• Jebens wins award from Chamber • Unemployment climbs here again • Money-management TV shows continue • Hawaiian loads, passengers down • Billions available in federal grants • New Web site info is on Social Security Jebens wins award from
• Jebens wins award from Chamber • Unemployment climbs here again • Money-management TV shows continue • Hawaiian loads, passengers down • Billions available in federal grants • New Web site info is on Social Security
Jebens wins award from Chamber
Eren Michele Jebens, who graduated from Kauai Community College recently with an associate’s degree in accounting, is the recipient of a Kauai Chamber of Commerce $200 savings bond, given annually to an outstanding KCC graduate. She also received a certificate, and was honored at the May Chamber board meeting.
Unemployment climbs here again
Kauai’s unemployment edged up in April for the third straight month, to 5 percent, with 1,500 people out of work, and 28,050 employed, out of a total civilian labor force of 29,500, according to information from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Jobless rates often rise in April, as public and private schools drop staffing near the end of the school year, a department spokesman said.
The Kauai jobless rate moved up from 4.4 percent in March and 3.8 percent in February, but is still down from 5.3 percent recorded in April of last year. The state rate moved up slightly, too, to 3.7 in April this year, from 3.4 percent in March this year, but down from 4.4 percent in April 2002. The Big Island had the highest unemployment rate among the counties in April, 5.7 percent, with Honolulu at 3.3 percent, and Maui at 3.7 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate for April of this year was 5.8 percent, down from 6.2 percent in March of this year, but up from 5.7 percent in April 2002.
Money-management TV shows continue
“Take Charge of Your Money!” is a series of money-management shows airing on Hoike Kauai Community Television, Inc. channel 10, with shows at noon this Monday, June 9, through Thursday, June 12. Insurance, retirement planning, caring for elderly relatives and estate planning are covered this week. For more information, please call 1-808-956-7212; e-mail mailto:moneyed@hawaii.edu, or see the Web site, http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/tcyour$.
Hawaiian loads, passengers down
Hawaiian Airlines flew 440,716 passengers in April this year, down 4.5 percent compared to the same month last year, a company spokesman announced. System-wide load factor, or the average occupancy rate of seats on each flight, was 78.7 percent in April, down from 80.8 percent in April 2002.
For the first four months this year, the carrier flew 1,841,160 passengers, up 1.5 percent from the same period in 2002, but still saw a decline in load factor, to 73.4 percent for the first four months this year, compared to 81.1 percent the same period last year.
Billions available in federal grants
A U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development spokesperson said some $2.3 billion in HUD grants are available for projects on the Neighbor Islands. Videotapes with details about several programs are available for viewing at the Kauai Community College library. For more information, please call Bob Kajiwara, 245-8236, Ramona Mullahey of the Honolulu HUD office, 1-808-522-8185, ext. 249, or see http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm#grants.
New Web site info is on Social Security
The Social Security Administration’s new Web site is http://www.socialsecurity.gov, and contains a wealth of information about SSA programs and services. Online benefits application is one of the more popular features, at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/applyforbenefits, according to an SSA spokeswoman. A free, monthly, electronic newsletter, eNews, is available, also.
