Ryan Finnerty

Nearly one-quarter of U.S. workers did at least some part of their job remotely in January according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some remote workers are taking their newfound flexibility and relocating to Hawaii.

Hawaii’s ambitious energy goals are aimed at cutting the emission of carbon fuels into the environment, but solar and onshore wind will not get the job done alone.

Using the a broad assessment of the labor market called the U6 unemployment rate, almost 20% of Hawaii workers are not fully employed.

Although Congress extended jobless benefits in late December, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations’ out-of-date computer system has created delays in processing certain claims.

The number of properties listed as short term vacation rentals has declined by as much as half compared to pre-pandemic levels, but the numbers may be deceiving. 

Oahu households would each have to pay an additional $30,000 in taxes to fully cover the City and County’s future obligations.

In his state of the state address on Monday, Governor David Ige is expected to outline a plan for solving Hawaii’s nearly $2 billion budget shortfall. That spending plan will have to be passed by the state legislature, which has several options to plug the hole.

The main task facing state lawmakers this session will be to plug the $1.8 billion hole in Hawaii’s budget. Leadership signaled a reluctance to accomplish that through raising taxes.

Wednesday marks the start of the 2021 session of the Hawaii State Legislature. Lawmakers are back in the capitol under increased measures for public health and physical security.

While much of focus for the 2021 legislative session will be on responding to the health and economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, some state lawmakers are still pushing for policies to  address climate change.

The Hawaii man arrested in connection with last week's armed riot at the U.S. Capitol made his first appearance in federal court today and was released on bail.

With unemployment in Hawaii at some of the highest levels in the country, a group of local business owners are pushing back on a state plan to end commercial operations at Oahu’s Dillingham Airfield.

One of the men identified as taking part in Wednesday’s armed riot at the U.S. Capitol has been arrested in Hawaii.

Much of the state legislature’s business during the upcoming five month session will be conducted remotely, which is already creating technical challenges.

2020 was a tumultuous year for the local economy in Hawaii and the outlook for 2021 remains mixed and uncertain.

The federal pandemic relief bill signed into law by President Trump provides extra financial benefits for Hawaii residents filing for unemployment insurance.

The latest visitor arrival figures show a major increase in November, but the number of tourists in Hawaii remains well below pre-pandemic levels.

The future of a bill to deliver a second round of pandemic assistance spending remains unclear after President Trump expressed dissatisfaction with a measure passed by Congress this week.

State-wide unemployment remains at more than ten-percent in Hawaii, among the highest levels in the country. To create jobs, one local organization has brought back an idea from the Great Depression: paying unemployed workers to do environmental restoration.

Hawaii likely has just a few remaining days to make use of emergency pandemic relief funds awarded to Hawaii by the federal government in March when Congress passed the $2 trillion CARES Act.

Hawaii’s biggest surfing competition of the year is underway on the North Shore. While the surf is up, so are concerns about Covid-19.

The U.S. military is increasing efforts to counter China’s influence around the Pacific by cultivating partnerships with countries in the region. Hawaii is playing a central role.