Teachers' strike pushes state jobless rate to 5.2%

Hawaii's unemployment figure in April jumped above the national level for the first time since November, but there was one big reason, the 19-day strike last month by 13,000 public school teachers. Their absence lifted the jobless rate to 5.2 percent, from 4.4 percent in April 2000, a whole point above the U.S. rate of 4.2 percent.

It was an even bigger jump from the 4 percent level posted in March. Oahu was unchanged with 3.9 percent unemployment last month, but the jobless figure on the Big Island and Kauai each rose to 10.5 percent, from a year-earlier 6.9 percent and 5.8 percent respectively. Maui's jobless tally rose to 4.9 percent last month, from 4 percent in the previous April.

However, the number of people in work during April was an improvement. Last month, Hawaii had 577,950 active jobs going, up 1.5 percent from 569,600 in April 2000.

AOL to raise price of Internet service

New York >> AOL Time Warner Inc. will raise the monthly Internet service fee for its unlimited use plan for the first time in three years, an 8.9 percent jump analysts said may slow subscriber growth.

The $1.95 increase, effective in July, will boost the fee paid by most of America Online's more than 29 million subscribers to $23.90, spokeswoman Ann Brackbill said. It may boost annual revenue by as much as $680 million. AOL Time Warner shares rose 64 cents to $57.24 as heavy volume pushed it into positive territory at the close.

AOL's last price increase, in 1998, cut the pace of customer growth by half, according to Merrill Lynch & Co. analysts. It also increased churn, or the rate at which customers left the Internet service. Overall, AOL has added 17 million subscribers since the last price increase, Brackbill said.

Apple Computer converting to all-LCD monitors

SAN JOSE, Calif. >> Apple Computer Inc. is ready to make bulky cathode ray tube displays things of the past.

"We will be the first with all LCD displays in the industry," chief executive Steve Jobs said.

The decision doesn't involve Apple's line of popular iMac computers, the colorful desktops that combine a computer and monitor all-in-one. Liquid crystal displays offer higher resolution and take up less space.