Isle gas prices continue drop

Gasoline prices dropped again throughout Hawaii this past week with the rate of decline increasing. Honolulu's average price dipped to less than $4 a gallon for the first time in 11 weeks. The statewide average declined by 27 cents from last month to $4.07 a gallon for regular unleaded, according to AAA.

Yesterday's average price in Honolulu was $3.95 a gallon for unleaded, down 28 cents from last month, and 85 cents higher than this time last year. In Hilo, the average price was $4.10 a gallon, 28 cents less than last month, and 87 cents higher than last year. The average price in Wailuku was $4.44 a gallon, down 21 cents from last month and 91 cents higher than last year.

“;Honolulu is under $4 gallon following the mainland trend of falling prices,”; AAA Hawaii Regional Manager Richard Velazquez said in a statement. “;We saw double-digit declines this week for the second consecutive week.”;

Verizon donates phones in Hawaii

Verizon Wireless said it expects to donate 140 wireless phones to Hawaii domestic violence agencies for use with their clients, giving them more than 400,000 minutes of service. Nationwide, Verizon Wireless expects to donate more than 22,000 wireless phones with more than 66 million minutes of airtime through its HopeLine program.

Isle travel falloff hits Host Hotels

A falloff in leisure and group travel—especially in Hawaii—bit into Host Hotels & Resorts third quarter numbers, as the lodging and real estate company said yesterday that its profit fell 45 percent.

Host said it earned $52 million, or 10 cents a share. That is down from $95 million, or 18 cents, in the year-earlier period, and the latest quarter included a gain from asset disposals of 2 cents a share. Revenue came in at $1.17 billion, down from $1.2 billion, while comparable hotel revenue per available room fell 2.1 percent.

The latter was due largely to what Host called “;a significant decline as a result of a decrease in leisure transient and group demand”; at its properties in Hawaii. Knocking them out, total company RevPAR would have been off a more modest 0.4 percent.

Dezign Home changes name again

C.S. Wo & Co. Ltd. has changed the name of its furniture store at 455 Ward Ave. to Rooms Hawaii.

The new sign went up Tuesday, replacing the Dezign Home sign that reflected the store's second name change. It opened as Z-interiors in May 2003.

Rooms Hawaii will carry many of the same brands, but has added the Ashley and Broyhill brands found at Room Stores Hawaii in Salt Lake, said Mark Zwolfer, division manager.

The name was shortened because “;it got across more what we do,”; which is to offer “;room packages”; of furnishings at lower prices than items sell for individually.