Furloughs questioned

12.15.2020

TOP STORIES

Senate president doubts furloughs will begin Jan. 1, while DOE announces plans 

Court challenges will likely stall the anticipated Jan. 1 furloughs of thousands of state workers, state Senate President Ron Kouchi said Monday. Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

But at the Department of Education, emails were sent to public school teachers Monday night with a list of furlough dates, starting Jan. 4. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Hawai‘i Legislature is preparing capitol building for January return

Lawmakers have plans to allow the public back to the building, but they are also getting ready to conduct business entirely remotely. Civil Beat.

Vaccines arrive, with thousands more on the way

The state received its first delivery of COVID-19 vaccines Monday, in what hopefully will mark a turning point in the pandemic. A pharmacy team inspected the thermo-insulated container housing 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine before transferring the doses to an ultra-cold freezer for storage. Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. Maui Now.

Amid prison outbreaks, state vaccine plan will prioritize inmates

Inmates and correctional facility staff will be placed in stage two, alongside groups such as teachers and high-risk workers. KHON2.

Study of Safe Travels program shows few COVID-19 positives

A state-commissioned study measuring the pre-arrival program’s impact found few links to positive cases. While nearly 346,000 people arrived between the study period of Oct. 16 and Dec. 1, the state recorded just 226 known positive cases — a rate of about 0.61 per 1,000 people. Civil Beat.

Hospitalizations for virus vary widely by race and ethnicity

The state Department of Health posted hospitalization data by race on its website Monday for the first time since the pandemic began. Pacific Islanders, excluding Native Hawaiians, comprise 33% of coronavirus hospitalizations even though they make up just 4% of the state’s population. Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i electors cast votes for Joe Biden

As the last state to cast its electoral votes, Hawai‘i put the finishing touch on electing Joe Biden with its four votes. KITV4.

HAWAII BUSINESS

Hawai‘i’s Most Charitable Companies

A total of $119.8 million in cash and in-kind donations were given by 90 organizations across O‘ahu, Maui, Hawai‘i Island and Kaua‘i last year. Employees of these organizations gave an additional $4.4 million and 82,374 hours of their time to philanthropic causes… read more.

OʻAHU

Caldwell reverses course, moves to remove inmate infections from reopening metrics

Weeks after explaining why COVID-19 cases from large prison outbreaks needed to be reported in Honolulu’s daily counts ― potentially preventing the county from moving into the next recovery tier ― Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Monday that he had asked the governor for permission to begin removing those cases. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu unveils first electric bus

A new electric bus, the first of 17 expected to be shipped over the next year, kicks off what officials hope is a complete transformation of TheBus fleet to zero-emission vehicles by 2035. Honolulu Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Honolulu director back to work while sexual misconduct lawsuit continues

Enterprise Services Director Guy Kaulukukui stepped away from his job in April after he was sued by a Kamehameha Schools graduate who said he groomed her into having sexual relations while he was her teacher. Civil Beat.

In effort to curb overcrowding at Laniakea Beach, city to install a fence this week

Mayor Kirk Caldwell says the 1,200-foot-long structure will improve traffic and pedestrian safety. Hawaii News Now.

SMALL BUSINESS TOOL KIT

Your Road Map to Financial Well-Being

Women, historically, have been known to let spouses take care of the finances and deciding how best to protect the family, but women have many reasons to actually take control, or at least be involved in the process… read more.

HAWAIʻI ISLAND

Big Island hospitals expect first shipments of vaccine next week

Hospitals could begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week, officials said Monday afternoon, hours after the arrival of the first doses on O‘ahu. West Hawaii Today. KITV4.

Uptick in virus cases follows Thanksgiving holiday

Hawai‘i Island, as elsewhere in the state, has seen an increase in cases during the post-holiday weeks. Tribune-Herald.

Hilo courthouse employee tests positive 

An employee at the Hale Kaulike Courthouse has tested positive for COVID-19, the Hawai‘i State Judiciary announced. Big Island Now.

Betty Jane Pa, beloved hula and Tahitian dancer, dies at 83

Known affectionately as “Aunty BJ,” she was Hilo’s first professional Tahitian dancer, learning from Kau‘i Brandt in the 1950s. Hawaii News Now.

HAWAII BUSINESS
Recruiting Candidates on Social Media

Social media platforms help companies diversify their hiring efforts, build employer brand, and most importantly, recruit new employees. Emy Yamauchi-Wong, manager at Altres Staffing, offers methods for social media recruiting... read more.

MAUI COUNTY

Hospitals and clinics across Maui County eager for arrival of vaccine

Maui Memorial Medical Center is expecting 975 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and hopes to inoculate 100 health care workers per day over two weeks. Hawaii News Now.

Billionaire Larry Ellison takes up full-time residence on Lana‘i

Ellison reportedly moved to the island recently from California, and informed his employees about the change of primary residence in a letter. Hawaii News Now.

KAUAʻI

County awards grants to 180 small businesses

Funding for Kaua‘i businesses on the waitlist of the Small Business Boost Grant Program has been approved. The program originally opened in August. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i businesses: ‘We can’t survive’ without travel

With tourism effectively canceled for the 2020 holiday season, a number of Kaua‘i resorts and businesses are closing again — some for good. Civil Beat.

DECEMBER ISSUE

Dive into some of our latest features!

2020 CEO of the Year Micah Kāne

Hawai‘i Economics and Economists in the Spotlight

AIA Design Awards 2020

2 Local Surveys Ask About Today and Tomorrow

View this email in a browser

Copyright © 2020 Hawaii Business Magazine, All Rights Reserved.

Hawaii Business Magazine 1088 Bishop St. Ste. LL2
Honolulu, HI 96813

Subscribe
Manage Preferences

General Inquiries: (808) 537-9500
Advertising/Sponsorships: (808) 534-7124