Scott Murakami, director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, said today his department had received 207,126 unemployment filings, which is a record. Read more
The $9.2 billion rail system is already six years behind schedule, and billions of dollars over budget. Read more
Lt. Gov. Josh Green today questioned a controversial plan to release low-risk jail inmates to try to block the spread of the new coronavirus in Hawaii’s overcrowded correctional system. Read more
Lt. Gov. Josh Green today questioned a controversial plan to release low-risk jail inmates to try to block the spread of the new coronavirus in Hawaii’s overcrowded correctional system. Read more
As the Hawaii economy has shut down to try to curb the coronavirus pandemic, applications have surged for the federally funded “food stamp” program now known as Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. Read more
Police detectives, teachers and government workers who have been idled by the pandemic might need to be drafted into service to work on a more aggressive coronavirus contact tracing program in Hawaii, according to the authors of a new paper published by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. Read more
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A spokeswoman for the state Department of Human Services said the department received 3,293 applications last week for SNAP and financial support through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Read more
It’s tough to plan ahead when the state economy is a shambles, but Gov. David Ige and state lawmakers will have to make tough spending and policy choices for next year. Read more
Lawmakers have made public a long list of state construction projects worth $1.57 billion that state departments believe are “shovel ready” so that construction can start quickly to give the economy a badly needed lift. Read more
Tenants in the building include the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and the offices U.S. Rep. Ed Case, who represents urban Honolulu. Read more
Mayor Kirk Caldwell and Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard raised new objections Tuesday to the proposed release of hundreds of inmates from overcrowded state jails, arguing that releasing prisoners now will trigger an increase in crime at the worst possible time. Read more
The novel coronavirus has upended life in Hawaii and been an economic disaster, but Hawaii residents do have some unique advantages as public health officials fight to slow the local spread of the disease. Read more
Hawaii’s unemployment rate is projected to soar to 25% later this year in the economic free fall triggered by the coronavirus disaster, but the state is also in line to receive at least $4 billion in federal aid from the new federal relief bill approved Friday, according to testimony before a select state House committee Monday morning. Read more
Carl Bonham, executive director of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO), said there is vast uncertainty in the UHERO projections, in large part because “there is no comparison for this.” Read more
Homeowners with government-guaranteed mortgages who fall behind on their monthly payments because of the coronavirus pandemic can postpone their payments by up to a year, according U.S. Senator Brian Schatz. Read more
The Hawaii for Biden campaign today announced endorsements from dozens of elected Democrats and other community leaders from across the state including House Speaker Scott Saiki, Senate President Rob Kouchi and two former lieutenant governors, Doug Chin and Shan Tsutsui. Read more
Honolulu police have issued 70 citations and made two arrests for violating the stay-at-home orders put in place to try to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Read more
Most were cited in public parks after ignoring officers’ instructions to leave, according to a Honolulu Police Department spokeswoman. Read more
Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald has directed some top Hawaii judges to work with police and prosecutors to identify jail inmates who can be quickly released to reduce the inmate population in Hawaii’s packed jails to try to prevent the spread of coronavirus among the prisoners and staffs. Read more
After more than eight months of nonviolent protests at the base of the Mauna Kea Access Road, the opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope are pulling out of their camp and telling their supporters to take shelter from the novel coronavirus. Read more
The 1,200-page bill that the Senate and President Trump agreed to early this morning is the largest stimulus package ever passed by Congress. Read more
