Imagine waking up one day and finding there was no water. No water to drink or to cook with. No water to brush your teeth, to shower, flush the toilet, or do laundry with. No water to fight fires or to irrigate our food crops. Hospitals would close, schools would close, businesses would shut down. Around the world and even here in the United States, many communities are struggling without access to clean fresh water. They experience first-hand the difficulties of trying to go a day without water, a precious and limited resource that most of us in Hawai‘i take for granted. "Please click photo above to view video" October 10, 2018 is the annual “Imagine a Day Without Water”. This is the fourth annual day bringing attention to the importance of fresh water and appreciating its true value to our communities. For more information go to http://imagineadaywithoutwater.org/ DLNR Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) Chairperson Suzanne Case says, “On this day, let us reflect on the importance of water in our lives and celebrate the people that work hard every day to provide us this life-giving resource — from the Department of Health, which carefully safeguards the quality of our drinking water, to the many water utilities that delivery water directly to our homes safely and reliably.” CWRM Deputy Director Jeffrey Pearson added, “Take a minute to consider the importance of water in your everyday life. Then, make a commitment to do your part to conserve this most precious of all our natural resources.” For easy, everyday tips on how to conserve water in your home, visit http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/cwrm/planning/conservation/ # # # (Resources) Video: credit Value of Water Campaign http://imagineadaywithoutwater.org/resources/video Photographs: Akaka Falls credit DLNR https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rwqeqvb1mkbz5bz/AACE0OrpcoGc-ZYfXAXCsWoQa?dl=0 Drought images credit DLNR https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tdpc5x36x1kq988/AABc8qg5NSVbdyWyC_U-at0la?dl=0 Imagine a Day without Water logo https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tdpc5x36x1kq988/AABc8qg5NSVbdyWyC_U-at0la?dl=0 #DLNR #IMAGINEADAYWITHOUTWATER #CommissiononWaterResourceManagement #CWRM #SuzanneCase #JeffreyPearson #conservation #DepartmentofHealth #Imagineadaywithoutwater

Gov. Ige has signed a fourth supplementary proclamation to support Hawai‘i Island’s recovery from Kilauea Volcano’s lava flows and activity. This fourth supplementary proclamation once again extends the authority to spend state funds as appropriated to protect the health, safety and welfare of Hawai‘i county residents. The proclamation also supports the state’s effort to provide quick and efficient relief of suffering, damage, and losses that were caused by the lava flows and volcanic activity. Gov. Ige signed the initial emergency proclamation on May 3, the day the latest Kilauea eruption began. The first supplementary proclamation was issued on May 9, the second supplementary proclamation was signed on June 5, and the third on Aug. 3. The fourth supplementary proclamation extends the disaster emergency relief period until Dec. 1, 2018. #disaster #disasteremergency #Hawaiiisland #volcano #supplementaryproclamation #governorige #davidige #hawaii #Kilauea #KilaueaVolcano

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) on October 3, 2018. The test was originally scheduled for September 20, 2018 but due to ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence, the alert test was moved to the secondary date option. A backup date is always planned in case of widespread severe weather or other significant events on the primary test date. FEMA and the nation’s emergency management community remain committed to the life-saving activities occurring through parts of North Carolina and South Carolina. The WEA portion of the test commences at 8:18 a.m. HST and the EAS portion follows at 8:20 a.m. HST. The test will assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure for distribution of a national message and determine whether technological improvements are needed. Cell phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower and whose wireless carrier participates in WEAs should be capable of receiving the national test message and will receive the same special tone and vibration as with all WEA messages (i.e. Flash flood, AMBER Alert). This is the fourth EAS nationwide test and the first national WEA test. The WEA test message will be sent to cell phones. Previous successful EAS national tests were conducted in September 2011, 2016 and 2017 in collaboration with the FCC, broadcasters, and emergency officials. The EAS test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and is made available to EAS participants including radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers. The test message will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. The WEA test message will read “This is a test of the National Wireless Emergency Alert system. No action is needed.” The WEA system is used to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations through alerts on cell phones. It allows customers whose wireless provider participates in WEA and who own a WEA compatible wireless phone to receive geotargeted alerts of imminent threats to safety in their area through unique tones and vibration. The national WEA test will use the same special tone and vibration. #NATIONWIDETEST #EmergencyAlertSystem #WIRELESSEMERGENCYALERT #FederalEmergencyManagementAgency #FEMA #HurricaneFlorence #NationalWirelessEmergencyAlert #hawaii

A portable classroom at Ala Wai Elementary School has been transformed into the Jake Shimabukuro Clubhouse for Music Learning and Appreciation to enhance music education for students. Photo credit: KHON Known as “Jake’s Clubhouse,” the space is equipped with a range of instruments including more than 100 ukulele, a dozen guitars, four pianos and 15 percussion instruments, a mini recording studio, performance stage, classroom space and ukulele repair workshop. The ukulele virtuoso and Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner is a former student of Ala Wai Elementary and helped dedicate the classroom during a ceremony Tuesday along with the nonprofit Music for Life Foundation, which initiated the project. “Everything in there belongs to you. Get in there. Get inspired,” Shimabukuro told students gathered in the cafeteria for the announcement. “Whether or not we know it, we are all musicians. Music is the language of the universe. It helps us to communicate with each other. It helps us to connect with each other.” Ala Wai Principal Michelle DeBusca said the school, which already provides music education for students in all grade levels, envisions Jake’s Clubhouse serving as a resource center for students before, during and after school. “We want this room to be an inspiration and a place where students can come and explore. Teachers will sign up and use it as much as they want to,” DeBusca said. “Our teachers engage student curiosity and creativity to help our students figure out what their passions are.” Leo Daquioag, founder and president of Music for Life Foundation, said in addition to providing musical instruments, the clubhouse is designed to expose students to a range of careers in the music industry, including audio engineering, stage management and songwriting. “Our mission is to keep music alive in our schools and this is one of the ways to do it,” Daquioag said. The nonprofit organized sponsors to bring the clubhouse to life, including Kamaka Hawaii, Kala Brand Music Co., Shima Sound Studio and Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu. In recognition of the classroom dedication, Gov. David Ige proclaimed Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 “Music Learning and Appreciation Week” and Mayor Kirk Caldwell proclaimed Oct. 2 “Jake Shimabukuro Day.” #JakeShimabukuro #MusicforLifeFoundation #JakesClubhouse #AlaWaiElementary #MichelleDeBusca #LeoDaquioag #davidIge #kirkcaldwell #kamakahawaii #kamakaukulele #kalabrandmusic #ShimaSoundStudio #HardRockCafeHonolulu #Hawaii

Three Hawaii public school teachers are each vying for $100,000 in educational grants to fund innovative projects to engage students and enhance learning at their schools. Ryan Chatfield of Aiea High School, Leimamo Lind-Strauss of Ho‘okena Elementary School, and Zachary Morita of Niu Valley Middle School are among 15 finalists nationwide for the Thank America’s Teachers® Dream Big Teacher Challenge® sponsored by Farmers Insurance. The program awards more than $1 million annually in grants to teachers. The five finalists nationally who garner the most votes online from the public between Oct. 1 and Oct. 31 will each win $100,000 for their proposals. To vote, go to ThankAmericasTeachers.com and locate the Hawaii finalists. You may vote for each finalist once per day throughout the month of October. Here’s a look at Hawaii’s finalists and their grant pitches: Ryan Chatfield, a health science teacher at Aiea High, envisions developing the Health Science Student Development Center at her school. An existing building would be renovated and transformed into a center where students can gain experience and explore the healthcare field with professionals, learn clinical skills and teach important health skills to the community. The community would benefit from increased access to, and knowledge about, healthcare. Leimamo Lind-Strauss, a third-grade teacher at Ho‘okena Elementary on the Big Island, envisions creating a telescope observatory at her school. The observatory would serve as a centralized classroom for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Design, and Math (STEAM), and allow students to study the skies with hands-on astronomy. The observatory would host family nights to engage the community. Zachary Morita, a music teacher at Niu Valley Middle, envisions creating the Niu Valley Music Olympic Invitational. The event would bring together student and professional musicians from various instrumental mediums to perform in a live competitive setting. The competition would provide opportunities for students to be recognized for their hard work and talents while also enriching the community. “We are proud and excited to support our three teachers in the running for these highly sought-after grants to help enrich the learning environments at their schools and engage students,” said Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto. “I encourage all of our HIDOE ʻohana — teachers, students, parents, staff — and everyone in our communities to vote online daily through October to make these grants a reality for Ryan, Leimamo, Zachary and their students. Last year's winner, Stevenson Middle science teacher Patricia Morgan, shows Hawaii has what it takes to win.” Farmers Insurance reviewed hundreds of proposals from teachers nationwide before selecting 15 finalists through a competitive review process to advance to the public voting phase. The insurer expects to announce the five winners in December. “These teachers embody everything we celebrate on World Teacher’s Day October 5 and I urge the Hawaii community and the entire nation to vote to help make their big dreams a reality,” said Melanie Joseph, marketing manager for Farmers Insurance Hawaii. ### About the Hawaii State Department of Education The Hawaii State Department of Education is the 10th 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. #TheHawaiiDepartmentofEducation #BigDreams #ZacharyMorita #NiuValleyMiddleSchool #RyanChatfield #AieaHighSchool #LeimamoLindStrauss #HookenaElementarySchool #ThankAmericasTeachersDreamBigTeacherChallen #FarmersInsurance #DreamBigTeacherChallenge #ChristinaKishimoto #HIDOE #StevensonMiddleSchool #PatriciaMorgan #FarmersInsuranceMelanieJosept #Hawaii

As National Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins, the American Cancer Society says remarkable progress against the disease should not obscure the significant challenges remaining. The Facts: Thanks to largely stable incidence rates, improved treatment, as well as earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, a woman's risk of dying of breast cancer dropped 39 percent between the late 1980s and 2015, translating into more than 300,000 breast cancer deaths avoided during that time. Despite that progress, there's much more to be done. Breast cancer is still the second-leading cause of cancer death in women, second only to lung cancer. There is still a large racial gap in mortality, with African-American women having higher death rates compared to whites, even as incidence rates are similar. The American Cancer Society's estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2018 are: About 266,120 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women. About 63,960 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer). About 40,920 women will die from breast cancer. While black and white women get breast cancer at roughly the same rate, the mortality rate is 42% higher among black women than white women. At this time, there are more than 3.1 million people with a history of breast cancer in the United States. (This includes women still being treated and those who have completed treatment.) Risk factors: Numerous studies have confirmed that alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer in women by about 7%-10% for each one drink of alcohol consumed per day on average. Women who have 2-3 alcoholic drinks per day have a 20 percent higher risk of breast cancer compared to non-drinkers. Obesity increases the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Risk is about 1.5 times higher in overweight women and about 2 times higher in obese women than in lean women. Growing evidence suggests that women who get regular physical activity have a 10%-25% lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who are inactive, with stronger evidence for postmenopausal than premenopausal women. Limited but accumulating research indicates that smoking may slightly increase breast cancer risk, particularly long-term, heavy smoking and among women who start smoking before their first pregnancy. If you or someone you love are concerned about developing breast cancer, has been recently diagnosed, are going through treatment, or are trying to stay well after treatment, the American Cancer Society provides important information on these topics and more. What the American Cancer Society is Doing The ACS currently funds 155 multi-year grants focused on breast cancer totaling $60.2 million. We have played a key role in many of the advances against breast cancer, including funding early work that eventually led to the development of tamoxifen and Herceptin. Join us and help save lives from breast cancer: Fund-raise and participate in one of more than 250 Making Strides events or participate virtually at makingstrideswalk.org. The American Cancer Society's nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is also working to make fighting breast cancer a national priority. ACS CAN is committed to ensuring that all women have the opportunity to receive lifesaving cancer screenings and services. Working in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., ACS CAN advocates for adequate funding for early detection programs that provide access to affordable breast cancer screenings and diagnostic services to low-income, uninsured and underinsured women. To learn more about ACS CAN's advocacy work and to help make fighting breast cancer a priority in your community, visit acscan.org/makingstrides. SOURCE American Cancer Society For further information: Kathi Di Nicola, 651.276.9992, Kathi.dinicola@cancer.org #breastcancer #breastcancerawarness #americancancersociety #makingstrideswalk #AmericanCancerSocietyCancerActionNetwork #ACSCAN #NationalBreastCancerAwarenessMonth

(Kihei) -A wise old saying, an ‘olelo no‘eau, sums up what the staff at ‘Āhihi-Kina‘u (NAR) hope people will get out of its new information kiosk: Everybody paddles the canoes together; bail and paddle, paddle and bail, and the shore is reached (E lauhoe mai na wa‘a; i ke kā, i ka hoe; i ka hoe, i ke kā; pae aku i ka ‘āina). Click on image to watch video NAR staff is asking everyone, residents as well as visitors, to paddle together, to protect its resources each time they visit. They hope the central idea, that caring for a place is everyone’s responsibility, comes through loud and clear with the new outdoor information kiosk. This is why the information panels are in the shapes of two wa‘a, or canoes, and the shade structures overhead are in the shapes of canoe sails. ‘Āhihi-Kina‘u is the third most visited outdoor site on Maui, with up to 900 people snorkeling the reefs at Kanahena, and an average of over 2,000 passing through its main parking lot daily. People come to snorkel, swim, surf or take a short hike. Jeff Bagshaw the reserve’s Information Specialist explained, “Most of our visitors don’t realize the reserve’s first mission is to protect its exceptional resources, not to create recreational opportunities. Fewer still understand the collective impact so many people can have when doing simple, careless things, such as getting in and out of the ocean at random points on the coastline, standing on either corals or algae covered rocks in the ocean, or wearing chemical sunscreens into the water.” “Nowadays, most people don’t have the patience to go through a visitor center and learn about a place, they want to have an adventure first and ask questions later,” notes Jeff Bagshaw. “That’s why we designed an outdoor kiosk that we hope everyone will stop to read for just 60 seconds before they go hiking or get into the water. The canoe-shaped panels will hopefully attract people to stop and look at the map to see where they are, read the rules, the reasons we have them, and then do the simple things to care for themselves and this place each time they visit, to make less of an impact.” The ‘olelo about paddling appears on the southside or left panel which explains about the reasons for the reserve’s existence. Many people think about the reserve as only one thing: their favorite snorkel or surf spot, but there’s more to it than that. So the northside or right panel starts with a quote from the Kumulipo: Hanau ka ‘Uku-ko‘ako‘a, hanau kana, he ‘Ako‘ako‘a, puka (Born was the coral polyp, born was the coral, came forth). Corals are the first living organisms cataloged in this creation chant, which means for many generations they have been recognized as a basis for island life. The reserve’s famous reef is just one of five major resources it was created to protect. It also contains the youngest lava flows on Maui, from origin point to sea. In addition, there are anchialine pools, dryland forests, and many important archeological sites. “This is a cultural landscape too and that’s probably the hardest resource to visualize or grasp. This is what a healthy reef should look like, as close as we can get to the way you would have seen it hundreds of years ago, this is what a new lava flow would have looked like to people many generations back. You can swim in their footsteps,” said Bagshaw. “That’s another reason we chose the shapes of the wa‘a, to honor and recognize traditional wisdom.” For the observant, other cultural messages are woven-in. On the left panel, all the animals pictured are also ‘aumakua. On the right panel, all but one species shown are endemic, or found only in Hawai‘i. Even strategically placed holes in the shade panels overhead contain some clues about traditional navigation. QR codes and URL addresses direct the curious to more in-depth and up to date information about the resources such as coral reef biology, anchialine pools and more posted on DLNR’s website. Padilla Designs, a local Maui company that specializes in artistic/architectural metal works, built the sail-shaped shades, and a generous donation from an anonymous donor helped complete funding for the project. Many paddlers again. “When someone tells me they’ve been coming here for years, then admits they learned something new, there’s hope we can protect this place,” reflects Bagshaw. “Recently, a visitor told me she felt like she was entering a sacred place, and I said that to many of us, you are.” (All images/video: Courtesy DLNR) HD video: (shot sheet attached) https://vimeo.com/292488614 HD video: (underwater) https://vimeo.com/292494568 Photographs: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jkis0ftnrbw6jxe/AABvIvoSSo8WZTyUYN4vchZ3a?dl=0 Information on ‘Āhihi-Kina‘u Natural Area Reserve: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/nars/maui/ahihi-kinau-2/ For information on volunteering at ‘Āhihi-Kina‘u: Contact: jeff.w.bagshaw@hawaii.gov or (808)264-7891 News Release: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/blog/2018/09/29/nr18-199/ #ĀHIHIKINAU #ahihikinau #kihei #kiosk #malamamessaging #education #forestry #wildlife #naturalareareserves #DEPARTMENTOFLANDANDNATURALRESOURCES #DLNR #PadillaDesigns #JeffBagshaw #coral #aumakua #hawaii

Kalihi Uka, Mililani Uka and Pauoa elementary schools have been named 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools Program award winners by the US Department of Education. The program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools based on academic performance and progress closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. The three Hawaii schools were among 349 winners nationwide announced today by US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. "The National Blue Ribbon Schools award is a tremendous accomplishment that reflects the hard work and commitment of an entire school community," said Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto. "These schools serve as models of excellence as we continue our work to elevate student voice, design schools that meet the unique needs of its students, and support the efforts of our teachers. Congratulations to Kalihi Uka, Mililani Uka and Pauoa elementary schools on this prestigious recognition." Public schools nominated for the National Blue Ribbon Schools award must meet one of two performance award criteria: Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s subgroups and all students over the past five years. Schools are ranked based on one year of performance in math and reading. The eligible top six schools that meet the criteria set by the National Blue Ribbon Schools are presented to a selection committee of local community members. The committee selects the top three schools to be considered for nomination of the award. The U.S. Department of Education will formally recognize all the honored schools at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on November 7 and 8. Mililani Uka Elementary outpaced other school Strive HI performance averages in English Language Arts (ELA, 28 percent higher), Math (26 percent higher) and Science (25 percent higher) in School Year 2016-17. For the last four years, teachers at Mililani Uka have been receiving professional development focused on instructional strategies in core content areas. Students have benefited from consistent language and interwoven curriculum topics. Continuous collaboration on instructional practices and the analysis of testing and student data have resulted in increased student proficiency and reduced achievement gaps. Mililani Uka currently serves a student body of 699 students. Kalihi Uka Elementary outpaced other school Strive HI performance averages in ELA (19 percent higher), Math (16 percent higher) and Science (11 percent higher) in School Year 2016-17. The school attributes its successes to “Impact Teams” that examined classroom data to prioritize learning needs and craft goals and objectives for all students. Differentiated levels of support for teachers also enabled them to implement rigorous lessons that led to increased student achievement. Teacher collaboration has cultivated a culture of open communication and effective working relationships. Kalihi Uka currently serves a student body of 239 students. Pauoa Elementary outpaced other school Strive HI performance averages in ELA (26 percent higher), Math (33 percent higher) and Science (26 percent higher) in School Year 2016-17. The school prides itself on educating the whole child and designed a unique continuous improvement system centered on data analysis. Over the past four years, Pauoa has seen overall increases in ELA scores of 23 percent, in Math of 37 percent and Science of 15 percent. Pauoa currently serves a student body of 291 students. For more information on the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, please visit: ed.gov/nationalblueribbonschools. ### 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 Director of Communications 
 Phone: (808) 586-3232 
 E-mail: lindsay_chambers@hawaiidoe.org #NationalBlueRibbonSchools #USSecretaryofEducation #BetsyDeVos #ChristinaKishimoto #USDepartmentofEducation #MililaniUkaElementary #StriveHI #KalihiUkaElementary #PauoaElementary #HawaiiStateDepartmentofEducation #KingKamehamehaIII

Do you practice good cyber hygiene? The Hawaii State Public Library System, in partnership with the Hawaii Department of Defense Office of Homeland Security and the (ISC)2 Hawaii Chapter, will be offering cyber safety awareness programs at various public libraries throughout the month of October. Cybersecurity professionals will discuss malware protection, passwords, wifi usage, online shopping and banking, scams, safe email habits, phishing, data backup, and social media. These free one-hour programs will include a question & answer session. Teens, college students and adults are highly encouraged to attend! Programs will be held at: Island of Oahu Thursday, October 4, 6 p.m. – Nanakuli Public Library Saturday, October 6, 10:30 a.m. – Aiea Public Library Saturday, October 6, 1 p.m. – Hawaii State Library Sunday, October 7, 2 p.m. – Kaneohe Public Library Thursday, October 11, 5:30 p.m. – Waikiki-Kapahulu Public Library Tuesday, October 16, 6:30 p.m. – Kahuku Public & School Library Sunday, October 21, 3 p.m. – Pearl City Public Library Saturday, October 27, 10 a.m. – Kalihi-Palama Public Library Saturday, October 27, 10:30 a.m. – Liliha Public Library Saturday, October 27, 10:30 a.m. – Mililani Public Library Saturday, October 27, 2:00 p.m. – Kapolei Public Library Hawaii Island Tuesday, October 9, 5:30 p.m. – Kailua-Kona Public Library Wednesday, October 10, 2:30 p.m. – Keaau Public & School Library Wednesday, October 10, 5:30 p.m. – Hilo Public Library Island of Maui Saturday, October 20, 10 a.m. – Makawao Public Library Saturday, October 20, 3 p.m. – Kahului Public Library Thursday, October 25, 6 p.m. – Wailuku Public Library Island of Kauai Wednesday, October 24, 6 p.m. – Waimea Public Library Wednesday, October 31, 6:30 p.m. – Koloa Public & School Library For more information on cyber safety awareness, visit http://dod.hawaii.gov/ohs/cyber. All programs are subject to change. If you require an auxiliary aid or accommodations due to a disability, please contact the hosting library at least 7 days before the program date. https://www.librarieshawaii.org/2018/09/24/cybersecurity-programs/ #HawaiiStatePublicLibrarySystem #cybersecurity #internet #homelandsecurity #hawaiisenate #Hawaiidepartmentofdefense #OfficeofHOmelandSecurity

NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS TOP 20 JOBS IN HAWAII The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) released a report on Top 20 Occupations in Hawaii. Retail Sales Workers topped the list at 42,445 workers in 2016, which accounted for 5.9 percent of Hawaii’s civilian workforce; followed by Food and Beverage Serving Workers at 40,775, which accounted for 5.7 percent of Hawaii’s civilian workforce. Construction Trade Workers ranked third place 34,137, which accounted for 4.8 percent of Hawaii’s civilian workforce. “This report is an important tool to understand Hawaii’s current job market, as we continue to look for ways to diversify job opportunities for our local residents,” said DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria. When looking at the growth rates, Nursing, Psychiatric, and Home Health Aides grew the most at 71.4 percent between 2001 and 2016. This reflects the growth of our elderly population and the increase in demand for home healthcare. In 2001, about 13.4 percent of our population were 65 years of age or above, that percentage increased to 17.2 percent in 2016. Among the top 20 fastest growing occupations between 2001 and 2016, seven of them were healthcare related such as Nursing, Psychiatric, Home Health Aids, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapist Assistants, Other Personal Care and Service Workers, Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners, Health Technologists and Technicians, Other Healthcare Support Occupations, Other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. “Among the top 20 occupations between U.S. and Hawaii, only two occupations were different. In the U.S., Computer Occupations and Health Technologists and Technicians were among the top 20, while in Hawaii Top Executives and Other Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers were among the top 20,” noted Chief State Economist Dr. Eugene Tian. “The number of Construction Trade Workers in Hawaii had the second largest growth between 2001 and 2016, because construction in Hawaii was at a downturn in 2001. Nevertheless, Construction Trade Workers made up the third largest occupation group for Hawaii and the fourth largest for the nation.” The following are a few of the findings in the report: • In terms of number of jobs, Retail Sale Workers ranked the largest occupation in Hawaii with 42,445 workers in 2016; followed by Food and Beverage Serving Workers at 40,775; and Construction Trade Workers at 34,137. • By percentage growth, the fastest growing occupations between 2001 and 2016 are those in healthcare and construction industries. Nursing, Psychiatric, and Home Health Aid workers increased 71.4 percent between 2001 and 2016; construction trade workers increased 53.2 percent; and Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapist Assistants increased 50.9 percent during the same period. • By number of workers, Construction Trade Workers increased the most by 11,860, between 2001 and 2016; followed by Food and Beverage Serving Workers with an additional 7,446; and Cooks and Food Preparation Workers at 4,990 additional. • The highest paying occupation in Hawaii in 2017 was Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners with median hourly earnings of $46.11; followed by Top Executives at $45.31; and Lawyers, Judges, and Related Workers at $42.06. • Among the top 20 occupations, Asians were the largest racial group in all the categories except Top Executives, where White had the largest proportion. • Male-dominated occupations included Construction Trades with 98.5 percent of male workers; Other Installation, Maintenance and Repair Workers (95.7 percent); and Motor Vehicle Operators (87.9 percent). On the contrary, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants had 92.8 percent of female workers; followed by Financial Clerks (84.4 percent); and Other Office and Administrative Support (77.7 percent). • Food service related occupations, including Food and Beverage Serving Workers and Other Food Preparation and Serving related workers, had the largest share of Millennials at 61.9 percent and 54.7 percent, respectively. Generation X accounted for more than 40 percent of total workers in Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners (40.1 percent); Preschool, Primary, Secondary and Special Education School Teachers (40 percent); and Business Operations Specialists (39.9 percent). Top Executives and Building Cleaning and Pest Control Workers comprised more senior workers, those born before 1965, at 49.1 percent and 44.7 percent, respectively. • Among the top 20 occupation groups, majority of the Food and Beverage Serving Workers (98.9 percent); Retail Sales Workers (94.1 percent); and Cooks and Food Preparation Workers (93.7 percent) worked in private sectors. 71.2 percent of the Preschool, Primary, Secondary and Special Education Teachers were government employees. • Compared with other top 20 occupations, Top Executives were the most likely to work full-time, with 93.4 percent; followed by Other Installation, Maintenance and Repair Workers at 91.2 percent. 62 percent of Other Food Preparation and Serving related workers, for instance, Dishwashers and Dining Room Attendants, were part-time workers. • Among the top 20 occupations, 69.6 percent of Material Moving Workers and 66.8 percent of Building Cleaning and Pest Control Workers had a high school diploma or below. On the contrary, 87.7 percent of Preschool, Primary, Secondary and Special Education Teachers and 82.7 percent of Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners had bachelor’s degree or higher. • In 2016, there were 29,438 STEM occupations in Hawaii, representing 4.1 percent of total employment. • Civil Engineers topped the list of STEM occupation with 2,227 jobs in 2016, accounting for 0.31 percent of total civilian jobs. Nine computer-related occupations, appeared in the top 20, made up nearly 31.5 percent of STEM employment. • Among the top 20 STEM occupations, Electrical Engineers were the fastest-growing occupations, with an annual growth rate of 2.25 percent over the period of 2001-2016, followed by Biological Technicians at 2 percent. • Three fourth of STEM occupations were male workers, though the ratio was 50-50 among the non-STEM occupations. • STEM job holders tend to be younger, with 73.6 percent born after 1964, compared with 68.7 percent in non-STEM jobs. Generation X made up 38.2 percent of STEM jobs, 4.8 percentage points higher than in non-STEM jobs. • Not surprisingly, majority of STEM jobs had a bachelor degree or above. The ratio of bachelor degree or higher degree holders in STEM jobs was more than double the ratio in non-STEM jobs. Only 6.6 percent of STEM jobs had high school diploma or below, compared with one third of non-STEM jobs. The full report is available at: http://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/economic/reports/Top20_Occupations_Hawaii_2018.pdf #jobs #retailsales #foodandbeverage #nursing #psychiatric #homehealthaides #DepartmentofBusinessEconomicDevelopmentandT #DBEDT #hawaii #eugenetian #constructiontradeworkers

Gov. David Ige’s request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration to address the impacts of Hurricane Lane has been granted. The disaster declaration covers floods, wildfires and other disasters that occurred because of the hurricane between Aug. 22-29, 2018. The Declaration means the state will receive support from the Public Assistance Grant Program for emergency and repair work for disaster-damaged facilities on Hawai‘i Island , Maui and Kaua‘i. In addition, the state will receive assistance from the Hazard Mitigation Program for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property in the event of a natural disaster. “The approval of our Presidential Disaster Declaration request will help our state recover more efficiently and quickly from the effects of Hurricane Lane. We thank President Trump and FEMA for approving our request, and for the attention they have given our state as we’ve faced a series of challenges over the last few months. We are grateful for their support as we continue our work to keep our residents and visitors safe,” said Gov. Ige. The governor’s request for individual assistance is under review. **Approval summary attached #governorige #hurricanelane #presidentialdisasterdeclaration #FEMA #PresidentTrump #PublicAssistanceGrantProgram #HazardMitigationProgram

State of Hawaii Commissioner of Financial Institutions Iris Ikeda joined a coalition of thirteen state banking regulators—lead by Pennsylvania’s Robin L. Wiessmann—asking Congressional leaders to consider legislation that creates a safe harbor for financial institutions to serve businesses operating legally under state law or to entrust states with the full oversight and jurisdiction of cannabis-related activity. Commissioner Ikeda and regulators from the other states sent a letter to Congress describing the well-documented conflict between federal and state law, which has created barriers for financial institutions desiring to serve businesses involved in state-licensed cannabis activities. The regulators cite a lack of clarity by the federal government for how financial institutions can serve this industry, without the threat of forfeiture of assets or criminal penalties, which results in many transactions occurring in cash. They shared their concerns with respect to public safety, increased difficulty of tracking the flow of funds, and contributions to a loss of economic activity, workforce development, and community development opportunities. “With 31—and possibly more—states allowing legal medical cannabis programs, we must find a solution to address the serious public safety concerns in having a cash intensive industry. We believe it is important to craft policy to respond to emerging challenges in this rapidly growing industry,” stated Ikeda. “We cannot ignore this federal-state conflict in laws which may make consumers who need to use this solution for treating their medical conditions feel like criminals.” As of August 1, 2018, 31 states, the District of Columbia and the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico have legalized medical and/or recreational cannabis usage. ### The Hawaii Division of Financial Institutions (DFI) ensures the safety and soundness of state-chartered and state-licensed financial institutions, and ensures regulatory compliance by state-licensed financial institutions, escrow depositories, money transmitters, mortgage servicers, mortgage loan originators and mortgage loan originator companies, by fairly administering applicable statutes and rules, in order to protect the rights and funds of depositors, borrowers, consumers and other members of the public. Website: http://cca.hawaii.gov/dfi/ Twitter: @HawaiiDFI #dcca #StateofHawaiiCommissionerofFinancialInstitut #Robinwiessman #irisikeda #cannabis #congress #medicalcannabis #recreationalcannabis #hawaiidviisionoffinancialinstitutions