‘Off the Map’ loses viewership

"Off the Map" lost overall viewers Wednesday night, but the doctor drama from ABC finished second in its key target audience, adults 18-49.

The Hawaii-based drama attracted 4.3 million viewers. Last week it drew 5 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings information released yesterday by ABC.

The CBS show "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" won the hour with 9.1 million viewers, while NBC’s "Law & Order: SVU" finished second with 5.3 million total viewers.

Among adults 18-49 this week, "Off the Map" finished second by attracting 1.4 percent of the total TV viewing audience and 4 percent of those who were watching TV at the time.

"Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" attracted 2.2 percent of the total audience and 6 percent of those watching TV, while "Law & Order: SVU" attracted 1.4 percent of the total audience and 4 percent of those who were watching. 

Hawaii union membership falling

Hawaii’s union membership among government workers has declined by 45.7 percent over the past 10 years, the third-biggest drop of any state, according to an analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Despite the decline, Hawaii still has the 11th-highest union membership rate in public-sector jobs, according to a financial news website called 24/7 Wall St.

The 111,344 union members in the public and private sector represented 21.8 percent of the total work force, the third-highest rate in the country behind Alaska and New York.

Hawaii’s private sector has the largest proportion of union workers in the country, at 14.6 percent of all private jobs.

Hawaii to get $1M from drugmaker

Hawaii is due to receive nearly $1 million from AstraZeneca as part of a multistate settlement over allegations that the drug developer promoted its blockbuster psychiatric drug Seroquel for insomnia, Alzheimer’s and other unapproved uses.

Altogether AstraZeneca is due to pay $68.5 million to 37 states and the District of Columbia. Hawaii’s share is $967,000.

Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection Executive Director Stephen Levins said in a statement yesterday that the agreement will help to ensure prescription drugs are properly marketed in the U.S.

The states alleged that salespeople for AstraZeneca promoted its antipsychotic Seroquel for off-label, or unapproved, uses and did not disclose side effects of the pill, which include weight gain and muscle spasms.

State creates loan origination site

As a March 31 deadline approaches for mortgage loan originators to become licensed under a federal system, the state Division of Financial Institutions has created a Web page to help address frequent questions from applicants and those wondering whether they need a Hawaii license.

The site — hawaii.gov/dcca/dfi/mortgage-loan-originators — is designed to assist companies and individuals with the application process for the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System.

Isle firm certified for solar panels

Honolulu-based Alternate Energy Inc. has become the only certified installer and dealer in Hawaii for Mitsubishi photovoltaic panels.

Alternate Energy said the Mitsubishi panels, made in Japan, are covered by warranty for installation near salt water and are rated to withstand winds up to 130 miles per hour. Alternate Energy Inc. was founded in 1993, specializing in the design and installation of photovoltaic systems, solar water heating systems and solar attic fans.

ON THE MOVE

Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has announced Bonnie Tam-Hoy as Realtor-associate of its Kahala office. She was previously a Realtor-associate at ERA as well as an agent and sales coach for East Oahu Realty and at Prudential Locations.

Chuck Gee was honored with a "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the 2011 Taiwan Tourism Festival Awards Ceremony last month. Gee is a dean emeritus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Travel Industry Management and a member of the UH Board of Regents.

Honolulu Community Action Program has announced Marty Oliphant as program manager of its Malama Pono Youth Mentoring Program, which trains and matches volunteers to serve as mentors to children who have an incarcerated parent. Oliphant has 16 years of experience in the field of social work, including being director of Children’s Justice Center of Oahu, project director for Hawaii Mentoring Initiative and as a case manager and trainer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu and Maui.