New-vehicle sales to edge up
By Advertiser Staff and News Services
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New-vehicle sales statewide are forecast to rise slightly by 0.3 percent this year, the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association said today. New-auto sales previously were expected to fall 1.8 percent.
New-vehicle registrations are expected to exceed 66,000 units this year, which would mark the fourth consecutive annual increase. However, sales are expected to soften later this year and in 2006 as consumers take a break from accelerated spending on new cars created by low interest rates and high incentives.
SHIDLER BUYING PHOENIX CENTER
Honolulu-based real-estate firm Shidler Group has closed on the purchase of a mixed-use commercial center in Phoenix.
The City Square center includes three high-rise office towers, a 156-room Hilton hotel, a health club, restaurants and other retail establishments.
The Shidler Group purchased the project for an undisclosed amount as part of a portfolio of assets from the Praedium Group. The Shidler Group plans to invest $10 million in improvements designed to restore the "long-forgotten campus-like setting" of the project, partner Matt Root said. The renovations will help create a more pedestrian-friendly environment and improve accessibility between buildings, he added.
DEADLINE NEAR FOR STATE TAXES
Hawai'i taxpayers who haven't filed their individual tax returns yet have an automatic extension until Monday, said Kurt Kawafuchi, director of taxation.
To qualify for the automatic extension, returns must be electronically filed, postmarked or hand delivered to any Department of Taxation office by the close of business Monday, and include payment for any balance due, Kawafuchi said.
Filers who don't make Monday's deadline can request an extension until Oct. 20, subject to conditions. They must: file an extension request using Hawaii Form N-101B; explain on the form the reason for the extension; and pay any additional amount needed to equal at least 90 percent of the amount due. Forms are at www.state.hi.us/tax.
LINGLE RELEASES PIER 2 MONEY
Gov. Linda Lingle has released an additional $2 million to help repair Pier 2 at Honolulu Harbor.
The project is part of a $24 million renovation of the 1,540-foot Pier 2 to create a full-service cruise-ship terminal. Completion is expected by next spring, after which the facility will be able to process up to 2,500 passengers from a single ship.
MICROSOFT SEEKS BROWSER PATCH
SEATTLE — Microsoft Corp. was working yesterday to come up with a fix for a flaw in its Internet Explorer browser that could let hackers gain access to computer systems through malicious Web sites.
A patch was not immediately available, though security experts played down the risk."If the user doesn't browse a malicious Web site, then the user isn't even under attack," said Gerhard Eschelbeck, chief technology officer at Qualys Inc., a security company in Redwood Shores, Calif.
