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Hawaiian Electric wins solar award

For the second year in a row, the federal Environmental Protection agency has given Hawaiian Electric Co.'s solar water-heating program its Energy Star for Homes Outstanding Achievement Award.

HECO has sponsored 2,633 homes since joining the EPA program in April 2000. Hawaii now has the highest per-capita use of solar water-heating systems in the country. Statewide, almost one in four single-family homes -- about 60,000 -- now use solar energy for their primary water heating system.

Qualifying residences can take a 35 percent state tax credit and rebates to help make the switch. In addition, Energy Star homes may qualify for market-competitive energy efficient mortgages. More information about the program can be found by calling HECO at 947-6937.

Survey: Kauai businesses upbeat

LIHUE >> Kauai's economy has improved markedly over the past six months and business representatives surveyed by the University of Hawaii say they believe it will only get better in the foreseeable future.

More than 70 percent of 39 business people polled by UH's Hawaii Economic Research Organization said the economy on the island, as well their own industries, have improved during the last six months, according to a study released yesterday.

Less than 10 percent said conditions have worsened.

More than half the surveyed firms reported increases in both sales and profits since the previous survey in April. Almost 40 percent reported they had raised prices on products.

The one area of weakness is in the labor market, the survey found. Only 21 percent reported they had hired new employees or planned to in the coming months.

Hawaiian Air's extension approved

Hawaiian Airlines' request for a seventh extension to continue lease-restructuring talks with Boeing Capital Corp. was approved yesterday.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Faris signed an order that gives the parties until March 15, 2004, to hammer out an agreement over three 767s and 11 717s. Without the extension, Boeing Capital would have been allowed to repossess the planes if it desired.

Hawaiian already has reached an agreement with Boeing Capital to return two other 717s. One already has been returned and the other is due to be returned on or before Jan. 8. A motion requesting the return of that second plane was filed yesterday. Boeing Capital has commitments for those two planes from AirTran Airways.

Earlier this year, Hawaiian reached restructured lease agreements with its two other lessors, Ansett Worldwide and International Lease Finance Corp.

The return of the two 717s will leave Hawaiian with a fleet of 25 planes, 11 717s that are used for interisland flights and 14 767s used for trans-Pacific service.

Norwegian holding 2-day job fair

Norwegian Cruise Line, seeking to fill hundreds of jobs on its first U.S.-flagged cruise ship, will hold cruise job fairs Thursday at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu and Friday at the Ala Moana Hotel in Waikiki.

The fair at the Filipino Community Center, 94-428 Mokuola Street, third floor, will be from 9 am. to 2 p.m. The event at the Ala Moana Hotel, 410 Atkinson Drive, is set for 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

NCL America is seeking workers for housekeeping, restaurant service and other areas for the U.S-flagged Pride of America, which will begin cruising Hawaii in July. The company eventually will need about 2,000 employees, and already has hired between 700 and 800 people.