BUSINESS BRIEFS
Gas price cap may rise 8¢
Advertiser Staff and News Services
The wholesale price of regular gasoline in Honolulu could rise about 8 cents a gallon on Monday, according to Advertiser calculations. That could lead to prices at the pump reaching $3 a gallon for regular in O'ahu, depending on dealer markup.
The state caps the price that wholesalers can charge for gasoline, but retail prices remain unregulated. A new gas cap is set each Wednesday and takes effect each Monday.
1,030 TO GET TIME REFUNDS
About 1,030 Hawai'i residents are due refunds from Time Inc. after the publisher agreed to settle allegations that it billed or charged people for unwanted magazine subscriptions.
Time also agreed to pay $75,000 toward attorney's fees and a fund for consumer education, the Hawai'i Office of Consumer Protection said. Hawai'i joined with 22 other states in obtaining an $8.8 million settlement from Time.
The publisher allegedly changed its policy on some subscriptions to automatically renew them without adequately informing people, the state office said. Time also sent magazine solicitations that looked like bills but didn't contain conspicuous disclosures.
Time will send a letter to eligible subscribers in June in an envelope marked: Refund Offer Enclosed. The letter will state at the top: Refund Notice — This is not a solicitation.
WINDOWS VISTA DELAYED TILL 2007
SEATTLE — Microsoft Corp. will delay the consumer release of its new Windows operating system until January 2007.
The news sent Microsoft shares down 2.5 percent in late-session trading, to $27.05. Earlier the stock fell 15 cents to close at $27.74 on the Nasdaq.
