Driver caused crash of Prius

HARRISON, N.Y. » Police who investigated the crash of a Toyota Prius in the New York suburbs said yesterday they agreed with federal regulators that driver error caused it.

The investigation found that the driver, housekeeper Gloria Rosel, never braked before she crashed into a wall, Harrison police Capt. Anthony Marraccini said. She was not seriously injured.

There was no intent to deceive, Marraccini said, and Rosel, 56, will not be charged.

Employers nominated for award

Twenty-six Hawaii Army and National Guard and Reserve service members nominated their employers for the 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to employers for their support of their employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.

The Freedom Award is significant because only members of the Guard and Reserve or their family members are eligible to nominate their employers for the award.

Nearly 2,500 Guard and Reserve service members or their families from across the country nominated their employers for outstanding support. Nominees, ranging from small to large businesses and public-sector employers, demonstrated support by providing continued benefits, differential pay and family assistance. A national selection board comprised of senior defense officials and business leaders will select up to 15 recipients for the 2010 award.

The Department of Defense will announce recipients this summer.

The following employers were nominated: HMC-West; Akimeka LLC; Native Hawaiian Veterans LLC; HPC Foods; Hawaii State Government; Farmers Hawaii; Archinoetics LLC; U.S. Postal Service; 411th Engineer Battalion; Hawaii Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Prada Hawaii Corp.; Watts Constructors LLC; Honolulu Police Department; Hawaiian Airlines; Delta Airlines; Marine Corps; Hawaii County Police Department; Tesoro Hawaii Corp.; Kauai Auto Repair; Kauai Island Utility Co-op; and the Pearl Harbor Navy Ship Yard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.

Dish sues DirecTV on ad claims

Dish Network is suing DirecTV, claiming false advertising in commercials touting its high-definition channels.

In a lawsuit filed in a New York federal court yesterday, Dish said DirecTV's ads claim a misleading number of HD channels at a price that doesn't include any HD.

Dish said DirecTV misleads consumers by saying it can offer 200 HD channels when it really offers about 130. Dish said the ads end with the promotional price of $29.99 a month, which it said doesn't include HD.

DirecTV said “;it's obvious the lawsuit is in response to our recent objections to their misleading advertising.”; Last month, DirecTV sued Dish for false advertising. Dish ran commercials saying its TV packages are cheaper than DirecTV's. DirecTV countered that Dish compared different plans.

No increase seen in interest rates

HONG KONG » The Federal Reserve is unlikely to raise interest rates this year given the historically high U.S. unemployment rate, said Laura Tyson, a University of California at Berkeley economist.

While recent American economic data has been better than expected, that might not be sustained because of constraints on consumer spending, Tyson said at a conference today in Hong Kong.

ON THE MOVE

Hawaii Pacific Entertainment has appointed Valen Ahlo as an account executive. He has six years' experience as a tech support and operator for Crane Media Productions and marketing executive for visionaryclothing.com, a startup clothing company for the TV show “;So You Think You Can Dance.”;

Graham Builders has promoted Faith Yamagishi to vice president of operations from chief financial officer. Before working with the company, she was an accounting manager for Alakai Mechanical Corp.

Yogi Kwong Engineers of Honolulu is a finalist in the American Council of Engineering Companies' 44th annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition for designing an emergency bypass force main for Waikiki.

The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund has awarded a $25,000 one year grant to Kapiolani Women's Center to increase awareness of the lifesaving benefits of early detection of breast and cervical cancer.