AP's Hawaii news editor retires

David Briscoe, whose 39-year career with The Associated Press allowed him to oversee news coverage from the nation's capital to Waikiki, as well as witness a people's revolution in Manila, is retiring from the news cooperative tomorrow.

Briscoe, 65, has overseen AP's Hawaii operation since 2001, as bureau chief and then news editor. He joined AP in Manila in 1970 after serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines for three years.

Briscoe will serve the remainder of his term as president of the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Ritz Camera CEO wins assets auction

Ritz Camera Chief Executive David Ritz outbid other parties at a bankruptcy auction yesterday to buy the assets of Ritz Camera Centers.

The sale is still subject to U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval. A hearing is scheduled for today.

Ritz, a specialty photo business offering digital cameras and one-hour photo and imaging services, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February. The company once had five stores in Hawaii, but only one remains today, at Ala Moana Center.

If approved, Ritz is looking forward to re-energizing the company he has grown since joining in 1969.

Going forward, the new company will be named Ritz Camera & Image and will be operating stores nationwide under the brands Ritz Camera & Image, Wolf Camera & Image, Kits Camera & Image, and Inkley's Camera & Image.

Mokulele, Alaska Air form code-share

Kona-based Mokulele Airlines has entered a new code-share partnership with Seattle-based Alaska Airlines, which now offers nonstop service to Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the Big Island.

Alaska Airlines will sell code-share tickets on Mokulele's jet service between Honolulu and Kona, Hilo, Lihue and Kahului.

Tickets will be available for purchase starting Saturday, for travel beginning Aug. 1. Under the agreement, Alaska Airlines customers can book their itinerary, including interisland jet service on Mokulele, in one transaction.

Blind man sues SBA over Web access

A blind business owner from Honolulu has filed a complaint against the U.S. Small Business Administration over access to its Web site.

Virgil Stinnett, owner of Good News HI, which provides military dining services, alleges that he was unable to apply for Section 8(a) certification because SBA's Web site is inaccessible to the blind. The suit alleges that SBA's Web site violates Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act because it is inaccessible to blind people who use text-to-speech screen access technology or Braille displays.

By the numbers

» Distributed Energy Partners has hired Charles Wang as a project developer. He previously was a sales consultant with Suntech Hawaii.

» IABC-Hawaii has named its new officers:
* Elizabeth Ahana, president;
* Lee Tokuhara, president-elect and vice president of finance;
* James Whitfield, vice president of university relations;
* Kris Tanahara, vice president of awards programming;
* Lucy Ahn, vice president of awards programming;
* Kapono Ryan, vice president of communications;
* Natalie Lewis, vice president of communications;
* Darcie Scharfenstein, vice president of brand management;
* Patrick Williams, vice president of membership;
* Noreen Kam, vice president of special projects and administration;
* Julie Ford, vice president of professional development;
* Darren Pai, vice president of special projects and administration;
* Arnold Kishi, Lance Tanaka and Alan Tang, advisers.