Unemployment steady at 6.3% Unemployment steady at 6.3% ADVERTISING HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last month held steady at 6.3 percent. The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations says May’s rate remained unchanged from April. Statewide,
Unemployment steady at 6.3%
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last month held steady at 6.3 percent.
The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations says May’s rate remained unchanged from April.
Statewide, Hawaii’s labor force was made up of about 612,000 employed workers, while 41,400 were without jobs.
Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.2 percent, up from 8.1 percent in April.
Soldier admits stealing jet fuel
HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii-based soldier admits he stole and sold thousands of gallons of jet fuel while deployed in Afghanistan. Sgt. Regionald Dixon pleaded guilty to bribery in federal court in Honolulu Wednesday.
The 30-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier said in court he sold the stolen fuel to Afghanis. He was assigned to A Company, 325th Brigade Support Battalion, at Forward Operating Base Fenty in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
Prosecutors say Dixon and two other soldiers, including one who pleaded guilty to bribery last week, stole at least 135,000 gallons in January and February. The estimated cost of the fuel is more than $573,000.
Space complex
work completed
WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — Three years of upgrades to the Air Force’s Maui Space Surveillance Complex are complete, paving the way for new research.
The complex atop Haleakala houses the Department of Defense’s largest satellite-tracking telescope. Lt. Col. Michael Harvey of the Air Force research detachment that oversees the complex says the $30 million modernization will make the facility attractive for new research and development opportunities.
The fixes included repairing floors, adding lightning protection for the telescopes and replacing old computers.
CEO of solar company resigns
HONOLULU (AP) — Honolulu-based commercial solar power company Hoku Corp. says its chief executive officer is resigning and that it is exploring selling subsidiary Hoku solar.
Scott Paul has been CEO since 2010. He will resign on June 30 and continue as a director and chairman of a newly formed restructuring committee. The five-member committee will oversee and direct the company’s efforts to restructure its liabilities.
Paul says that while the company explores the sale of Hoku Solar, normal operations will continue of the subsidiary, which markets and installs photovoltaic systems.
Last month, the company announced subsidiary Hoku Materials would be laying off about 100 employees at an Idaho manufacturing plant. The Pocatello plant was to have made silicon for solar panels. Construction work at the facility stopped in April.
