BUSINESS BRIEFS
Mobi PCS ready for Maui launch
Advertiser Staff
Mobi PCS said it will start offering wireless service to Maui residents Monday. The Maui announcement comes 10 days after the service was launched to Big Island residents.
In preparation for full service launch, Mobi's soft launch period allows the company to refine its systems and operational processes, and acquire customer feedback to determine readiness for full commercial launch. Mobi's full launch on Maui is anticipated to take place within the next 90 days.
The company is offering Maui residents an exclusive charter plan of $40 for unlimited local and long distance wireless calling and text messaging for their first three consecutive months of service.
Mobi said service on Kaua'i will be offered in the near future.
TESORO WILL RESTART GAS PRODUCTION
Tesoro Corp., the largest refiner in the western U.S., said it will restore gasoline output at its refinery in Hawai'i after repairs next week on a reformer that was damaged last month during a power failure, Bloomberg News reported.
"Once the reformer unit is back on line, we will be able to resume gasoline production," Natalie Silva, a company spokeswoman, said in an e-mail quoted by Bloomberg News Service.
The refinery at Campbell Industrial Park has been running at reduced rates following the outage on Nov. 4. The plant has a processing capacity of 95,000 barrels of oil a day, according to Energy Department and company data.
VEGGIE, MELON SALES HIT RECORD HIGH
Sales of Hawai'i-grown vegetables and melons hit a record $60.2 million in 2006, which was up 11 percent from a prior record of $54.3 million set in 2005, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Production of all vegetables and melons totaled 88.4 million pounds in 2006, which was up fractionally from a year ago.
Hawai'i's tomato farmers continued to lead all other vegetable and melon growers with $11.3 million in farm revenues or 19 percent of the overall total.
SHAREHOLDERS' VOTE COMING UP
Shareholders of Arizona Land Income Corp. will vote Jan. 14 on the company's proposed acquisition of West Coast properties owned by the Honolulu-based Shidler Group.
The transaction includes nine office properties located in Honolulu, San Diego and Phoenix valued at $563 million, according to a news release from Arizona Land, a real estate investment trust based in Phoenix.
The acquired properties would be organized under a new entity called Pacific Office Properties.
As part of the formation of the company, and in addition to the previously announced subscription, Pacific Office Properties will issue 180,000 shares of common stock at a negotiated price of $7.50 per share and grant options to purchase up to 500,000 shares of common stock at a price of $7.50 per share.
$200,000 GRANT BENEFITS KCAA
KCAA Preschools of Hawai'i has received a $200,000 grant for playground improvements from the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.
"The children and families of KCAA Preschools of Hawai'i will benefit greatly from this generous award," KCAA President Christina Cox said, in a news release.
There are seven KCAA preschools on O'ahu, serving almost 1,000 children, many from low-income families.
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