Hawaii's hurricane season on the horizon; Hawaii's homeowners handbook to prepare for natural disasters; Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders facing higher coronavirus infection rates;  How Asian giant hornets could get to the Islands 

As storm season approaches, FEMA talks hurrican preparedness

Federal weather forecasters are preparing to roll out their predictions for the upcoming hurricane season, which runs from June to November. Robert Fenton, the regional administrator for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) Region 9, talks hurricane preparedness and how it relates to the COVID-19 crisis.

Homeowners handbook prepares you for natural disasters

Hawaii really wrote the book on preparing for natural hazards. The Homeowner's Handbook has been used as a model for many communities across the continent and in countries across the Pacific. Dennis Hwang is on the faculty at NOAA's Sea Grant program and one of the book's co-authors, and he tells us what's new in the 4th edition. Click here for more information on the May 12 webinar, "Communication for Community Resilience: The Homeowner's Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards." Click here for a link to to the book, "Homeowner's Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards."

Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders facing higher coronavirus infection rates

In many Western states, as well as Arkansas which has a large Marshallese population, these communities have virus rates that far exceed their share of the population. Civil Beat Politics & Opinion Editor Chad Blair discusses how COVID-19 rates in these communities are disproporitionate to their population. Click here to read reporter Anita Hofschneider's story at CivilBeat.org.

How Asian giant hornets could get to the Islands

The Asian giant hornet has been found in Canada and Washington state. It has been nicknamed the murder hornet for its destructiveness to bee hives. Darcy Oishi of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture's plant quarantine branch tells us about the threat of the hornet and how it could get to Hawaii.