... Hawaii has the highest union membership rate at 22.4 percent ....

... the tourist headcount is down 20.9% ....

... The states in the bottom 10 tend to have a number of afflictions in common: complex, nonneutral taxes with comparatively high rates ....

... Stadium-villages generally create low wage jobs ....

... No telescopes = No rent money ....

... Hawaii ranks 13th ....

... The Kokua Fund Bill Credit Program will automatically provide a one-time credit of $90 to past-due balances for about 22,000 residential and business customers by Jan. 31 ....

... Here is the actual wording of the item in the Hawai‘i State Constitution ....

... The facility built in 1942 is "grandfathered" and exempt from any EPA rules or compliance.  Second, it is Federal property on Federal land under Federal jurisdiction....

... before you can even purchase a taser or stun gun, and legislators are already moving to make it so that you can’t carry them ....

... The 20th annual American Lung Association "State of Tobacco Control" report evaluates states ....

... 21% of the chamber’s businesses said the proposed minimum wage increase would put them out of business ....

... On top of the federal gasoline tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, Hawaii levies an additional excise tax of 51.7 cents - the fourth highest gas tax rate among states ....

... will remain in effect through March 25, 2022 ....

... The newly-filed lawsuit describes an incident in January 2020 in which N.B.–who is now twelve-years old–was handcuffed and arrested by HPD officers, and her mother was falsely detained by DOE officials, at Honowai Elementary School ....

... OIP has recently received dozens of complaints from the public alleging deficient meeting notices for various Sunshine Law boards that were filed on the State Calendar ....

... said Chairman Tester. “We’ve got work to do, and I’m going to keep working with Senator Schatz to make sure the Department of Defense is getting Hawai‘i and the Navy the tools they need to move forward.” ....

"... at this time, there is no evidence that Board of Water Supply drinking water has been impacted ...." -- Hawaii Department of Health

... HONOLULU remained a Sinkhole City because it needed more than $3.9 billion, or $31,700 from each taxpayer, to pay its bills ....

"...increase the refund amount...."

... The revised rules require proof of a booster shot to confirm patrons are “up to date” with their COVID-19 vaccinations if they want to dine indoors at a restaurant or bar, or exercise inside of a gym ....

... businesses cut hours, turn to technology or even cut jobs in order to mitigate the higher costs ....

... the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December was 5.7 percent compared to 6.0 percent in November. Statewide, 610,350 were employed and 37,050 unemployed ....

... Governor David Y. Ige to the Thirty-First State Legislature meeting in joint session, January 24, 2022 .... 

... This revision results in the current percentage of the population that has received a booster dose increasing from 31.4% last Friday to 33.1% today ....

... attorney Mike Green indicated in the Sunday paper, President Lassner and AD Matlin’s actions may cause legal jeopardy for the State of Hawaii ....

... In a 2019 poll by Pacific Resource Partnership, 45% of the island residents surveyed said they were leaving the state or considering a move. Of those contemplating leaving, 47% named the cost of living as the most important reason ....  

... Their recommendation:  “Tax pension and other retirement income...."

... Based on how short-term vacation rentals are so often portrayed, I wouldn’t blame you if you thought their owners were all terrible people ....

... Free needles.  Lots of free needles ....

... the amount of money that individuals and families require to meet their basic needs without government and/or other subsidies ....

... 2022’s Best & Worst States to Drive in ....

... The word now is that leaders are reconsidering ....

... Somebody needs to tell ex-Rep Kaniela Ing the left doesn't like Russia anymore ....

... The Honolulu Rate Commission will be taking public testimony on proposed fare policy changes affecting TheBus and TheHandi-Van at its January 24th and February 8th meetings ....

... on the Opening Day of the 30th Session of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, Kahele implores state leaders to act decisively and execute a multi-year statewide strategy to mitigate the pandemic and save lives ....

... The plan’s strategies include broadening Native Hawaiian and community participation in planning and programming ....

... As School Disruptions Continue, Families Call Attention to Educational Flexibility, Opportunity During Twelfth Annual Public Awareness Week ....

... House Speaker Scott Saiki announced plans in an unusually specific, brief speech ....

... 60 percent of businesses have been devastated by the pandemic ....

... we’re also being told that we can’t fully open the State Capitol to public interaction because it isn’t safe ....

... Nearly 4,700 rooftop solar systems installed in 2021; 92,500 now online ....

... Ige today said the State of Hawaiʻi allocated all the $1.6 billion received last May ....

... As part of the settlement, Hawai‘i will receive a total of $367,867 in restitution payments for 1,380 federal loan borrowers. Additionally, 196 Hawai‘i borrowers will receive a total of more than $4.3 million in private loan debt cancellation .... 

... DIT is Unable to Meet Certain Service and Support Expectations .... 

... Insights From Fiscal 50’s Key Measures of State Fiscal Health ....

... workers at employers of a minimum size would be enrolled automatically in the program with the ability to opt out ....

... Tonga, which was devastated this weekend by volcanic ash and tsunami waves, with unknown loss of life, major damages, and an outage of the undersea cable communications ....

... McDermott (R) Ewa Beach announced he will be a candidate for US Senate this year, challenging incumbent Brian Schatz ....

... A total of 14 venues and events were recognized ....

... LawnStarter ranked nearly 200 of the largest U.S. cities on remote worker-friendliness ....

... Honolulu Council Bill 41, that would limit "short-term” rentals on Oahu to no less than 180 days at a time ....

...

... With this kind of money projected to come in the door, politicians of all stripes are staying up nights plotting and planning how to spend it ....

...Just like they were a year ago at this time, the businesses that provide jobs to the state’s civilian workforce are in danger of having their annual unemployment taxes skyrocket....

... bills introduced and votes cast this week  ....

... Board of Regents (BOR) will consider adopting the draft Master Plan for UH-managed lands on Maunakea at the BOR January 20, 2022 meeting  ....

... Graham resigned, so aside from normal reimbursements and compensation earned, no additional monies will be owed to the coach ....

"...what he is bringing to the table is absolutely valid.…"

... What to do with the state’s $3 billion budget surplus ....

... According to the study, Maui County ranked as the top place in Hawaii for small business owners ....

... The City and County of Honolulu invites the community to help advice how federal recovery funds will be invested in Oʻahu’s recovery by taking a community engagement survey at https://www.oneoahu.org/frf ....

... Broadband telecommunication customers on Hawaiian Home Lands will soon have more options under the lifting of a former exclusivity clause that allowed only one provider ....

... A Hawaii company that provides security officers to the state’s National Guard, the Hawaii State Arts Museum, Foster Botanical Gardens and other public and private facilities ....

... the problem isn’t too little money, it’s too much ....

"...For these accused felons to have taken money budgeted to hire more police officers and use it to pay off a failed former police chief is sickening...."

... Converse said those reports “will allow [the Navy] to make a long-term decision” as to whether the facility, used by all the services in the Indo-Pacific, will remain in operation. He said the question comes down to evaluating other sites and finding “better methods of distribution.” ....

... The 2022 Legislative Briefings will be held via Zoom on the following Tuesdays from 7:30 am- 8:30 am ....

...  In Hawaii, smoking can burn a nasty hole through your wallet .... 

... Alm’s subpoena of credit card records and video from the AnyPlace Lounge in Rep Sharon Har’s recently-dismissed DUI case ....