COSPILOT

Single Mom with two young kids was on the news this morning and brought up a valid point. She and her children are still stuck at home with the new policy.

DELee

Policy and proclamations tend to be rather blunt instruments at best.

David

nomad420

I felt that way as well but as some here know on this thread I "bit the bullet" and did the quarantine and ended up loving my time on the Big Island at my home. The quarantine was a drag for sure so don't get me wrong. I just worked from my home office for 2 straight weeks and knocked a lot of work out during that time. The only bummer was at the end of my stay ( I just returned to the mainland unfortunately) they did indeed close the beaches (friday prior to the holiday weekend). This was taken seriously as I went to a secluded beach I know I was approached and told to basically swim/surf and then get out or face a fine. The guy. whomever he was, had a camera and threatened to film if I didn't leave. This was Friday AM and to be fair I was told the closing of the beaches was to be at Friday midnight. BTW, this wasn't just Oahu like previous beach closures, this included the Big Island. Overall I had a great time and will return in November.

Boraxo

A radio news story said that Hawaii was planning to implement a program that would require instant tests for tourists without quarantine. Of course that has been previously proposed, and makes good sense (i.e. works for Iceland) which is why I would not hold my breath

Beach closures are idiotic - there are no documented cases of people catching COVID on the beach when they are properly distanced. The problem is with people who don't obey the rules, and they will just find another place to transmit COVID when they mingle with others. Spending time outdoors is good for mental health. But I digress...

mtofell

I totally agree with everything here..... I have elderly parents and a company on the mainland to work/run and my wife/kids are in Maui so when I come visit I never get close to the 14-days. I've been heading over every other week for 4-5 days. 2 of which are flying so really it's just 2-3 days on the island. I get to hang with my family which is great but even during those few days I go a bit crazy stuck inside - at least the patio gets sun for a few hours a day so I can go back to the mainland and brag

I'm REALLY looking forward to some type of a Covid test/quarantine exemption. As a tax paying local I can't help but feel a bit screwed by this whole thing but, of course, I realize there are many folks A LOT worse off than me. It's just that with a company to work/run and elderly parents to care for (both on the mainland) I don't have a choice but to travel back and forth. Being in "jail" at home is just something I have to deal with. Logistically, it seems totally ridiculous that I can come from the mainland potentially infected and interact with my family without any restrictions... leaving them to go pass along anything I've brought with me.

nnn

Looks like FS Maui just pushed back its opening date to November 20. Wonder if even that’s really going to happen...

toadman

Hawaii is number one!

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/these...143941085.html

20.3% seems way too low though.

According to the Department of Labor’s latest report, which breaks out the insured unemployment rate (a ratio of people on unemployment benefits divided by labor force) through August 22, Hawaii is currently suffering the worst employment picture with a nation-leading insured unemployment rate of 20.3%.

bpe

That 20.3% is those who are actually on unemployment benefits and doesn't include:

- Employees with greatly reduced hours but still technically employed
- Some seasonal employees that were just not rehired this year
- Self-employed people and freelancers
- Anyone getting paid under the table
- High school/college graduates who would normally enter the workforce but can't
- Anyone else who either couldn't or didn't apply for unemployment for any other reason

Some of them may be eligible for other CARES Act relief measures but still aren't counted in the statistics. So yes, the real number is definitely higher but a bit harder to measure.

spier072

Anyone see this? Hawaii ready for Oct 1?
https://beatofhawaii.com/hawaii-trav...ber-reopening/

toadman

Agreed. The point being, that the people of HA are really hurting, and the real rate of unemployment or under employment isn't captured in the federal numbers.

Weatherboy

Green is Hawaii's biggest flip flopper so take what he says with a grain of salt. Two weeks ago he was calling for total lockdown of Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii. Yesterday, he was complaining the Oahu lockdown is too strict.

Last week he was pushing for the transpacific travel ban to run through November. Yesterday, he said there should be a 3-week test of a testing program for interisland travelers, using that to inform how the transpacific testing program would work. So if that was to start next week, that would mean no 10/1 for transpacific.

He is as useless as Ige.

denver19

Anecdotal report: I was walking down the Kaanapali beach walk today and some employees were putting up tables and chairs on the Leilani's lanai. Also, the manager over at Hula Grill was prepping the Hula Barefoot bar.... Maybe its just coincedence, but those places have been devoid of activity.

Also, my biz partner here on Maui is born and raised. He was fully on board with the local notion that the world will end when transpac resumes. He went to the mainland last week (now quarantining). He laughed this morning and said: "the mainland is functioning. "We (Maui) need to get our heads out of the sand. If everyone from here could experience the mainland for a few days, we would reopen immediately."

Boraxo

I'm not sure I would agree. While some businesses have re-opened on the mainland (fewer here in CA than other states) the tourism, restaurant and entertainment business has been decimated. 50% of restaurants have gone out of business or may never re-open. There are a few exceptions (i.e. Lake Tahoe). Life here is nothing like it was pre-COVID. Most of us on the West Coast can't even enjoy the outdoors anymore due to the smoke and ash.

The only reason the mainland economy is in better shape is due to diversification, and that many of us are fortunate enough to be able to continue working from home. Telework doesn't work for tourism.

denver19

Only 50% going under? That would be a dream here in west Maui. Lahaina looks like some kind of post apocalyptic zombie movie (the Front St campers are the only people left). Our problem isnt lack of diversification. Our problem is a 14 day quarantine for people flying in. The day that lifts, is the day Maui begins to climb out of a depression. Please, test, trace and remove the quarantine.

azepine00

but teleworking would work from HI if someone let us in.
Outdoorsy locations (tahoe coastal sierras) around CA are absolutely packed. I was stuck for 6-7 ht driving to and from Vegas over the weekend - throngs of californians headed to leisure travel destinations now. Every airline is adding flights targeting vacation travel.