Bankruptcy filings off for 11th month
HONOLULU - The number of people filing for bankruptcy in Hawaii fell for the 11th straight month in January.
There were 212 bankruptcy cases filed in the state last month, down 13.5 percent from the same month a year ago.
Hawaii County had the biggest decline, as filings there dropped nearly 40 percent to 24 filings last month.
Filings fell 25 percent in both Kauai and Maui counties. In Honolulu, they slipped 1.4 percent.
The American Bankruptcy Institute said bankruptcy cases are declining nationally as consumers rein in their spending and reduce debt built up during the recent recession.
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Honolulu Marathon generated $107.6M
HONOLULU - The Honolulu Marathon brought in more than $100 million in revenue from visitors last December.
According to a study released by Hawaii Pacific University on Thursday, the 39th Honolulu Marathon generated $107.6 million in spending as well as $5 million in taxes.
University officials say this is the seventh consecutive year that spending has surpassed $100 million.
The study was based on more than 1,800 interviews with marathon participants, including numerous Japanese runners.
Professor Jerry Agrusa, who led the study, says surveyors found that Japanese visitors seemed motivated by the Japan earthquake and tsunami to spend more money and stay longer in Hawaii. Participants from Japan spent about $345 per day, a slight increase from 2010.
The annual Honolulu Marathon drew more than 22,600 runners.
