Hawaii County unemployment rate down slightly in February
KAILUA-KONA — Hawaii County’s unemployment rate declined slightly during February, according to data released Thursday by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
The Big Island’s jobless rate dropped to 2.1 percent last month, down from 2.3 percent in January. In February 2017, the island’s rate of unemployment stood at 3.1 percent, according to the data.
Meanwhile, the statewide unemployment rate held steady at 2.1 percent during February, the department said.
Around the state, Maui County’s unemployment rate was 2 percent, down from 2.1 percent in January, while Kauai County’s rate dropped to 1.7 percent from 2 percent. Honolulu City and County saw its rate decrease from 2 percent in January to 1.8 percent last month.
Nationally, the unemployment rate held steady during February at 4.1 percent. Last January, 4.7 percent of Americans were without work.
Confusion, relief, anger in Honolulu 911 calls during missile scare
HONOLULU — The Honolulu Police Department is releasing a sampling of 911 calls made after a cellphone and broadcast alert mistakenly warned of a ballistic missile headed to Hawaii.
The department says its emergency line received 2,000 calls on Jan. 13 in the 38 minutes after 8:07 a.m.a when a state worker sent the alert in error. The department Wednesday released a representative sample of 24 of those calls at the request of media organizations.
Most callers sounded confused and then relieved to hear there was no danger. Those who called before dispatchers were notified about the mistake were told to tune in to television and radio. Some callers were outraged. “Who in the world would do such a thing?” one caller asked.
The worker who sent the alert has been fired.
Hawaii foreclosure cases fall for fourth year in a row
HONOLULU — Real estate foreclosures declined in Hawaii for a fourth consecutive year in 2017, according to statistics from the state Judiciary.
The number of new foreclosure cases filed statewide last year fell 16 percent to 1,461 from 1,734 the year before, the Honolulu-Star Advertiser reported Thursday.
Foreclosure lawsuits initiated mainly by lenders against homeowners in Hawaii peaked in 2013 at 3,430 cases. The decline began in 2014 when 2,084 cases were filed, and the next year new case volume decreased to 1,826.
The four-year trend has been influenced by a prospering state economy where personal income has risen, unemployment has dropped about as low as it can go, and home values have appreciated moderately. Still, unfortunate life events including divorce, bad financial decisions and debilitating illness or injury can lead to foreclosure.
Japanese camp funding advances after Zinke, lawmaker spat
HONOLULU — Funding for a program to preserve the sites where Japanese-Americans were interned during World War II has moved forward after becoming the backdrop of a spat between a Hawaii congresswoman and the Interior Department boss.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke discussed the funding last week at a House committee hearing in Washington.
When the Japanese-American congresswoman asked Zinke whether he would continue the program, Zinke replied with the Japanese greeting for hello, or “konnichiwa.”
Hanabusa’s colleagues later criticized Zinke for being juvenile and treating her as a foreigner. Hanabusa said Zinke was racially stereotyping her.
Zinke defended his use of the term, saying, “How could ever saying ‘good morning’ be bad?”
The House approved $3 million for the project. It now goes to the Senate.
More charges lodged against ex-Honolulu police chief, wife
HONOLULU — A former Honolulu police chief and his deputy prosecutor wife who are fighting corruption allegations face additional charges.
U.S. prosecutors on Thursday filed a superseding indictment that charges Louis and Katherine Kealoha with two new obstruction charges and a new charge of lying to a federal officer.
The Kealohas, along with current and former police officers, were initially indicted last year. Prosecutors allege the Kealohas orchestrated the framing of a man.
One of the new charges alleges Katherine Kealoha convinced Ransen Taito to lie to a grand jury that he received all of his childhood trust fund money from her. Another alleges she got him to sign false documents.
Taito previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge accusing him of impeding the investigation against the Kealohas.
By local and wire sources