Ryan Finnerty

Ryan Finnerty is producer on Hawaii Public Radio's local public affairs talk show The Conversation where he reports on local and state politics, business, economics, science, and the environment. Before coming to Hawaii Public Radio, Ryan was an officer in the U.S. Army stationed at Schofield Barraks on Oahu. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in economics.

The Vaccine Mandate For Healthcare Workers Means Hospitals Are Losing Staff

Ryan Finnerty

New York healthcare workers must be vaccinated for COVID-19 or lose their jobs. At one rural hospital, opposition to the vaccine is exacerbating an existing labor shortage, forcing cuts to services.
Residents Of Upstate New York Eagerly Await Reopening Of U.S-Canadian Border

Ryan Finnerty

People in Plattsburgh, New York are looking forward to the August 9th reopening of the nearby U.S.-Canadian border to fully vaccinated Americans.
Hawaii Reboots Depression-Era Conservation Corps Using Pandemic Assistance Funds

Ryan Finnerty

Hawaii is using some of its CARES Act money to create a version of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The state is now trying to spend the last of the funds before the deadline later this month.
Facing Economic Devastation, Hawaii Attempts To Revive Tourism

Ryan Finnerty

The tourist economy in Hawaii has been decimated by the pandemic, with 1 in 6 people there unemployed. Now, the state hopes new traveler testing protocols will help bring visitors back to its beaches.