Last year’s Lahaina wildfire killed 102 people and forced thousands to flee. But more than 90 percent of 1,478 residential lots have been cleared of fire-related debris and a historic settlement will resolve 450 lawsuits.
Traditionally, Hawaii residents have eagerly applied for safe government jobs but particularly difficult-to-fill jobs now have vacancy rates of 40 percent.
Preliminary data, which is current through Sept. 30, shows that more than 6,079 residential property and personal motor vehicle claims were filed for losses in West Maui and Upcountry Maui.
The deadly wildfires in August forced up the island’s unemployment by four percentage points to 8.4 percent in September. For the week ending Oct. 14, claims were up 217 percent from the same week a year prior.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials predict that the El Nino conditions will extend the state’s current drought well into next year. Some are concerned about increased fire risk.
Two months after wildfires tore across the Hawaiian island, it remains unclear whether survivors will receive unemployment payments if they’re too traumatized to work. The August wildfires killed 98 people and destroyed 2,200 structures.
The island’s Emergency Management Agency reported that the sirens are for tsunamis and are not a part of the agency’s standard wildfire response protocol. Instead, a variety of emergency notifications were used to alert residents of the danger.
Fast-moving wildfires have torn through the historic Hawaiian city of 12,000 and have damaged or destroyed approximately 270 structures. So far, more than 11,000 people have been flown off the island since the fires began earlier this week.
The nine-station, 11-mile route that runs from East Kapolei to Halawa ran its first trip on Friday and, though it was not a perfect launch, many residents were impressed by the elevated rail system.
Attorneys of outgoing chairman of the state’s GOP David Shafer argue that an “act of statesmanship” in Hawaii in 1960 is justification for Shafer’s 2020 decision to convene a meeting of “alternate” electors in favor of Donald Trump.
The state Department of Health announced that unauthorized access to approximately 3,400 death records occurred on Jan. 20. The agency says that no death certificates were accessed or generated.
The state’s $35 million initiative, Good Jobs Hawai’i, hopes to support 3,000 state residents with their career advancement in health care, technology, clean energy, skilled trades and creative industries.
While the pandemic continues to impact people’s health, economic security and ability to work, a study found fewer Hawaii residents are willing to take precautions and more people now perceive COVID-19 as an inconvenience.
There was concern earlier this year that the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund would diminish, but the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations reported this week that it has grown to $232 million.
The City Council has voted to activate the previously dormant commission in an effort to better protect historic cultural sites. Honolulu is the only county in the state not to have a group of this type.
Unwelcome drones have been cited for distracting pilots with erratic motion, risking collision and delaying help for those in need. The unmanned aerial onlookers have been found to tail the department’s helicopters.
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