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Saturday, February 17, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Feb. 17, 2024

State Rep. Jeanné Kapela, herself a new mom, said she is particularly interested in helping working mothers. She is also hosting a Health & Wellness Fair next Saturday, Feb. 24 in Nāʻālehu from noon to 4 p.m. at the elementary school. Photo from Kapela

A HEALTH & WELLNESS FAIR WILL BE HOSTED IN NĀ'ĀLEHU BY STATE REP. JEANNE KAPELA NEXT SATURDAY FEB. 24. from noon to 4 p.m. for the public at Nāʻālehu Elementary School. Kapela represents all of Kaʻū in the Hawai'i House of Representatives.
Poster from state Rep. Jeanné Kapela
    Kapela said the Health & Wellness Fair will feature representatives from Hawai'i Public Health Institute, Ka'ū Community Health Center, state Department of Health family guidance centers, Alzheimer's Association, Planned Parenthood and Common Cause, as well as oral hygiene practitioners, and much more.
    She announced performances by Miss Kona Coffee and Miss Aloha Hawai'i. Kapela served as Miss Kona Coffee and Miss Hawai'i in the Miss America pageant.
    Kapela, herself a new mother, also expressed her interest in assisting working mothers. "Working families are struggling! This isn’t a new statement. We struggle at the grocery store, the gas pump, and to pay our bills." She pointed to a package of working family bills she supports at 2024 Hawai'i Legislature, including legislation titled Paid Family Leave, Paid Sick Leave, Capital Gains Tax, SNAP CLIFF FIX, and Child Tax Credit. She also noted legislation for the SNAP Advisory Board, Unemployment Income Tax Exemption and Linking Minimum Wage to Inflation.


THE MERGER BETWEEN HAWAIIAN AIR AND ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC. received approval from
stockholders of Hawaiian, according to an announcement from Hawaiian Holdings. The company said "a substantial majority" of stockholders voted in favor and that final results will be filed with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission."
Hawaiian Air stockholders vote to merge.
     
    Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram said, the merger "will bring stronger competition to the U.S. airline industry, deliver more value to our guests and the communities that we serve, and provide greater job opportunities for our employees.” 
    The $1.9 billion deal would combine Hawaiian Airlines international and long-haul products with Alaska's high value, low-fare options. The merger could be done as early as 2025, according to statements from the airlines.

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CHILD SAFETY BILLS CAN TRUMP THE FIRST AMENDMENT, according to Hawai'i U.S. Senator
Sen. Brian Schatz image from The Verge
Brian Schatz, who has introduced a bill that would require social media app users to be at least 13 years old and require kids between the ages of 13 and 17 to get parental consent. He said it would also prevent social media companies from using their algorithms "to feed toxic content to users younger than 18."               Schatz also introduced a bipartisan measure aimed at providing more transparency around AI-generated content by requiring clear labels and disclosures on AI content and chatbots.
     Schatz said, ""The syllogism goes that these [social media] companies have... a fiduciary obligation to systematically upset tens of millions of children. And I don't think that's OK... An algorithm doesn't have a First Amendment right."
    The Senator said, "A very scary example [of AI] is the ability to commit financial fraud and have... our voice call our mother or father and say, 'Look, I need to transfer 500 bucks to your bank account so you can pay for your groceries. Give me your routing number.' And that... is so scalable and so terrifying, we need to act immediately on that."
     Schatz discusses the issue on The Verge's podcast Decoder 

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5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the streets.

















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