Here’s good news/bad news for all working women of Hawaii.

The good news: In Hawaii, the gender earning gap between women and men is smaller than on the mainland. Nationally, women earn 78 to 79 cents for every dollar earned by men; in Hawaii, working women earn 86 cents for every man’s dollar.

The bad news: That such an earning gap exists at all.

Myriad factors have contributed to the situation: education access and opportunities, mommy-track detours off the corporate ladder, outright discrimination, to name a few.

Some factprs aren’t the big obstacles they once were, so there’s hope that the equal-pay gap will be a thing of the past by the time today’s young daughters get going in their careers.

Check online before eating out

For all the complaints about government transparency, especially when linked to ancient and impenetrable information technology, it’s a pleasure to learn that these problems can be solved.

To wit: The state Department of Health’s new website for restaurant inspections, hi.health inspections.us/hawaii, offers an easy way to see if your favorite Oahu restaurant is up to snuff.

It goes beyond those color-coded placards in the window and covers not just restaurants, but other food establishments, like convenience stores.

It’s something everyone who eats out can find useful.