Hawaii Republicans “Standing with Israel in These Trying Times"
Aiming the Cannon at Monster Homes
Real Household Income In Hawaii Dropped Significantly In Last 3 Years
CB: … High inflation and a slower economic recovery in the state slashed the real median household income in the state by about 9% -- twice the national average….
Wage data collected by the Census Bureau shows a slow but steady recovery from the pandemic that mirrors Hawaii's broader economic trajectory. hief state economist Eugene Tian said he doesn't expect Hawaii's economy, which is significantly dependent on tourism, to fully recover until 2026. Meanwhile, most of the American economy has already achieved a full rebound….
The real median wage for full-time male workers in Hawaii increased 6% between 2019 and 2022. For women, it dropped 1.5% according to data from the annual American Community Survey….
In Honolulu County, the real median income for Asian households stayed nearly flat between 2019 and 2022, while Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander households saw their real income decline by 15.2%. For white households, the figure was a 9% drop….
"We spend 40% of our income on housing," Tian said, pointing out that it's a much higher percentage than the average on the mainland….
Big Q; What’s your reaction to the surge in mortgage rates, now at a 23-year high? | Honolulu Star-Advertiser (staradvertiser.com)
read … Real Household Income In Hawaii Dropped Significantly In Last 3 Years
No Riots as West Maui phased tourism reopening is off to quiet start
SA: … Discord over the phased reopening of West Maui tourism Sunday, which marked two months since the deadly and destructive Lahaina wildfire, was expected to draw gatherings of protesters.
Instead, one of the larger visible gatherings was at the Lahianaluna Memorial at the intersection of Lahainaluna Bypass and Lahainaluna Road into West Maui. About five groups were there to honor family and friends who were lost in the devastating wildfire, which killed at least 98 people and destroyed about 2,200 buildings, most of them homes.
The groups were mourning and putting fresh flowers at the site, where crosses represent loved ones who perished in the Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfires. Flags that reflected the broad ethnic makeup of the diverse working-class community were placed above the flower- and lei-adorned crosses. They ranged from the traditional Hawaiian flag to flags from the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, Tonga and more.
It was a respectful and solemn gathering. It was fairly quiet Sunday at Kahului Airport, too, and throughout West Maui’s commercial districts, resorts and beaches….
A date has not yet been set for phase two of the tourism restart, which will follow an assessment of phase one and cover the resort areas from Mahinahina to Maui Kaanapali Villas. The last reopening phase is for the area from the Royal Lahaina Resort to the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, where a majority of displaced residents are sheltering
Keith Vieira, principal of KV & Associates, Hospitality Consulting, said hoteliers do not expect to see significant numbers for reopening in the other regions, either.
“This is about saving bookings for next year,” Vieira said. …
Ching said about 75% of workers from Kimo’s are now back at work at other TS Restaurants locations on Maui or elsewhere.
Starr said returning to work was “cathartic” for him and that a majority of TS Restaurants employees have said that they want to return to work — though, he said, TS Restaurants recognizes that some employees might need more time.
“We aren’t accepting new applications. We want to give people time to grieve,” he said. “But the vast majority of employees have come back because they are ready. “…
(TRANSLATION: The protesters are just the usual suspects.)
read … West Maui phased tourism reopening is off to quiet start
Hawaii Refuses Off-the-Shelf Software Solutions--Still Pretending To Modernize 50-Year-Old Computer And Financial Data System
CB: … A vendor has been unable to meet contract requirements after two years and nearly $8 million. Meanwhile, a separate contract with the same company is running two years late….
Murdock said in August the committee overseeing that project opted to end the contract after it “learned that LSI could not meet the cost, schedule, or performance parameters due to disagreements on the requirements” in the bid specifications.
(TRANSLATION: HGEA made insane demands, as usual.)
That project was supposed to replace the existing state financial system called “FAMIS” with a much more modern system to manage state financial data, including accounts payable, budget and finances, travel and expenses, and fixed assets.
FAMIS is an old mainframe computer system that is on the order of 50 years old, and replacing it has been one of the top priorities in the effort to modernize computer systems in state government, Murdock said.
The contract was “terminated for convenience” instead of for cause, which means the state pays LSI for its expenses. The termination amounted to a settlement between LSI and the state that ended the contract, Murdock said.
“Anytime one fails, it’s extremely disappointing to us,” he said (without smirking). Failed contracts are an “anomaly (LOL!) for the state, which has successfully launched a number of information technology projects in recent years (after many failures).” …
Meanwhile, the state Department of Transportation has also been battling with LSI over a separate contract to replace DOT’s antiquated highways financial management system, and a recent report on that project shows DOT has sunk more than $3.2 million into that initiative.
The state awarded LSI a $10.6 million contract in 2020 to upgrade the DOT system, but Murdock told the state Information Technology Steering Committee in August that LSI is “struggling” to deliver the long-awaited highways financial system as promised….
The main sticking point to date has been that LSI wanted to implement an off-the-shelf software solution with minor modifications, while DOT is demanding a more customized product, he said….
(TRANSLATION: The contractor is offering something simple that is proven to work but the State is demanding something unnecessarily complex which will be prone to failure.)
2010: Audit fuels “clinically psychotic” HGEA effort to strangle tax collection
2017: Tech: 'Clinically Psychotic' HGEA Signs Suicide Pact
read … Hawaii Is Still Struggling To Modernize A 50-Year-Old Computer And Financial Data System
HPD investigating after Planned Parenthood protester is shot with airsoft gun
HNN: … Honolulu Police Department is investigating after a man protesting outside Planned Parenthood was shot with an airsoft gun in the buttocks.
Police officials say the incident happened about 2 p.m. Saturday at the Beretania Street location.
Witnesses say a group of suspects rolled up in two separate vehicles and fired several rounds at the protesters.
Sources tell us one of the shots also struck a second protester’s sign….
read … HPD investigating after Planned Parenthood protester is shot with airsoft gun
Federal Oversight of Waimanalo Gulch Ends
SA: … upgrades to the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei are now completed, ending a dozen years of federal oversight. Under an Environmental Protection Agency order going back to 2009, upgrades to Oahu’s only municipal landfill included retrofitting of the stormwater drainage pipeline; installing a trash screen; and improving its stormwater pollution control plan.
All this should prevent a repeat of early 2011, when faulty operations during heavy storms caused raw sewage, blood vials and syringes to wash up onto beaches at Ko Olina…
read … Waimanalo Gulch gets upgrades
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