HAWAII

Isle papaya production drops

Hawaii's fresh papaya production is estimated at 2.6 million pounds for November 2008, down 11 percent from October and 14 percent lower than a year ago, according to recently released data from the state Department of Agriculture.

Output for January to November 2008 totaled 28.1 million pounds, down 1 percent from the same period last year.

Orchards experiencing prolonged dry weather had gaps in the fruit columns, while a downward economy hampered sales.

Growers are expected to receive an estimated 39 cents a pound for fresh fruit in November 2008, 9 percent less than October, but 2 percent more than November 2007.

Seminar on homeowner associations

Associa's Certified Management in Kona will hold a seminar for homeowner association board members in Hawaii on March 28.

Topics will include a general overview of community association board member responsibilities, fiduciary duty, productive board meetings, and specific challenges to community associations.

The seminar will be held at Certified Management's Kona office at 75-169 Hualalai Road. For a reservation, call 329-6063.

PEOPLE

AT&T declines bonus, freezes exec wages

DALLAS » AT&T Inc. Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson is giving up his 2008 bonus and freezing the salaries of 120,000 managers and executives, striving to weather the U.S. recession.

Salaries for the phone company's nonunion employees, who represent more than one-third of Dallas-based AT&T's workforce, won't increase this year, spokesman Michael Coe said today in a statement. Stephenson cited the economy and AT&T's 12,000 job cuts last month in asking the board to cancel his bonus, which would have been based on last year's financial results, Coe said.

The company said this week that fourth-quarter profit fell 23 percent.