People optimistic with travel plans; Pacific Islander translators; City trying to keep public transit safe; The Long View with Neal Milner: the continuing rural and urban political divide; Water buffalo return to Kauai to work rice fields
Survey gauges travelers' confidence
Hawaii's tourism has been slow to rebound following the rollout of the Japan travel bubble and the pretest Safe Travels program to avoid the 14-day quarantine. Many hotels have just announced plans to welcome guests back - some not until next month. We talked to Chris Kam of the Omnitrak Group, which regularly surveys travelers to Hawaii. So, just how confident are people to get on a plane amid the spiking COVID-19 numbers across the country?
Pacific Islander translators
Pacific Islanders in Hawaii continue to see the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 - making up nearly 30 percent of the state's coronavirus cases but only 4 percent of its population. For the thousands of Pacific Islanders who don't speak English, access to health care under the pandemic has been largely dependent on access to a language interpeter.
City trying to keep public transit safe
The City and County of Honolulu is trying to keep public transit safe as more bus drivers test positive for COVID-19. Most of the drivers' positive tests were attributed to factors outside of work. Three drivers, however, have filed workers' compensation claims. Civil Beat Reporter Marcel Honore gives us an update on TheBus and Handi-Van drivers, which reported its 21st positive COVID-19 case on Monday. Click here to read his story at CivilBeat.org.
The Long View with Neal Milner: the continuing rural and urban political divide
There is still a lot to learn about voters in the 2020 election, but a couple of important things show up if you look at the presidential vote, county by county. And that has big implications. Click here to read an article from Brookings Institution, "Biden-voting counties equal 70% of America's economy. What does this mean for the nation's political-economic divide?" Click here to read an article from Governing.com, "America's Ever-Widening Urban-Rural Political Divide."
Water buffalo return to Kauai to work rice fields
Kauai farmer Don Heacock planted rice to feed the native birds about five years ago. He says that caught the eye of the National Park Service officials with the Hanalei Heritage Wildlife Refuge. Heacock still has rice growing on his farm to keep the birds from his taro. He also scaled a hurdle last year, bringing in water buffalo, which was considered the workhorse during the reign of rice. We visited Heacock to check on his herd of eight water buffalo just before the shutdown this year and his journey towards an integrated farm.
Manu Minute
Missed the Manu Minute? Click here to see today's post and learn more about Hawaii's native birds.
