HAWAII

Higa joins MidWeek and the Star-Bulletin

Jay Higa has been appointed director of business development at Oahu Publications Inc., publisher of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and MidWeek.

Higa, who will begin his new job Monday, most recently was classified and retail advertising director for The Honolulu Advertiser, where he had been employed since 2002.

He started his career in 1989, handling ad sales for MidWeek and Sun Press. He subsequently was promoted to advertising manager, MidWeek sales director and director of advertising for MidWeek. He was named advertising director for MidWeek/Honolulu Star-Bulletin in 2001.

“;I'm looking forward to working with the management team at The Honolulu Star-Bulletin/MidWeek that will enable our customers to grow their business and decrease expenses during these challenging times,”; Higa said. “;I started my advertising career with MidWeek and spent 12 years helping to build the MidWeek brand. It feels like coming home again.”;

Alaska Airlines expands Maui service

Alaska Airlines said yesterday that it will start service between Portland, Ore., and Maui on Aug. 7 three times a week.

The airline also announced it is expanding seasonal service between Anchorage and Maui to year-round.

Alaska inaugurated service to Hawaii in October 2007. The airline currently offers daily nonstop flights between Seattle and Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island; and between Anchorage and Oahu, Kauai and Maui.

The new Portland-Maui flight will depart Portland at 9:50 a.m. Pacific time Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, and arrive in Kahului at 12:45 p.m. Hawaii time. The return flight will depart Maui at 1:45 p.m. Hawaii time the same days and arrive at 10:15 p.m. Pacific time.

Alaska is offering an introductory fare of $169 one way on the route for tickets purchased by Feb. 12, and travel from Aug. 7 through Dec. 13, on select days of the week. 

General Growth loan pushed back

Lenders have agreed to another loan extension for troubled Chicago-based General Growth Properties Inc., which owns Ala Moana Center and Ward Centers.

The company said in a press release that “;forbearance agreements”; on a 2006 senior credit agreement and secured portfolio loan was extended to March 15.

The move to extend the forbearance period means that the banks won't exercise their rights to foreclose if loan deadlines are not met, according to a General Growth spokesman.

Kamakura credit index improves

Honolulu-based Kamakura Corp. said yesterday that its Kamakura index of troubled public companies for January showed improved credit quality for only the second time in the last 18 months.

The Kamakura global index decreased 0.9 percent to 23.1 percent of the public company universe. Kamakura defines a troubled company as a company whose short-term default probability is more than 1 percent.

The index covers more than 21,000 public companies in 30 countries.

CarInsurance.com expands in isles

CarInsurance.com said last week it has expanded into Hawaii, along with Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

CarInsurance.com allows customers compare companies and buy auto insurance through a single site.

CarInsurance.com has more than 18,000 online Web page resources to help drivers research, compare and decide on the best coverage.