HONOLULU ā When a curfew goes into effect each night for one county in Hawaii, the mayor gets bored -- and posts videos on social media.
And his constituents? Theyāre entertained.
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āOur Mayor is bettah than yours!!ā one woman commented, responding to Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakamiās stiff but earnest version of the Renegade to the rap song āLottery,ā one of the most popular dances on social media.
In other videos, posted to his personal Facebook and Instagram accounts, he creates a mask out of a T-shirt and makes ice cream.
Even before Gov. David Ige issued a statewide stay-at-home order to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Kawakami set a 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew for his county, which includes the islands of Kauai and Niihau.
The videos, the 42-year-old mayor explains on Facebook, are meant to ābreak the boredom together as a community.ā And they seem to have succeeded.
As of Monday, a video he posted April 4 of him dancing generated more than 2,000 shares and more than 400 comments on Facebook.
āAnd if youāre wondering why Iām out of breath and why Iām sweating,ā he says after his Renegade dance, ābecause that was like take 1,022.ā
Kawakami also uses his videos for some serious commentary, including demonstrating the proper way to remove disposable gloves, which heās seen left behind in shopping carts and baskets.
āAnd please folks throw your opala away,ā he says, using the Hawaiian word for trash.
āWe no leave our trash for somebody else pick up,ā he says in Pidgin, Hawaiiās creole language that he slips in and out of easily, reflecting his island roots.
Heās also garnered attention by publicly calling those who defy quarantine orders ācovidiots.ā
āI LOVE all your postings!ā a woman commented on a video. āSo fun, so caring, so empathetic, and a blessing to us all, even us who live on Oahu!!!ā
Kauai resident Michael Miranda said the videos show a human side to the mayor. āOn the policy side, I appreciate all the hard decisions heās been making,ā Miranda said.
Miranda said Kawakami seemed to be āa couple steps aheadā of Hawaiiās other counties -- discouraging tourists from visiting Kauai, even before a statewide 14-day quarantine for travelers arriving in Hawaii went into effect.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.
Popular Honolulu Star-Advertiser columnist Lee Cataluna wrote earlier this month that Kawakami āhas emerged as one of the most decisive and blunt political leaders in Hawaiiā during the pandemic.
Many comments suggest he should be Hawaiiās next governor. He said heās not thinking about his political future.
āThroughout this whole challenging event, all that itās done for me is further solidified my heart where I belong,ā he said. āAnd right now, itās here on Kauai.ā
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While nonstop global news about the effects of the coronavirus have become commonplace, so, too, are the stories about the kindness of strangers and individuals who have sacrificed for others. āOne Good Thingā is an AP continuing series reflecting these acts of kindness.