Hawaii Island News, 25 January 2012 through 26 January 2012

Here are some of the stories I’m following through Thursday, 26 January 2012:

Minimum wage may go up this month; bolstering agriculture in Hawaii;  jobless rate stays above 9 percent;  Laupahoehoe will convert to charter school statues in July.

Sources cited in this summary include the Associated Press, the “Hawaii Tribune-Herald“, Stephens Media, and the Hawaii County Police Department.

MINIMUM WAGE MAY GO UP THIS MONTH

(Associated Press).  A bill moving through the state Legislature could increase Hawaii’s minimum wage for the first time since 2007, but opinions are mixed as to whether elevating the wage floor would help or hinder Hawaii’s economic recovery.  According to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the current $7.25 per hour minimum wage is worth 84 cents less than when it was set five years ago because of inflation.  A minimum wage increase would help Hawaii workers recover lost perchasing power and encourage more spending that can contribute to the state’s economic recovery.  However, the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii sees serious flaws in the bill.  The organization represents more than 1,000 businesses in Hawaii, 80 percent of which are small business owners with fewer than 20 employees.  Chamber president and CEO Jim Tollefson said a mandated wage increase could mean the difference between continued existence or bankruptcy for some of these small establishements. 

JOBLESS RATE STILL HOVERS ABOVE 9 PERCENT

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  Jobs in Hawaii County are coming back, but so are the job-seekers.  Reporter Peter Sur believes that is one possible reason for the island’s stubborn unemployment rate, which was 9.2 percent in December 2011.  The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations released that figure on Tuesday, which wa not adjusted to account for seasonal variations in hiring.  The year 2011 began with a similar unemployment rate of 9.3 percent. There were 60,000 people with wage and salary jobs and 7,700 unemployed.  Hawaii County’s 9.2 percent unemployment rate was higher than the state rate of 6.6 percent and the national rate of 8.5 percent in a month when 37 states recorded falling unemployment.

LAUPAHOEHOE HIGH AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL TRANSITION TO CHARTER STATUS IN JULY

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  The Hawaii Board of Education cleard the way on Tuesday for the Laupahoehoe charter school to open its doors this July.  The news came in a 10-page decision issued after board members tooka week to make up their minds concerning a related pair of appeals by the Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School‘s interim board.  In their decision, BOE members reversed the charter school’s oversight body, the Charter School Review Panel, which had denied the charter school’s decision to hold elections for the permanent board no later than 30 September 2012–a period of time after the school year had begun.  The BOE also instructed the review panel’s members to “use their best efforts to cooperate” with the charter school “in the process of opening the charter school for the 2012-2013 school year.”  In a Tuesday afternoon phone interview, Hawaii Island board member, Brian De Lima, said that the review panel had erred in rejecting Laupahoehoe’s change to the election deadline.  De Lima said, “we’re concerned that the school opens up as scheduled, in the best interest of the students.”  Meanwhile opponents of the charter school conversion criticized the BOE decision, with HSTA Laupahoehoe School representative Bob Beekman saying ” my response to it is, there’s a reason why Hawaii is 50th among all the states in terms of quality of education.”  Beekman also said he was considering “action in court” to the BOE’s ruling, noting tht the decision could be ruinous for the community.

IMILOA ASTRONOMY CENTER RECEIVES A $1.1 MILLION GRANT

(Associated Press).  The ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center is getting a $1.1 million grant to take its knowledge on the road with a mobile laboratory.  The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation donated the funds to the center.  UH-Hilo Chancellor Don Straney says the project will allow ‘Imiloa and the university to reach Hawaii Island students and families in rural areas.

HEAD INJURY KILLS PUNA MAN

(Hawaii County Police Department).  An autopsy was conducted Friday on a body found 17 January in the vicinity of Isaac Hale Beach Park in Pohoiki.  Police identified the victim as 62-year-old Dennis Eugene White of Papaya Farms Road in Kapoho.  The cause of death was a head injury.  Although police have not ruled out foul play, the case is currently classified as a coroner’s inquet.  Detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section are handling the ongoing investigation.  Detectives are also looking for White’s car, described as a black or dark green 1998 Jeep Wrangler with a tan soft top and bearing license plate HDY 926.  Those with leads in this case should call Detective Norbert Serrao at 961-2383.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAWAII ISLAND FORECAST THROUGH THURSDAY, 26 January 2012:

Hilo and vicinity–Some sunshine with a few brief showers.  Mostly cloudy at night with passing windward showers..

Kailua-Kona and vicinity–Mostly sunny and hazy.  Expect a few upslope showers by early evening.

Highs near 79.  Lows near 65.  Winds shifting to the southeast by Thursday, 10-20 mph.  Sunrise Thursday–6:57 a.m.

KBIG-FM/NATIVE-FM HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH THURSDAY, 26 January 2012:

Hapuna Beach breaks–flat to 1 foot.  Kona and Banyans–1 to 2 feet.  Ka’u and Pohoiki–7 to 8 feet.  Hamakua–6 to 7 feet.  Hilo and Honolii–1 to 2 feet.

For the latest community events, sports updates, and entertainment news, visit kbigfm.com, nativefm.com, kaparadio.com, and espnhawaii.com.  For more state and local stories, go to the righthand sidebar under “Hawaii 24/7 News.”

Thanks for checking in!

Russ Roberts, editor

Laupahoehoe, Hawaii–along the beautiful Hamakua Coast.