BIA awards looking for nominees

Entry forms for the Building Industry Association's 2002 annual Renaissance Building and Remodeling Awards are now being accepted. Completed forms and fees are due May 15.

Judging of entries is based on a variety of factors including strength of design, aesthetic and market appeal, sensitivity to existing structure, appropriate use of existing building elements, functional value and cost effectiveness.

In addition to construction and design of new residential, commercial and landscape projects, the awards program features a new category, kitchen and bath.

For more information, call Sonya Kimura at 847-4666 ext. 206.

Kona medical corporation pleads guilty to tax evasion

KAILUA-KONA >> A medical corporation in Kona has pleaded guilty to criminal tax evasion.

The owners of M.D. Inc., known as West Hawaii Medical Group, were indicted by a Big Island grand jury in February.

Joy A. McElroy and her physician husband, Loi Chang-Stroman, were charged with failing to file general excise tax returns from 1997 through 2000. Prosecutors said the corporation's gross income during those years ranged from $832,000 to $1.2 million.

In an agreement with the state Attorney General's office, West Hawaii Medical Group was fined $50,000 after pleading guilty to four counts of willfully failing to file the tax returns.

The decision was handed down Thursday.

Deputy Attorney General Ricky Damerville said Chang-Stroman was named because the state alleged that he was "principally responsible" for filing tax returns. In exchange for the plea, the state dismissed the charges against Chang-Stroman "without prejudice." Damerville said that allows the state to refile charges if the corporation evades the fine, for example by filing for bankruptcy.

The corporation also must pay some $50,000 in back taxes plus penalties and interest, Damerville said.

Cendant's Trip.com starts $40 million ad campaign

New York >> Cendant Corp., a hotel franchiser and owner of time-share and car rental businesses, started a $40 million advertising campaign for its new Trip.com Web site, which sells plane tickets, hotel rooms and rental cars.

The advertising campaign, created by Grey Advertising, will run television, radio, print and online ads with the slogan "There's only one you," said Sam Galeotos, the head of Cendant's travel group and chairman of affiliate Trip Network Inc., which operates the Web site. Galeotos was CEO of Hawaii-founded Cheap Tickets when Cendant bought that company in October of last year.

Cendant, has spent $6 billion over the past two years acquiring companies expected to benefit from an increase in travel as the U.S. population ages, according to a Bloomberg News report. Trip.com will allow New York-based Cendant to better market its businesses to consumers through one portal, analysts have said.

Trip.com will compete against Travelocity.com Inc. and Expedia Inc., the two largest online travel reservation systems for consumers. The Trip.com site is connected to the same booking system used by travel agents, and consumers using the site will have access to agents who can offer advice on vacations, the company said.

Consumers kept spending in March as incomes rose

WASHINGTON >> Consumers didn't shop until they dropped, but they did spend modestly in March, helping to bolster the economic recovery.

The Commerce Department reported today that consumer spending -- which accounts for two-thirds of all economic activity in the United States -- rose 0.4 percent in March. That matched the growth in Americans' incomes, which include wages, interest and government benefits. While solid, March's performance marked a moderation in spending and income growth from the month before. In February, Americans' spending and incomes -- which include wages, interest and government benefits-- each rose by 0.6 percent.

In other news . . .

CHICAGO >> Health insurer Anthem Inc., an operator of Blue Cross and Blue Shield insurance plans, said today it would buy Trigon Healthcare Inc. in a $4 billion deal aimed at boosting its presence in the southeastern United States. The cash-and-stock deal folds Trigon, Va.,'s largest health insurer and provider of Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, into Indianapolis-based Anthem's growing national network of "Blues" plans.

TOKYO >> Tokyo financial markets were closed today for Greenery Day, a national holiday. Markets will reopen tomorrow.