Latest news with #JAMMAQUINO
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Oahu babysitter gets 20 years for death of infant in her care
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Anna Lobisch, mother of Abigail Lobisch, makes a statement after the sentence is announced for Dixie Denise Villa in the circuit courtroom of judge Faauga To 'oto 'o. 1 /3 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Anna Lobisch, mother of Abigail Lobisch, makes a statement after the sentence is announced for Dixie Denise Villa in the circuit courtroom of judge Faauga To 'oto 'o. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Former Navy housewife Dixie Denise Villa, who appeared for sentencing in a white prison jumpsuit, did not address the court at the advice of counsel because she plans to appeal the case. She is seen departing after sentencing. 2 /3 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Former Navy housewife Dixie Denise Villa, who appeared for sentencing in a white prison jumpsuit, did not address the court at the advice of counsel because she plans to appeal the case. She is seen departing after sentencing. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Anna Lobisch, mother of Abigail Lobisch, reacts today as the sentence is announced for Dixie Denise Villa in the courtroom of judge Faauga To 'oto 'o. 3 /3 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Anna Lobisch, mother of Abigail Lobisch, reacts today as the sentence is announced for Dixie Denise Villa in the courtroom of judge Faauga To 'oto 'o. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Anna Lobisch, mother of Abigail Lobisch, makes a statement after the sentence is announced for Dixie Denise Villa in the circuit courtroom of judge Faauga To 'oto 'o. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Former Navy housewife Dixie Denise Villa, who appeared for sentencing in a white prison jumpsuit, did not address the court at the advice of counsel because she plans to appeal the case. She is seen departing after sentencing. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Anna Lobisch, mother of Abigail Lobisch, reacts today as the sentence is announced for Dixie Denise Villa in the courtroom of judge Faauga To 'oto 'o. The Oahu babysitter who was convicted of manslaughter in the death of a 7-month-old girl under her care in 2019 was sentenced today to 20 years in prison. Judge Fa 'auuga To 'oto 'o sentenced Dixie Denise Villa this morning in First Circuit Court after a jury found her guilty as charged on Nov. 15 for the manslaughter of Abigail Lobisch, who died on Feb. 23, 2019, of an overdose of the active ingredient in Benadryl. The former Navy housewife, who appeared for sentencing in a white prison jumpsuit, did not address the court at the advice of counsel because she plans to appeal the case. Villa remained stoic as the judge sentenced her. Megan Kau, Villa's attorney, asked the court for 10 years' probation since she has no recent convictions and has two minor children. But the judge said he has no choice but 20 years of imprisonment based on the medical records in the case, including the amount of Benadryl found in the baby's blood. Anna Lobisch, the baby's mother, tearfully told the judge that her child was 'only 7 months old when she was cruelly taken from this world.' 4 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? .
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
DOE preps to minimize bus route disruptions
JAMM AQUINO / 2022 The state Department of Education is expanding its free bus pass program beginning Aug. 1 and also considering options that include a carpool pilot program. A school bus picks up students outside Kaimuki High School. JAMM AQUINO / 2022 The state Department of Education is expanding its free bus pass program beginning Aug. 1 and also considering options that include a carpool pilot program. A school bus picks up students outside Kaimuki High School. In response to ongoing transportation challenges, the state Department of Education is implementing proactive measures to minimize disruptions and expand options for the upcoming 2025-26 school year—an early move, compared with last school year. Less than a week into the 2024-25 school year, the DOE announced the suspension of 108 school bus routes, affecting nearly 2, 900 students statewide due to a severe shortage of school bus drivers. DOE officials said Tuesday during a media briefing that its EXPRESS program, which provides free county bus passes to qualifying students, will be expanded to include middle and intermediate school students beginning Aug. 1. High school students will remain eligible. Student Transportation Services Administrator Megan Omura emphasized that the program is optional. 'It's always an option, so it's up to their parents to have the discussion with their students, ' she said. 'If they feel that they're responsible enough to sign up for this and self-manage themselves on the city or county bus, they should absolutely sign up.' Students must meet existing distance requirements to qualify—at least 1 mile from school for elementary students and 1.5 miles for secondary students. Applications will open July 14. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. To further expand options, a new carpool pilot program will launch in two school complexes—Mililani in Central Oahu and Kekaulike in Upcountry Maui—and is expected to begin in August with the start of classes. More information on the carpool program will be available to families in the upcoming months. The program will provide support and resources to help families connect with others in their area to share school drop-off and pickup responsibilities. 'This carpool pilot is actually something brand new, ' Omura said, explaining that the department is funding the digital platform that will help families coordinate carpooling, walking groups or bike-sharing routines. Unlike EXPRESS, this program doesn't involve public transit, but focuses on peer-to-peer coordination among registered guardians. Safety is a key focus. Omura said the Attorney General's Office conducted an 'extensive agreement review, ' and parents must sign liability waivers before participating. 'These are not just random people, either, ' she said. 'They're only contacting parents that are registered, and guardians of the students that are attending these schools.' While the program won't offer gas reimbursements, Omura said the department is covering the cost of the platform itself as part of its broader goal to assist families who don't currently use DOE transportation services. 'There's a big community of families that opt to drive their students or walk with their students to school every day, ' she said. State schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi highlighted progress made since the fall, noting that service has been restored for nearly 3, 500 students following widespread suspensions at the start of the current school year. 'We're taking early, proactive steps to try to minimize disruptions and expand options, ' he said. As of this spring semester, 125 of the 138 suspended routes have been reinstated. Contractors are continuing targeted hiring efforts—including sign-on bonuses, wage increases and enhanced benefits—to restore the remaining 13 routes. Ground Transportation Inc.—DOE's school bus contractor for routes on Oahu, Maui and East Hawaii island—had put up job listings with a starting pay of $35 an hour on top of a $3, 000 hiring incentive for CDL school bus drivers. Roberts Hawaii School Bus, which services routes on Kauai, Oahu, Maui and West Hawaii island, has school bus driver postings that list starting pay of $34 to $36 an hour and a $1, 000 sign-on bonus. 'This school year, our contractors have hired 125 drivers for the first time, ' Hayashi said, calling it a collaborative effort with bus companies, county officials and the governor's office. 'While driver shortages continue to be a challenge across the country, we're committed to doing everything we can to ensure a smooth start to the school year.' The department will also continue prioritizing service for elementary students and students receiving curb-to-curb special-education transportation. 'We don't foresee any changes there, ' Omura said, though she acknowledged the situation could shift if drivers leave their positions. 'We just want to remind families that if your student is receiving curb-to-curb serv ices or is at elementary (school ), those student serv ices will be prioritized.' Omura described the current school year as particularly challenging due to the start of a new transportation contract cycle—the first in nearly a decade. 'It's pretty much like opening up a brand new business in a brand new area, ' she said. 'And I don't think any of us foresaw just how difficult it was going to be.' With those contracts now established for the next eight to nine years, Omura said the department expects greater stability going forward. Still, gaps remain. Omura noted that while services have nearly returned to pre-suspension levels, restoring full pre-COVID-19 coverage would require about 100 more drivers. The most acute shortages are in Maui and East Hawaii island, where long distances and limited route flexibility pose unique obstacles. To accelerate hiring, the state continues to leverage an emergency proclamation from Gov. Josh Green that temporarily allows certain commercial drivers to bypass normal requirements. The proclamation is set to expire May 20 but could be extended or replaced by pending legislation. Families are encouraged to stay informed through their schools and the HIDOE website as summer planning and hiring efforts continue. Applications for school bus service for school year 2025-26 open July 14. More information is available at
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawaii borrowers in default are among millions nationwide affected by end of payment pause
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Current and former students in default of their federal loans will soon start getting billed by the U.S. government as the Trump administration ends a COVID-19-era loan payment pause. At top, people made their way along the McCarthy Mall at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on Friday. 1 /3 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Current and former students in default of their federal loans will soon start getting billed by the U.S. government as the Trump administration ends a COVID-19-era loan payment pause. At top, people made their way along the McCarthy Mall at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on Friday. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ A woman walked out of the Student Services Building at UH Manoa on Friday. 2 /3 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ A woman walked out of the Student Services Building at UH Manoa on Friday. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Above is the Financial Aid Services office. 3 /3 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Above is the Financial Aid Services office. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Current and former students in default of their federal loans will soon start getting billed by the U.S. government as the Trump administration ends a COVID-19-era loan payment pause. At top, people made their way along the McCarthy Mall at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on Friday. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ A woman walked out of the Student Services Building at UH Manoa on Friday. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Above is the Financial Aid Services office. A pandemic-era pause for federal loan borrowers in default is set to end Monday, and millions of former and current students nationwide are bracing for renewed loan collections. The U.S. Department of Education's decision to resume collections is a significant step in winding down COVID-19 relief efforts that have been in place since March 2020. The pending change is causing anxiety for Hawaii residents not only in default on their student loans, but also those who are relying on them now for their education. Monthly loan payments and interest resumed in October 2023 for most federal student loan borrowers. But those in default—meaning they had already missed payments for an extended period—were given more time before aggressive collection measures restarted. That protection is now ending, and borrowers who have not taken action to address delinquencies could face wage garnishments, tax refund seizures and other enforcement actions. The change means that residents in Hawaii and throughout the nation who relied on federal loans to fund their education no longer have the safety net of the collection pause. During the 2024 academic year, 6, 382 undergraduate students across the University of Hawaii System alone received federal student loans, with the majority—3, 988 students—enrolled at UH Manoa. The average loan amount for UH Manoa undergraduates was $6, 404. Additionally, 1, 707 graduate students were awarded federal loans, averaging $19, 143 per borrower. The end of the loan pause is a deep source of anxiety for Jen Kim, a Makiki resident and single mother of three. Her eldest son graduated from UH Manoa for his undergraduate studies, then completed dental school at the University of Washington. He is finishing his dental residency in Nevada. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Between his undergraduate and dental school loans, Kim said her son still owes nearly $200, 000 in federal student debt and has paid back about $12, 000. With interest on those loans resuming at a rate of 6.5 %, she worries that the balance will balloon. 'He's done everything right. He went to school here, got into dental school, and now he's training to serve our people back home, ' Kim said. 'But the interest is brutal. For every payment he makes, it feels like the total barely changes.' Nationally, dental school graduates carry some of the highest student loan debt in the country. The American Dental Education Association estimates that the average debt for the class of 2024 was about $312, 700. While Kim's son's balance is technically below the national average, it still feels staggering to the Kim family—especially with the high cost of living in Hawaii and limited affordable housing options. 'We've already helped him cover basic costs like groceries and rent, ' she said. 'Now we're helping with interest, too, and I'm pulling from my own savings. I just keep thinking : He wants to be a dentist in Hawaii, not in Vegas, but the system makes it hard for him to come home.' The family had hoped the federal payment pause would last until he finished residency, but with the pause ending in 2023 and defaulted loan collections now restarting in May, the pressure is back. 'It's not just the money. It's the stress, the sense that no matter how hard he works, he'll always be behind, ' she said. For Harvey Tagalicud, 23, a junior at UH Manoa's Shidler College of Business, the financial pressure of loans has been a constant companion throughout his academic journey. Tagalicud, a first-generation college student, said his total debt could land anywhere between $18, 000 and $35, 000, depending on how much financial hardship arises during emergencies. His experience with loans has included federal PLUS loans, a short-term 'shell loan ' for emergencies. Taga licud said he has carefully avoided unsubsidized loans thanks to financial literacy support from programs like Upward Bound. 'Loans might be the most valuable way for me to, in the short term, jump through my final semesters in college, ' he said. 'It's kind of a necessary evil—and I believe that's a sentiment for a lot of us in academia right now.' He said choosing the right loan type was just one part of a steep learning curve. 'We're making one of the biggest financial decisions, the first big financial decision in our lives, and something that we can't even comprehend sometimes, Tagalicud said. The psychological toll, he added, is just as real as the financial one. 'We learn in consumer psychology that if scarcity exists for a person, that becomes an overarching thing that always limits in the back of your head, ' Taga licud said. He emphasized that students are not trying to avoid responsibility, and said the current system discourages genuine learning. 'We're not trying to dodge loan repayments. We're trying to learn with genuine passion and curiosity, without being burdened by the financial weight that becomes one of the biggest decisions in our lives, ' he said. 'It's important we create policies that encourage us to become lifelong learners, not just lifelong debt payers.' For Ava Song, a third-year medical student from New York who plans to transfer to UH Manoa's John A. Burns School of Medicine, managing her education means juggling three part-time jobs while taking on more than $180, 000 in student loan debt. Song, who plans to return to Hawaii to serve the community and take advantage of in-state tuition, hopes that JABSOM's unique opportunities and financial aid packages will ease her financial burdens. In New York she's worked as a high school tutor, a clinic assistant sterilizing instruments and a weekend bartender—often logging 14-hour days split between work, classes and clinic rotations. 'It's exhausting, but I don't have much of a choice, ' Song said. 'Every dollar I earn is a dollar I don't have to borrow and a dollar that doesn't rack up interest later.' Alicia Malia, a 37-year-old physical therapist who graduated from UH Hilo in 2011, pointed out that student loan debt does not always end with graduation or even after establishing a career. 'The system told us to get a good education so we could get good jobs and live a good life, ' Malia said 'But the reality is that to get that education, most of us had to borrow a ton of money. We worked our asses off during school just to afford living, and then we graduate into jobs where we still have to work just as hard—not just to live, but to pay back what we borrowed.' Malia said she still owes around $28, 000 in student loans, despite working full time in her field for over a decade. The pandemic-era pause in payments, she said, helped her finally get ahead on other bills and build up some savings. 'That break gave me room to breathe. I could help my parents, fix my car, even take a short trip for the first time in years, ' she said. But now, with payments resumed and collections restarting for those in default, Malia said she's deeply worried about younger generations—including her niece, who just started at UH Manoa. 'They say it's the American dream, but it's just a dream—it's so hard to attain, ' she said. 'We're all chasing this version of success that's tied to college, but the truth is, we were set up. If you don't go to college, it's hard to make a living. If you do, you're buried in debt. By the time we finally pay everything off, our lives have already passed us by.' Students and graduates who are unsure of their loan status can check their accounts at
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Deportation of German teens raises concern
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Two German teens traveling to Hawaii made international headlines when they were handcuffed and deported. The international arrivals lobby at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport is shown Friday. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Two German teens traveling to Hawaii made international headlines when they were handcuffed and deported. The international arrivals lobby at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport is shown Friday. Two German teens who planned to visit Ha-waii in March as part of a months-long world adventure recently told a German newspaper that they were instead handcuffed, imprisoned and deported—an account making headlines worldwide and raising concerns about the impact on tourism if some international visitors are facing heightened risks at U.S. borders. Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, told the major daily German newspaper Ostee-Zeitung in a story published April 10, , that they were turned away because they were unable to present lodging confirmation for their entire stay in Hawaii, which was one of the stops on a world trip to celebrate graduating high school. 'They found it suspicious that we hadn't fully booked our accommodations for the entire five weeks in Hawaii, ' Pohl told the Ostsee-Zeitung. 'We wanted to travel spontaneously, just like we had done in Thailand and New Zealand.' But Customs and Border Protection Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham said in an emailed statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the teens were denied entry after attempting to enter the U.S. under false pretenses. 'One used a visitor visa, the other the visa waiver program, ' Beckham said. 'Both claimed they were touring California but later admitted they intended to work—something strictly prohibited under U.S. immigration laws for these visas.' Lepere told the German online publication , in an April 22 story that 'some of the answers were truly falsified ' in transcripts from their Hawaii ordeal. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. For example, Lepere said she told officials that she wanted to visit the U.S. 'to travel and visit my family in California.' But she said that 'the final answer on the paper was, 'Work for housing and extra spending money.' It reads as if we wanted to work illegally in the U.S., which we never said because it was never our intention.' The two teens told the Ostee-Zeitung that they spent a night in prison in Honolulu and then returned to their home in Rostock, Germany, via Tokyo, Qatar and Frankfurt three days after their arrest. They told that officials booked them on a flight to Tokyo because they did not want to return to New Zealand, the country that they had visited before Hawaii. Denis Salle, honorary German consul in Honolulu, provided this statement : 'The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in San Francisco is aware of the case and has been in contact with the relevant U.S. authorities. We kindly ask for your understanding that for reasons of privacy and data protection laws, we cannot provide further details on the case. Considering the procedures of the Customs and Border authorities, please refer to the relevant U.S. authorities.' Customs and Border Protection did not respond to the Star-Advertiser's query on how often visitors have been denied entry under similar circumstances in Hawaii and elsewhere and whether there have been any changes to the volume of visitors who are deported or to the policies around visitor deportations under the Trump administration. Still, the Star-Advertiser is aware of at least one other international visitor who was detained and deported from Hawaii since the German teens, and there have been recent media reports of other states deporting international visitors. The New York Times reported about a recent flurry in late March of international visitors attempting to enter the United States from other countries who were denied entry at border checkpoints, leading to either deportations to their home countries or days or weeks of detention. A 28-year-old British woman arrived in Britain the week of March 20 after she was held at an immigration detention center in Washington state for three weeks, according to The New York Times. She had attempted to enter the United States from Canada, and questions arose at the land-border crossing whether she had the correct visa. Her ordeal came shortly after two German tourists in separate incidents were deported after trying to enter the United States from Mexico. The Times said both had spent weeks in a detention center in San Diego, and both said they were unclear as to why they had been detained and deported. International tourism The purported stories from international visitors refused entry are sparking concerns about what travelers can expect at U.S. border crossings, which could further weaken international visitor demand. International arrivals to Hawaii are still far below the 2019 pre-COVID-19 level, and recovery already was sluggish even before the Trump Administration's tariffs, stricter border policies and geopolitical issues like talk of turning Canada and Greenland into states, or the administration's stance on NATO and the war between Russia and the Ukraine. In 2024 some 1.66 million visitors came to Hawaii on international flights, according to data from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. International arrivals were up 6.8 % from 2024 but down more than 45 % from the 2o19 pre-pandemic level. Jerry Gibson, president of the Hawai 'i Hotel Alliance, said Canadian travel to Hawaii already is only about half of what it was in 2019 and that travel from Japan to Hawaii still hasn't rallied despite a more favorable yen-to-dollar exchange rate. 'Next year from Japan I think we'll see 4 % or 5 % improvement, not the 10 % to 15 % that some people are talking about, ' Gibson said. 'Obviously, (European travelers ) aren't thrilled with us, so intuitively, you would think that we would get less, but we haven't been able to prove that yet because we don't get a lot of them.' In January and February, DBEDT reported that only 289, 719 visitors came to Hawaii on international flights, down 6.6 % from the start of 2024 ; and in February only 133, 960 visitors came to Hawaii on international flights, a 13 % drop from February 2024. Gibson said, 'I really hope that nothing like (the deportation of the German teens ) sets any kind of precedent. We are viewed as a very friendly state, and I hope that we can keep that feeling throughout the world.' But on Friday, posters on the Kauai, Hawaii Facebook site brought up the story of the German teens as a cautionary tale when responding to two 22-year-old New Zealanders who said they 'were looking to work on Kauai in exchange for food and accommodation in June and possibly July as a way to explore and immerse ourselves in the Hawaiian culture.' One poster said, 'Don't tell the immigration folks or you may find yourself sent back before you see a beach.' Mufi Hannemann, president and CEO for the Hawai 'i Lodging and Tourism Association and a board member of the Hawai 'i Tourism Authority, said, 'Any negative publicity about policies and procedures, whether it's on the federal or state level, is not good.' Hannemann, who represents HLTA on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, said the group was reappointed under the Trump administration and is awaiting its first meeting. The board is the advisory body to the U.S. Commerce Department on issues and concerns affecting the nation's travel and tourism industry. 'I'm sure that this will be a part of it because we are always talking about issues dealing with entry into our country, dealing with homeland security and Department of State, ' he said. 'That's a priority, especially as we are gearing up for what's going to happen in Los Angeles in a few years, whether it's the Olympics or the World Cup.' Gibson said he hopes there will be some official attempt to find alternative accommodations for travelers who are not criminals and have simply made mistakes at the border. 'We want to treat everyone with respect and aloha. It's tough to hear that (the German teens ) had to stay in detention, and we wish that there was another way that we could have done it, ' he said. Border controls Even before the incident with the German teens in Hawaii, the Trump administration's stringent border policies were garnering worldwide attention. It was just April 4, during a news conference in Brussels, that a journalist asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio what message that he would give to 'foreign citizens who may be afraid to come to the United States because they're concerned about potentially being detained over some minor administrative error or because they might have something on their phone—like criticism of the president or of the Israel-Gaza conflict.' Rubio said, 'I would say that if you're not coming to the United States to join a Hamas protest or to come here and tell us about how right Hamas is or to tell us about—stir up conflict on our campuses and create riots in our street and vandalize our universities, then you have nothing to worry about.' But the German teens arrived in Honolulu on March 18, and a day later Reuters reported that Germany's foreign ministry updated its travel advice website for the U.S. to clarify that neither approval through the U.S. ESTA system nor a U.S. visa entitles entry in every case. Germany's foreign ministry told Reuters that the update did not constitute a travel warning but said it was monitoring whether there had been a change in U.S. immigration policy after three nationals had been detained by the U.S. The three nationals referred to by the German foreign ministry did not try to enter Hawaii and did not include Pohl and Lepere, who alleged that the consequences for their seemingly minor entry oversight was severe. Pohl told the Ostsee-Zeitung, 'We were searched with metal detectors, our entire bodies were scanned and we had to stand naked in front of the police officers and were looked through. Then we were given green prison clothes and put in a prison cell with serious criminals.' Lepere also told the Ostsee-Zeitung that the experience 'was all like a fever dream. We had already noticed a little bit of what was going on in the U.S. But at the time we didn't think it was happening to Germans. That was perhaps very naive. We felt so small and powerless.' Jeff Joseph, an immigration lawyer in Denver, told The New York Times that those entering the United States with an ESTA are not allowed to study or work a permanent job. In this process, visitors 'waive ' a lot of rights, including the right to contest deportation. Because of that, people using this program can be subject to mandatory detention. U.S. federal law gives government agents the right to search people's property, including their phones and laptops, at border entry points. They do not need to be suspected of wrongdoing in order to be searched, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hawaii is ranked low for emergency readiness
JAMM AQUINO / 2020 Evacuees are directed inside the Hawai 'i Convention Center in advance of Hurricane Douglas. JAMM AQUINO / 2020 Evacuees are directed inside the Hawai 'i Convention Center in advance of Hurricane Douglas. Is Hawaii ready for the next public health emergency or disaster ? Hawaii is not as ready as it could be, according to the Trust for America's Health, which ranked the state among 13 low-performance states in its ' report. The Washington, D.C.-based think tank evaluated each state, using 10 key indicators ranging from public health funding to workforce mobility. On one hand, Hawaii got high marks for a higher-than-average flu vaccination rate, safe municipal water systems and low avoidable mortality. Hawaii is also among the 14 states that increased public health funding in 2024, and has a laboratory surge capacity plan in place. On the other hand, Hawaii got low marks for not being accredited for its public health and emergency management programs and its low hospital patient safety ratings. Hawaii is also not part of the, which enables nurses to practice across state lines. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. According to the trust, public health emergencies in the U.S.—from measles outbreaks to wildfires and extreme heat—demonstrate the need for consistent investment in public health infrastructure and workforce, and programs that support health in every community. The report noted that 2024 began 'with the continued aftermath of the devastating wildfires in Hawaii, which necessitated multiple renewals of public health emergency declarations due to ongoing health risks, infrastructure challenges, and the prolonged recovery process.' 'These wildfires, ' the report said, 'highlighted the critical need for appropriate environmental health strategies and long-term support for disaster-stricken communities.' The rest of the year was packed with powerful hurricanes that devastated multiple states. The H5N1 bird flu, meanwhile, poses a looming threat as it continues to spread through livestock, poultry and wild birds. A special section on bird flu includes recommendations from public health experts on steps the U.S. should take to prevent it from evolving into the next pandemic. Hawaii's low ranking Hawaii has consistently ranked low in the annual 'Ready or Not ' reports since at least 2020, according to Matt McKillop, senior health policy research and analyst at the trust. 'Certainly, there were areas where Hawaii stacked up very well against other states, ' said McKillop. 'I think what contributed to its placement in the low tier, which is consistent with last year, really had to do with a few of the indicators.' One of these is accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board and the Emergency Management Accreditation Program. Hawaii is one of six states that has neither accreditation. 'Most states have been accredited in one or the other or both, which helps them strengthen emergency readiness, ' said McKillop. 'It means they have well-defined processes in place, along with robust monitoring and evaluation systems.' Having these accreditation means state agencies have systems in place for emergency response, disease surveillance and risk communication, for instance, and effective coordination across sectors. 'These capabilities can mean the difference, often, between life and death during outbreaks or disasters, ' he said. Additionally, only 8 % of Hawaii hospitals received an 'A ' safety grade from Leapfrog in the fall of 2024, he said, lower than the national average of 27 %. Hawaii fared better in 2024, with 25 % of hospitals receiving an 'A.' Leapfrog, which has faced some criticism for its methodology, measures patient safety data, errors and infections. Not having an 'A ' grade does not mean hospitals in the state are not safe, he said, but indicates there are opportunities for improvement. Every state, regardless of ranking, has room for improvement, said McKillop, acknowledging that Hawaii did handle the COVID-19 pandemic emergency well, with the in 2023. States in the low tier just have more room for improvement, he said, and the intention of the study is to provide benchmarks to show where gaps exist. Dr. Kenneth Fink, state health director, responded in writing that it is actively pursuing alignment with PHAB as a step toward accreditation. 'While we continue to protect and promote the health of the public while responding to public health crises, federal funding rescissions, and a 29 % staff vacancy rate, ' he said, 'we agree with the importance of performance assessment.' Fink wrote that the department was pleased with Hawaii's top performances in some areas. 'The report showed why Hawaii remains one of the healthiest states in the nation, ' he said. 'The report also showed that Hawaii performed better than most states in distributing prevention and treatment opportunities more evenly among racial /ethnic lines, a key indicator of equity in public health and healthcare.' Such systems are likely to be more resilient in times of public health emergencies, the report noted, and capable of protecting all populations effectively. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency did not respond to requests for comment by press time, including whether it is pursuing EMAP accreditation. Licensure compact Another reason for Hawaii's low rating is its absence from the nurse licensure compact, which allows registered and practical nurses with a single, multistate license to practice in any member state. As of January, 41 states have joined this compact, which gives states the ability to swiftly mobilize health care workers without cumbersome licensure delays. In 2024 the Hawaii State Center for Nursing and a working group presented to the state Legislature a detailed nearly 200 pages long on the feasibility and impact of adopting the compact. A survey in the report indicated a majority of nurses, 81 %, agreed or strongly agreed Hawaii should become a member of the compact. The Healthcare Association of Hawaii, a nonprofit trade group, also supports joining the compact, which requires a change to state law, according to President and CEO Hilton Raethel. 'One of the primary reasons for a licensure compact is to be able to bring nurses into the state on an as-needed basis if we need to in the event of a disaster or emergency, ' said Raethel, 'without having to rely on an emergency proclamation.' During the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency proclamations helped waive licensing requirements so out-of-state nurses could fill in at overflowing hospitals. Following the 2023 Maui wildfires, Gov. Josh Green signed more emergency proclamations, including a waiver of state licenses for doctors, nurses and other health care workers to ease shortages while recovering from the disaster. But emergency proclamations generally expire in 60 days and constantly need to be renewed. Even now a is still in place, effective until June 3. Some concerns about the compact include a potential exodus of Hawaii nurses who could more readily leave the state, but Raethel says nurses who want to move can and already are doing so. There is no bill at this legislative session addressing the issue this year, but Rae thel said HAH will continue to advocate for Hawaii's membership in the compact. Looking ahead The Trust for America's Health, which is a nonprofit and nonpartisan group, warns that stable, sufficient funding for public health is more important than ever and that the report is a call to action for states to prepare for emergencies ahead of time. 'The only way to stay ahead of outbreaks is to shore up prevention, detection, and response capacities across the country, ' said the report, which has been published annually for 22 years. The trust is concerned about federal cuts and reorganizations, said McKillop, just as the U.S. faces a measles outbreak, severe weather disasters and a portentous battle against bird flu. It calls for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue funding states—about 80 % of its domestic budget—for public health preparedness, along with its national immunization program and other initiatives. It also calls for Congress to reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. 'We know that public health systems in every state depend on CDC funding and expertise, ' said McKillop. To address avian influenza, the trust said the U.S. must 'act decisively to prevent it from evolving into a new pandemic.' Though the CDC says the current risk to the public is low, the viruses can evolve to become more transmissible between humans. McKillop said the group is seeing similarities to some of the early challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the inadequate testing, tracking and monitoring of the virus' spread. 'It's a great mistake to be weakening our public health infrastructure at this time, ' he said, 'because we know these cuts mean slower outbreak response, fewer vaccinations, reduced support for mental health, overdose prevention and food safety.' The disruptive changes risk undoing years of progress in building more resilient, equitable health systems, he said. 'We have urged the administration to pause, reassess and work with experts to strengthen rather than dismantle our health protection systems, ' he said. HAWAII'S 'READY OR NOT' RANKING Low-performance tier (13 states ) Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, West Virgina, Wyoming Middle-performance tier (16 states ) Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas High-performance tier (21 states and D.C.) Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Virgina, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin How Hawaii did based on 10 indicators 1. Participation in the nurse licensure compact for workforce mobility : Hawaii is not part of compact. 2. Accreditation for public health : Hawaii not accredited. 3. Accreditation for emergency management : Hawaii not accredited. 4. State public health funding : Hawaii increased funding. 5. Water safety : 0 % in Hawaii served by municipal system in violation of health standards. 6. Paid time off use : Hawaii at 57 %, above national average of 55 %. 7. Influenza vaccination rates : Hawaii at 51 %, above national rate of 47 %. 8. Hospital patient safety : Leapfrog : 8 % of Hawaii hospitals got an A rating, compared with 27 % nationally. 9. Laboratory surge capacity : Hawaii has surge plan in place. 10. Avoidable mortality : Hawaii ranked third in avoidable mortality and first for equity. Source : Trust for America's Health 'Ready or Not : Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism '
