State Rep. Andria Tupola (R, Ewa Villages-Kalaeloa-Ko Olina-Nanakuli) will host a community meeting Thursday about the rising costs of electric bills.
The meeting will be at the Barbers Point Bowling Center, 91-1259 Saratoga Ave. in Kapolei, from 7 to 8 p.m.
Tupola’s office said Wednesday that the meeting is being held in response to some community members’ receiving electricity bills of more than $900, and the community’s inability to get answers to why bills are going up.
“Many constituents have shared their concerns over the increases to their electric bills and miscommunication from stakeholders,” Tupola said in a statement. “I want to provide the community the tools to learn the specific steps they can take to save energy and money.”
Tupola’s office said Blue Planet Foundation, Hawaiian Electric and Bidgely, an energy monitoring startup, will present at the meeting.
The groups will provide information on how to install free home energy monitoring kits.
177,000 U.S. jobs added last month
WASHINGTON >> U.S. businesses added a solid 177,000 jobs in August, according to a private survey, suggesting that hiring remains healthy after two months of strong gains.
Payroll processor ADP said the job growth was driven by services firms such as retailers, financial services firms and professional and business services, which include higher-paying jobs like those held by accountants, engineers and architects. Construction firms cut jobs, and manufacturing employment was unchanged.
The steady hiring could help fuel stronger growth in the second half of this year.
Pending home sales rose during July
WASHINGTON >> More Americans signed contracts to purchase homes in July, a sign that demand for homeownership remains strong despite a shortage of listings on the market.
The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index rose 1.3 percent in July to 111.3, the highest reading since April.
Housing has staged a solid rebound in prices and sales this year, but the real estate market faces potential challenges as fewer properties are being listed for sale.
Economic indicators dire for Brazil
SAO PAULO, Brazil >> Brazil’s economy shrank 3.8 percent last year and is expected to shrink another 3.3 percent this year. The country’s unemployment rate hit 11.6 percent in July. And the budget deficit is on pace to reach almost $48 billion by the end of this year.
Its grim news snowballed over the past year while Congress was consumed by the fight over President Dilma Rousseff’s future. On Wednesday, the Senate voted 61-20 in favor of removing Rousseff from office for breaking fiscal laws in her management of the federal budget. For some, that is cause for hope that things can turn around.
Africa’s biggest economy enters recession
LAGOS, Nigeria >> Africa’s biggest economy is officially in recession. Nigeria released data on Wednesday showing its gross domestic product declined by 2.06 percent in the second quarter of the year. The oil- and import-dependent economy also declined by 0.36 percent in the first quarter.
It is the West African country’s first recession since 1991, according to Central Bank data.
Nigeria has been slammed by low petroleum prices, attacks by oil militants and foreign currency shortages.
Toys R Us to sell American Girl dolls
NEW YORK >> Mattel’s American Girl dolls will soon be sold at Toys R Us stores. The popular dolls are now sold at American Girl’s 20 stores and on its website. Making the dolls available in more places could help Mattel Inc. reverse the brand’s declining sales.
Starting in September, Toys R Us will sell American Girl’s new line of $60 WellieWisher dolls at all of its U.S. stores. A month later, it will open American Girl shops within select stores where it will sell the WellieWisher line and American Girl’s signature Truly Me dolls, which cost more than $100.
