Hawaii Gov. Ige looks back on coronavirus, tourism shutdown

HONOLULU (AP) — Crisis response is one way to sum up Hawaii Gov. David Ige’s eight years in office. He faced a volcanic eruption that destroyed 700 homes, protests blocking construction of a cutting-edge multibillion-dollar telescope and a false alert about an incoming ballistic missile. During the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism shut down and Hawaii’s unemployment rate soared above 22%. Ige will hand over leadership of the state to his successor, Lt. Gov. Josh Green, on Dec. 5. Ige says that the job can be stressful but it’s the best one he could ever have because “what we do matters to people every single day.”