 million a year in damages. The innovations of the Hawaii Ant Lab have helped Hawaii maintain its goals of growing more local food and protect a tourism industry valued at over $15 billion annually. October is “Spot the Ant, Stop the Ant” Month, during which residents are encouraged to test their yards and workplaces for the presence of Little Fire Ant. Visit www.StopTheAnt.org for directions on how to survey and for more information about Little Fire Ant prevention and control efforts on your island. For treatment advice, please visit www.littlefireants.com. #DEPARTMENTOFLANDANDNATURALRESOURCES #antlab #fireants #HawaiiDepartmentofAgriculture #conservationinnovationaward #hawaiiconservationalliance #hawaiidepartmentofagriculture #Kalihiwai #MauiInvasiveSpeciesCommittee #Nahiku #infestation #suzannecase #heatherforester #stoptheant #littlefireants #SpottheAnt #StoptheAnt

A recent land acquisition involving federal, state and private-sector partners will result in Oʻahu residents gaining new outdoor recreational opportunities, while protecting Central O‘ahu’s aquifer and improving habitat for native species, many of them endangered. The Trust for Public Land and the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), have completed the purchase of 2,882 acres of Central Oʻahu forest and fallow lands from Dole Food Company. Working with the community, DOFAW will create a multi-resource management plan that offers a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities and guides forest restoration, water source protection, and native species habitat improvement. The Helemano Wilderness Project will provide substantial community benefits. For more than a century, access to the public hunting area at the Poamoho Forest Reserve and the entrance to the historic Poamoho trail, the premier route to the Koʻolau summit, has been on private land. Securing public access through purchase of this property, DOFAW will work with interested stakeholders and user groups to provide access in a more comprehensive way than was previously possible. DOFAW will also explore opportunities for ADA-accessible camping areas, places to picnic, forest-product gathering sites, hunting, and diversified recreation. In addition, DOFAW will improve habitat for native species by controlling invasive plants and predators in the mountainous portions of the property, while reforesting other areas with native species, high value forest products, and edible forest plantings. DOFAW will partner with Hawaiʻi’s hunting community to reduce damage to native resources in select areas, while improving hunting opportunities in other areas. This management approach will recharge the Central Oʻahu aquifers fed by the Helemano, Poamoho, and North Fork Kaukonahua streams, securing clean drinking water for generations to come. The elusive, endangered ʻŌpeʻapeʻa, or Hawaiian Hoary Bat, is the official state land mammal. Permanently protecting this property will preserve an existing quality bat habitat, while reforestation efforts will create substantially more feeding and roosting opportunities for bats, along with improved habitat for endangered birds, insects and plants living in native forested areas. “Watersheds and forests are the very foundation of our lives in these islands, and this partnership is a terrific win for the community and the environment,” Gov. David Ige said. “The Legacy Land Conservation Program leveraged more than $13 million in matching funding from federal and private partners to make this purchase possible. We will continue to create opportunities to improve and sustain the ‘āina for everyone to enjoy.” Suzanne Case, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, added: “These areas of Helemano and upper Wahiawā, sitting at the foothills of the Koʻolau mountains, combine native forest, watersheds, and good soils in an accessible central location to create an ideal setting to support our communities’ physical and spiritual sustenance. We are excited to add these lands to the public trust inventory managed by the department for the people of Hawai‘i.” Lea Hong, Hawaiian Islands State Director, originally from Wahiawa, stated, “The Trust for Public Land thanks Dole Food Company, its Chairman David Murdock, and his Hawaii team Harry Saunders and Dan Nellis, for working with us and the State through many hurdles to see that this land is conserved for the public. We would also like to extend very special thanks to Andres Albano of CBRE, Dole Food Company’s broker, for facilitating the transaction. Andy is originally from Whitmore, and his dedication and hard work contributed greatly to saving this land around his and my own hometown for future generations.” Funding for the $15,163,800 purchase was made available through an incredible partnership, including contributions by federal, state and private partners: • U.S.D.A. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program ($5 million) • Navy Region Hawaii Encroachment Partnering Program ($3.5 million) • Kawailoa Wind, LLC ($2.75 million) • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat Conservation Planning Acquisition ($2 million) • State of Hawai‘i Legacy Land Conservation Program ($1,513,800) • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pittman-Robertson Fund ($400,000) # # # RESOURCES Helemano Map Helemano Fact Sheet HD video: aerial tour of Helemano Wilderness Project area (Courtesy: DLNR) https://vimeo.com/296571740 Photographs: aerials of Helemano Wilderness Project area (Courtesy: DLNR/Richard Drake) https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pt2qgrzgj66498z/AABdRnbC1PLqjKFAOJtkSkk5a?dl=0 #DepartmentofLandandNaturalResources #TrustforPublicLand #DOFAW #PoamohoForestReserve #NorthforkKaukonahua #LegacyLandConservationProgram #SuzanneCase #Koolaumountains #leahong #hawaiianislandsstatedirector #dolefoodcompany #andresalbano #davidmurdock #USDA #KawailoaWind #USfishandWildlifeServiceHabitatConservation #PittmanRobertsonFund

The Joint Venture Education Forum (JVEF), a cooperative partnership between Hawaii’s military community, the Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) and other community organizations, highlighted success stories of Hawaii’s military students and their families at its 17th Annual Meeting today at The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. JVEF’s mission is to facilitate the educational concerns and unique needs of military children and their families, such as transitioning to the islands, and to support Hawaii’s public school students. 43 military servicemen and women were recognized for their dedicated volunteer work at Hawaii schools, serving as mentors for military-impacted students of all ages. Photo Credit: Dept. of Education “The JVEF partnership between the Department of Education and Hawaii’s military leadership continues to transform our schools in positive ways on behalf of our military-impacted students,” said Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto. “Transition Centers have become a vital part of our school designs and welcome all incoming students, especially those who are transitioning from other locations, to ensure that have social supports in place when they arrive so they can remain focused on academic achievement.” The 2018 Daniel K. Inouye JVEF Outstanding Military Contributor Commendation Award was presented to Mr. Dennis Drake, US Army COL (Ret.), Director of Public Affairs at US Army Garrison Hawaii and US Army Hawaii. Photo Credit: Dept. of Education Hawaii has the highest number of military-dependent children per capita in the nation, representing approximately 15,000 students or eight-percent of the total student enrollment. The majority of these students attend 45 schools located on or near military installations in Oahu’s Central, Leeward and Windward School Districts. "Quality public schools is a very significant issue for our military families, and the Joint Venture Education Forum partnership between the military community in Hawaii and the Hawaii Department of Education has truly strengthened our collective efforts to provide quality education opportunities for all Hawaii's public school students," said CAPT Lyn Hammer, Hawaii State Board of Education Military Liaison. Awards were presented recognizing JVEF’s outstanding civilian and military contributors whose efforts have had a significant impact on Hawaii’s military and public school students. A joint presentation of the 2018 Daniel K. Inouye JVEF Outstanding Military Contributor Commendation Award was made to Mr. Dennis Drake, US Army COL (Ret.), Director of Public Affairs at US Army Garrison Hawaii and US Army Hawaii. Mr. Drake has proudly served on the JVEF Committee for ten years. In 2010, he spearheaded the JVEF Strategic Communications Plan to promote Hawaii’s public schools and worked to improve school partnerships with Army units and personnel. The 2018 K. Mark Takai Outstanding Civilian Contributor Commendation Award was presented to Mrs. Renee Mulberry from Leilehua High School. Photo Credit: Dept. of Education The 2018 K. Mark Takai Outstanding Civilian Contributor Commendation Award was made to Mrs. Renee Mulberry from Leilehua High School. Ms. Mulberry has been instrumental in the establishment and operation of Leilehua High’s Transition Center. She has hosted visiting delegations from other schools statewide to share best practices and assist in starting up new Transition Centers on other campuses. Mrs. Mulberry also mentors students to ensure that they can achieve up to their academic potential. 43 military servicemen and women were also recognized for their dedicated volunteer work at Hawaii schools, serving as mentors for military-impacted students of all ages. For more details on JVEF, Impact Aid and military-impacted schools in Hawaii, visit HIDOE’s Military Families website About the Hawaii State Department of Education
 The Hawaii State Department of Education is the ninth-largest U.S. school district and the only statewide educational system in the country. It is comprised of 256 schools and 36 charter schools, and serves about 180,000 students. King Kamehameha III established Hawaii’s public school system in 1840. To learn more, visit HawaiiPublicSchools.org. #HawaiiDepartmentofEducationHIDOE #jointventureeducationforum #jvef #joankroccorpscommunitycenter #salvationarmy #rayandjoankroc #ChristinaKishimoto #publicaffairsUSArmy #USArmyGarrison #DanielKInouye #Hawaiipublicschools #ReneeMulberry #MarkTakai

On October 15, 2018, Governor David Ige proclaimed October 24th "World Polio Day" in Hawai'i. World Polio Day was established by Rotary International over a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis. Use of this inactivated poliovirus vaccine and subsequent widespread use of the oral poliovirus, developed by Albert Sabin, led to the establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988. As of 2013, GPEI had reduced polio worldwide by 99%. Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease. There is no cure, but there are safe and effective vaccines. Polio can be prevented through immunization. Polio vaccine, given multiple times, almost always protects a child for life. The strategy to eradicate polio is therefore based on preventing infection by immunizing every child until transmission stops and the world is polio-free. Proclamation: https://governor.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/181024-Proc-World-Polio-Day.pdf #worldpolioday #poliodayhawaii #rotaryinternational #jonassalk #governorige #davidige #globalpolioeradicationinitiative #GPEI #oralpoliovirus

Additional precast concrete panels will rehabilitate sections of the westbound and eastbound lanes of the Pearl City Viaduct and the eastbound H-1 Freeway before the Aiea Heights Drive overpass. The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) notifies the public that work to install an additional 128 precast concrete panels on the eastbound and westbound H-1 Freeway in Pearl City near the Sears Distribution Center and on the eastbound H-1 Freeway before the Aiea Heights Drive overpass will begin Oct. 24, 2018. Lane closures associated with this work for the week of Oct. 22 to 28 will be: Thursday, Oct. 25 – Closure will be repurposed for pavement striping. H-1 eastbound from the Pearl City Viaduct to the Aiea Pedestrian Overpass Two left lanes closed from 6:30 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. Additional left lane closed (for a total of three) from 7:30 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. Shoulder will be open. Friday, Oct. 26 – Closure will be repurposed for pavement striping. H-1 eastbound from the Pearl City Viaduct to the Aiea Pedestrian Overpass Two right lanes closed from 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Additional right lane closed (for a total of three) from 7:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Shoulder will not be available for vehicular traffic during the closure. Saturday, Oct. 27 – Closure will be repurposed for pavement striping if work is not completed on Oct. 26. H-1 eastbound from the Pearl City Viaduct to the Aiea Pedestrian Overpass Two left lanes closed from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. Additional left lane closed (for a total of three) from 8 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Shoulder will be open. The purpose of the eastbound and westbound closures is to facilitate survey layout, sawcutting of existing pavement, and panel setting. Work is weather permitting. These panels were not part of Phase 1 of the H-1 Shoulder and Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation (PCCP) project that rehabilitated rough asphalt segments of the freeway through the installation of 1,279 precast concrete panels. Phase 1 work including the profilograph testing and grinding to ensure a smooth riding surface was completed in mid-August 2018. HDOT initially chose to focus on the worst sections of the H-1 Freeway for Phase 1 but added the sections of freeway in Pearl City and Aiea to maximize the crews mobilized in the area and to extend the life cycle of these sections of the freeway. The sections to be rehabilitated can be viewed on the graphic here. Anticipated completion for the installation of the additional 128 panels is late November 2018. Shoulder widening work (Phase 2 of the H-1 Shoulder Work and PCCP Rehabilitation project) will continue to progress during the installation of the additional panels. Lane closures for the week of Oct. 22 to 28 for the shoulder widening work are: Daily, Monday, Oct. 22 through Friday, Oct. 26 H-1 eastbound from the vicinity of the Waimalu Viaduct to the Aiea Pedestrian Overpass Shoulder closed from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 – NEW H-1 eastbound from the vicinity of the Waimalu Viaduct to the Aiea Pedestrian Overpass Shoulder closed from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. For more information on the H-1 Shoulder Work and PCCP Rehabilitation Project, please visit http://h1waimalu.com/ Motorists are advised to expect delays in the work zones during the nighttime closures. For updates on scheduled roadwork, please visit the HDOT website at: http://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/roadwork or follow our social media accounts at https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiDepartmentOfTransportation/ and https://twitter.com/DOTHawaii News Release: http://hidot.hawaii.gov/blog/2018/10/18/closures-for-additional-concrete-panel-work-on-the-h-1-freeway-to-take-place-in-pearl-city-and-aiea-beginning-october-24/ #Hidot #hdot #pavementwork #waimaluviaduct #AieaPedestrianOverpass #PCCPRehabilitationProject #workzones #Hawaii #PearlCity #AieaHeightsDrive #SearsDistributionCenter

(Hilo) – Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD), the fungal disease that’s impacted hundreds of thousands of acres of native ‘ōhi‘a forests in Hawai‘i, is the actual reason for the ʻŌhiʻa Love Festival today at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. Now in its second year, more than a thousand people honored ‘ōhi‘a and the many people working to stop the spread of ROD and find effective treatments for it. The festival goes beyond the disease. * Click photo to watch video Corie Yanger, is one of the primary movers behind today’s celebration. She works for the University of Hawai‘i’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources on ROD outreach and education. She said the primary message she hopes people walked away with is, ʻŌhiʻa are important for many different reasons. Personal, biological and of course culturally. We hope everyone brings their reasons forward so we can celebrate them and all come together to combat Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death.” Yanger added, ‘Ōhi‘a plays an integral role in our ecosystems and culture. We are all connected to ‘ōhi‘a in some way, may it be the water we drink, the ecosystems we protect, the lei we adorn, the mele we compose, the beauty we take in while hiking, hunting, or even driving over the Saddle, or that beloved tree in your backyard or favorite forest. We wanted these connections and our love for ‘ōhi‘a to show.” Some 40 booths took up space outside and inside the astronomy center. The festival included presentations, demonstrations, Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death info, educational displays, crafts, games, photo booth, food, entertainment, face painting, a keiki scavenger hunt and an adult photo scavenger hunt. Yanger was impressed by how much knowledge about ROD has increased since the first year of the festival. Last year, she explained, most everyone knew something about ‘ōhi‘a but maybe not about the disease. “This year a lot more people know about Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death, so we’re trying to build on that knowledge and expand it further into the community. There was a lot of sharing of information back and forth,” she said. The festival began with a Kīpaipai, which in Hawaiian means “to inspire.” The ‘Ōhi‘a Love Festival was hosted by the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and the University of Hawai‘i. # # # RESOURCES (All images courtesy: DLNR) HD video: ‘Ōhi‘a-Honouliuli Forest Reserve, O‘hua https://vimeo.com/267029222 #rapidohia #rapidohiadeath #ROD #fungaldisease #universityofhawaii #corieyanger #kipaipai #DLNR #DivisionofForestryandWildlife #DOFAW #hawaii #hawaiisenate #OhiaHonouliuliForestReserve

(Maunakea) – Two weeks before the hunting season for game birds opens in Hawai‘i, hunters, researchers and staff from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) traipsed across the rugged terrain on Maunakea’s north slopes to gain a better understanding of game bird density, variety and populations. * Click on Image to watch video They gather above the Kilohana Hunter Check-in Station at 4:45 each morning to team up, check their equipment, like GPS devices, get their dogs ready to go and to receive their “transects” assignments. Kanalu Sproat, a DOFAW wildlife biologist on the Big Island said, “We’ve done game bird counts in the past by just driving the roads looking for birds. This year with the help of hunters, this is the first time we’ve been able to put people into the field, where the hunting actually happens to get a clearer and better picture of the health of the game bird ecosystem.” At first light, each team begins traversing the first in their series of assigned transects. Along with a hunting dog, the teams walk straight lines and as the dog’s flush birds out of the tall grass or from underneath thick vegetation, the species of bird, its size, its sex and GPS location is recorded. Dr. Randy Larsen is a wildlife biology professor at Brigham Young University in Utah and he volunteered to join the project at Sproat’s invitation. He said from a research stand-point doing game bird surveys in this manner is a good design and will give managers a good sense of populations and health trends over time as surveys are repeated over several years. The plan is to do this twice a year on Maunakea and then to introduce this sampling method in game bird hunting areas across the state. Larsen’s impressions of game bird status on Maunakea included, “It’s a wonderful resource here. Lots of diversity of species. We’ve seen in the last couple of days that Don and I have done surveys everything from turkeys, to Erckel’s francolins, to California quail and there are other species that other teams have seen that we haven’t. Lots of diversity and pretty good densities relative to what I’ve experienced in the western part of the mainland.” Larsen’s survey teammate is Don Fujimoto from Waikoloa. He’s been bird hunting on Maunakea for the past four years and he calls it a “great resource that DLNR manages.” On their third day navigating the sometimes steep, often rugged terrain Fujimoto observed, “It’s interesting and a little difficult at times because we’re supposed to run straight lines and sometimes the lines run across gullies. You know I don’t like gullies, they can be really dangerous. We’re also in some heavily vegetated areas where we have to get off the line a bit.” It’s also challenging at times keeping his spirited two-year-old Brittany Spaniel, “Rose” on track. Fujimoto said for him the bird numbers have been a little bit disappointing, but reiterates what Larsen said, that compared to Utah and other western states, “these are great numbers.” He also explained that for many local families game bird hunting is not just sport but puts food on the table. “The whole wildlife situation here allows for, not pure subsistence living, but there are a lot of people who get their food from the wildlife here,” Fujimoto said. The next round of game bird surveys on Maunakea will happen after hunting season in February or March of next year. The survey design was created in cooperation with Dr. Javier Cotin and other researchers at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Dr. Shaya Honarvar, the Game Program Coordinator for DLNR/DOFAW concluded, “These datasets will help us tell a cohesive story about our game bird populations and how they’re doing. Involving the hunters, who actually use these resources, is a win-win, as they know the birds and the terrain and this gives them a real voice in how these lands are managed for hunting as recreation and for subsistence living.” # # # RESOURCES (All images/video courtesy: DLNR) HD web feature: New Game Bird Surveys Include Hunter Collaboration https://vimeo.com/296210714 HD video: b-roll and soundbites (shot sheet attached) https://vimeo.com/296192004 Photographs: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/r4z4pj494ly228j/AADr_9xf6fdF4HDvDanrYtcEa?dl=0 #dlnr #hunters #gamebirds #maunakea #DOFAW #Divisionofforestryandwildlife #sproat #bringhamyounguniversity #randylarsen #donfujimoto #waikaloa #Waikoloa #hawaii