Breaking News

Business

Hula Grill celebrates 20 years

Hula Grill Kaanapali recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary.On June 6, it held a party for its longtime fans, employees and community members. Through its Legacy of Aloha program, the restaurant has put $20,000 back into the community in the last year and a half.The donations have included a new vacuum sealer for the Maui Culinary Academy. Also in June, the restaurant donated $5,914 to the Hawai'i Agricultural Foundation.***Christian bookstore. Julio and Susana Arvizu have re-opened Fuente de Vida, a Christian bookstore in Lahaina.The store is located in the Lahaina industrial area ...

Big Island GMO registry won’t disclose farmer IDs

HILO - A judge is allowing Hawaii County to maintain a registry of genetically modified crops while preventing public disclosure of farmers' identities and specific farm locations.Hilo Circuit Court Judge Greg Nakamura granted a preliminary injunction Tuesday in response to papaya farmers who argued the Big Island's registry requirement would expose them to vandalism or theft of trade secrets.The registry is part of the county's ban on open-air planting and testing of GMO crops. Papaya farmers are exempt from the ban but were required to participate in the registry.The judge previously ...

Business/In Brief • July 9, 2014

Resort developers undeterred by fireLIHUE - Developers trying to rebuild an iconic Kauai resort ravaged by a hurricane are moving forward after the Coco Palms suffered another setback: a fire on Independence Day.Last week's blaze destroyed the main lobby and badly burned the breezeway of a connecting building. The cause of the fire remains under investigation."This is maybe a little speed bump, but we're still very focused on getting Coco Palms opened and moving forward," said Tyler Greene, principal of Coco Palms Hui LLC.Developers have been trying to raise money to revitalize the ...

Business / In Brief • July 8, 2014

Oahu housing prices reach record levelsHONOLULU - Housing prices on Oahu hit record levels in June thanks to an improving economy and tight supply.The median cost for a single-family home was $700,000, eclipsing the June 2007 record of $685,000, according to statistics released Monday by the Honolulu Board of Realtors.Condominium prices also reached a new median high in June of $360,000, topping the previous record of $359,450 set in February, the board said.June's median single-family home price is just a 3 percent gain from the same month last year, which was $677,250.For the first six ...

Business / In Brief • July 4, 2014

In the next few months, Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay will debut newly redesigned guest rooms and suites along with other new features as the resort continues its multimillion-dollar transformation, according to a news release.The overall "re-envisioning" of the resort is led by TAL Studio's Todd Avery-Lenahan, an internationally recognized interior designer who incorporates the spirit of a destination into his work.Guest rooms will have teak and stone entryways and will include furnishings of rosewood, leather, iron and linen. There also will be a wine and champagne bar in the ...

Business/In Brief • July 3, 2014

An introductory class for "Core Four Business Planning" will be held today from 6 to 7 p.m. at Maui Economic Opportunity's Family Center.The six-week class begins Tuesday and ends on Aug. 19. The course will run from 6 to 9 p.m., two days a week, also at the MEO Family Center.The course will show participants how to write a business plan while providing the information they need to know to start, operate and grow a business.Registration is required for the six-week series, and that can be done at the introductory class or weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the family center.Maui County's ...