Hawaiian Telcom is offering free local and long-distance calling at the Pahoa Regional Community Center and Keeau Community Center to support East Hawaii residents who evacuated their homes due to the recent volcanic eruptions.
Free calls to the neighbor islands, the mainland, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands can be made at these emergency shelters where free Hawaiian Telcom high-speed internet service has been available since May 4.
Hawaiian Telcom also is offering its residential and business customers free call forwarding to another number as well as free voicemail. Customers can set up these services by calling 643-6111 or submitting an online request at support.hawaiiantel.com.
Cold spring hurts Home Depot’s sales growth
NEW YORK >> Home Depot reported slower-than-expected sales growth for the first quarter, as spring weather that was colder than usual hurt sales of fertilizer, live plants and other gardening-related items.
Sales rose 4.2 percent at all established Home Depot stores during the first three months of the year. It was the lowest quarterly rate of growth since the second quarter in 2015. The figure was also below the 5.5 percent increase analysts expected, according to FactSet.
However, the company kept its earnings and revenue guidance unchanged for the year, saying that despite the slow start to the spring selling season, it’s been building momentum during May.
The Atlanta-based company earned $2.4 billion, or $2.08 a share, for the three months ended April 29. A year earlier the retailer earned $2.01 billion, or $1.67 a share.
Revenue climbed to $24.95 billion from $23.89 billion.
U.S. retail sales were up 0.3% in April
WASHINGTON >> U.S. retail sales rose at a solid pace in April, a sign that consumers may be rebounding from weak spending earlier this year and driving stronger economic growth.
Retail sales increased at a 0.3 percent rate in April, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, down from a 0.8 percent gain in March, which was revised higher from 0.6 percent. The spending gains were spread across most retail categories, with especially big gains at furniture and clothing stores.
Consumer spending has rebounded in the past two months after a weak January and February, a trend that could accelerate growth in the April-June quarter.
ON THE MOVE
The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii has announced the following new hire and staff promotion:
>> Chelsea Bowes has been promoted to director of communications and special projects. Prior to joining the nonprofit organization, she was a web/communications specialist with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in Alexandria, Va. Prior to that, Bowes served as a communications staff writer for the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C.
>> Tricia Fetui has been named as director of events and executive director of the Young Professionals program. Fetui was previously a special-events coordinator with The Queen’s Health Systems and worked for The Madden Corp. and Central Pacific Bank in Honolulu.
The state Senate voted to confirm Ryker Wada to serve as director of the Department of Human Resources Development. He was appointed by Gov. David Ige in January in order to fill the position, which was vacant due to the retirement of James Nishimoto. Wada has served as DHRD’s deputy director as of December 2016. Prior to joining DHRD, he was the Department of Education’s personnel regional officer for the Windward District.
