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Two parks approved for Kakaako
The agency responsible for Kakaako development approved a $2 million budget to build two parks, one on each side of a planned extension of Queen Street that will run from Kamakee Street to join Waimanu Street.The money will include payment for a sculpture in the mauka park by artist Randall Shiroma. Shiroma told a board meeting of the agency, the Hawaii Community Development Authority, that his planned cluster of stone-like objects, one of which will be 12-14 feet high, will represent a "seamless continuity" of man and nature and serve as "a reminder of the bounty of the earth."
The HCDA said it expects construction of the parks to start in May and end in March 2004, at the same time the Queen Street extension will be completed.
Online holiday sales take off
NEW YORK >> Online holiday sales started picking up in mid-November, but kicked into high gear over the Thanksgiving weekend, blazing past year-ago figures.Consumers spent $272.1 million online over the three-day weekend, excluding travel, following Thanksgiving. That's a 67 percent gain over the three days following Thanksgiving a year ago, according to a report yesterday by comScore Networks Inc.
Boeing engineers OK contract
SEATTLE >> Boeing Co.'s engineers and technical workers in Washington state have overwhelmingly approved new three-year contracts that give the company some stability during a time of turmoil in commercial aviation.The agreements included raises and pension boosts but also increased the workers' share of medical care costs.
Random House settles e-book suit
NEW YORK >> Random House Inc. has settled a lawsuit against an e-book publisher that was selling digital versions of Kurt Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle" and seven other popular titles. RosettaBooks will continue publishing the disputed works, which predate the rise of the Internet, and will collaborate with Random House on additional books.But the settlement announced today leaves unresolved the issue of whether authors or publishers control e-rights to books when the contract has no specific language about the electronic format.
Honda gets high marks for low pollution
WASHINGTON >> Honda produces the least-polluting vehicle fleet in the U.S. market, while DaimlerChrysler is at the bottom of the list of environmentally friendly cars, a group of scientists said today.The survey by the Union of Concerned Scientists analyzed the environmental performance of the six largest automakers in the U.S. market. Together, they sell nine of every 10 vehicles in the United States.
Honda was followed by Toyota, Nissan, Ford, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler.
Thousands write SEC to force proxy openness
BOSTON >> Thousands of people have written to the Securities and Exchange Commission supporting a proposed rule change that would require funds to reveal how they vote in proxies.U.S. stock funds managed $3.4 trillion in assets last year, or nearly a third of all shares, for 93 million individuals. When companies put questions or resolutions to shareholders, it's the managers of the mutual funds who decide how to vote those shares, not the investors, and the funds aren't required to reveal how they vote.
With the SEC comment period on the rule set to expire Friday, mutual funds that oppose the proposal are under increasing pressure.
Vivendi buys majority stake in Cegetel
PARIS >> Debt-burdened Vivendi Universal said yesterday it will buy a majority stake in Cegetel, thwarting a bid by Britain's Vodafone PLC for control of France's second largest telecommunications company.Vivendi's ability to pay for more Cegetel shares signals a remarkable turnaround in Vivendi's fortunes.
Vivendi said it planned to buy out fellow shareholder BT Group PLC's 26 percent stake for $4 billion -- giving it 70 percent of Cegetel, a controlling stake. Vivendi already owns 44 percent of Cegetel.
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[Hawaii Inc.]
New jobs
>> Pizza Hut has named Kyle H. Wong senior manager of the company's new location in Kalaheo, Kauai. He joined the company in 1982 and oversees all three Pizza Hut restaurants on Kauai. The new store is in Rainbow Plaza. TheoDavies Food Service Group operates Pizza Hut in Hawaii, where it has 45 locations.>> Neil Niino has joined Summit Lending as information technology administrator. He has more than 23 years of experience in the industry, most recently at KPMG LLC and as an IT instructor for Education America in Honolulu. Niino is responsible for Summit's computer and telephone systems, including all hardware, software, networking, e-mail, Web sites, phones and voice mail. Summit Lending is a locally owned and operated full service mortgage bank.
>> The Radisson Waikiki Prince Kuhio Hotel has hired Tony Araki as director of Far East sales. He has more than 20 years of Far East sales experience, most recently as assistant director of Far East Sales for the Pacific Beach Hotel.
Promotions
>> Obun Hawaii Group has promoted Raymond Nishigaya to finance and information technology manager from accounting supervisor. The printing company has also hired Loriann Tamano as human resources and credit administrator and Myron Mizuta as direct mail department manager.Nishigaya will oversee a team managing the accounting software and network server. Tamano's responsibilities include employment, employee benefits and payroll, and handling credit issues. Mizuta will supervise all aspects of his department, from database management to assisting customers with designing an effective direct mail piece.
