Reported by Star-Bulletin staff & wire
Wal-Mart closes Pearl City land deal
The city closed yesterday on the planned sale of a 20-acre parcel in Pearl City to Wal-Mart Stores Inc., part of a legal settlement in which the city will use the sale proceeds to acquire property near Sandy Beach for a park, City Councilman Romy Cachola said.The discount retailing giant has said it plans to open a store at the Manana site, which is near the company's Sam's Club at the Pearl Highlands Center, early next year.
The city must now sell another 27 acres in Manana by August 2006, Cachola said.
Hawaii leads nation in car sales
Registrations of new cars and light trucks jumped more than 13 percent in the second quarter, according to "Hawaii Auto Outlook," a report prepared by Pennsylvania-based Auto Outlook Inc.More Toyotas were sold in Hawaii than any other brand. Of the vehicles purchased in the second quarter, 23.8 percent were Toyotas vs. 11.7 percent Nissans, 11.4 percent Hondas and 11 percent Fords. Chevrolet rounded out the top five at 6 percent of the market.
The second-quarter uptick brings the first-half sales increase to 14.3 percent, compared with a 6 percent drop nationally.
Hawaii led the nation in sales growth, said Dave Rolf, executive director of the Hawaii Automobile Dealers' Association.
"I think it surprised many of us when that number came in for the first half as high as it is," Rolf said.
Rolf attributed increased sales and registrations to strong economic conditions and a change in state franchise laws two years ago that has encouraged dealers to invest in new facilities and hire staff.
A&B to build complex in California
Alexander & Baldwin Inc.'s real estate subsidiary has announced plans for its third retail/office complex in Valencia, Calif.Construction on the $11 million, 62,000-square-foot complex is expected to begin during the first quarter of 2005, and is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2006. The venture is a partnership with Intertex General Contractors Inc.
"Valencia is a thriving region with well-performing markets, and this property will be a good addition to our Hawaii and mainland portfolio," said Stanley M. Kuriyama, chief executive officer of A&B Properties Inc.
A&B owns 90,000 acres in Hawaii and more than 5 million square feet of leasable space on the mainland and locally.
Hawaiian Airlines flies 95.3 percent on time
Hawaiian Airlines was the most on-time carrier in the nation for the eighth consecutive month in June, when 95.3 percent of its flights arrived on time, according to federal statistics reported by Hawaiian.JetBlue Airways followed with a distant 82.5 percent on-time rating, while SkyWest Airlines trailed at 82.2 percent.
In the first half of the year, Hawaiian's flights were 92.3 percent on time, which is defined as a flight that arrives within 15 minutes of schedule.
Also in June, Hawaiian had the second-lowest rate of cancellations in the nation.
Web site helps fight employee drug abuse
The U.S. Department of Labor is encouraging employers to fight drug abuse by surfing its Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Web site at www.dol.gov/dol/workingpartners.htm. The site provides employers with free resources and tools to establish drug-awareness programs.
Retail entries sought
Friday is the deadline for entries for the 2004 Shopping Center of the Year Achievement Award, which will recognize a person or company who represents excellence in the industry.This year's award, sponsored by the Retail Merchants of Hawaii, will be presented Oct. 22 at Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki. For more information, call Kelly Haggerty at 941-0440.
Delta issues warning
Delta Air Lines Inc. burned through $744 million in cash in the first six months of the year and again warned that it could be forced into bankruptcy without deep concessions from pilots.
